kenilworth-第34章

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given　them　the　candle　to　hold　long　since；　and　shown　this　trumpery
hamlet　a　fair　pair　of　heels；　but　that　Dominie　promises　I　should
go　with　him　to　bear　share　in　the　next　pageant　he　is　to　set　forth；
and　they　say　there　are　to　be　great　revels　shortly。〃

〃And　whereabouts　are　they　to　be　held；　my　little　friend？〃　　said
Tressilian。

〃Oh；　at　some　castle　far　in　the　north；〃　answered　his　guide〃a
world's　breadth　from　Berkshire。　　But　our　old　Dominie　holds　that
they　cannot　go　forward　without　him；　and　it　may　be　he　is　right；
for　he　has　put　in　order　many　a　fair　pageant。　　He　is　not　half　the
fool　you　would　take　him　for；　when　he　gets　to　work　he　understands；
and　so　he　can　spout　verses　like　a　play…actor；　when；　God　wot；　if
you　set　him　to　steal　a　goose's　egg；　he　would　be　drubbed　by　the
gander。〃

〃And　you　are　to　play　a　part　in　his　next　show？〃　　said　Tressilian；
somewhat　interested　by　the　boy's　boldness　of　conversation　and
shrewd　estimate　of　character。

〃In　faith；〃　said　Richard　Sludge；　in　answer；　〃he　hath　so　promised
me；　and　if　he　break　his　word；　it　will　be　the　worse　for　him；　for
let　me　take　the　bit　between　my　teeth；　and　turn　my　head　downhill；
and　I　will　shake　him　off　with　a　fall　that　may　harm　his　bones。
And　I　should　not　like　much　to　hurt　him　neither；〃　said　he；　〃for
the　tiresome　old　fool　has　painfully　laboured　to　teach　me　all　he
could。　　But　enough　of　thathere　are　we　at　Wayland　Smith's　forge…
door。〃

〃You　jest；　my　little　friend；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃here　is　nothing
but　a　bare　moor；　and　that　ring　of　stones；　with　a　great　one　in　the
midst；　like　a　Cornish　barrow。〃

〃Ay；　and　that　great　flat　stone　in　the　midst；　which　lies　across
the　top　of　these　uprights；〃　said　the　boy；　〃is　Wayland　Smith's
counter；　that　you　must　tell　down　your　money　upon。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　such　folly？〃　　said　the　traveller；　beginning
to　be　angry　with　the　boy；　and　vexed　with　himself　for　having
trusted　such　a　hare…brained　guide。

〃Why；〃　said　Dickie；　with　a　grin；　〃you　must　tie　your　horse　to　that
upright　stone　that　has　the　ring　in't；　and　then　you　must　whistle
three　times；　and　lay　me　down　your　silver　groat　on　that　other　flat
stone；　walk　out　of　the　circle；　sit　down　on　the　west　side　of　that
little　thicket　of　bushes；　and　take　heed　you　look　neither　to　right
nor　to　left　for　ten　minutes；　or　so　long　as　you　shall　hear　the
hammer　clink；　and　whenever　it　ceases；　say　your　prayers　for　the
space　you　could　tell　a　hundredor　count　over　a　hundred；　which
will　do　as　welland　then　come　into　the　circle；　you　will　find
your　money　gone　and　your　horse　shod。〃

〃My　money　gone　to　a　certainty！〃　　said　Tressilian；　〃but　as　for　the
restHark　ye；　my　lad；　I　am　not　your　school…master；　but　if　you
play　off　your　waggery　on　me；　I　will　take　a　part　of　his　task　off
his　hands；　and　punish　you　to　purpose。〃

〃Ay；　when　you　catch　me！〃　　said　the　boy；　and　presently　took　to　his
heels　across　the　heath；　with　a　velocity　which　baffled　every
attempt　of　Tressilian　to　overtake　him；　loaded　as　he　was　with　his
heavy　boots。　　Nor　was　it　the　least　provoking　part　of　the　urchin's
conduct；　that　he　did　not　exert　his　utmost　speed；　like　one　who
finds　himself　in　danger；　or　who　is　frightened；　but　preserved　just
such　a　rate　as　to　encourage　Tressilian　to　continue　the　chase；　and
then　darted　away　from　him　with　the　swiftness　of　the　wind；　when
his　pursuer　supposed　he　had　nearly　run　him　down；　doubling　at　the
same　time；　and　winding；　so　as　always　to　keep　near　the　place　from
which　he　started。

This　lasted　until　Tressilian；　from　very　weariness；　stood　still；
and　was　about　to　abandon　the　pursuit　with　a　hearty　curse　on　the
ill…favoured　urchin；　who　had　engaged　him　in　an　exercise　so
ridiculous。　　But　the　boy；　who　had；　as　formerly；　planted　himself
on　the　top　of　a　hillock　close　in　front；　began　to　clap　his　long；
thin　hands；　point　with　his　skinny　fingers；　and　twist　his　wild　and
ugly　features　into　such　an　extravagant　expression　of　laughter　and
derision；　that　Tressilian　began　half　to　doubt　whether　he　had　not
in　view　an　actual　hobgoblin。

Provoked　extremely；　yet　at　the　same　time　feeling　an　irresistible
desire　to　laugh；　so　very　odd　were　the　boy's　grimaces　and
gesticulations；　the　Cornishman　returned　to　his　horse；　and　mounted
him　with　the　purpose　of　pursuing　Dickie　at　more　advantage。

