kenilworth-第5章

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cried　again；　and　his　crying　saved　yours。〃

〃Well；　he　made　it　up　to　me　many　a　day　after；〃　said　Lambourne；
〃and　how　is　the　worthy　pedagogue？〃

〃Dead；〃　said　Giles　Gosling；　〃this　many　a　day　since。〃

〃That　he　is；〃　said　the　clerk　of　the　parish；　〃I　sat　by　his　bed　the
whilst。　　He　passed　away　in　a　blessed　frame。　　'MORIORMORTUUS　SUM
VEL　FUIMORI'these　were　his　latest　words；　and　he　just　added；
'my　last　verb　is　conjugated。〃

〃Well；　peace　be　with　him；〃　said　Mike；　〃he　owes　me　nothing。〃

〃No；　truly；〃　replied　Goldthred；　〃and　every　lash　which　he　laid　on
thee；　he　always　was　wont　to　say；　he　spared　the　hangman　a　labour。〃

〃One　would　have　thought　he　left　him　little　to　do　then；〃　said　the
clerk；　〃and　yet　Goodman　Thong　had　no　sinecure　of　it　with　our
friend；　after　all。〃

〃VOTO　A　DIOS！〃　　exclaimed　Lambourne；　his　patience　appearing　to
fail　him；　as　he　snatched　his　broad；　slouched　hat　from　the　table
and　placed　it　on　his　head；　so　that　the　shadow　gave　the　sinister
expression　of　a　Spanish　brave　to　eyes　and　features　which
naturally　boded　nothing　pleasant。　　〃Hark'ee；　my　mastersall　is
fair　among　friends；　and　under　the　rose；　and　I　have　already
permitted　my　worthy　uncle　here；　and　all　of　you；　to　use　your
pleasure　with　the　frolics　of　my　nonage。　　But　I　carry　sword　and
dagger；　my　good　friends；　and　can　use　them　lightly　too　upon
occasion。　　I　have　learned　to　be　dangerous　upon　points　of　honour
ever　since　I　served　the　Spaniard；　and　I　would　not　have　you
provoke　me　to　the　degree　of　falling　foul。〃

〃Why；　what　would　you　do？〃　　said　the　clerk。

〃Ay；　sir；　what　would　you　do？〃　　said　the　mercer；　bustling　up　on
the　other　side　of　the　table。

〃Slit　your　throat；　and　spoil　your　Sunday's　quavering；　Sir　Clerk；〃
said　Lambourne　fiercely；　〃cudgel　you；　my　worshipful　dealer　in
flimsy　sarsenets；　into　one　of　your　own　bales。〃

〃Come；　come；〃　said　the　host；　interposing；　〃I　will　have　no
swaggering　here。Nephew；　it　will　become　you　best　to　show　no
haste　to　take　offence；　and　you；　gentlemen；　will　do　well　to
remember；　that　if　you　are　in　an　inn；　still　you　are　the　inn…
keeper's　guests；　and　should　spare　the　honour　of　his　family。I
protest　your　silly　broils　make　me　as　oblivious　as　yourself；　for
yonder　sits　my　silent　guest　as　I　call　him；　who　hath　been　my　two
days'　inmate；　and　hath　never　spoken　a　word；　save　to　ask　for　his
food　and　his　reckoninggives　no　more　trouble　than　a　very
peasantpays　his　shot　like　a　prince　royallooks　but　at　the　sum
total　of　the　reckoning；　and　does　not　know　what　day　he　shall　go
away。　　Oh；　'tis　a　jewel　of　a　guest！　　and　yet；　hang…dog　that　I　am；
I　have　suffered　him　to　sit　by　himself　like　a　castaway　in　yonder
obscure　nook；　without　so　much　as　asking　him　to　take　bite　or　sup
along　with　us。　　It　were　but　the　right　guerdon　of　my　incivility
were　he　to　set　off　to　the　Hare　and　Tabor　before　the　night　grows
older。〃

With　his　white　napkin　gracefully　arranged　over　his　left　arm；　his
velvet　cap　laid　aside　for　the　moment；　and　his　best　silver　flagon
in　his　right　hand；　mine　host　walked　up　to　the　solitary　guest　whom
he　mentioned；　and　thereby　turned　upon　him　the　eyes　of　the
assembled　company。

He　was　a　man　aged　betwixt　twenty…five　and　thirty；　rather　above
the　middle　size；　dressed　with　plainness　and　decency；　yet　bearing
an　air　of　ease　which　almost　amounted　to　dignity；　and　which　seemed
to　infer　that　his　habit　was　rather　beneath　his　rank。　　His
countenance　was　reserved　and　thoughtful；　with　dark　hair　and　dark
eyes；　the　last；　upon　any　momentary　excitement；　sparkled　with
uncommon　lustre；　but　on　other　occasions　had　the　same　meditative
and　tranquil　cast　which　was　exhibited　by　his　features。　　The　busy
curiosity　of　the　little　village　had　been　employed　to　discover　his
name　and　quality；　as　well　as　his　business　at　Cumnor；　but　nothing
had　transpired　on　either　subject　which　could　lead　to　its
gratification。　　Giles　Gosling；　head…borough　of　the　place；　and　a
steady　friend　to　Queen　Elizabeth　and　the　Protestant　religion；　was
at　one　time　inclined　to　suspect　his　guest　of　being　a　Jesuit；　or
seminary　priest；　of　whom　Rome　and　Spain　sent　at　this　time　so　many
to　grace　the　gallows　in　England。　　But　it　was　scarce　possible　to
retain　such　a　prepossession　against　a　guest　who　gave　so　little
trouble；　paid　his　reckoning　so　regularly；　and　who　proposed；　as　it
seemed；　to　make　a　considerable　stay　at　the　bonny　Black　Bear。

