kenilworth-第67章

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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！　　What！　　shall　we　not　collogue　together；　and　warm　the
cockles　of　our　ancient　kindness？shall　we　not　collogue；　I　say？〃

〃With　all　my　heart；　kinsman；〃　said　mine　host；　who　obviously
wished　to　be　rid　of　him；　〃but　are　you　to　stand　shot　to　all　this
good　liquor？〃

This　is　a　question　has　quelled　many　a　jovial　toper；　but　it　moved
not　the　purpose　of　Lambourne's　soul；　〃Question　my　means；　nuncle？〃
he　said；　producing　a　handful　of　mixed　gold　and　silver　pieces；
〃question　Mexico　and　Peruquestion　the　Queen's　exchequerGod
save　her　Majesty！she　is　my　good　Lord's　good　mistress。〃

〃Well；　kinsman；〃　said　mine　host；　〃it　is　my　business　to　sell　wine
to　those　who　can　buy　itso；　Jack　Tapster；　do　me　thine　office。
But　I　would　I　knew　how　to　come　by　money　as　lightly　as　thou　dost；
Mike。〃

〃Why；　uncle；〃　said　Lambourne；　〃I　will　tell　thee　a　secret。　　Dost
see　this　little　old　fellow　here？　　as　old　and　withered　a　chip　as
ever　the　devil　put　into　his　porridgeand　yet；　uncle；　between　you
and　mehe　hath　Potosi　in　that　brain　of　his'sblood！　　he　can
coin　ducats　faster　than　I　can　vent　oaths。〃

〃I　will　have　none　of　his　coinage　in　my　purse；　though；　Michael；〃
said　mine　host；　〃I　know　what　belongs　to　falsifying　the　Queen's
coin。〃

〃Thou　art　an　ass；　uncle；　for　as　old　as　thou　art。Pull　me　not　by
the　skirts；　doctor；　thou　art　an　ass　thyself　to　bootso；　being
both　asses；　I　tell　ye　I　spoke　but　metaphorically。〃

〃Are　you　mad？'　said　the　old　man；　〃is　the　devil　in　you？　　Can　you
not　let　us　begone　without　drawing　all　men's　eyes　on　us？〃

〃Sayest　thou？〃　　said　Lambourne。　　〃Thou　art　deceived　nowno　man
shall　see　you；　an　I　give　the　word。By　heavens；　masters；　an　any
one　dare　to　look　on　this　old　gentleman；　I　will　slash　the　eyes　out
of　his　head　with　my　poniard！So　sit　down；　old　friend；　and　be
merry；　these　are　mine　inglesmine　ancient　inmates；　and　will
betray　no　man。〃

〃Had　you　not　better　withdraw　to　a　private　apartment；　nephew？〃
said　Giles　Gosling。　　〃You　speak　strange　matter；〃　he　added；　〃and
there　be　intelligencers　everywhere。〃

〃I　care　not　for　them；〃　said　the　magnanimous　Michael
〃intelligencers？　　pshaw！　　I　serve　the　noble　Earl　of　Leicester。
Here　comes　the　wine。Fill　round；　Master　Skinker；　a　carouse　to
the　health　of　the　flower　of　England；　the　noble　Earl　of　Leicester！
I　say；　the　noble　Earl　of　Leicester！　　He　that　does　me　not　reason
is　a　swine　of　Sussex；　and　I'll　make　him　kneel　to　the　pledge；　if　I
should　cut　his　hams　and　smoke　them　for　bacon。〃

None　disputed　a　pledge　given　under　such　formidable　penalties；　and
Michael　Lambourne；　whose　drunken　humour　was　not　of　course
diminished　by　this　new　potation；　went　on　in　the　same　wild　way；
renewing　his　acquaintance　with　such　of　the　guests　as　he　had
formerly　known；　and　experiencing　a　reception　in　which　there　was
now　something　of　deference　mingled　with　a　good　deal　of　fear；　for
the　least　servitor　of　the　favourite　Earl；　especially　such　a　man
as　Lambourne；　was；　for　very　sufficient　reasons；　an　object　both　of
the　one　and　of　the　other。

In　the　meanwhile；　the　old　man；　seeing　his　guide　in　this
uncontrollable　humour；　ceased　to　remonstrate　with　him；　and
sitting　down　in　the　most　obscure　corner　of　the　room；　called　for　a
small　measure　of　sack；　over　which　he　seemed；　as　it　were；　to
slumber；　withdrawing　himself　as　much　as　possible　from　general
observation；　and　doing　nothing　which　could　recall　his　existence
to　the　recollection　of　his　fellow…traveller；　who　by　this　time　had
got　into　close　intimacy　with　his　ancient　comrade；　Goldthred　of
Abingdon。

〃Never　believe　me；　bully　Mike；〃　said　the　mercer；　〃if　I　am　not　as
glad　to　see　thee　as　ever　I　was　to　see　a　customer's　money！　　Why；
thou　canst　give　a　friend　a　sly　place　at　a　mask　or　a　revel　now；
Mike；　ay；　or；　I　warrant　thee；　thou　canst　say　in　my　lord's　ear；
when　my　honourable　lord　is　down　in　these　parts；　and　wants　a
Spanish　ruff　or　the　likethou　canst　say　in　his　ear；　There　is
mine　old　friend；　young　Lawrence　Goldthred　of　Abingdon；　has　as
good　wares；　lawn；　tiffany；　cambric；　and　so　forthay；　and　is　as
pretty　a　piece　of　man's　flesh；　too；　as　is　in　Berkshire；　and　will
ruffle　it　for　your　lordship　with　any　man　of　his　inches；　and　thou
mayest　say〃

