kenilworth-第38章

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which　may　redeem　his　turn　for　mischievous　frolic；　for　he　is　as
faithful　when　attached　as　he　is　tricky　and　malignant　to
strangers；　and；　as　I　said　before；　I　have　cause　to　say　so。〃

Tressilian　pursued　the　conversation　no　further；　and　they
continued　their　journey　towards　Devonshire　without　further
adventure；　until　they　alighted　at　an　inn　in　the　town　of
Marlborough；　since　celebrated　for　having　given　title　to　the
greatest　general　（excepting　one）　whom　Britain　ever　produced。
Here　the　travellers　received；　in　the　same　breath；　an　example　of
the　truth　of　two　old　proverbsnamely；　that　ILL　NEWS　FLY　FAST；
and　that　LISTENERS　SELDOM　HEAR　A　GOOD　TALE　OF　THEMSELVES。

The　inn…yard　was　in　a　sort　of　combustion　when　they　alighted；
insomuch；　that　they　could　scarce　get　man　or　boy　to　take　care　of
their　horses；　so　full　were　the　whole　household　of　some　news　which
flew　from　tongue　to　tongue；　the　import　of　which　they　were　for
some　time　unable　to　discover。　　At　length；　indeed；　they　found　it
respected　matters　which　touched　them　nearly。

〃What　is　the　matter；　say　you；　master？〃　　answered；　at　length；　the
head　hostler；　in　reply　to　Tressilian's　repeated　questions。〃Why；
truly；　I　scarce　know　myself。　　But　here　was　a　rider　but　now；　who
says　that　the　devil　hath　flown　away　with　him　they　called　Wayland
Smith；　that　won'd　about　three　miles　from　the　Whitehorse　of
Berkshire；　this　very　blessed　morning；　in　a　flash　of　fire　and　a
pillar　of　smoke；　and　rooted　up　the　place　he　dwelt　in；　near　that
old　cockpit　of　upright　stones；　as　cleanly　as　if　it　had　all　been
delved　up　for　a　cropping。〃

〃Why；　then；〃　said　an　old　farmer；　〃the　more　is　the　pity；　for　that
Wayland　Smith　（whether　he　was　the　devil's　crony　or　no　I　skill
not）　had　a　good　notion　of　horses'　diseases；　and　it's　to　be
thought　the　bots　will　spread　in　the　country　far　and　near；　an
Satan　has　not　gien　un　time　to　leave　his　secret　behind　un。〃

〃You　may　say　that；　Gaffer　Grimesby；〃　said　the　hostler　in　return；
〃I　have　carried　a　horse　to　Wayland　Smith　myself；　for　he　passed
all　farriers　in　this　country。〃

〃Did　you　see　him？〃　　said　Dame　Alison　Crane；　mistress　of　the　inn
bearing　that　sign；　and　deigning　to　term　HUSBAND　the　owner
thereof；　a　mean…looking　hop…o'…my…thumb　sort　or　person；　whose
halting　gait；　and　long　neck；　and　meddling；　henpecked
insignificance　are　supposed　to　have　given　origin　to　the
celebrated　old　English　tune　of　〃My　name　hath　a　lame　tame　Crane。〃

On　this　occasion　he　chirped　out　a　repetition　of　his　wife's
question；　〃Didst　see　the　devil；　Jack　Hostler；　I　say？〃

〃And　what　if　I　did　see　un；　Master　Crane？〃　　replied　Jack　Hostler；
for；　like　all　the　rest　of　the　household；　he　paid　as　little
respect　to　his　master　as　his　mistress　herself　did。

〃Nay；　nought；　Jack　Hostler；〃　replied　the　pacific　Master　Crane；
〃only　if　you　saw　the　devil；　methinks　I　would　like　to　know　what
un's　like？〃

〃You　will　know　that　one　day；　Master　Crane；〃　said　his　helpmate；
〃an　ye　mend　not　your　manners；　and　mind　your　business；　leaving　off
such　idle　palabras。But　truly；　Jack　Hostler；　I　should　be　glad　to
know　myself　what　like　the　fellow　was。〃

〃Why；　dame；〃　said　the　hostler；　more　respectfully；　〃as　for　what　he
was　like　I　cannot　tell；　nor　no　man　else；　for　why　I　never　saw　un。〃

〃And　how　didst　thou　get　thine　errand　done；〃　said　Gaffer　Grimesby；
〃if　thou　seedst　him　not？〃

〃Why；　I　had　schoolmaster　to　write　down　ailment　o'　nag；〃　said　Jack
Hostler；　〃and　I　went　wi'　the　ugliest　slip　of　a　boy　for　my　guide
as　ever　man　cut　out　o'　lime…tree　root　to　please　a　child　withal。〃

〃And　what　was　it？and　did　it　cure　your　nag；　Jack　Hostler？〃　　was
uttered　and　echoed　by　all　who　stood　around。

〃Why；　how　can　I　tell　you　what　it　was？〃　　said　the　hostler；　〃simply
it　smelled　and　tastedfor　I　did　make　bold　to　put　a　pea's
substance　into　my　mouthlike　hartshorn　and　savin　mixed　with
vinegar；　but　then　no　hartshorn　and　savin　ever　wrought　so　speedy　a
cure。　　And　I　am　dreading　that　if　Wayland　Smith　be　gone；　the　bots
will　have　more　power　over　horse　and　cattle。〃