〃Papists；〃　argued　Giles　Gosling；　〃are　a　pinching；　close…fisted
race；　and　this　man　would　have　found　a　lodging　with　the　wealthy
squire　at　Bessellsey；　or　with　the　old　Knight　at　Wootton；　or　in
some　other　of　their　Roman　dens；　instead　of　living　in　a　house　of
public　entertainment；　as　every　honest　man　and　good　Christian
should。　　Besides；　on　Friday　he　stuck　by　the　salt　beef　and　carrot；
though　there　were　as　good　spitch…cocked　eels　on　the　board　as　ever
were　ta'en　out　of　the　Isis。〃

Honest　Giles；　therefore；　satisfied　himself　that　his　guest　was　no
Roman；　and　with　all　comely　courtesy　besought　the　stranger　to
pledge　him　in　a　draught　of　the　cool　tankard；　and　honour　with　his
attention　a　small　collation　which　he　was　giving　to　his　nephew；　in
honour　of　his　return；　and；　as　he　verily　hoped；　of　his
reformation。　　The　stranger　at　first　shook　his　head；　as　if
declining　the　courtesy；　but　mine　host　proceeded　to　urge　him　with
arguments　founded　on　the　credit　of　his　house；　and　the
construction　which　the　good　people　of　Cumnor　might　put　upon　such
an　unsocial　humour。

〃By　my　faith；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃it　touches　my　reputation　that　men
should　be　merry　in　my　house；　and　we　have　ill　tongues　amongst　us
at　Cumnor　（as　where　be　there　not？）；　who　put　an　evil　mark　on　men
who　pull　their　hat　over　their　brows；　as　if　they　were　looking　back
to　the　days　that　are　gone；　instead　of　enjoying　the　blithe
sunshiny　weather　which　God　has　sent　us　in　the　sweet　looks　of　our
sovereign　mistress；　Queen　Elizabeth；　whom　Heaven　long　bless　and
preserve！〃

〃Why；　mine　host；〃　answered　the　stranger；　〃there　is　no　treason；
sure；　in　a　man's　enjoying　his　own　thoughts；　under　the　shadow　of
his　own　bonnet？　　You　have　lived　in　the　world　twice　as　long　as　I
have；　and　you　must　know　there　are　thoughts　that　will　haunt　us　in
spite　of　ourselves；　and　to　which　it　is　in　vain　to　say；　Begone；
and　let　me　be　merry。〃

〃By　my　sooth；〃　answered　Giles　Gosling；　〃if　such　troublesome
thoughts　haunt　your　mind；　and　will　not　get　them　gone　for　plain
English；　we　will　have　one　of　Father　Bacon's　pupils　from　Oxford；
to　conjure　them　away　with　logic　and　with　Hebrewor；　what　say　you
to　laying　them　in　a　glorious　red　sea　of　claret；　my　noble　guest？
Come；　sir；　excuse　my　freedom。　　I　am　an　old　host；　and　must　have　my
talk。　　This　peevish　humour　of　melancholy　sits　ill　upon　you；　it
suits　not　with　a　sleek　boot；　a　hat　of　trim　block；　a　fresh　cloak；
and　a　full　purse。　　A　pize　on　it！　　send　it　off　to　those　who　have
their　legs　swathed　with　a　hay…wisp；　their　heads　thatched　with　a
felt　bonnet；　their　jerkin　as　thin　as　a　cobweb；　and　their　pouch
without　ever　a　cross　to　keep　the　fiend　Melancholy　from　dancing　in
it。　　Cheer　up；　sir！　　or；　by　this　good　liquor；　we　shall　banish
thee　from　the　joys　of　blithesome　company；　into　the　mists　of
melancholy　and　the　land　of　little…ease。　　Here　be　a　set　of　good
fellows　willing　to　be　merry；　do　not　scowl　on　them　like　the　devil
looking　over　Lincoln。〃

〃You　say　well；　my　worthy　host；〃　said　the　guest；　with　a　melancholy
smile；　which；　melancholy　as　it　was；　gave　a　very　pleasant：
expression　to　his　countenance〃you　say　well；　my　jovial　friend；
and　they　that　are　moody　like　myself　should　not　disturb　the　mirth
of　those　who　are　happy。　　I　will　drink　a　round　with　your　guests
with　all　my　heart；　rather　than　be　termed　a　mar…feast。〃

So　saying；　he　arose　and　joined　the　company；　who；　encouraged　by
the　precept　and　example　of　Michael　Lambourne；　and　consisting
chiefly　of　persons　much　disposed　to　profit　by　the　opportunity　of
a　merry　meal　at　the　expense　of　their　landlord；　had　already　made
some　inroads　upon　the　limits　of　temperance；　as　was　evident　from
the　tone　in　which　Michael　inquired　after　his　old　acquaintances　in
the　town；　and　the　bursts　of　laughter　with　which　each　answer　was
received。　　Giles　Gosling　himself　was　somewhat　scandalized　at　the
obstreperous　nature　of　their　mirth；　especially　as　he
involuntarily　felt　some　respect　for　his　u