〃I　can　say　a　hundred　dd　lies　besides；　mercer；〃　answered
Lambourne；　〃what；　one　must　not　stand　upon　a　good　word　for　a
friend！〃

〃Here　is　to　thee；　Mike；　with　all　my　heart；〃　said　the　mercer；　〃and
thou　canst　tell　one　the　reality　of　the　new　fashions　too。　　Here
was　a　rogue　pedlar　but　now　was　crying　up　the　old…fashioned
Spanish　nether…stock　over　the　Gascoigne　hose；　although　thou　seest
how　well　the　French　hose　set　off　the　leg　and　knee；　being　adorned
with　parti…coloured　garters　and　garniture　in　conformity。〃

〃Excellent；　excellent；〃　replied　Lambourne；　〃why；　thy　limber　bit
of　a　thigh；　thrust　through　that　bunch　of　slashed　buckram　and
tiffany；　shows　like　a　housewife's　distaff　when　the　flax　is　half
spun　off！〃

〃Said　I　not　so？〃　　said　the　mercer；　whose　shallow　brain　was　now
overflowed　in　his　turn；　〃where；　then；　where　be　this　rascal
pedlar？there　was　a　pedlar　here　but　now；　methinks。Mine　host；
where　the　foul　fiend　is　this　pedlar？〃

〃Where　wise　men　should　be；　Master　Goldthred；〃　replied　Giles
Gosling；　〃even　shut　up　in　his　private　chamber；　telling　over　the
sales　of　to…day；　and　preparing　for　the　custom　of　to…morrow。〃

〃Hang　him；　a　mechanical　chuff！〃　　said　the　mercer；　〃but　for　shame；
it　were　a　good　deed　to　ease　him　of　his　waresa　set　of　peddling
knaves；　who　stroll　through　the　land；　and　hurt　the　established
trader。　　There　are　good　fellows　in　Berkshire　yet；　mine　hostyour
pedlar　may　be　met　withal　on　Maiden　Castle。〃

〃Ay；〃　replied　mine　host；　laughing；　〃and　he　who　meets　him　may　meet
his　matchthe　pedlar　is　a　tall　man。〃

〃Is　he？〃　　said　Goldthred。

〃Is　he？〃　　replied　the　host；　〃ay；　by　cock　and　pie　is　hethe　very
pedlar　he　who　raddled　Robin　Hood　so　tightly；　as　the　song　says；

'Now　Robin　Hood　drew　his　sword　so　good；
　The　pedlar　drew　his　brand；
And　he　hath　raddled　him；　Robin　Hood；
　Till　he　neither　could　see　nor　stand。'〃

〃Hang　him；　foul　scroyle；　let　him　pass；〃　said　the　mercer；　〃if　he
be　such　a　one；　there　were　small　worship　to　be　won　upon　him。And
now　tell　me；　Mikemy　honest　Mike；　how　wears　the　Hollands　you　won
of　me？〃

〃Why；　well；　as　you　may　see；　Master　Goldthred；〃　answered　Mike；　〃I
will　bestow　a　pot　on　thee　for　the　handsel。Fill　the　flagon；
Master　Tapster。〃

〃Thou　wilt　win　no　more　Hollands；　think；　on　such　wager；　friend
Mike；〃　said　the　mercer；　〃for　the　sulky　swain；　Tony　Foster；　rails
at　thee　all　to　nought；　and　swears　you　shall　ne'er　darken　his
doors　again；　for　that　your　oaths　are　enough　to　blow　the　roof　off
a　Christian　man's　dwelling。〃

〃Doth　he　say　so；　the　mincing；　hypocritical　miser？〃　　vociferated
Lambourne。　　〃Why；　then；　he　shall　come　down　and　receive　my
commands　here；　this　blessed　night；　under　my　uncle's　roof！　　And　I
will　ring　him　such　a　black　sanctus；　that　he　shall　think　the　devil
hath　him　by　the　skirts　for　a　month　to　come；　for　barely　hearing
me。〃

〃Nay；　now　the　pottle…pot　is　uppermost；　with　a　witness！〃　　said　the
mercer。　　〃Tony　Foster　obey　thy　whistle！　　Alas！　　good　Mike；　go
sleepgo　sleep。〃

〃I　tell　thee　what；　thou　thin…faced　gull；〃　said　Michael　Lambourne；
in　high　chafe；　〃I　will　wager　thee　fifty　angels　against　the　first
five　shelves　of　thy　shop；　numbering　upward　from　the　false　light；
with　all　that　is　on　them；　that　I　make　Tony　Foster　come　down　to
this　public…house　before　we　have　finished　three　rounds。〃

〃I　will　lay　no　bet　to　that　amount；〃　said　the　mercer；　something
sobered　by　an　offer　which　intimated　rather　too　private　a
knowledge　on　Lambourne's　part　of　the　secret　recesses　of　his　shop。
〃I　will　lay　no　such　wager；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　will　stake　five
angels　against　thy　five；　if　thou　wilt；　that　Tony　Foster　will　not
leave　his　own　roof；　or　come　to　ale…house　after　prayer　time；　for
thee；　or　any　man。〃

〃Content；〃　said　Lambourne。〃Here；　uncle；　hold　stakes；　and　let
one　of　your　young　bleed…barrels　thereone　of　your　infant
tapsterstrip　presently　up　to　The　Place；　and　give　this　letter　to
Master　Foster；　and　say　that　I；　his　ingle；　Michael　Lambourne；　pray
to　speak　with　him　at　mine　uncle'