kenilworth-第33章

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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
such　errand。　　And　I　wonder　at　you；　Dominie　Doctor；　to　propose
such　a　piece　of　service　for　little　Dickie。〃

〃Nay；　my　good　Gammer　Sludge；〃　answered　the　preceptor；　〃Ricardus
shall　go　but　to　the　top　of　the　hill；　and　indicate　with　his　digit
to　the　stranger　the　dwelling　of　Wayland　Smith。　　Believe　not　that
any　evil　can　come　to　him；　he　having　read　this　morning；　fasting；　a
chapter　of　the　Septuagint；　and；　moreover；　having　had　his　lesson
in　the　Greek　Testament。〃

〃Ay；〃　said　his　mother；　〃and　I　have　sewn　a　sprig　of　witch's　elm　in
the　neck　of　un's　doublet；　ever　since　that　foul　thief　has　begun
his　practices　on　man　and　beast　in　these　parts。〃

〃And　as　he　goes　oft　（as　I　hugely　suspect）　towards　this　conjurer
for　his　own　pastime；　he　may　for　once　go　thither；　or　near　it；　to
pleasure　us；　and　to　assist　this　stranger。ERGO；　HEUS　RICARDE！
ADSIS；　QUAESO；　MI　DIDASCULE。〃

The　pupil；　thus　affectionately　invoked；　at　length　came　stumbling
into　the　room；　a　queer；　shambling；　ill…made　urchin；　who；　by　his
stunted　growth；　seemed　about　twelve　or　thirteen　years　old；　though
he　was　probably；　in　reality；　a　year　or　two　older；　with　a　carroty
pate　in　huge　disorder；　a　freckled；　sunburnt　visage；　with　a　snub
nose；　a　long　chin；　and　two　peery　grey　eyes；　which　had　a　droll
obliquity　of　vision；　approaching　to　a　squint；　though　perhaps　not
a　decided　one。　　It　was　impossible　to　look　at　the　little　man
without　some　disposition　to　laugh；　especially　when　Gammer　Sludge；
seizing　upon　and　kissing　him；　in　spite　of　his　struggling　and
kicking　in　reply　to　her　caresses；　termed　him　her　own　precious
pearl　of　beauty。

〃RICARDE；〃　said　the　preceptor；　〃you　must　forthwith　（which　is
PROFECTO）　set　forth　so　far　as　the　top　of　the　hill；　and　show　this
man　of　worship　Wayland　Smith's　workshop。〃

〃A　proper　errand　of　a　morning；〃　said　the　boy；　in　better　language
than　Tressilian　expected；　〃and　who　knows　but　the　devil　may　fly
away　with　me　before　I　come　back？〃

〃Ay；　marry　may　un；〃　said　Dame　Sludge；　〃and　you　might　have　thought
twice；　Master　Domine；　ere　you　sent　my　dainty　darling　on　arrow
such　errand。　　It　is　not　for　such　doings　I　feed　your　belly　and
clothe　your　back；　I　warrant　you！〃

〃PshawNUGAE；　good　Gammer　Sludge；〃　answered　the　preceptor；　〃I
ensure　you　that　Satan；　if　there　be　Satan　in　the　case；　shall　not
touch　a　thread　of　his　garment；　for　Dickie　can　say　his　PATER　with
the　best；　and　may　defy　the　foul　fiendEUMENIDES；　STYGIUMQUE
NEFAS。〃

〃Ay；　and　I；　as　I　said　before；　have　sewed　a　sprig　of　the　mountain…
ash　into　his　collar；〃　said　the　good　woman；　〃which　will　avail　more
than　your　clerkship；　I　wus；　but　for　all　that；　it　is　ill　to　seek
the　devil　or　his　mates　either。〃

〃My　good　boy；〃　said　Tressilian；　who　saw；　from　a　grotesque　sneer
on　Dickie's　face；　that　he　was　more　likely　to　act　upon　his　own
bottom　than　by　the　instructions　of　his　elders；　〃I　will　give　thee
a　silver　groat；　my　pretty　fellow；　if　you　will　but　guide　me　to
this　man's　forge。〃

The　boy　gave　him　a　knowing　side…look；　which　seemed　to　promise
acquiescence；　while　at　the　same　time　he　exclaimed；　〃I　be　your
guide　to　Wayland　Smith's！　　Why；　man；　did　I　not　say　that　the　devil
might　fly　off　with　me；　just　as　the　kite　there〃　（looking　to　the
window）　〃is　flying　off　with　one　of　grandam's　chicks？〃

〃The　kite！　　the　kite！〃　　exclaimed　the　old　woman　in　return；　and
forgetting　all　other　matters　in　her　alarm；　hastened　to　the　rescue
of　her　chickens　as　fast　as　her　old　legs　could　carry　her。

〃Now　for　it；〃　said　the　urchin　to　Tressilian；　〃snatch　your　beaver；
get　out　your　horse；　and　have　at　the　silver　groat　you　spoke　of。〃

〃Nay；　but　tarry；　tarry；〃　said　the　preceptor〃SUFFLAMINA；
RICARDE！〃

〃Tarry　yourself；〃　said　Dickie；　〃and　think　what　answer　you　are　to
make　to　granny　for　sending　me　post　to　the　devil。〃

