kenilworth-第42章

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a　one　would　never　be　unjust　to　a　Christian　man。〃

〃A　farrier！　　you　saucy　groomand　by　whose　authority；　pray？〃
said　the　curate；　rising　in　surprise　and　indignation；　〃or　who　will
be　warrant　for　this　new　physician？〃

〃For　authority；　an　it　like　your　reverence；　he　had　mine；　and　for
warrant；　I　trust　I　have　not　been　five…and…twenty　years　in　this
house　without　having　right　to　warrant　the　giving　of　a　draught　to
beast　or　bodyI　who　can　gie　a　drench；　and　a　ball；　and　bleed；　or
blister；　if　need；　to　my　very　self。〃

The　counsellors　of　the　house　of　Robsart　thought　it　meet　to　carry
this　information　instantly　to　Tressilian；　who　as　speedily
summoned　before　him　Wayland　Smith；　and　demanded　of　him　（in
private；　however）　by　what　authority　he　had　ventured　to　administer
any　medicine　to　Sir　Hugh　Robsart？

〃Why；〃　replied　the　artist；　〃your　worship　cannot　but　remember　that
I　told　you　I　had　made　more　progress　into　my　master'sI　mean　the
learned　Doctor　Doboobie'smystery　than　he　was　willing　to　own；
and　indeed　half　of　his　quarrel　and　malice　against　me　was　that；
besides　that　I　got　something　too　deep　into　his　secrets；　several
discerning　persons；　and　particularly　a　buxom　young　widow　of
Abingdon；　preferred　my　prescriptions　to　his。〃

〃None　of　thy　buffoonery；　sir；〃　said　Tressilian　sternly。　　〃If　thou
hast　trifled　with　usmuch　more；　if　thou　hast　done　aught　that　may
prejudice　Sir　Hugh　Robsart's　health；　thou　shalt　find　thy　grave　at
the　bottom　of　a　tin…mine。〃

〃I　know　too　little　of　the　great　ARCANUM　to　convert　the　ore　to
gold；〃　said　Wayland　firmly。　　〃But　truce　to　your　apprehensions；
Master　Tressilian。　　I　understood　the　good　knight's　case　from　what
Master　William　Badger　told　me；　and　I　hope　I　am　able　enough　to
administer　a　poor　dose　of　mandragora；　which；　with　the　sleep　that
must　needs　follow；　is　all　that　Sir　Hugh　Robsart　requires　to
settle　his　distraught　brains。〃

〃I　trust　thou　dealest　fairly　with　me；　Wayland？〃　　said　Tressilian。

〃Most　fairly　and　honestly；　as　the　event　shall　show；〃　replied　the
artist。　　〃What　would　it　avail　me　to　harm　the　poor　old　man　for
whom　you　are　interested？you；　to　whom　I　owe　it　that　Gaffer
Pinniewinks　is　not　even　now　rending　my　flesh　and　sinews　with　his
accursed　pincers；　and　probing　every　mole　in　my　body　with　his
sharpened　awl　（a　murrain　on　the　hands　which　forged　it！）　in　order
to　find　out　the　witch's　mark？I　trust　to　yoke　myself　as　a　humble
follower　to　your　worship's　train；　and　I　only　wish　to　have　my
faith　judged　of　by　the　result　of　the　good　knight's　slumbers。〃

Wayland　Smith　was　right　in　his　prognostication。　　The　sedative
draught　which　his　skill　had　prepared；　and　Will　Badger's
confidence　had　administered；　was　attended　with　the　most
beneficial　effects。　　The　patient's　sleep　was　long　and　healthful；
and　the　poor　old　knight　awoke；　humbled　indeed　in　thought　and　weak
in　frame；　yet　a　much　better　judge　of　whatever　was　subjected　to
his　intellect　than　he　had　been　for　some　time　past。　　He　resisted
for　a　while　the　proposal　made　by　his　friends　that　Tressilian
should　undertake　a　journey　to　court；　to　attempt　the　recovery　of
his　daughter；　and　the　redress　of　her　wrongs；　in　so　far　as　they
might　yet　be　repaired。　　〃Let　her　go；〃　he　said；　〃she　is　but　a　hawk
that　goes　down　the　wind；　I　would　not　bestow　even　a　whistle　to
reclaim　her。〃　　But　though　he　for　some　time　maintained　this
argument；　he　was　at　length　convinced　it　was　his　duty　to　take　the
part　to　which　natural　affection　inclined　him；　and　consent　that
such　efforts　as　could　yet　be　made　should　be　used　by　Tressilian　in
behalf　of　his　daughter。　　He　subscribed；　therefore；　a　warrant　of
attorney；　such　as　the　curate's　skill　enabled　him　to　draw　up；　for
in　those　simple　days　the　clergy　were　often　the　advisers　of　their
flock　in　law　as　well　as　in　gospel。

