kenilworth-第37章

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made　so　many　perquisitions　before　I　ventured　even　to　light　a
fire；　that　I　at　length　discovered　a　small　barrel　of　gunpowder；
carefully　hid　beneath　the　furnace；　with　the　purpose；　no　doubt；
that　as　soon　as　I　should　commence　the　grand　work　of　the
transmutation　of　metals；　the　explosion　should　transmute　the　vault
and　all　in　it　into　a　heap　of　ruins；　which　might　serve　at　once　for
my　slaughter…house　and　my　grave。　　This　cured　me　of　alchemy；　and
fain　would　I　have　returned　to　the　honest　hammer　and　anvil；　but
who　would　bring　a　horse　to　be　shod　by　the　Devil's　post？
Meantime；　I　had　won　the　regard　of　my　honest　Flibbertigibbet　here；
he　being　then　at　Farringdon　with　his　master；　the　sage　Erasmus
Holiday；　by　teaching　him　a　few　secrets；　such　as　please　youth　at
his　age；　and　after　much　counsel　together；　we　agreed　that；　since　I
could　get　no　practice　in　the　ordinary　way；　I　should　try　how　I
could　work　out　business　among　these　ignorant　boors；　by　practising
upon　their　silly　fears；　and；　thanks　to　Flibbertigibbet；　who　hath
spread　my　renown；　I　have　not　wanted　custom。　　But　it　is　won　at　too
great　risk；　and　I　fear　I　shall　be　at　length　taken　up　for　a
wizard；　so　that　I　seek　but　an　opportunity　to　leave　this　vault；
when　I　can　have　the　protection　of　some　worshipful　person　against
the　fury　of　the　populace；　in　case　they　chance　to　recognize　me。〃

〃And　art　thou；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃perfectly　acquainted　with　the
roads　in　this　country？〃

〃I　could　ride　them　every　inch　by　midnight；〃　answered　Wayland
Smith；　which　was　the　name　this　adept　had　assumed。

〃Thou　hast　no　horse　to　ride　upon；〃　said　Tressilian。

〃Pardon　me；〃　replied　Wayland；　〃I　have　as　good　a　tit　as　ever
yeoman　bestrode；　and　I　forgot　to　say　it　was　the　best　part　of　the
mediciner's　legacy　to　me；　excepting　one　or　two　of　the　choicest　of
his　medical　secrets；　which　I　picked　up　without　his　knowledge　and
against　his　will。〃

〃Get　thyself　washed　and　shaved；　then；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃reform
thy　dress　as　well　as　thou　canst；　and　fling　away　these　grotesque
trappings；　and；　so　thou　wilt　be　secret　and　faithful；　thou　shalt
follow　me　for　a　short　time；　till　thy　pranks　here　are　forgotten。
Thou　hast；　I　think；　both　address　and　courage；　and　I　have　matter
to　do　that　may　require　both。〃

Wayland　Smith　eagerly　embraced　the　proposal；　and　protested　his
devotion　to　his　new　master。　　In　a　very　few　minutes　he　had　made　so
great　an　alteration　in　his　original　appearance；　by　change　of
dress；　trimming　his　beard　and　hair；　and　so　forth；　that　Tressilian
could　not　help　remarking　that　he　thought　he　would　stand　in　little
need　of　a　protector；　since　none　of　his　old　acquaintance　were
likely　to　recognize　him。

〃My　debtors　would　not　pay　me　money；〃　said　Wayland；　shaking　his
head；　〃but　my　creditors　of　every　kind　would　be　less　easily
blinded。　　And；　in　truth；　I　hold　myself　not　safe；　unless　under　the
protection　of　a　gentleman　of　birth　and　character；　as　is　your
worship。〃

So　saying；　he　led　the　way　out　of　the　cavern。　　He　then　called
loudly　for　Hobgoblin；　who；　after　lingering　for　an　instant；
appeared　with　the　horse　furniture；　when　Wayland　closed　and
sedulously　covered　up　the　trap…door；　observing　it　might　again
serve　him　at　his　need；　besides　that　the　tools　were　worth
somewhat。　　A　whistle　from　the　owner　brought　to　his　side　a　nag
that　fed　quietly　on　the　common；　and　was　accustomed　to　the　signal。

While　he　accoutred　him　for　the　journey；　Tressilian　drew　his　own
girths　tighter；　and　in　a　few　minutes　both　were　ready　to　mount。

At　this　moment　Sludge　approached　to　bid　them　farewell。

〃You　are　going　to　leave　me；　then；　my　old　playfellow；〃　said　the
boy；　〃and　there　is　an　end　of　all　our　game　at　bo…peep　with　the
cowardly　lubbards　whom　I　brought　hither　to　have　their　broad…
footed　nags　shed　by　the　devil　and　his　imps？〃

〃It　is　even　so；〃　said　Wayland　Smith；　〃the　best　friends　must　part；
Flibbertigibbet；　but　thou；　my　boy；　art　the　only　thing　in　the　Vale
of　Whitehorse　which　I　shall　regret　to　leave　behind　me。〃

〃Well；　I　bid　thee　not　farewell；〃　said　Dickie　Sludge；　〃for　you
will　be　at　these　revels；　I　judge；　and　so　shall　I；　for　if　Dominie
Holiday　take　me　not　thither；　by　the　light　of　day；　which　we　see
not　in　yonder　dark　hole；　I　will　take　myself　there！〃