The　teacher；　aware　of　the　responsibility　he　was　incurring；
bustled　up　in　great　haste　to　lay　hold　of　the　urchin　and　to
prevent　his　departure；　but　Dickie　slipped　through　his　fingers；
bolted　from　the　cottage；　and　sped　him　to　the　top　of　a
neighbouring　rising　ground；　while　the　preceptor；　despairing；　by
well…taught　experience；　of　recovering　his　pupil　by　speed　of　foot；
had　recourse　to　the　most　honied　epithets　the　Latin　vocabulary
affords　to　persuade　his　return。　　But　to　MI　ANIME；　CORCULUM　MEUM；
and　all　such　classical　endearments；　the　truant　turned　a　deaf　ear；
and　kept　frisking　on　the　top　of　the　rising　ground　like　a　goblin
by　moonlight；　making　signs　to　his　new　acquaintance；　Tressilian；
to　follow　him。

The　traveller　lost　no　time　in　getting　out　his　horse　and　departing
to　join　his　elvish　guide；　after　half…forcing　on　the　poor；
deserted　teacher　a　recompense　for　the　entertainment　he　had
received；　which　partly　allayed　that　terror　he　had　for　facing　the
return　of　the　old　lady　of　the　mansion。　　Apparently　this　took
place　soon　afterwards；　for　ere　Tressilian　and　his　guide　had
proceeded　far　on　their　journey；　they　heard　the　screams　of　a
cracked　female　voice；　intermingled　with　the　classical
objurgations　of　Master　Erasmus　Holiday。　　But　Dickie　Sludge；
equally　deaf　to　the　voice　of　maternal　tenderness　and　of
magisterial　authority；　skipped　on　unconsciously　before
Tressilian；　only　observing　that　〃if　they　cried　themselves　hoarse；
they　might　go　lick　the　honey…pot；　for　he　had　eaten　up　all　the
honey…comb　himself　on　yesterday　even。〃



CHAPTER　X。

　　There　entering　in；　they　found　the　goodman　selfe
　　Full　busylie　unto　his　work　ybent；
　　Who　was　to　weet　a　wretched　wearish　elf；
　　With　hollow　eyes　and　rawbone　cheeks　forspent；
　　As　if　he　had　been　long　in　prison　pent。　　　THE　FAERY　QUEENE。

〃Are　we　far　from　the　dwelling　of　this　smith；　my　pretty　lad？〃
said　Tressilian　to　his　young　guide。

〃How　is　it　you　call　me？〃　　said　the　boy；　looking　askew　at　him　with
his　sharp；　grey　eyes。

〃I　call　you　my　pretty　ladis　there　any　offence　in　that；　my　boy？〃

〃No；　but　were　you　with　my　grandam　and　Dominie　Holiday；　you　might
sing　chorus　to　the　old　song　of

　　'We　three
　　Tom…fools　be。'〃

〃And　why　so；　my　little　man？〃　　said　Tressilian。

〃Because；〃　answered　the　ugly　urchin；　〃you　are　the　only　three　ever
called　me　pretty　lad。　　Now　my　grandam　does　it　because　she　is
parcel　blind　by　age；　and　whole　blind　by　kindred；　and　my　master；
the　poor　Dominie；　does　it　to　curry　favour；　and　have　the　fullest
platter　of　furmity　and　the　warmest　seat　by　the　fire。　　But　what
you　call　me　pretty　lad　for；　you　know　best　yourself。〃

〃Thou　art　a　sharp　wag　at　least；　if　not　a　pretty　one。　　But　what　do
thy　playfellows　call　thee？〃

〃Hobgoblin；〃　answered　the　boy　readily；　〃but　for　all　that；　I　would
rather　have　my　own　ugly　viznomy　than　any　of　their　jolter…heads；
that　have　no　more　brains　in　them　than　a　brick…bat。〃

〃Then　you　fear　not　this　smith　whom　you　are　going　to　see？〃

〃Me　fear　him！〃　　answered　the　boy。　　〃If　he　were　the　devil　folk
think　him；　I　would　not　fear　him；　but　though　there　is　something
queer　about　him；　he's　no　more　a　devil　than　you　are；　and　that's
what　I　would　not　tell　to　every　one。〃

〃And　why　do　you　tell　it　to　me；　then；　my　boy？〃　　said　Tressilian。

〃Because　you　are　another　guess　gentleman　than　those　we　see　here
every　day；〃　replied　Dickie；　〃and　though　I　am　as　ugly　as　sin；　I
would　not　have　you　think　me　an　ass；　especially　as　I　may　have　a
boon　to　ask　of　you　one　day。〃

〃And　what　is　that；　my　lad；　whom　I　must　not　call　pretty？〃　　replied
Tressilian。

〃Oh；　if　I　were　to　ask　it　just　now；〃　said　the　boy；　〃you　would　deny
it　me；　but　I　will　wait　till　we　meet　at　court。〃

〃At　court；　Richard！　　are　you　bound　for　court？〃　　said　Tressilian。

〃Ay；　ay；　that's　just　like　the　rest　of　them；〃　replied　the　boy。　　〃I
warrant　me；　you　think；　what　should　such　an　ill…favoured；
scrambling　urchin　do　at　court？　　But　let　Richard　Sludge　alone；　I
have　not　been　cock　of　the　roost　here　for　nothing。　　I　will　make
sharp　wit　mend　foul　feature。〃

〃But　what　will　your　grandam　say；　and　your　tutor；　Dominie
Holiday？〃

〃E'en　what　they　like；〃　replied　Dickie；　〃the　one　has　her　chickens
to　reckon；　and　the　other　has　his　boys　to　whip。　　I　would　have
given　them　the　candle　to　hold　long　since；　and　shown　this　trumpery
hamlet　a　fair　pair　of　heels；　but　that　Do