kenilworth-第35章

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in　effect　Tressilian　did　immediately　hear　the　light　stroke　of　a
hammer；　as　when　a　farrier　is　at　work。　　The　singularity　of　such　a
sound；　in　so　very　lonely　a　place；　made　him　involuntarily　start；
but　looking　at　the　boy；　and　discovering；　by　the　arch　malicious
expression　of　his　countenance；　that　the　urchin　saw　and　enjoyed
his　slight　tremor；　he　became　convinced　that　the　whole　was　a
concerted　stratagem；　and　determined　to　know　by　whom；　or　for　what
purpose；　the　trick　was　played　off。

Accordingly；　he　remained　perfectly　quiet　all　the　time　that　the
hammer　continued　to　sound；　being　about　the　space　usually　employed
in　fixing　a　horse…shoe。　　But　the　instant　the　sound　ceased；
Tressilian；　instead　of　interposing　the　space　of　time　which　his
guide　had　required；　started　up　with　his　sword　in　his　hand；　ran
round　the　thicket；　and　confronted　a　man　in　a　farrier's　leathern
apron；　but　otherwise　fantastically　attired　in　a　bear…skin　dressed
with　the　fur　on；　and　a　cap　of　the　same；　which　almost　hid　the
sooty　and　begrimed　features　of　the　wearer。　　〃Come　back；　come
back！〃　　cried　the　boy　to　Tressilian；　〃or　you　will　be　torn　to
pieces；　no　man　lives　that　looks　on　him。〃　　In　fact；　the　invisible
smith　（now　fully　visible）　heaved　up　his　hammer；　and　showed
symptoms　of　doing　battle。

But　when　the　boy　observed　that　neither　his　own　entreaties　nor　the
menaces　of　the　farrier　appeared　to　change　Tressilian's　purpose；
but　that；　on　the　contrary；　he　confronted　the　hammer　with　his
drawn　sword；　he　exclaimed　to　the　smith　in　turn；　〃Wayland；　touch
him　not；　or　you　will　come　by　the　worse！the　gentleman　is　a　true
gentleman；　and　a　bold。〃

〃So　thou　hast　betrayed　me；　Flibbertigibbet？〃　　said　the　smith；　〃it
shall　be　the　worse　for　thee！〃

〃Be　who　thou　wilt；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃thou　art　in　no　danger　from
me；　so　thou　tell　me　the　meaning　of　this　practice；　and　why　thou
drivest　thy　trade　in　this　mysterious　fashion。〃

The　smith；　however；　turning　to　Tressilian；　exclaimed；　in　a
threatening　tone；　〃Who　questions　the　Keeper　of　the　Crystal　Castle
of　Light；　the　Lord　of　the　Green　Lion；　the　Rider　of　the　Red
Dragon？　　Hence！avoid　thee；　ere　I　summon　Talpack　with　his　fiery
lance；　to　quell；　crush；　and　consume！〃　　These　words　he　uttered
with　violent　gesticulation；　mouthing；　and　flourishing　his　hammer。

〃Peace；　thou　vile　cozener；　with　thy　gipsy　cant！〃　　replied
Tressilian　scornfully；　〃and　follow　me　to　the　next　magistrate；　or
I　will　cut　thee　over　the　pate。〃

〃Peace；　I　pray　thee；　good　Wayland！〃　　said　the　boy。　　〃Credit　me；
the　swaggering　vein　will　not　pass　here；　you　must　cut　boon　whids。〃
＇〃Give　good　words。〃SLANG　DIALECT。＇

〃I　think；　worshipful　sir；〃　said　the　smith；　sinking　his　hammer；
and　assuming　a　more　gentle　and　submissive　tone　of　voice；　〃that
when　so　poor　a　man　does　his　day's　job；　he　might　be　permitted　to
work　it　out　after　his　own　fashion。　　Your　horse　is　shod；　and　your
farrier　paidwhat　need　you　cumber　yourself　further　than　to　mount
and　pursue　your　journey？〃

〃Nay；　friend；　you　are　mistaken；〃　replied　Tressilian；　〃every　man
has　a　right　to　take　the　mask　from　the　face　of　a　cheat　and　a
juggler；　and　your　mode　of　living　raises　suspicion　that　you　are
both。〃

〃If　you　are　so　determined；　sir；〃　said　the　smith；　〃I　cannot　help
myself　save　by　force；　which　I　were　unwilling　to　use　towards　you；
Master　Tressilian；　not　that　I　fear　your　weapon；　but　because　I
know　you　to　be　a　worthy；　kind；　and　well…accomplished　gentleman；
who　would　rather　help　than　harm　a　poor　man　that　is　in　a　strait。〃

〃Well　said；　Wayland；〃　said　the　boy；　who　had　anxiously　awaited　the
issue　of　their　conference。　　〃But　let　us　to　thy　den；　man；　for　it
is　ill　for　thy　health　to　stand　here　talking　in　the　open　air。〃

〃Thou　art　right；　Hobgoblin；〃　replied　the　smith；　and　going　to　the
little　thicket　of　gorse　on　the　side　nearest　to　the　circle；　and
opposite　to　that　at　which　his　customer　had　so　lately　crouched；　he
discovered　a　trap…door　curiously　covered　with　bushes；　raised　it；
and；　descending　into　the　earth；　vanished　from　their　eyes。
Notwithstanding　Tressilian's　curiosity；　he　had　some　hesitation　at
following　the　fellow　into　what　might　be　a　den　of　robbers；
especially　when　he　heard　the　smith's　voice；　issuing　from　the
bowels　of　the　earth；　call　out；　〃Flibertigibbet；　do　you　come　last；
and　be　sure　to　fasten　the　trap！〃

