kenilworth-第66章

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〃Well；　well；〃　answered　Varney　hastily；　〃be　stirring　with　grey
light。　　It　may　be　we　shall　not　need　thy　medicinedo　nought　till
I　myself　come　down。　　Michael　Lambourne　shall　guide　you　to　the
place　of　your　destination。〃　　＇See　Note　7。　　Dr。　Julio。＇

When　Varney　heard　the　adept's　door　shut　and　carefully　bolted
within；　he　stepped　towards　it；　and　with　similar　precaution
carefully　locked　it　on　the　outside；　and　took　the　key　from　the
lock；　muttering　to　himself；　〃Worse　than　THEE；　thou　poisoning
quacksalver　and　witch…monger；　who；　if　thou　art　not　a　bounden
slave　to　the　devil；　it　is　only　because　he　disdains　such　an
apprentice！　　I　am　a　mortal　man；　and　seek　by　mortal　means　the
gratification　of　my　passions　and　advancement　of　my　prospects；
thou　art　a　vassal　of　hell　itselfSo　ho；　Lambourne！〃　　he　called
at　another　door；　and　Michael　made　his　appearance　with　a　flushed
cheek　and　an　unsteady　step。

〃Thou　art　drunk；　thou　villain！〃　　said　Varney　to　him。

〃Doubtless；　noble　sir；〃　replied　the　unabashed　Michael；　〃We　have
been　drinking　all　even　to　the　glories　of　the　day；　and　to　my　noble
Lord　of　Leicester　and　his　valiant　master　of　the　horse。　　Drunk！
odds　blades　and　poniards；　he　that　would　refuse　to　swallow　a　dozen
healths　on　such　an　evening　is　a　base　besognio；　and　a　puckfoist；
and　shall　swallow　six　inches　of　my　dagger！〃

〃Hark　ye；　scoundrel；〃　said　Varney；　〃be　sober　on　the　instantI
command　thee。　　I　know　thou　canst　throw　off　thy　drunken　folly；
like　a　fool's　coat；　at　pleasure；　and　if　not；　it　were　the　worse
for　thee。〃

Lambourne　drooped　his　head；　left　the　apartment；　and　returned　in
two　or　three　minutes　with　his　face　composed；　his　hair　adjusted；
his　dress　in　order；　and　exhibiting　as　great　a　difference　from　his
former　self　as　if　the　whole　man　had　been　changed。

〃Art　thou　sober　now；　and　dost　thou　comprehend　me？〃　　said　Varney
sternly。

Lambourne　bowed　in　acquiescence。

〃Thou　must　presently　down　to　Cumnor　Place　with　the　reverend　man
of　art　who　sleeps　yonder　in　the　little　vaulted　chamber。　　Here　is
the　key；　that　thou　mayest　call　him　by　times。　　Take　another　trusty
fellow　with　you。　　Use　him　well　on　the　journey；　but　let　him　not
escape　youpistol　him　if　he　attempt　it；　and　I　will　be　your
warrant。　　I　will　give　thee　letters　to　Foster。　　The　doctor　is　to
occupy　the　lower　apartments　of　the　eastern　quadrangle；　with
freedom　to　use　the　old　elaboratory　and　its　implements。　　He　is　to
have　no　access　to　the　lady；　but　such　as　I　shall　point　outonly
she　may　be　amused　to　see　his　philosophical　jugglery。　　Thou　wilt
await　at　Cumnor　Place　my　further　orders；　and；　as　thou　livest；
beware　of　the　ale…bench　and　the　aqua　vitae　flask。　　Each　breath
drawn　in　Cumnor　Place　must　be　kept　severed　from　common　air。〃

〃Enough；　my　lordI　mean　my　worshipful　master；　soon；　I　trust；　to
be　my　worshipful　knightly　master。　　You　have　given　me　my　lesson
and　my　license；　I　will　execute　the　one；　and　not　abuse　the　other。
I　will　be　in　the　saddle　by　daybreak。〃

〃Do　so；　and　deserve　favour。　　Stayere　thou　goest　fill　me　a　cup
of　winenot　out　of　that　flask；　sirrah；〃　as　Lambourne　was　pouring
out　from　that　which　Alasco　had　left　half　finished；　〃fetch　me　a
fresh　one。〃

Lambourne　obeyed；　and　Varney；　after　rinsing　his　mouth　with　the
liquor；　drank　a　full　cup；　and　said；　as　he　took　up　a　lamp　to
retreat　to　his　sleeping　apartment；　〃It　is　strangeI　am　as　little
the　slave　of　fancy　as　any　one；　yet　I　never　speak　for　a　few
minutes　with　this　fellow　Alasco；　but　my　mouth　and　lungs　feel　as
if　soiled　with　the　fumes　of　calcined　arsenicpah！〃

So　saying；　he　left　the　apartment。　　Lambourne　lingered；　to　drink　a
cup　of　the　freshly…opened　flask。　　〃It　is　from　Saint　John's…Berg；〃
he　said；　as　he　paused　on　the　draught　to　enjoy　its　flavour；　〃and
has　the　true　relish　of　the　violet。　　But　I　must　forbear　it　now；
that　I　may　one　day　drink　it　at　my　own　pleasure。〃　　And　he　quaffed
a　goblet　of　water　to　quench　the　fumes　of　the　Rhenish　wine；
retired　slowly　towards　the　door；　made　a　pause；　and　then；　finding
the　temptation　irresistible；　walked　hastily　back；　and　took
another　long　pull　at　the　wine　flask；　without　the　formality　of　a
cup。

