kenilworth-第65章

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with　him！　　But　in　this　retreat　of　mine　shall　I　have　the　use　of
mine　elaboratory？〃

〃Of　a　whole　workshop；　man；〃　said　Varney；　〃for　a　reverend　father
abbot；　who　was　fain　to　give　place　to　bluff　King　Hal　and　some　of
his　courtiers；　a　score　of　years　since；　had　a　chemist's　complete
apparatus；　which　he　was　obliged　to　leave　behind　him　to　his
successors。　　Thou　shalt　there　occupy；　and　melt；　and　puff；　and
blaze；　and　multiply；　until　the　Green　Dragon　become　a　golden
goose；　or　whatever　the　newer　phrase　of　the　brotherhood　may
testify。〃

〃Thou　art　right；　Master　Varney；〃　said　the　alchemist　setting　his
teeth　close　and　grinding　them　together〃thou　art　right　even　in
thy　very　contempt　of　right　and　reason。　　For　what　thou　sayest　in
mockery　may　in　sober　verity　chance　to　happen　ere　we　meet　again。
If　the　most　venerable　sages　of　ancient　days　have　spoken　the
truthif　the　most　learned　of　our　own　have　rightly　received　it；
if　I　have　been　accepted　wherever　I　travelled　in　Germany；　in
Poland；　in　Italy；　and　in　the　farther　Tartary；　as　one　to　whom
nature　has　unveiled　her　darkest　secrets；　if　I　have　acquired　the
most　secret　signs　and　passwords　of　the　Jewish　Cabala；　so　that　the
greyest　beard　in　the　synagogue　would　brush　the　steps　to　make　them
clean　for　me；if　all　this　is　so；　and　if　there　remains　but　one
stepone　little　stepbetwixt　my　long；　deep；　and　dark；　and
subterranean　progress；　and　that　blaze　of　light　which　shall　show
Nature　watching　her　richest　and　her　most　glorious　productions　in
the　very　cradleone　step　betwixt　dependence　and　the　power　of
sovereigntyone　step　betwixt　poverty　and　such　a　sum　of　wealth　as
earth；　without　that　noble　secret；　cannot　minister　from　all　her
mines　in　the　old　or　the　new…found　world；　if　this　be　all　so；　is　it
not　reasonable　that　to　this　I　dedicate　my　future　life；　secure；
for　a　brief　period　of　studious　patience；　to　rise　above　the　mean
dependence　upon　favourites；　and　THEIR　favourites；　by　which　I　am
now　enthralled！〃

〃Now；　bravo！　　bravo！　　my　good　father；〃　said　Varney；　with　the
usual　sardonic　expression　of　ridicule　on　his　countenance；　〃yet
all　this　approximation　to　the　philosopher's　stone　wringeth　not
one　single　crown　out　of　my　Lord　Leicester's　pouch；　and　far　less
out　of　Richard　Varney's。　　WE　must　have　earthly　and　substantial
services；　man；　and　care　not　whom　else　thou　canst　delude　with　thy
philosophical　charlatanry。〃

〃My　son　Varney；〃　said　the　alchemist；　〃the　unbelief；　gathered
around　thee　like　a　frost…fog；　hath　dimmed　thine　acute　perception
to　that　which　is　a　stumbling…block　to　the　wise；　and　which　yet；　to
him　who　seeketh　knowledge　with　humility；　extends　a　lesson　so
clear　that　he　who　runs　may　read。　　Hath　not　Art；　thinkest　thou；
the　means　of　completing　Nature's　imperfect　concoctions　in　her
attempts　to　form　the　precious　metals；　even　as　by　art　we　can
perfect　those　other　operations　of　incubation；　distillation；
fermentation；　and　similar　processes　of　an　ordinary　description；
by　which　we　extract　life　itself　out　of　a　senseless　egg；　summon
purity　and　vitality　out　of　muddy　dregs；　or　call　into　vivacity　the
inert　substance　of　a　sluggish　liquid？〃

〃I　have　heard　all　this　before；〃　said　Varney；　〃and　my　heart　is
proof　against　such　cant　ever　since　I　sent　twenty　good　gold　pieces
（marry；　it　was　in　the　nonage　of　my　wit）　to　advance　the　grand
magisterium；　all　which；　God　help　the　while；　vanished　IN　FUMO。
Since　that　moment；　when　I　paid　for　my　freedom；　I　defy　chemistry；
astrology；　palmistry；　and　every　other　occult　art；　were　it　as
secret　as　hell　itself；　to　unloose　the　stricture　of　my　purse…
strings。　　Marry；　I　neither　defy　the　manna　of　Saint　Nicholas；　nor
can　I　dispense　with　it。　　The　first　task　must　be　to　prepare　some
when　thou　gett'st　down　to　my　little　sequestered　retreat　yonder；
and　then　make　as　much　gold　as　thou　wilt。〃

