kenilworth-第30章

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his　dependant　（as　indeed　he　is　said　to　be　very　confidential　with
Varney）；　the　appeal　to　the　Queen　may　bring　them　both　to　reason。
Her　Majesty　is　strict　in　such　matters；　and　（if　it　be　not　treason
to　speak　it）　will　rather；　it　is　said；　pardon　a　dozen　courtiers
for　falling　in　love　with　herself；　than　one　for　giving　preference
to　another　woman。　　Coragio　then；　my　brave　guest！　　for　if　thou
layest　a　petition　from　Sir　Hugh　at　the　foot　of　the　throne；
bucklered　by　the　story　of　thine　own　wrongs；　the　favourite　Earl
dared　as　soon　leap　into　the　Thames　at　the　fullest　and　deepest；　as
offer　to　protect　Varney　in　a　cause　of　this　nature。　　But　to　do
this　with　any　chance　of　success；　you　must　go　formally　to　work；
and；　without　staying　here　to　tilt　with　the　master　of　horse　to　a
privy　councillor；　and　expose　yourself　to　the　dagger　of　his
cameradoes；　you　should　hie　you　to　Devonshire；　get　a　petition
drawn　up　for　Sir　Hugh　Robsart；　and　make　as　many　friends　as　you
can　to　forward　your　interest　at　court。〃

〃You　have　spoken　well；　mine　host；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃and　I　will
profit　by　your　advice；　and　leave　you　to…morrow　early。〃

〃Nay；　leave　me　to…night；　sir；　before　to…morrow　comes；〃　said　he
landlord。　　〃I　never　prayed　for　a　guest's　arrival　more　eagerly
than　I　do　to　have　you　safely　gone；　My　kinsman's　destiny　is　most
like　to　be　hanged　for　something；　but　I　would　not　that　the　cause
were　the　murder　of　an　honoured　guest　of　mine。　　'Better　ride　safe
in　the　dark；'　says　the　proverb；　'than　in　daylight　with　a　cut…
throat　at　your　elbow。'　Come；　sir；　I　move　you　for　your　own　safety。
Your　horse　and　all　is　ready；　and　here　is　your　score。〃

〃It　is　somewhat　under　a　noble；〃　said　Tressilian；　giving　one　to
the　host；　〃give　the　balance　to　pretty　Cicely；　your　daughter；　and
the　servants　of　the　house。〃

〃They　shall　taste　of　your　bounty；　sir；〃　said　Gosling；　〃and　you
should　taste　of　my　daughter's　lips　in　grateful　acknowledgment；
but　at　this　hour　she　cannot　grace　the　porch　to　greet　your
departure。〃

〃Do　not　trust　your　daughter　too　far　with　your　guests；　my　good
landlord；〃　said　Tressilian。

〃Oh；　sir；　we　will　keep　measure；　but　I　wonder　not　that　you　are
jealous　of　them　all。May　I　crave　to　know　with　what　aspect　the
fair　lady　at　the　Place　yesterday　received　you？〃

〃I　own；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃it　was　angry　as　well　as　confused；　and
affords　me　little　hope　that　she　is　yet　awakened　from　her　unhappy
delusion。〃

〃In　that　case；　sir；　I　see　not　why　you　should　play　the　champion　of
a　wench　that　will　none　of　you；　and　incur　the　resentment　of　a
favourite's　favourite；　as　dangerous　a　monster　as　ever　a　knight
adventurer　encountered　in　the　old　story　books。〃

〃You　do　me　wrong　in　the　supposition；　mine　hostgross　wrong；〃
said　Tressilian；　〃I　do　not　desire　that　Amy　should　ever　turn
thought　upon　me　more。　　Let　me　but　see　her　restored　to　her　father；
and　all　I　have　to　do　in　Europeperhaps　in　the　worldis　over　and
ended。〃

〃A　wiser　resolution　were　to　drink　a　cup　of　sack；　and　forget　her；〃
said　the　landlord。　　〃But　five…and…twenty　and　fifty　look　on　those
matters　with　different　eyes；　especially　when　one　cast　of　peepers
is　set　in　the　skull　of　a　young　gallant；　and　the　other　in　that　of
an　old　publican。　　I　pity　you；　Master　Tressilian；　but　I　see　not
how　I　can　aid　you　in　the　matter。〃

〃Only　thus　far；　mine　host；〃　replied　Tressilian〃keep　a　watch　on
the　motions　of　those　at　the　Place；　which　thou　canst　easily　learn
without　suspicion；　as　all　men's　news　fly　to　the　ale…bench；　and　be
pleased　to　communicate　the　tidings　in　writing　to　such　person；　and
to　no　other；　who　shall　bring　you　this　ring　as　a　special　token。
Look　at　it；　it　is　of　value；　and　I　will　freely　bestow　it　on　you。〃

〃Nay；　sir；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃I　desire　no　recompensebut　it
seems　an　unadvised　course　in　me；　being　in　a　public　line；　to
connect　myself　in　a　matter　of　this　dark　and　perilous　nature。　　I
have　no　interest　in　it。〃

〃You；　and　every　father　in　the　land；　who　would　have　his　daughter
released　from　the　snares　of　shame；　and　sin；　and　misery；　have　an
interest　deeper　than　aught　concerning　earth　only　could　create。〃

