kenilworth-第32章

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known　to　many　honourable　persons；　both　in　country　and　court；　and
especially　to　the　noble　Earl　of　Leicester。　　〃And　although　he　may
now　seem　to　forget　me；〃　he　said；　〃in　the　multitude　of　state
affairs；　yet　I　am　well　assured　that；　had　he　some　pretty　pastime
to　array　for　entertainment　of　the　Queen's　Grace；　horse　and　man
would　be　seeking　the　humble　cottage　of　Erasmus　Holiday。　　PARVO
CONTENTUS；　in　the　meanwhile；　I　hear　my　pupils　parse　and　construe；
worshipful　sir；　and　drive　away　my　time　with　the　aid　of　the　Muses。
And　I　have　at　all　times；　when　in　correspondence　with　foreign
scholars；　subscribed　myself　Erasmus　ab　Die　Fausto；　and　have
enjoyed　the　distinction　due　to　the　learned　under　that　title：
witness　the　erudite　Diedrichus　Buckerschockius；　who　dedicated　to
me　under　that　title　his　treatise　on　the　letter　TAU。　　In　fine；
sir；　I　have　been　a　happy　and　distinguished　man。〃

〃Long　may　it　be　so；　sir！〃　　said　the　traveller；　〃but　permit　me　to
ask；　in　your　own　learned　phrase；　QUID　HOC　AD　IPHYCLI　BOVES？　　what
has　all　this　to　do　with　the　shoeing　of　my　poor　nag？〃

〃FESTINA　LENTE；〃　said　the　man　of　learning；　〃we　will　presently
came　to　that　point。　　You　must　know　that　some　two　or　three　years
past　there　came　to　these　parts　one　who　called　himself　Doctor
Doboobie；　although　it　may　be　he　never　wrote　even　MAGISTER　ARTIUM；
save　in　right　of　his　hungry　belly。　　Or　it　may　be；　that　if　he　had
any　degrees；　they　were　of　the　devil's　giving；　for　he　was　what　the
vulgar　call　a　white　witch；　a　cunning　man；　and　such　like。Now；
good　sir；　I　perceive　you　are　impatient；　but　if　a　man　tell　not　his
tale　his　own　way；　how　have　you　warrant　to　think　that　he　can　tell
it　in　yours？〃

〃Well；　then；　learned　sir；　take　your　way；〃　answered　Tressilian；
〃only　let　us　travel　at　a　sharper　pace；　for　my　time　is　somewhat　of
the　shortest。〃

〃Well；　sir；〃　resumed　Erasmus　Holiday；　with　the　most　provoking
perseverance；　〃I　will　not　say　that　this　same　Demetrius　for　so　he
wrote　himself　when　in　foreign　parts；　was　an　actual　conjurer；　but
certain　it　is　that　he　professed　to　be　a　brother　of　the　mystical
Order　of　the　Rosy　Cross；　a　disciple　of　Geber　（EX　NOMINE　CUJUS
VENIT　VERBUM　VERNACULUM；　GIBBERISH）。　　He　cured　wounds　by　salving
the　weapon　instead　of　the　sore；　told　fortunes　by　palmistry；
discovered　stolen　goods　by　the　sieve　and　shears；　gathered　the
right　maddow　and　the　male　fern　seed；　through　use　of　which　men
walk　invisible；　pretended　some　advances　towards　the　panacea；　or
universal　elixir；　and　affected　to　convert　good　lead　into　sorry
silver。〃

〃In　other　words；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃he　was　a　quacksalver　and
common　cheat；　but　what　has　all　this　to　do　with　my　nag；　and　the
shoe　which　he　has　lost？〃

〃With　your　worshipful　patience；〃　replied　the　diffusive　man　of
letters；　〃you　shall　understand　that　presentlyPATENTIA　then；
right　worshipful；　which　word；　according　to　our　Marcus　Tullius；　is
'DIFFICILIUM　RERUM　DIURNA　PERPESSIO。'　This　same　Demetrius
Doboobie；　after　dealing　with　the　country；　as　I　have　told　you；
began　to　acquire　fame　INTER　MAGNATES；　among　the　prime　men　of　the
land；　and　there　is　likelihood　he　might　have　aspired　to　great
matters；　had　not；　according　to　vulgar　fame　（for　I　aver　not　the
thing　as　according　with　my　certain　knowledge）；　the　devil　claimed
his　right；　one　dark　night；　and　flown　off　with　Demetrius；　who　was
never　seen　or　heard　of　afterwards。　　Now　here　comes　the　MEDULLA；
the　very　marrow；　of　my　tale。　　This　Doctor　Doboobie　had　a　servant；
a　poor　snake；　whom　he　employed　in　trimming　his　furnace；
regulating　it　by　just　measurecompounding　his　drugstracing　his
circlescajoling　his　patients；　ET　SIC　ET　CAETERIS。　　Well；　right
worshipful；　the　Doctor　being　removed　thus　strangely；　and　in　a　way
which　struck　the　whole　country　with　terror；　this　poor　Zany　thinks
to　himself；　in　the　words　of　Maro；　'UNO　AVULSO；　NON　DEFICIT
ALTER；'　and；　even　as　a　tradesman's　apprentice　sets　himself　up　in
his　master's　shop　when　he　is　dead　or　hath　retired　from　business；
so　doth　this　Wayland　assume　the　dangerous　trade　of　his　defunct
master。　　But　although；　most　worshipful　sir；　the　world　is　ever
prone　to　listen　to　the　pretensions　of　such　unworthy　men；　who　are；
indeed；　mere　SALTIM　BANQUI　and　CHARLATANI；　though　usurping　the
style　and　skill　of　doctors　of　medicine；　yet　the　pretensions　of
this　poor　Zany；　this　Wayland；　were　too　gross　to　pass　on　them；　nor
was　there　a　mere　rustic；　a　villager；　who　was　not　ready　to　accost
him　in　the　sense　of　Persius；　though　in　their　own　rugged　words；

