kenilworth-第68章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Master　Foster；　and　say　that　I；　his　ingle；　Michael　Lambourne；　pray
to　speak　with　him　at　mine　uncle's　castle　here；　upon　business　of
grave　import。Away　with　thee；　child；　for　it　is　now　sundown；　and
the　wretch　goeth　to　bed　with　the　birds　to　save　mutton…suet
faugh！〃

Shortly　after　this　messenger　was　dispatchedan　interval　which
was　spent　in　drinking　and　buffooneryhe　returned　with　the　answer
that　Master　Foster　was　coming　presently。

〃Won；　won！〃　　said　Lambourne；　darting　on　the　stakes。

〃Not　till　he　comes；　if　you　please；〃　said　the　mercer；　interfering。

〃Why；　'sblood；　he　is　at　the　threshold；〃　replied　Michael。〃What
said　he；　boy？〃

〃If　it　please　your　worship；〃　answered　the　messenger；　〃he　looked
out　of　window；　with　a　musquetoon　in　his　hand；　and　when　I
delivered　your　errand；　which　I　did　with　fear　and　trembling；　he
said；　with　a　vinegar　aspect；　that　your　worship　might　be　gone　to
the　infernal　regions。〃

〃Or　to　hell；　I　suppose；〃　said　Lambourne〃it　is　there　he　disposes
of　all　that　are　not　of　the　congregation。〃

〃Even　so；〃　said　the　boy；　〃I　used　the　other　phrase　as　being　the
more　poetical。〃

〃An　ingenious　youth；〃　said　Michael；　〃shalt　have　a　drop　to　whet
thy　poetical　whistle。　　And　what　said　Foster　next？〃

〃He　called　me　back；〃　answered　the　boy；　〃and　bid　me　say　you　might
come　to　him　if　you　had　aught　to　say　to　him。〃

〃And　what　next？〃　　said　Lambourne。

〃He　read　the　letter；　and　seemed　in　a　fluster；　and　asked　if　your
worship　was　in　drink；　and　I　said　you　were　speaking　a　little
Spanish；　as　one　who　had　been　in　the　Canaries。〃

〃Out；　you　diminutive　pint…pot；　whelped　of　an　overgrown
reckoning！〃　　replied　Lambourne〃out！　　But　what　said　he　then？〃

〃Why；〃　said　the　boy；　〃he　muttered　that　if　he　came　not　your
worship　would　bolt　out　what　were　better　kept　in；　and　so　he　took
his　old　flat　cap；　and　threadbare　blue　cloak；　and；　as　I　said
before；　he　will　be　here　incontinent。〃

〃There　is　truth　in　what　he　said；〃　replied　Lambourne；　as　if
speaking　to　himself〃my　brain　has　played　me　its　old　dog's　trick。
But　corragiolet　him　approach！I　have　not　rolled　about　in　the
world　for　many　a　day　to　fear　Tony　Foster；　be　I　drunk　or　sober。
Bring　me　a　flagon　of　cold　water　to　christen　my　sack　withal。〃

While　Lambourne；　whom　the　approach　of　Foster　seemed　to　have
recalled　to　a　sense　of　his　own　condition；　was　busied　in　preparing
to　receive　him；　Giles　Gosling　stole　up　to　the　apartment　of　the
pedlar；　whom　he　found　traversing　the　room　in　much　agitation。

〃You　withdrew　yourself　suddenly　from　the　company；〃　said　the
landlord　to　the　guest。

〃It　was　time；　when　the　devil　became　one　among　you；〃　replied　the
pedlar。

〃It　is　not　courteous　in　you　to　term　my　nephew　by　such　a　name；〃
said　Gosling；　〃nor　is　it　kindly　in　me　to　reply　to　it；　and　yet；　in
some　sort；　Mike　may　be　considered　as　a　limb　of　Satan。〃

〃PoohI　talk　not　of　the　swaggering　ruffian；〃　replied　the　pedlar；
〃it　is　of　the　other；　who；　for　aught　I　knowBut　when　go　they？　　or
wherefore　come　they？〃

〃Marry；　these　are　questions　I　cannot　answer；〃　replied　the　host。
〃But　look　you；　sir；　you　have　brought　me　a　token　from　worthy
Master　Tressiliana　pretty　stone　it　is。〃　　He　took　out　the　ring；
and　looked　at　it；　adding；　as　he　put　it　into　his　purse　again；　that
it　was　too　rich　a　guerdon　for　anything　he　could　do　for　the　worthy
donor。　　He　was；　he　said；　in　the　public　line；　and　it　ill　became
him　to　be　too　inquisitive　into　other　folk's　concerns。　　He　had
already　said　that　he　could　hear　nothing　but　that　the　lady　lived
still　at　Cumnor　Place　in　the　closest　seclusion；　and；　to　such　as
by　chance　had　a　view　of　her；　seemed　pensive　and　discontented　with
her　solitude。　　〃But　here；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　are　desirous　to
gratify　your　master；　is　the　rarest　chance　that　hath　occurred　for
this　many　a　day。　　Tony　Foster　is　coming　down　hither；　and　it　is
but　letting　Mike　Lambourne　smell　another　wine…flask；　and　the
Queen's　command　would　not　move　him　from　the　ale…bench。　　So　they
are　fast　for　an　hour　or　so。　　Now；　if　you　will　don　your　pack；
which　will　be　your　best　excuse；　you　may；　perchance；　win　the　ear
of　the　old　servant；　being　assured　of　the　master's　absence；　to　let
you　try　to　get　some　custom　of　the　lady；　and　then　you　may　learn
more　of　her　condition　than　I　or　any　other　can　tell　you。〃

