kenilworth-第47章

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〃This　accords　with　thy　fellow's　story；　Tressilian；〃　said　the
Earl；　〃call　him　hither。〃

On　being　summoned　to　the　Earl's　presence；　Wayland　Smith　told　his
former　tale　with　firmness　and　consistency。

〃It　may　be；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃thou　art　sent　by　those　who　have
begun　this　work；　to　end　it　for　them；　but　bethink；　if　I　miscarry
under　thy　medicine；　it　may　go　hard　with　thee。〃

〃That　were　severe　measure；〃　said　Wayland；　〃since　the　issue　of
medicine；　and　the　end　of　life；　are　in　God's　disposal。　　But　I　will
stand　the　risk。　　I　have　not　lived　so　long　under　ground　to　be
afraid　of　a　grave。〃

〃Nay；　if　thou　be'st　so　confident；〃　said　the　Earl　of　Sussex；　〃I
will　take　the　risk　too；　for　the　learned　can　do　nothing　for　me。
Tell　me　how　this　medicine　is　to　be　taken。〃

〃That　will　I　do　presently；〃　said　Wayland；　〃but　allow　me　to
condition　that；　since　I　incur　all　the　risk　of　this　treatment；　no
other　physician　shall　be　permitted　to　interfere　with　it。〃

〃That　is　but　fair；〃　replied　the　Earl；　〃and　now　prepare　your
drug。〃

While　Wayland　obeyed　the　Earl's　commands；　his　servants；　by　the
artist's　direction；　undressed　their　master；　and　placed　him　in
bed。

〃I　warn　you；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　first　operation　of　this　medicine
will　be　to　produce　a　heavy　sleep；　during　which　time　the　chamber
must　be　kept　undisturbed；　as　the　consequences　may　otherwise　he
fatal。　　I　myself　will　watch　by　the　Earl　with　any　of　the　gentlemen
of　his　chamber。〃

〃Let　all　leave　the　room；　save　Stanley　and　this　good　fellow；〃　said
the　Earl。

〃And　saving　me　also；〃　said　Tressilian。　　〃I　too　am　deeply
interested　in　the　effects　of　this　potion。〃

〃Be　it　so；　good　friend；〃　said　the　Earl。　　〃And　now　for　our
experiment；　but　first　call　my　secretary　and　chamberlain。〃

〃Bear　witness；〃　he　continued；　when　these　officers　arrived〃bear
witness　for　me；　gentlemen；　that　our　honourable　friend　Tressilian
is　in　no　way　responsible　for　the　effects　which　this　medicine　may
produce　upon　me；　the　taking　it　being　my　own　free　action　and
choice；　in　regard　I　believe　it　to　be　a　remedy　which　God　has
furnished　me　by　unexpected　means　to　recover　me　of　my　present
malady。　　Commend　me　to　my　noble　and　princely　Mistress；　and　say
that　I　live　and　die　her　true　servant；　and　wish　to　all　about　her
throne　the　same　singleness　of　heart　and　will　to　serve　her；　with
more　ability　to　do　so　than　hath　been　assigned　to　poor　Thomas
Ratcliffe。〃

He　then　folded　his　hands；　and　seemed　for　a　second　or　two　absorbed
in　mental　devotion；　then　took　the　potion　in　his　hand；　and；
pausing；　regarded　Wayland　with　a　look　that　seemed　designed　to
penetrate　his　very　soul；　but　which　caused　no　anxiety　or
hesitation　in　the　countenance　or　manner　of　the　artist。

〃Here　is　nothing　to　be　feared；〃　said　Sussex　to　Tressilian；　and
swallowed　the　medicine　without　further　hesitation

〃I　am　now　to　pray　your　lordship；〃　said　Wayland；　〃to　dispose
yourself　to　rest　as　commodiously　as　you　can；　and　of　you；
gentlemen；　to　remain　as　still　and　mute　as　if　you　waited　at　your
mother's　deathbed。〃

The　chamberlain　and　secretary　then　withdrew；　giving　orders　that
all　doors　should　be　bolted；　and　all　noise　in　the　house　strictly
prohibited。　　Several　gentlemen　were　voluntary　watchers　in　the
hall；　but　none　remained　in　the　chamber　of　the　sick　Earl；　save　his
groom　of　the　chamber；　the　artist；　and　Tressilian。Wayland
Smith's　predictions　were　speedily　accomplished；　and　a　sleep　fell
upon　the　Earl；　so　deep　and　sound　that　they　who　watched　his
bedside　began　to　fear　that；　in　his　weakened　state；　he　might　pass
away　without　awakening　from　his　lethargy。　　Wayland　Smith　himself
appeared　anxious；　and　felt　the　temples　of　the　Earl　slightly；　from
time　to　time；　attending　particularly　to　the　state　of　his
respiration；　which　was　full　and　deep；　but　at　the　same　time　easy
and　uninterrupted。



CHAPTER　XV；

　　You　loggerheaded　and　unpolish'd　grooms；
　　What；　no　attendance；　no　regard；　no　duty？
　　Where　is　the　foolish　knave　I　sent　before？　　TAMING　OF　THE　SHREW。