The　boy　no　sooner　saw　him　mount　his　horse；　than　he　holloed　out　to
him　that；　rather　than　he　should　spoil　his　white…footed　nag；　he
would　come　to　him；　on　condition　he　would　keep　his　fingers　to
himself。

〃I　will　make　no　conditions　with　thee；　thou　ugly　varlet！〃　　said
Tressilian；　〃I　will　have　thee　at　my　mercy　in　a　moment。〃

〃Aha；　Master　Traveller；〃　said　the　boy；　〃there　is　a　marsh　hard　by
would　swallow　all　the　horses　of　the　Queen's　guard。　　I　will　into
it；　and　see　where　you　will　go　then。　　You　shall　hear　the　bittern
bump；　and　the　wild…drake　quack；　ere　you　get　hold　of　me　without　my
consent；　I　promise　you。〃

Tressilian　looked　out；　and；　from　the　appearance　of　the　ground
behind　the　hillock；　believed　it　might　be　as　the　boy　said；　and
accordingly　determined　to　strike　up　a　peace　with　so　light…footed
and　ready…witted　an　enemy。　　〃Come　down；〃　he　said；　〃thou
mischievous　brat！　　Leave　thy　mopping　and　mowing；　and；　come
hither。

I　will　do　thee　no　harm；　as　I　am　a　gentleman。〃

The　boy　answered　his　invitation　with　the　utmost　confidence；　and
danced　down　from　his　stance　with　a　galliard　sort　of　step；　keeping
his　eye　at　the　same　time　fixed　on　Tressilian's；　who；　once　more
dismounted；　stood　with　his　horse's　bridle　in　his　hand；
breathless；　and　half　exhausted　with　his　fruitless　exercise；
though　not　one　drop　of　moisture　appeared　on　the　freckled　forehead
of　the　urchin；　which　looked　like　a　piece　of　dry　and　discoloured
parchment；　drawn　tight　across　the　brow　of　a　fleshless　skull。

〃And　tell　me；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃why　you　use　me　thus；　thou
mischievous　imp？　　or　what　your　meaning　is　by　telling　me　so　absurd
a　legend　as　you　wished　but　now　to　put　on　me？　　Or　rather　show　me；
in　good　earnest；　this　smith's　forge；　and　I　will　give　thee　what
will　buy　thee　apples　through　the　whole　winter。〃

〃Were　you　to　give　me　an　orchard　of　apples；〃　said　Dickie　Sludge；
〃I　can　guide　thee　no　better　than　I　have　done。　　Lay　down　the
silver　token　on　the　flat　stonewhistle　three　timesthen　come
sit　down　on　the　western　side　of　the　thicket　of　gorse。　　I　will　sit
by　you；　and　give　you　free　leave　to　wring　my　head　off；　unless　you
hear　the　smith　at　work　within　two　minutes　after　we　are　seated。〃

〃I　may　be　tempted　to　take　thee　at　thy　word；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃if
you　make　me　do　aught　half　so　ridiculous　for　your　own　mischievous
sport；　however；　I　will　prove　your　spell。　　Here；　then；　I　tie　my
horse　to　this　upright　stone。　　I　must　lay　my　silver　groat　here；
and　whistle　three　times；　sayest　thou？〃

〃Ay；　but　thou　must　whistle　louder　than　an　unfledged　ousel；〃　said
the　boy；　as　Tressilian；　having　laid　down　his　money；　and　half
ashamed　of　the　folly　he　practised；　made　a　careless　whistle〃you
must　whistle　louder　than　that；　for　who　knows　where　the　smith　is
that　you　call　for？　　He　may　be　in　the　King　of　France's　stables　for
what　I　know。〃

〃Why；　you　said　but　now　he　was　no　devil；〃　replied　Tressilian。

〃Man　or　devil；〃　said　Dickie；　〃I　see　that　I　must　summon　him　for
you；〃　and　therewithal　he　whistled　sharp　and　shrill；　with　an
acuteness　of　sound　that　almost　thrilled　through　Tressilian's
brain。　　〃That　is　what　I　call　whistling；〃　said　he；　after　he　had
repeated　the　signal　thrice；　〃and　now　to　cover；　to　cover；　or
Whitefoot　will　not　be　shod　this　day。〃

Tressilian；　musing　what　the　upshot　of　this　mummery　was　to　be；　yet
satisfied　there　was　to　be　some　serious　result；　by　the　confidence
with　which　the　boy　had　put　himself　in　his　power；　suffered　himself
to　be　conducted　to　that　side　of　the　little　thicket　of　gorse　and
brushwood　which　was　farthest　from　the　circle　of　stones；　and　there
sat　down；　and　as　it　occurred　to　him　that；　after　all；　this　might
be　a　trick　for　stealing　his　horse；　he　kept　his　hand　on　the　boy's
collar；　determined　to　make　him　hostage　for　its　safety。

〃Now；　hush　and　listen；〃　said　Dickie；　in　a　low　whisper；　〃you　will
soon　hear　the　tack　of　a　hammer　that　was　never　forged　of　earthly
iron；　for　the　stone　it　was　made　of　was　shot　from　the　moon。〃　　And
in　effect　Tressilian　did　immediately　hear　the　li