All　matters　were　prepared　for　Tressilian's　second　departure；
within　twenty…four　hours　after　he　had　returned　to　Lidcote　Hall；
but　one　material　circumstance　had　been　forgotten；　which　was　first
called　to　the　remembrance　of　Tressilian　by　Master　Mumblazen。
〃You　are　going　to　court；　Master　Tressilian；〃　said　he；　〃you　will
please　remember　that　your　blazonry　must　be　ARGENT　and　ORno
other　tinctures　will　pass　current。〃　　The　remark　was　equally　just
and　embarrassing。　　To　prosecute　a　suit　at　court；　ready　money　was
as　indispensable　even　in　the　golden　days　of　Elizabeth　as　at　any
succeeding　period；　and　it　was　a　commodity　little　at　the　command
of　the　inhabitants　of　Lidcote　Hall。　　Tressilian　was　himself　poor；
the　revenues　of　good　Sir　Hugh　Robsart　were　consumed；　and　even
anticipated；　in　his　hospitable　mode　of　living；　and　it　was　finally
necessary　that　the　herald　who　started　the　doubt　should　himself
solve　it。　　Master　Michael　Mumblazen　did　so　by　producing　a　bag　of
money；　containing　nearly　three　hundred　pounds　in　gold　and　silver
of　various　coinage；　the　savings　of　twenty　years；　which　he　now；
without　speaking　a　syllable　upon　the　subject；　dedicated　to　the
service　of　the　patron　whose　shelter　and　protection　had　given　him
the　means　of　making　this　little　hoard。　　Tressilian　accepted　it
without　affecting　a　moment's　hesitation；　and　a　mutual　grasp　of
the　hand　was　all　that　passed　betwixt　them；　to　express　the
pleasure　which　the　one　felt　in　dedicating　his　all　to　such　a
purpose；　and　that　which　the　other　received　from　finding　so
material　an　obstacle　to　the　success　of　his　journey　so　suddenly
removed；　and　in　a　manner　so　unexpected。

While　Tressilian　was　making　preparations　for　his　departure　early
the　ensuing　morning；　Wayland　Smith　desired　to　speak　with　him；
and；　expressing　his　hope　that　he　had　been　pleased　with　the
operation　of　his　medicine　in　behalf　of　Sir　Hugh　Robsart；　added
his　desire　to　accompany　him　to　court。　　This　was　indeed　what
Tressilian　himself　had　several　times　thought　of；　for　the
shrewdness；　alertness　of　understanding；　and　variety　of　resource
which　this　fellow　had　exhibited　during　the　time　they　had
travelled　together；　had　made　him　sensible　that　his　assistance
might　be　of　importance。　　But　then　Wayland　was　in　danger　from　the
grasp　of　law；　and　of　this　Tressilian　reminded　him；　mentioning
something；　at　the　same　time；　of　the　pincers　of　Pinniewinks　and
the　warrant　of　Master　Justice　Blindas。　　Wayland　Smith　laughed
both　to　scorn。

〃See　you；　sir！〃　　said　he；　〃I　have　changed　my　garb　from　that　of　a
farrier　to　a　serving…man；　but　were　it　still　as　it　was；　look　at　my
moustaches。　　They　now　hang　down；　I　will　but　turn　them　up；　and　dye
them　with　a　tincture　that　I　know　of；　and　the　devil　would　scarce
know　me　again。〃

He　accompanied　these　words　with　the　appropriate　action；　and　in
less　than　a　minute；　by　setting　up；　his　moustaches　and　his　hair；
he　seemed　a　different　person　from　him　that　had　but　now　entered
the　room。　　Still；　however；　Tressilian　hesitated　to　accept　his
services；　and　the　artist　became　proportionably　urgent。

〃I　owe　you　life　and　limb；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　would　fain　pay　a　part
of　the　debt；　especially　as　I　know　from　Will　Badger　on　what
dangerous　service　your　worship　is　bound。　　I　do　not；　indeed；
pretend　to　be　what　is　called　a　man　of　mettle；　one　of　those
ruffling　tear…cats　who　maintain　their　master's　quarrel　with　sword
and　buckler。　　Nay；　I　am　even　one　of　those　who　hold　the　end　of　a
feast　better　than　the　beginning　of　a　fray。　　But　I　know　that　I　can
serve　your　worship　better；　in　such　quest　as　yours；　than　any　of
these　sword…and…dagger　men；　and　that　my　head　will　be　worth　an
hundred　of　their　hands。〃

Tressilian　still　hesitated。　　He　knew　not　much　of　this　strange
fellow；　and　was　doubtful　how　far　he　could　repose　in　him　the
confidence　necessary　to　render　him　a　useful　attendant　upon　the
present　emergency。　　Ere　he　had　come　to　a　determination；　the
trampling　of　a　horse　was　heard　in　the　courtyard；　and　Master
Mumblazen　and　Will　Badger　both　entered　hastily　into　Tressilian's
chamber；　speaking　almost　at　the　same　moment。

〃Here　is　a　serving…man　on　the　bonniest　grey　tit　I　ever　see'd　in
my　life；〃　said　Will　Badger；　who　got　the　start〃having　on　his
arm　a　silver　cognizance；　being　a　fire…drake　holding　in　his　mouth
a　brickbat；　under　a　coronet　of　an　Earl's　degree；〃　said　Master
Mumblazen；　〃and　bearing　a　letter　sealed　of　the　same。〃

Tressilian　took　the　letter；　which　was　addressed　〃To　the
worshipful　Master　Edmund　Tressilian；　our　lov