〃I　will　make　no　more　of　that　dose；〃　said　the　alchemist；
resolutely。

〃Then；〃　said　the　master　of　the　horse；　〃thou　shalt　be　hanged　for
what　thou　hast　made　already；　and　so　were　the　great　secret　for
ever　lost　to　mankind。　　Do　not　humanity　this　injustice；　good
father；　but　e'en　bend　to　thy　destiny；　and　make　us　an　ounce　or　two
of　this　same　stuff；　which　cannot　prejudice　above　one　or　two
individuals；　in　order　to　gain　lifetime　to　discover　the　universal
medicine；　which　shall　clear　away　all　mortal　diseases　at　once。
But　cheer　up；　thou　grave；　learned；　and　most　melancholy　jackanape！
Hast　thou　not　told　me　that　a　moderate　portion　of　thy　drug　hath
mild　effects；　no　ways　ultimately　dangerous　to　the　human　frame；
but　which　produces　depression　of　spirits；　nausea；　headache；　an
unwillingness　to　change　of　placeeven　such　a　state　of　temper　as
would　keep　a　bird　from　flying　out　of　a　cage　were　the　door　left
open？〃

〃I　have　said　so；　and　it　is　true；〃　said　the　alchemist。　　〃This
effect　will　it　produce；　and　the　bird　who　partakes　of　it　in　such
proportion　shall　sit　for　a　season　drooping　on　her　perch；　without
thinking　either　of　the　free　blue　sky；　or　of　the　fair　greenwood；
though　the　one　be　lighted　by　the　rays　of　the　rising　sun；　and　the
other　ringing　with　the　newly…awakened　song　of　all　the　feathered
inhabitants　of　the　forest。〃

〃And　this　without　danger　to　life？〃　　said　Varney；　somewhat
anxiously。

〃Ay；　so　that　proportion　and　measure　be　not　exceeded；　and　so　that
one　who　knows　the　nature　of　the　manna　be　ever　near　to　watch　the
symptoms；　and　succour　in　case　of　need。〃

〃Thou　shalt　regulate　the　whole；〃　said　Varney。　　〃Thy　reward　shall
be　princely；　if　thou　keepest　time　and　touch；　and　exceedest　not
the　due　proportion；　to　the　prejudice　of　her　health；　otherwise　thy
punishment　shall　be　as　signal。〃

〃The　prejudice　of　HER　health！〃　　repeated　Alasco；　〃it　is；　then；　a
woman　I　am　to　use　my　skill　upon？〃

〃No；　thou　fool；〃　replied　Varney；　〃said　I　not　it　was　a　birda
reclaimed　linnet；　whose　pipe　might　soothe　a　hawk　when　in　mid
stoop？　　I　see　thine　eye　sparkle；　and　I　know　thy　beard　is　not
altogether　so　white　as　art　has　made　itTHAT；　at　least；　thou　hast
been　able　to　transmute　to　silver。　　But　mark　me；　this　is　no　mate
for　thee。　　This　caged　bird　is　dear　to　one　who　brooks　no　rivalry；
and　far　less　such　rivalry　as　thine；　and　her　health　must　over　all
things　be　cared　for。　　But　she　is　in　the　case　of　being　commanded
down　to　yonder　Kenilworth　revels；　and　it　is　most　expedientmost
needfulmost　necessary　that　she　fly　not　thither。　　Of　these
necessities　and　their　causes；　it　is　not　needful　that　she　should
know　aught；　and　it　is　to　be　thought　that　her　own　wish　may　lead
her　to　combat　all　ordinary　reasons　which　can　be　urged　for　her
remaining　a　housekeeper。〃

〃That　is　but　natural；〃　said　the　alchemist　with　a　strange　smile；
which　yet　bore　a　greater　reference　to　the　human　character　than
the　uninterested　and　abstracted　gaze　which　his　physiognomy　had
hitherto　expressed；　where　all　seemed　to　refer　to　some　world
distant　from　that　which　was　existing　around　him。

〃It　is　so；〃　answered　Varney；　〃you　understand　women　well；　though
it　may　have　been　long　since　you　were　conversant　amongst　them。
Well；　then；　she　is　not　to　be　contradicted；　yet　she　is　not　to　be
humoured。　　Understand　mea　slight　illness；　sufficient　to　take
away　the　desire　of　removing　from　thence；　and　to　make　such　of　your
wise　fraternity　as　may　be　called　in　to　aid；　recommend　a　quiet
residence　at　home；　will；　in　one　word；　be　esteemed　good　service；
and　remunerated　as　such。〃

〃I　am　not　to　be　asked　to　affect　the　House　of　Life？〃　　said　the
chemist。

〃On　the　contrary；　we　will　have　thee　hanged　if　thou　dost；〃　replied
Varney。

〃And　I　must；〃　added　Alasco；　〃have　opportunity　to　do　my　turn；　and
all　facilities　for　concealment　or　escape；　should　there　be
detection？〃

〃All；　all；　and　everything；　thou　infidel　in　all　but　the
impossibilities　of　alchemy。　　Why；　man；　for　what　dost　thou　take
me？〃

The　old　man　rose；　and　taking　a　light　walked　towards　the　end　of
the　apartment；　where　was　a　door　that　led　to　the　small　sleeping…
room　destined　for　his　reception　during　the　night。　　At　the　door　he
turned　round；　and　slowly　repeated　Varney's　question　ere　he
answered　it。　　〃For　what　do　I　take　thee；　Richard　Varney？　　Why；　for
a　worse　devil　than　I　have　been　myself。　　But　I　am　in　your　toils；
and　I　must　serve　you　till　my　term　be　out。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　answered　Varney　hastily；　〃be　stirring　with　grey
light。