〃Have　you　seen　enough　of　Wayland　Smith　now？〃　　whispered　the
urchin　to　Tressilian；　with　an　arch　sneer；　as　if　marking　his
companion's　uncertainty。

〃Not　yet；〃　said　Tressilian　firmly；　and　shaking　off　his　momentary
irresolution；　he　descended　into　the　narrow　staircase；　to　which
the　entrance　led；　and　was　followed　by　Dickie　Sludge；　who　made
fast　the　trap…door　behind　him；　and　thus　excluded　every　glimmer　of
daylight。　　The　descent；　however；　was　only　a　few　steps；　and　led　to
a　level　passage　of　a　few　yards'　length；　at　the　end　of　which
appeared　the　reflection　of　a　lurid　and　red　light。　　Arrived　at
this　point；　with　his　drawn　sword　in　his　hand；　Tressilian　found
that　a　turn　to　the　left　admitted　him　and　Hobgoblin；　who　followed
closely；　into　a　small；　square　vault；　containing　a　smith's　forge；
glowing　with　charcoal；　the　vapour　of　which　filled　the　apartment
with　an　oppressive　smell；　which　would　have　been　altogether
suffocating；　but　that　by　some　concealed　vent　the　smithy
communicated　with　the　upper　air。　　The　light　afforded　by　the　red
fuel；　and　by　a　lamp　suspended　in　an　iron　chain；　served　to　show
that；　besides　an　anvil；　bellows；　tongs；　hammers；　a　quantity　of
ready…made　horse…shoes；　and　other　articles　proper　to　the
profession　of　a　farrier；　there　were　also　stoves；　alembics；
crucibles；　retorts；　and　other　instruments　of　alchemy。　　The
grotesque　figure　of　the　smith；　and　the　ugly　but　whimsical
features　of　the　boy；　seen　by　the　gloomy　and　imperfect　light　of
the　charcoal　fire　and　the　dying　lamp；　accorded　very　well　with　all
this　mystical　apparatus；　and　in　that　age　of　superstition　would
have　made　some　impression　on　the　courage　of　most　men。

But　nature　had　endowed　Tressilian　with　firm　nerves；　and　his
education；　originally　good；　had　been　too　sedulously　improved　by
subsequent　study　to　give　way　to　any　imaginary　terrors；　and　after
giving　a　glance　around　him；　he　again　demanded　of　the　artist　who
he　was；　and　by　what　accident　he　came　to　know　and　address　him　by
his　name。

〃Your　worship　cannot　but　remember；〃　said　the　smith；　〃that　about
three　years　since；　upon　Saint　Lucy's　Eve；　there　came　a　travelling
juggler　to　a　certain　hall　in　Devonshire；　and　exhibited　his　skill
before　a　worshipful　knight　and　a　fair　company。I　see　from　your
worship's　countenance；　dark　as　this　place　is；　that　my　memory　has
not　done　me　wrong。〃

〃Thou　hast　said　enough；〃　said　Tressilian；　turning　away；　as
wishing　to　hide　from　the　speaker　the　painful　train　of
recollections　which　his　discourse　had　unconsciously　awakened。

〃The　juggler；〃　said　the　smith；　〃played　his　part　so　bravely　that
the　clowns　and　clown…like　squires　in　the　company　held　his　art　to
be　little　less　than　magical；　but　there　was　one　maiden　of　fifteen；
or　thereby；　with　the　fairest　face　I　ever　looked　upon；　whose　rosy
cheek　grew　pale；　and　her　bright　eyes　dim；　at　the　sight　of　the
wonders　exhibited。〃

〃Peace；　I　command　thee；　peace！〃　　said　Tressilian。

〃I　mean　your　worship　no　offence；〃　said　the　fellow；　〃but　I　have
cause　to　remember　how；　to　relieve　the　young　maiden's　fears；　you
condescended　to　point　out　the　mode　in　which　these　deceptions　were
practised；　and　to　baffle　the　poor　juggler　by　laying　bare　the
mysteries　of　his　art；　as　ably　as　if　you　had　been　a　brother　of　his
order。She　was　indeed　so　fair　a　maiden　that；　to　win　a　smile　of
her；　a　man　might　well〃

〃Not　a　word　more　of　her；　I　charge　thee！〃　　said　Tressilian。　　〃I　do
well　remember　the　night　you　speak　ofone　of　the　few　happy
evenings　my　life　has　known。〃

〃She　is　gone；　then；〃　said　the　smith；　interpreting　after　his　own
fashion　the　sigh　with　which　Tressilian　uttered　these　words〃she
is　gone；　young；　beautiful；　and　beloved　as　she　was！I　crave　your
worship's　pardonI　should　have　hammered　on　another　theme。　　I　see
I　have　unwarily　driven　the　nail　to　the　quick。〃

This　speech　was　made　with　a　mixture　of　rude　feeling　which
inclined　Tressilian　favourably　to　the　poor　artisan；　of　whom
before　he　was　inclined　to　judge　very　harshly。　　But