kenilworth-第7章

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hither　from　Abingdon。　　I　passed　under　the　east　oriel　window　of
the　old　mansion；　where　all　the　old　saints　and　histories　and　such…
like　are　painted。　　It　was　not　the　common　path　I　took；　but　one
through　the　Park；　for　the　postern　door　was　upon　the　latch；　and　I
thought　I　might　take　the　privilege　of　an　old　comrade　to　ride
across　through　the　trees；　both　for　shading；　as　the　day　was
somewhat　hot；　and　for　avoiding　of　dust；　because　I　had　on　my
peach…coloured　doublet；　pinked　out　with　cloth　of　gold。〃

〃Which　garment；〃　said　Michael　Lambourne；　〃thou　wouldst　willingly
make　twinkle　in　the　eyes　of　a　fair　dame。　　Ah！　　villain；　thou　wilt
never　leave　thy　old　tricks。〃

〃Not　so…not　so；〃　said　the　mercer；　with　a　smirking　laugh〃not
altogether　sobut　curiosity；　thou　knowest；　and　a　strain　of
compassion　withal；　for　the　poor　young　lady　sees　nothing　from　morn
to　even　but　Tony　Foster；　with　his　scowling　black　brows；　his
bull's　head；　and　his　bandy　legs。〃

〃And　thou　wouldst　willingly　show　her　a　dapper　body；　in　a　silken
jerkina　limb　like　a　short…legged　hen's；　in　a　cordovan　boot
and　a　round；　simpering；　what…d'ye…lack　sort　of　a　countenance；
set　off　with　a　velvet　bonnet；　a　Turkey　feather；　and　a　gilded
brooch？　　Ah！　　jolly　mercer；　they　who　have　good　wares　are　fond　to
show　them！Come；　gentles；　let　not　the　cup　standhere's　to　long
spurs；　short　boots；　full　bonnets；　and　empty　skulls！〃

〃Nay；　now；　you　are　jealous　of　me；　Mike；〃　said　Goldthred；　〃and　yet
my　luck　was　but　what　might　have　happened　to　thee；　or　any　man。〃

〃Marry　confound　thine　impudence；〃　retorted　Lambourne；　〃thou
wouldst　not　compare　thy　pudding　face；　and　sarsenet　manners；　to　a
gentleman；　and　a　soldier？〃

〃Nay；　my　good　sir；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃let　me　beseech　you　will　not
interrupt　the　gallant　citizen；　methinks　he　tells　his　tale　so
well；　I　could　hearken　to　him　till　midnight。〃

〃It's　more　of　your　favour　than　of　my　desert；〃　answered　Master
Goldthred；　〃but　since　I　give　you　pleasure；　worthy　Master
Tressilian；　I　shall　proceed；　maugre　all　the　gibes　and　quips　of
this　valiant　soldier；　who；　peradventure；　hath　had　more　cuffs　than
crowns　in　the　Low　Countries。　　And　so；　sir；　as　I　passed　under　the
great　painted　window；　leaving　my　rein　loose　on　my　ambling
palfrey's　neck；　partly　for　mine　ease；　and　partly　that　I　might
have　the　more　leisure　to　peer　about；　I　hears　me　the　lattice　open；
and　never　credit　me；　sir；　if　there　did　not　stand　there　the　person
of　as　fair　a　woman　as　ever　crossed　mine　eyes；　and　I　think　I　have
looked　on　as　many　pretty　wenches；　and　with　as　much　judgment；　as
other　folks。〃

〃May　I　ask　her　appearance；　sir？〃　　said　Tressilian。

〃Oh；　sir；〃　replied　Master　Goldthred；　〃I　promise　you；　she　was　in
gentlewoman's　attirea　very　quaint　and　pleasing　dress；　that
might　have　served　the　Queen　herself；　for　she　had　a　forepart　with
body　and　sleeves；　of　ginger…coloured　satin；　which；　in　my
judgment；　must　have　cost　by　the　yard　some　thirty　shillings；　lined
with　murrey　taffeta；　and　laid　down　and　guarded　with　two　broad
laces　of　gold　and　silver。　　And　her　hat；　sir；　was　truly　the　best
fashioned　thing　that　I　have　seen　in　these　parts；　being　of　tawny
taffeta；　embroidered　with　scorpions　of　Venice　gold；　and　having　a
border　garnished　with　gold　fringeI　promise　you；　sir；　an
absolute　and　all…surpassing　device。　　Touching　her　skirts；　they
were　in　the　old　pass…devant　fashion。〃

〃I　did　not　ask　you　of　her　attire；　sir；〃　said　Tressilian；　who　had
shown　some　impatience　during　this　conversation；　〃but　of　her
complexionthe　colour　of　her　hair；　her　features。〃

〃Touching　her　complexion；〃　answered　the　mercer；　〃I　am　not　so
special　certain；　but　I　marked　that　her　fan　had　an　ivory　handle；
curiously　inlaid。　　And　then　again；　as　to　the　colour　of　her　hair；
why；　I　can　warrant；　be　its　hue　what　it　might；　that　she　wore　above
it　a　net　of　green　silk；　parcel　twisted　with　gold。〃

