kenilworth-第36章
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inclined Tressilian favourably to the poor artisan； of whom
before he was inclined to judge very harshly。 But nothing can so
soon attract the unfortunate as real or seeming sympathy with
their sorrows。
〃I think；〃 proceeded Tressilian； after a minute's silence； 〃thou
wert in those days a jovial fellow； who could keep a company
merry by song； and tale； and rebeck； as well as by thy juggling
trickswhy do I find thee a laborious handicraftsman； plying thy
trade in so melancholy a dwelling and under such extraordinary
circumstances？〃
〃My story is not long；〃 said the artist； 〃but your honour had
better sit while you listen to it。〃 So saying； he approached to
the fire a three…footed stool； and took another himself； while
Dickie Sludge； or Flibbertigibbet； as he called the boy； drew a
cricket to the smith's feet； and looked up in his face with
features which； as illuminated by the glow of the forge； seemed
convulsed with intense curiosity。 〃Thou too；〃 said the smith to
him； 〃shalt learn； as thou well deservest at my hand； the brief
history of my life； and； in troth； it were as well tell it thee
as leave thee to ferret it out； since Nature never packed a
shrewder wit into a more ungainly casket。Well； sir； if my poor
story may pleasure you； it is at your command； But will you not
taste a stoup of liquor？ I promise you that even in this poor
cell I have some in store。〃
〃Speak not of it；〃 said Tressilian； 〃but go on with thy story；
for my leisure is brief。〃
〃You shall have no cause to rue the delay；〃 said the smith； 〃for
your horse shall be better fed in the meantime than he hath been
this morning； and made fitter for travel。〃
With that the artist left the vault； and returned after a few
minutes' interval。 Here； also； we pause； that the narrative may
commence in another chapter。
CHAPTER XI。
I say； my lord； can such a subtilty
（But all his craft ye must not wot of me；
And somewhat help I yet to his working）；
That all the ground on which we ben riding；
Till that we come to Canterbury town；
He can all clean turnen so up so down；
And pave it all of silver and of gold。
THE CANON'S YEOMAN'S PROLOGUE； CANTERBURY TALES。
THE artist commenced his narrative in the following terms：
〃I was bred a blacksmith； and knew my art as well as e'er a
black…thumbed； leathern…aproned； swart…faced knave of that noble
mystery。 But I tired of ringing hammer…tunes on iron stithies；
and went out into the world； where I became acquainted with a
celebrated juggler； whose fingers had become rather too stiff for
legerdemain； and who wished to have the aid of an apprentice in
his noble mystery。 I served him for six years； until I was
master of my tradeI refer myself to your worship； whose
judgment cannot be disputed； whether I did not learn to ply the
craft indifferently well？〃
〃Excellently；〃 said Tressilian； 〃but be brief。〃
〃It was not long after I had performed at Sir Hugh Robsart's； in
your worship's presence；〃 said the artist； 〃that I took myself to
the stage； and have swaggered with the bravest of them all； both
at the Black Bull； the Globe； the Fortune； and elsewhere； but I
know not howapples were so plenty that year that the lads in
the twopenny gallery never took more than one bite out of them；
and threw the rest of the pippin at whatever actor chanced to be
on the stage。 So I tired of itrenounced my half share in the
company； gave my foil to my comrade； my buskins to the wardrobe；
and showed the theatre a clean pair of heels。〃
〃Well； friend； and what；〃 said Tressilian； 〃was your next shift？〃
〃I became；〃 said the smith； 〃half partner； half domestic to a man
of much skill and little substance； who practised the trade of a
physicianer。〃
〃In other words；〃 said Tressilian； 〃you were Jack Pudding to a
quacksalver。〃
〃Something beyond that； let me hope； my good Master Tressilian；〃
replied the artist； 〃and yet to say truth； our practice was of an
adventurous description； and the pharmacy which I had acquired in
my first studies for the benefit of horses was frequently applied
to our human patients。 But the seeds of all maladies are the
same； and if turpentine； tar； pitch； and beef…suet； mingled with
turmerick； gum…mastick； and one bead of garlick； can cure the
horse that hath been grieved with a nail； I see not but what it
may benefit the man that hath been pricked with a sword。 But my
master's practice； as well as his skill； went far beyond mine；
and dealt in more dangerous concerns。 He was not only a bold；
adventurous practitioner in physic； but also； if your pleasure so
chanced to be； an adept who read the stars； and expounded the
fortunes of mankind； genethliacally； as he called it； or
otherwise。 He was a learned distiller of simples； and a profound
chemistmade several efforts to fix mercury； and judged himself
to have made a fair hit at the philosopher's stone。 I have yet a
programme of his on that subject； which； if your honour
understandeth； I believe you have the better； not only of all who
read； but also of him who wrote it。〃
He gave Tressilian a scroll of parchment； bearing at top and
bottom； and down the margin； the signs of the seven planets；
curiously intermingled with talismanical characters and scraps of
Greek and Hebrew。 In the midst were some Latin verses from a
cabalistical author； written out so fairly； that even the gloom
of the place did not prevent Tressilian from reading them。 The
tenor of the original ran as follows：…
〃Si fixum solvas； faciasque volare solutum；
Et volucrem figas； facient te vivere tutum；
Si pariat ventum； valet auri pondere centum；
Ventus ubi vult spiratCapiat qui capere potest。〃
〃I protest to you；〃 said Tressilian； 〃all I understand of this
jargon is that the last words seem to mean 'Catch who catch
can。'〃
〃That；〃 said the smith； 〃is the very principle that my worthy
friend and master； Doctor Doboobie； always acted upon； until；
being besotted with his own imaginations； and conceited of his
high chemical skill； he began to spend； in cheating himself； the
money which he had acquired in cheating others； and either
discovered or built for himself； I could never know which； this
secret elaboratory； in which he used to seclude himself both from
patients and disciples； who doubtless thought his long and
mysterious absences from his ordinary residence in the town of
Farringdon were occasioned by his progress in the mystic
sciences； and his intercourse with the invisible world。 Me also
he tried to deceive； but though I contradicted him not； he saw
that I knew too much of his secrets to be any longer a safe
companion。 Meanwhile； his name waxed famousor rather infamous；
and many of those who resorted to him did so under persuasion
that he was a sorcerer。 And yet his supposed advance in the
occult sciences drew to him the secret resort of men too powerful
to be named； for purposes too dangerous to be mentioned。 Men
cursed and threatened him； and bestowed on me； the innocent
assistant of his studies； the nickname of the Devil's foot…post；
which procured me a volley of stones as soon as ever I ventured
to show my face in the street of the village。 At length my
master suddenly disappeared； pretending to me that he was about
to visit his elaboratory in this place； and forbidding me to
disturb him till two days were past。 When this period had
elapsed； I became anxious； and resorted to this vault； where I
found the fires extinguished and the utensils in confusion； with
a note from the learned Doboobius； as he was wont to style
himself； acquainting me that we should never meet again；
bequeathing me his chemical apparatus； and the parchment which I
have just put into your hands； advising me strongly to prosecute
the secret which it contained； which would infallibly lead me to
the discovery of the grand magisterium。〃
〃And didst thou follow this sage advice？〃 said Tressilian。
〃Worshipful sir； no；〃 replied the smith； 〃for； being by nature
cautious； and suspicious from knowing with whom I had to do； I
made so many perquisitions before I ventured even to light a
fire； that I at length discovered a small barrel of gunpowder；
caref