　　DILIUS　HELLEBORUM　CERTO　COMPESCERE　PUNCTO
　　NESCIUS　EXAMEN？　　VETAT　HOC　NATURA　VEDENDI；'

which　I　have　thus　rendered　in　a　poor　paraphrase　of　mine　own；

　　Wilt　thou　mix　hellebore；　who　dost　not　know
　　How　many　grains　should　to　the　mixture　go？
　　The　art　of　medicine　this　forbids；　I　trow。

Moreover；　the　evil　reputation　of　the　master；　and　his　strange　and
doubtful　end；　or　at　least　sudden　disappearance；　prevented　any；
excepting　the　most　desperate　of　men；　to　seek　any　advice　or
opinion　from　the　servant；　wherefore；　the　poor　vermin　was　likely
at　first　to　swarf　for　very　hunger。　　But　the　devil　that　serves
him；　since　the　death　of　Demetrius　or　Doboobie；　put　him　on　a　fresh
device。　　This　knave；　whether　from　the　inspiration　of　the　devil；
or　from　early　education；　shoes　horses　better　than　e'er　a　man
betwixt　us　and　Iceland；　and　so　he　gives　up　his　practice　on　the
bipeds；　the　two…legged　and　unfledged　species　called　mankind；　and
betakes　him　entirely　to　shoeing　of　horses。〃

〃Indeed！　　and　where　does　he　lodge　all　this　time？〃　　said
Tressilian。　〃And　does　he　shoe　horses　well？　　Show　me　his　dwelling
presently。〃

The　interruption　pleased　not　the　Magister；　who　exclaimed；　〃O
CAECA　MENS　MORTALIUM！though；　by　the　way；　I　used　that　quotation
before。　　But　I　would　the　classics　could　afford　me　any　sentiment
of　power　to　stop　those　who　are　so　willing　to　rush　upon　their　own
destruction。　　Hear　but；　I　pray　you；　the　conditions　of　this　man；〃
said　he；　in　continuation；　〃ere　you　are　so　willing　to　place
yourself　within　his　danger〃

〃A'　takes　no　money　for　a's　work；〃　said　the　dame；　who　stood　by；
enraptured　as　it　were　with　the　line　words　and　learned　apophthegms
which　glided　so　fluently　from　her　erudite　inmate；　Master　Holiday。
But　this　interruption　pleased　not　the　Magister　more　than　that　of
the　traveller。

〃Peace；〃　said　he；　〃Gammer　Sludge；　know　your　place；　if　it　be　your
will。　　SUFFLAMINA；　Gammer　Sludge；　and　allow　me　to　expound　this
matter　to　our　worshipful　guest。Sir；〃　said　he；　again　addressing
Tressilian；　〃this　old　woman　speaks　true；　though　in　her　own　rude
style；　for　certainly　this　FABER　FERRARIUS；　or　blacksmith；　takes
money　of　no　one。〃

〃And　that　is　a　sure　sign　he　deals　with　Satan；〃　said　Dame　Sludge；
〃since　no　good　Christian　would　ever　refuse　the　wages　of　his
labour。〃

〃The　old　woman　hath　touched　it　again；〃　said　the　pedagogue；　〃REM
ACU　TETIGITshe　hath　pricked　it　with　her　needle's　point。　　This
Wayland　takes　no　money；　indeed；　nor　doth　he　show　himself　to　any
one。〃

〃And　can　this　madman；　for　such　I　hold　him；〃　said　the　traveller；
〃know　aught　like　good　skill　of　his　trade？〃

〃Oh；　sir；　in　that　let　us　give　the　devil　his　dueMulciber
himself；　with　all　his　Cyclops；　could　hardly　amend　him。　　But
assuredly　there　is　little　wisdom　in　taking　counsel　or　receiving
aid　from　one　who　is　but　too　plainly　in　league　with　the　author　of
evil。〃

〃I　must　take　my　chance　of　that；　good　Master　Holiday；〃　said
Tressilian；　rising；　〃and　as　my　horse　must　now　have　eaten　his
provender；　I　must　needs　thank　you　for　your　good　cheer；　and　pray
you　to　show　me　this　man's　residence；　that　I　may　have　the　means　of
proceeding　on　my　journey。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　do　ye　show　him；　Master　Herasmus；〃　said　the　old　dame；　who
was；　perhaps；　desirous　to　get　her　house　freed　of　her　guest；　〃a'
must　needs　go　when　the　devil　drives。〃

〃DO　MANUS；〃　said　the　Magister；　〃I　submittaking　the　world　to
witness；　that　I　have　possessed　this　honourable　gentleman　with　the
full　injustice　which　he　has　done　and　shall　do　to　his　own　soul；　if
he　becomes　thus　a　trinketer　with　Satan。　　Neither　will　I　go　forth
with　our　guest　myself；　but　rather　send　my　pupil。RICARDE！
ADSIS；　NEBULO。〃

〃Under　your　favour；　not　so；〃　answered　the　old　woman；　〃you　may
peril　your　own　soul；　if　you　list；　but　my　son　shall　budge　on　no