〃Truevery　true；〃　answered　Wayland；　for　he　it　was；　〃an　excellent
device；　but　methinks　something　dangerousfor；　say　Foster　should
return？〃

〃Very　possible　indeed；〃　replied　the　host。

〃Or　say；〃　continued　Way＇and；　〃the　lady　should　render　me　cold
thanks　for　my　exertions？〃

〃As　is　not　unlikely；〃　replied　Giles　Gosling。　　〃I　marvel　Master
Tressilian　will　take　such　heed　of　her　that　cares　not　for　him。〃

〃In　either　case　I　were　foully　sped；〃　said　Wayland；　〃and　therefore
I　do　not；　on　the　whole；　much　relish　your　device。〃

〃Nay；　but　take　me　with　you；　good　master　serving…man；〃　replied
mine　host。　　〃This　is　your　master's　business；　and　not　mine：；　you
best　know　the　risk　to　be　encountered；　or　how　far　you　are　willing
to　brave　it。　　But　that　which　you　will　not　yourself　hazard；　you
cannot　expect　others　to　risk。〃

〃Hold；　hold；〃　said　Wayland；　〃tell　me　but　one　thinggoes　yonder
old　man　up　to　Cumnor？〃

〃Surely；　I　think　so？〃　　said　the　landlord；　〃their　servant　said　he
was　to　take　their　baggage　thither。　　But　the　ale…tap　has　been　as
potent　for　him　as　the　sack…spigot　has　been　for　Michael。〃

〃It　is　enough；〃　said　Wayland；　assuming　an　air　of　resolution。　　〃I
will　thwart　that　old　villain's　projects；　my　affright　at　his
baleful　aspect　begins　to　abate；　and　my　hatred　to　arise。　　Help　me
on　with　my　pack；　good　mine　host。And　look　to　thyself；　old
Albumazar；　there　is　a　malignant　influence　in　thy　horoscope；　and
it　gleams　from　the　constellation　Ursa　Major。〃

So　saying；　he　assumed　his　burden；　and；　guided　by　the　landlord
through　the　postern　gate　of　the　Black　Bear；　took　the　most　private
way　from　thence　up　to　Cumnor　Place。



CHAPTER　XX。

　　CLOWN。　You　have　of　these　pedlars；　that　have　more　in'em　than
　　　　　　　　　you'd　think；　sister。WINTER'S　TALE；　ACT　IV。；　SCENE　3。

In　his　anxiety　to　obey　the　Earl's　repeated　charges　of　secrecy；　as
well　as　from　his　own　unsocial　and　miserly　habits；　Anthony　Foster
was　more　desirous；　by　his　mode　of　housekeeping；　to　escape
observation　than　to　resist　intrusive　curiosity。　　Thus；　instead　of
a　numerous　household；　to　secure　his　charge；　and　defend　his　house；
he　studied　as　much　as　possible　to　elude　notice　by　diminishing　his
attendants；　so　that；　unless　when　there　were　followers　of　the
Earl；　or　of　Varney；　in　the　mansion；　one　old　male　domestic；　and
two　aged　crones；　who　assisted　in　keeping　the　Countess's
apartments　in　order；　were　the　only　servants　of　the　family。

It　was　one　of　these　old　women　who　opened　the　door　when　Wayland
knocked；　and　answered　his　petition；　to　be　admitted　to　exhibit　his
wares　to　the　ladies　of　the　family；　with　a　volley　of　vituperation；
couched　in　what　is　there　called　the　JOWRING　dialect。　　The　pedlar
found　the　means　of　checking　this　vociferation　by　slipping　a
silver　groat　into　her　hand；　and　intimating　the　present　of　some
stuff　for　a　coif；　if　the　lady　would　buy　of　his　wares。

〃God　ield　thee；　for　mine　is　aw　in　littocks。　　Slocket　with　thy
pack　into　gharn；　monher　walks　in　gharn。〃　　Into　the　garden　she
ushered　the　pedlar　accordingly；　and　pointing　to　an　old；　ruinous
garden　house；　said；　〃Yonder　be's　her；　monyonder　be's　her。　　Zhe
will　buy　changes　an　zhe　loikes　stuffs。〃

〃She　has　left　me　to　come　off　as　I　may；〃　thought　Wayland；　as　he
heard　the　hag　shut　the　garden…door　behind　him。　　〃But　they　shall
not　beat　me；　and　they　dare　not　murder　me；　for　so　little　trespass；
and　by　this　fair　twilight。　　Hang　it；　I　will　ona　brave　general
never　thought　of　his　retreat　till　he　was　defeated。　　I　see　two
females　in　the　old　garden…house　yonderbut　how　to　address　them？
StayWill　Shakespeare；　be　my　friend　in　need。　　I　will　give　them　a
taste　of　Autolycus。〃　　He　then　sung；　with　a　good　voice；　and
becoming　audacity；　the　popular　playhouse　ditty；

　　〃Lawn　as　white　as　driven　snow；
　　Cyprus　black　as　e'er　was　crow；
　　Gloves　as　sweet　as　damask　roses；
　　Masks　for　faces　and　for　noses。〃

〃What　hath　fortune　sent　us　here　for　an　unwonted　sight；　Janet？〃
said　the　lady。

〃One　of　those　merchants　of　vanity；　called　pedlars；〃　answered
Janet；　demurely；