〃In　good　time；〃　said　Wayland；　〃but　I　pray　you　to　do　nought
rashly。〃

〃Nay；　now　you　would　make　a　child；　a　common　child　of　me；　and　tell
me　of　the　risk　of　walking　without　leading…strings。　　But　before
you　are　a　mile　from　these　stones；　you　shall　know　by　a　sure　token
that　I　have　more　of　the　hobgoblin　about　me　than　you　credit；　and　I
will　so　manage　that；　if　you　take　advantage；　you　may　profit　by　my
prank。〃

〃What　dost　thou　mean；　boy？〃　　said　Tressilian；　but　Flibbertigibbet
only　answered　with　a　grin　and　a　caper；　and　bidding　both　of　them
farewell；　and；　at　the　same　time；　exhorting　them　to　make　the　best
of　their　way　from　the　place；　he　set　them　the　example　by　running
homeward　with　the　same　uncommon　velocity　with　which　he　had
baffled　Tressilian's　former　attempts　to　get　hold　of　him。

〃It　is　in　vain　to　chase　him；〃　said　Wayland　Smith；　〃for　unless
your　worship　is　expert　in　lark…hunting；　we　should　never　catch
hold　of　himand　besides；　what　would　it　avail？　　Better　make　the
best　of　our　way　hence；　as　he　advises。〃

They　mounted　their　horses　accordingly；　and　began　to　proceed　at　a
round　pace；　as　soon　as　Tressilian　had　explained　to　his　guide　the
direction　in　which　he　desired　to　travel。

After　they　had　trotted　nearly　a　mile；　Tressilian　could　not　help
observing　to　his　companion　that　his　horse　felt　more　lively　under
him　than　even　when　he　mounted　in　the　morning。

〃Are　you　avised　of　that？〃　　said　Wayland　Smith；　smiling。　　〃That　is
owing　to　a　little　secret　of　mine。　　I　mixed　that　with　an　handful
of　oats　which　shall　save　your　worship's　heels　the　trouble　of
spurring　these　six　hours　at　least。　　Nay；　I　have　not　studied
medicine　and　pharmacy　for　nought。〃

〃I　trust；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃your　drugs　will　do　my　horse　no
harm？〃

〃No　more　than　the　mare's　milk；　which　foaled　him；〃　answered　the
artist；　and　was　proceeding　to　dilate　on　the　excellence　of　his
recipe　when　he　was　interrupted　by　an　explosion　as　loud　and
tremendous　as　the　mine　which　blows　up　the　rampart　of　a
beleaguered　city。　　The　horses　started；　and　the　riders　were
equally　surprised。　　They　turned　to　gaze　in　the　direction　from
which　the　thunder…clap　was　heard；　and　beheld；　just　over　the　spot
they　had　left　so　recently；　a　huge　pillar　of　dark　smoke　rising
high　into　the　clear；　blue　atmosphere。　　〃My　habitation　is　gone　to
wreck；〃　said　Wayland；　immediately　conjecturing　the　cause　of　the
explosion。　　〃I　was　a　fool　to　mention　the　doctor's　kind　intentions
towards　my　mansion　before　that　limb　of　mischief；　Flibbertigibbet；
I　might　have　guessed　he　would　long　to　put　so　rare　a　frolic　into
execution。　　But　let　us　hasten　on；　for　the　sound　will　collect　the
country　to　the　spot。〃

So　saying；　he　spurred　his　horse；　and　Tressilian　also　quickening
his　speed；　they　rode　briskly　forward。

〃This；　then；　was　the　meaning　of　the　little　imp's　token　which　he
promised　us？〃　　said　Tressilian。　　〃Had　we　lingered　near　the　spot；
we　had　found　it　a　love…token　with　a　vengeance。〃

〃He　would　have　given　us　warning；〃　said　the　smith。　　〃I　saw　him
look　back　more　than　once　to　see　if　we　were　off'tis　a　very
devil　for　mischief；　yet　not　an　ill…natured　devil　either。　　It　were
long　to　tell　your　honour　how　I　became　first　acquainted　with　him；
and　how　many　tricks　he　played　me。　　Many　a　good　turn　he　did　me
too；　especially　in　bringing　me　customers；　for　his　great　delight
was　to　see　them　sit　shivering　behind　the　bushes　when　they　heard
the　click　of　my　hammer。　　I　think　Dame　Nature；　when　she　lodged　a
double　quantity　of　brains　in　that　misshapen　head　of　his；　gave　him
the　power　of　enjoying　other　people's　distresses；　as　she　gave　them
the　pleasure　of　laughing　at　his　ugliness。〃

〃It　may　be　so；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃those　who　find　themselves
severed　from　society　by　peculiarities　of　form；　if　they　do　not
hate　the　common　bulk　of　mankind；　are　at　least　not　altogether
indisposed　to　enjoy　their　mishaps　and　calamities。〃

〃But　Flibbertigibbet；〃　answered　Wayland；　〃hath　that　about　him
which　may　redeem　his　turn　for　mischievous　frolic；　for　he　is　as
faithful　when　attached　as　he　is　tricky　and　mal