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　the　host；　〃these　are　brave　words；　and　I　do　pity
from　my　soul　the　frank…hearted　old　gentleman；　who　has　minished
his　estate　in　good　housekeeping　for　the　honour　of　his　country；
and　now　has　his　daughter；　who　should　be　the　stay　of　his　age；　and
so　forth；　whisked　up　by　such　a　kite　as　this　Varney。　　And　though
your　part　in　the　matter　is　somewhat　of　the　wildest；　yet　I　will
e'en　be　a　madcap　for　company；　and　help　you　in　your　honest　attempt
to　get　back　the　good　man's　child；　so　far　as　being　your　faithful
intelligencer　can　serve。　　And　as　I　shall　be　true　to　you；　I　pray
you　to　be　trusty　to　me；　and　keep　my　secret；　for　it　were　bad　for
the　custom　of　the　Black　Bear　should　it　be　said　the　bear…warder
interfered　in　such　matters。　　Varney　has　interest　enough　with　the
justices　to　dismount　my　noble　emblem　from　the　post　on　which　he
swings　so　gallantly；　to　call　in　my　license；　and　ruin　me　from
garret　to　cellar。〃

〃Do　not　doubt　my　secrecy；　mine　host；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃I　will
retain；　besides；　the　deepest　sense　of　thy　service；　and　of　the
risk　thou　dost　runremember　the　ring　is　my　sure　token。　　And　now；
farewell！　　for　it　was　thy　wise　advice　that　I　should　tarry　here　as
short　a　time　as　may　be。〃

〃Follow　me；　then；　Sir　Guest；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃and　tread　as
gently　as　if　eggs　were　under　your　foot；　instead　of　deal　boards。
No　man　must　know　when　or　how　you　departed。〃

By　the　aid　of　his　dark　lantern　he　conducted　Tressilian；　as　soon
as　he　had　made　himself　ready　for　his　journey；　through　a　long
intricacy　of　passages；　which　opened　to　an　outer　court；　and　from
thence　to　a　remote　stable；　where　he　had　already　placed　his
guest's　horse。　　He　then　aided　him　to　fasten　on　the　saddle　the
small　portmantle　which　contained　his　necessaries；　opened　a
postern　door；　and　with　a　hearty　shake　of　the　hand；　and　a
reiteration　of　his　promise　to　attend　to　what　went　on　at　Cumnor
Place；　he　dismissed　his　guest　to　his　solitary　journey。



CHAPTER　IX。

　　Far　in　the　lane　a　lonely　hut　he　found；
　　No　tenant　ventured　on　the　unwholesome　ground：
　　Here　smokes　his　forge；　he　bares　his　sinewy　arm；
　　And　early　strokes　the　sounding　anvil　warm；
　　Around　his　shop　the　steely　sparkles　flew；
　　As　for　the　steed　he　shaped　the　bending　shoe。　　　GAY'S　TRIVIA。

As　it　was　deemed　proper　by　the　traveller　himself；　as　well　as　by
Giles　Gosling；　that　Tressilian　should　avoid　being　seen　in　the
neighbourhood　of　Cumnor　by　those　whom　accident　might　make　early
risers；　the　landlord　had　given　him　a　route；　consisting　of　various
byways　and　lanes；　which　he　was　to　follow　in　succession；　and
which；　all　the　turns　and　short…cuts　duly　observed；　was　to　conduct
him　to　the　public　road　to　Marlborough。

But；　like　counsel　of　every　other　kind；　this　species　of　direction
is　much　more　easily　given　than　followed；　and　what　betwixt　the
intricacy　of　the　way；　the　darkness　of　the　night；　Tressilian's
ignorance　of　the　country；　and　the　sad　and　perplexing　thoughts
with　which　he　had　to　contend；　his　journey　proceeded　so　slowly；
that　morning　found　him　only　in　the　vale　of　Whitehorse；　memorable
for　the　defeat　of　the　Danes　in　former　days；　with　his　horse
deprived　of　a　fore…foot　shoe；　an　accident　which　threatened　to　put
a　stop　to　his　journey　by　laming　the　animal。　　The　residence　of　a
smith　was　his　first　object　of　inquiry；　in　which　he　received
little　satisfaction　from　the　dullness　or　sullenness　of　one　or　two
peasants；　early　bound　for　their　labour；　who　gave　brief　and
indifferent　answers　to　his　questions　on　the　subject。　　Anxious；　at
length；　that　the　partner　of　his　journey　should　suffer　as　little
as　possible　from　the　unfortunate　accident；　Tressilian　dismounted；
and　led　his　horse　in　the　direction　of　a　little　hamlet；　where　he
hoped　either　to　find　or　hear　tidings　of　such　an　artificer　as　he
now　wanted。　　Through　a　deep　and　muddy　lane；　he　at　length　waded　on
to　the　place；　which　proved　only　an　assemblage　of　five　or　six
miserable　huts；　about　the　doors　of　which　one　or　two　persons；
whose　appearance　seemed　as　rude　as　that　of　their　dwellings；　were
beginning　the　toils　of　the　day。　　One　cottage；　however；　seemed　of
rather　superior　aspect；　and　the　old　dame；　who　was　sweeping　her
threshold；　appeared