〃Were　it　not　for　this　accursed　custom；〃　he　said；　〃I　might　climb
as　high　as　Varney　himself。　　But　who　can　climb　when　the　room　turns
round　with　him　like　a　parish…top？　　I　would　the　distance　were
greater；　or　the　road　rougher；　betwixt　my　hand　and　mouth！　　But　I
will　drink　nothing　to…morrow　save　waternothing　save　fair
water。〃



CHAPTER　XIX。

　PISTOL。　　And　tidings　do　I　bring；　and　lucky　joys；
　　　　And　happy　news　of　price。
　FALSTAFF。　　I　prithee　now　deliver　them　like　to　men　of　this　world。
　PISTOL。　　A　foutra　for　the　world；　and　worldlings　base！
　　　　I　speak　of　Africa；　and　golden　joys。　　　　　　　　HENRY　IV。　PART　II。

The　public　room　of　the　Black　Bear　at　Cumnor；　to　which　the　scene
of　our　story　now　returns；　boasted；　on　the　evening　which　we　treat
of；　no　ordinary　assemblage　of　guests。　　There　had　been　a　fair　in
the　neighbourhood；　and　the　cutting　mercer　of　Abingdon；　with　some
of　the　other　personages　whom　the　reader　has　already　been　made
acquainted　with；　as　friends　and　customers　of　Giles　Gosling；　had
already　formed　their　wonted　circle　around　the　evening　fire；　and
were　talking　over　the　news　of　the　day。

A　lively；　bustling；　arch　fellow；　whose　pack；　and　oaken　ellwand
studded　duly　with　brass　points；　denoted　him　to　be　of　Autolycus's
profession；　occupied　a　good　deal　of　the　attention；　and　furnished
much　of　the　amusement；　of　the　evening。　　The　pedlars　of　those
days；　it　must　be　remembered；　were　men　of　far　greater　importance
than　the　degenerate　and　degraded　hawkers　of　our　modern　times。　　It
was　by　means　of　these　peripatetic　venders　that　the　country　trade；
in　the　finer　manufactures　used　in　female　dress　particularly；　was
almost　entirely　carried　on；　and　if　a　merchant　of　this　description
arrived　at　the　dignity　of　travelling　with　a　pack…horse；　he　was　a
person　of　no　small　consequence；　and　company　for　the　most
substantial　yeoman　or　franklin　whom　he　might　meet　in　his
wanderings。

The　pedlar　of　whom　we　speak　bore；　accordingly；　an　active　and
unrebuked　share　in　the　merriment　to　which　the　rafters　of　the
bonny　Black　Bear　of　Cumnor　resounded。　　He　had　his　smile　with
pretty　Mistress　Cicely；　his　broad　laugh　with　mine　host；　and　his
jest　upon　dashing　Master　Goldthred；　who；　though　indeed　without
any　such　benevolent　intention　on　his　own　part；　was　the　general
butt　of　the　evening。　　The　pedlar　and　he　were　closely　engaged　in　a
dispute　upon　the　preference　due　to　the　Spanish　nether…stock　over
the　black　Gascoigne　hose；　and　mine　host　had　just　winked　to　the
guests　around　him；　as　who　should　say；　〃You　will　have　mirth
presently；　my　masters；〃　when　the　trampling　of　horses　was　heard　in
the　courtyard；　and　the　hostler　was　loudly　summoned；　with　a　few　of
the　newest　oaths　then　in　vogue　to　add　force　to　the　invocation。
Out　tumbled　Will　Hostler；　John　Tapster；　and　all　the　militia　of
the　inn；　who　had　slunk　from　their　posts　in　order　to　collect　some
scattered　crumbs　of　the　mirth　which　was　flying　about　among　the
customers。　　Out　into　the　yard　sallied　mine　host　himself　also；　to
do　fitting　salutation　to　his　new　guests；　and　presently　returned；
ushering　into　the　apartment　his　own　worthy　nephew；　Michael
Lambourne；　pretty　tolerably　drunk；　and　having　under　his　escort
the　astrologer。　　Alasco；　though　still　a　little　old　man；　had；　by
altering　his　gown　to　a　riding…dress；　trimming　his　beard　and
eyebrows；　and　so　forth；　struck　at　least　a　score　of　years　from　his
apparent　age；　and　might　now　seem　an　active　man　of　sixty；　or
little　upwards。　　He　appeared　at　present　exceedingly　anxious；　and
had　insisted　much　with　Lambourne　that　they　should　not　enter　the
inn；　but　go　straight　forward　to　the　place　of　their　destination。
But　Lambourne　would　not　be　controlled。　　〃By　Cancer　and
Capricorn；〃　he　vociferated；　〃and　the　whole　heavenly　host；　besides
all　the　stars　that　these　blessed　eyes　of　mine　have　seen　sparkle
in　the　southern　heavens；　to　which　these　northern　blinkers　are　but
farthing　candles；　I　will　be　unkindly　for　no　one's　humourI　will
stay　and　salute　my　worthy　uncle　here。　　Chesu！　　that　good　blood
should　ever　be　forgotten　betwixt　friends！A　gallon　of　your　best；
uncle；　and　let　it　go　round　to　the　health　of　the　noble　Earl　of
Leicester！