The　pride　of　art；　which　is　certainly　not　inferior　in　its
influence　to　any　other　pride　whatever；　here　so　far　operated　on
Wayland　Smith；　that；　notwithstanding　the　obvious　danger　of　his
being　recognized；　he　could　not　help　winking　to　Tressilian；　and
smiling　mysteriously；　as　if　triumphing　in　the　undoubted　evidence
of　his　veterinary　skill。　　In　the　meanwhile；　the　discourse
continued。

〃E'en　let　it　be　so；〃　said　a　grave　man　in　black；　the　companion　of
Gaffer　Grimesby；　〃e'en　let　us　perish　under　the　evil　God　sends　us；
rather　than　the　devil　be　our　doctor。〃

〃Very　true；〃　said　Dame　Crane；　〃and　I　marvel　at　Jack　Hostler　that
he　would　peril　his　own　soul　to　cure　the　bowels　of　a　nag。〃

〃Very　true；　mistress；〃　said　Jack　Hostler；　〃but　the　nag　was　my
master's；　and　had　it　been　yours；　I　think　ye　would　ha'　held　me
cheap　enow　an　I　had　feared　the　devil　when　the　poor　beast　was　in
such　a　taking。　　For　the　rest；　let　the　clergy　look　to　it。　　Every
man　to　his　craft；　says　the　proverbthe　parson　to　the　prayer…
book；　and　the　groom　to　his　curry…comb。

〃I　vow；〃　said　Dame　Crane；　〃I　think　Jack　Hostler　speaks　like　a
good　Christian　and　a　faithful　servant；　who　will　spare　neither
body　nor　soul　in　his　master's　service。　　However；　the　devil　has
lifted　him　in　time；　for　a　Constable　of　the　Hundred　came　hither
this　morning　to　get　old　Gaffer　Pinniewinks；　the　trier　of　witches；
to　go　with　him　to　the　Vale　of　Whitehorse　to　comprehend　Wayland
Smith；　and　put　him　to　his　probation。　　I　helped　Pinniewinks　to
sharpen　his　pincers　and　his　poking…awl；　and　I　saw　the　warrant
from　Justice　Blindas。〃

〃Poohpoohthe　devil　would　laugh　both　at　Blindas　and　his
warrant；　constable　and　witch…finder　to　boot；〃　said　old　Dame
Crank；　the　Papist　laundress；　〃Wayland　Smith's　flesh　would　mind
Pinniewinks'　awl　no　more　than　a　cambric　ruff　minds　a　hot
piccadilloe…needle。　　But　tell　me；　gentlefolks；　if　the　devil　ever
had　such　a　hand　among　ye；　as　to　snatch　away　your　smiths　and　your
artists　from　under　your　nose；　when　the　good　Abbots　of　Abingdon
had　their　own？　　By　Our　Lady；　no！they　had　their　hallowed　tapers；
and　their　holy　water；　and　their　relics；　and　what　not；　could　send
the　foulest　fiends　a…packing。　　Go　ask　a　heretic　parson　to　do　the
like。　　But　ours　were　a　comfortable　people。〃

〃Very　true；　Dame　Crank；〃　said　the　hostler；　〃so　said　Simpkins　of
Simonburn　when　the　curate　kissed　his　wife；'They　are　a
comfortable　people；'　said　he。〃

〃Silence；　thou　foul…mouthed　vermin；〃　said　Dame　Crank；　〃is　it　fit
for　a　heretic　horse…boy　like　thee　to　handle　such　a　text　as　the
Catholic　clergy？〃

〃In　troth　no；　dame；〃　replied　the　man　of　oats；　〃and　as　you
yourself　are　now　no　text　for　their　handling；　dame；　whatever　may
have　been　the　case　in　your　day；　I　think　we　had　e'en　better　leave
un　alone。〃

At　this　last　exchange　of　sarcasm；　Dame　Crank　set　up　her　throat；
and　began　a　horrible　exclamation　against　Jack　Hostler；　under
cover　of　which　Tressilian　and　his　attendant　escaped　into　the
house。

They　had　no　sooner　entered　a　private　chamber；　to　which　Goodman
Crane　himself　had　condescended　to　usher　them；　and　dispatched
their　worthy　and　obsequious　host　on　the　errand　of　procuring　wine
and　refreshment；　than　Wayland　Smith　began　to　give　vent　to　his
self…importance。

〃You　see；　sir；〃　said　he；　addressing　Tressilian；　〃that　I　nothing
fabled　in　asserting　that　I　possessed　fully　the　mighty　mystery　of
a　farrier；　or　mareschal；　as　the　French　more　honourably　term　us。
These　dog…hostlers；　who；　after　all；　are　the　better　judges　in　such
a　case；　know　what　credit　they　should　attach　to　my　medicaments。　　I
call　you　to　witness；　worshipful　Master　Tressilian；　that　nought；
save　the　voice　of　calumny　and　the　hand　of　malicious　violence；
hath　driven　me　forth　from　a　station　in　which　I　held　a　place　alike
useful　and　honoured。〃

〃I　bear　witness；　my　friend；　but　will　reserve　my　listening；〃
answered　Tressilian；　〃for　a　safer　time；　unless；　indeed；　you　deem
it　essential　to　your　reputation　to　be　translated；　like　your　late
dwelling；　by　the　assistance　of　a　flash　of　fire。　　For　you　see　your
best　friends　reckon　you　no　better　than　a　mere　sorcerer。〃

〃Now；　Heaven　forgive　them；〃　said　the　artist；　〃who　confounded
learned　skill　with　unlawful　magic！　　I　trust　a　man　may　be　as
skilful；　or　more　so；　than　the　best　ch