There　is　no　period　at　which　men　look　worse　in　the　eyes　of　each
other；　or　feel　more　uncomfortable；　than　when　the　first　dawn　of
daylight　finds　them　watchers。　　Even　a　beauty　of　the　first　order；
after　the　vigils　of　a　ball　are　interrupted　by　the　dawn；　would　do
wisely　to　withdraw　herself　from　the　gaze　of　her　fondest　and　most
partial　admirers。　　Such　was　the　pale；　inauspicious；　and
ungrateful　light　which　began　to　beam　upon　those　who　kept　watch
all　night　in　the　hall　at　Sayes　Court；　and　which　mingled　its　cold；
pale；　blue　diffusion　with　the　red；　yellow；　and　smoky　beams　of
expiring　lamps　and　torches。　　The　young　gallant；　whom　we　noticed
in　our　last　chapter；　had　left　the　room　for　a　few　minutes；　to
learn　the　cause　of　a　knocking　at　the　outward　gate；　and　on　his
return　was　so　struck　with　the　forlorn　and　ghastly　aspects　of　his
companions　of　the　watch　that　he　exclaimed；　〃Pity　of　my　heart；　my
masters；　how　like　owls　you　look！　　Methinks；　when　the　sun　rises；　I
shall　see　you　flutter　off　with　your　eyes　dazzled；　to　stick
yourselves　into　the　next　ivy…tod　or　ruined　steeple。〃

〃Hold　thy　peace；　thou　gibing　fool；〃　said　Blount；　〃hold　thy　peace。

Is　this　a　time　for　jeering；　when　the　manhood　of　England　is
perchance　dying　within　a　wall's　breadth　of　thee？〃

〃There　thou　liest；〃　replied　the　gallant。

〃How；　lie！〃　　exclaimed　Blount；　starting　up；　〃lie！　　and　to　me？〃

〃Why；　so　thou　didst；　thou　peevish　fool；〃　answered　the　youth；
〃thou　didst　lie　on　that　bench　even　now；　didst　thou　not？　　But　art
thou　not　a　hasty　coxcomb　to　pick　up　a　wry　word　so　wrathfully？
Nevertheless；　loving　and；　honouring　my　lord　as　truly　as　thou；　or
any　one；　I　do　say　that；　should　Heaven　take　him　from　us；　all
England's　manhood　dies　not　with　him。〃

〃Ay；〃　replied　Blount；　〃a　good　portion　will　survive　with　thee；
doubtless。〃

〃And　a　good　portion　with　thyself；　Blount；　and　with　stout　Markham
here；　and　Tracy；　and　all　of　us。　　But　I　am　he　will　best　employ　the
talent　Heaven　has　given　to　us　all。〃

〃As　how；　I　prithee？〃　　said　Blount；　〃tell　us　your　mystery　of
multiplying。〃

〃Why；　sirs；〃　answered　the　youth；　〃ye　are　like　goodly　land；　which
bears　no　crop　because　it　is　not　quickened　by　manure；　but　I　have
that　rising　spirit　in　me　which　will　make　my　poor　faculties　labour
to　keep　pace　with　it。　　My　ambition　will　keep　my　brain　at　work；　I
warrant　thee。〃

〃I　pray　to　God　it　does　not　drive　thee　mad；〃　said　Blount；　〃for　my
part；　if　we　lose　our　noble　lord；　I　bid　adieu　to　the　court　and　to
the　camp　both。　　I　have　five　hundred　foul　acres　in　Norfolk；　and
thither　will　I；　and　change　the　court　pantoufle　for　the　country
hobnail。〃

〃O　base　transmutation！〃　　exclaimed　his　antagonist；　〃thou　hast
already　got　the　true　rustic　slouchthy　shoulders　stoop；　as　if
thine　hands　were　at　the　stilts　of　the　plough；　and　thou　hast　a
kind　of　earthy　smell　about　thee；　instead　of　being　perfumed　with
essence；　as　a　gallant　and　courtier　should。　　On　my　soul；　thou　hast
stolen　out　to　roll　thyself　on　a　hay　mow！　　Thy　only　excuse　will　be
to　swear　by　thy　hilts　that　the　farmer　had　a　fair　daughter。〃

〃I　pray　thee；　Walter；〃　said　another　of　the　company；　〃cease　thy
raillery；　which　suits　neither　time　nor　place；　and　tell　us　who　was
at　the　gate　just　now。〃

〃Doctor　Masters；　physician　to　her　Grace　in　ordinary；　sent　by　her
especial　orders　to　inquire　after　the　Earl's　health；〃　answered
Walter。

〃Ha！　　what？〃　　exclaimed　Tracy；　〃that　was　no　slight　mark　of
favour。　If　the　Earl　can　but　come　through；　he　will　match　with
Leicester　yet。　　Is　Masters　with　my　lord　at　present？〃

〃Nay；〃　replied　Walter；　〃he　is　half　way　back　to　Greenwich　by　this
time；　and　in　high　dudgeon。〃

〃Thou　didst　not　refuse　him　admittance？〃　　exclaimed　Tracy。

〃Thou　wert　not；　surely；　so　mad？〃　　ejaculated　Blount。

〃I　refused　him　admittance　as　flatly；　Blount；　as　you　would　refuse
a　penny　to　a　blind　beggaras　obstinately；　Tracy；　as　thou　didst
ever　deny　access　to　a　dun。〃

〃Why；　in　the　fiend's　name；　didst　thou　trust　him　to　go　to　the
gate？〃　　said　Blount　to　Tracy。

〃It　suited　his　years　better　than　mine；〃　answered　Tracy；　〃but　he
has　undone　us　all　now　thoroughly。　　My　lord　may　live　or　die；　he
will　never　have　a　look　of　favour　from　her　Majesty　again。〃

〃Nor　the　means　of　making　fortunes　for　his　followers；〃　said　the
young　gallant；　smiling　contemptuous