〃A　most　mercer…like　memory！〃　　said　Lambourne。　　〃The　gentleman
asks　him　of　the　lady's　beauty；　and　he　talks　of　her　fine　clothes！〃

〃I　tell　thee；〃　said　the　mercer；　somewhat　disconcerted；　〃I　had
little　time　to　look　at　her；　for　just　as　I　was　about　to　give　her
the　good　time　of　day；　and　for　that　purpose　had　puckered　my
features　with　a　smile〃

〃Like　those　of　a　jackanape　simpering　at　a　chestnut；〃　said　Michael
Lambourne。

〃Up　started　of　a　sudden；〃　continued　Goldthred；　without　heeding
the　interruption；　〃Tony　Foster　himself；　with　a　cudgel　in　his
hand〃

〃And　broke　thy　head　across；　I　hope；　for　thine　impertinence；〃　said
his　entertainer。

〃That　were　more　easily　said　than　done；〃　answered　Goldthred
indignantly；　〃no；　nothere　was　no　breaking　of　heads。　　It's　true；
he　advanced　his　cudgel；　and　spoke　of　laying　on；　and　asked　why　I
did　not　keep　the　public　road；　and　such　like；　and　I　would　have
knocked　him　over　the　pate　handsomely　for　his　pains；　only　for　the
lady's　presence；　who　might　have　swooned；　for　what　I　know。〃

〃Now；　out　upon　thee　for　a　faint…spirited　slave！〃　　said　Lambourne；
〃what　adventurous　knight　ever　thought　of　the　lady's　terror；　when
he　went　to　thwack　giant；　dragon；　or　magician；　in　her　presence；
and　for　her　deliverance？　　But　why　talk　to　thee　of　dragons；　who
would　be　driven　back　by　a　dragon…fly。　　There　thou　hast　missed　the
rarest　opportunity！〃

〃Take　it　thyself；　then；　bully　Mike；〃　answered　Goldthred。　　〃Yonder
is　the　enchanted　manor；　and　the　dragon；　and　the　lady；　all　at　thy
service；　if　thou　darest　venture　on　them。〃

〃Why；　so　I　would　for　a　quartern　of　sack；〃　said　the　soldier　〃or
stay：　　I　am　foully　out　of　linenwilt　thou　bet　a　piece　of
Hollands　against　these　five　angels；　that　I　go　not　up　to　the　Hall
to…morrow　and　force　Tony　Foster　to　introduce　me　to　his　fair
guest？〃

〃I　accept　your　wager；〃　said　the　mercer；　〃and　I　think；　though　thou
hadst　even　the　impudence　of　the　devil；　I　shall　gain　on　thee　this
bout。　　Our　landlord　here　shall　hold　stakes；　and　I　will　stake　down
gold　till　I　send　the　linen。〃

〃I　will　hold　stakes　on　no　such　matter；〃　said　Gosling。　　〃Good　now；
my　kinsman；　drink　your　wine　in　quiet；　and　let　such　ventures
alone。　　I　promise　you；　Master　Foster　hath　interest　enough　to　lay
you　up　in　lavender　in　the　Castle　at　Oxford；　or　to　get　your　legs
made　acquainted　with　the　town…stocks。〃

〃That　would　be　but　renewing　an　old　intimacy；　for　Mike's　shins　and
the　town's　wooden　pinfold　have　been　well　known　to　each　other　ere
now；〃　said　the　mercer；　〃but　he　shall　not　budge　from　his　wager；
unless　he　means　to　pay　forfeit。〃

〃Forfeit？〃　　said　Lambourne；　〃I　scorn　it。　　I　value　Tony　Foster's
wrath　no　more　than　a　shelled　pea…cod；　and　I　will　visit　his
Lindabrides；　by　Saint　George；　be　he　willing　or　no！〃

〃I　would　gladly　pay　your　halves　of　the　risk；　sir；〃　said
Tressilian；　〃to　be　permitted　to　accompany　you　on　the　adventure。〃

〃In　what　would　that　advantage　you；　sir？〃　　answered　Lambourne。

〃In　nothing；　sir；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃unless　to　mark　the　skill　and
valour　with　which　you　conduct　yourself。　　I　am　a　traveller　who
seeks　for　strange　rencounters　and　uncommon　passages；　as　the
knights　of　yore　did　after　adventures　and　feats　of　arms。〃

〃Nay；　if　it　pleasures　you　to　see　a　trout　tickled；〃　answered
Lambourne；　〃I　care　not　how　many　witness　my　skill。　　And　so　here　I
drink　success　to　my　enterprise；　and　he　that　will　not　pledge　me　on
his　knees　is　a　rascal；　and　I　will　cut　his　legs　off　by　the
garters！〃

The　draught　which　Michael　Lambourne　took　upon　this　occasion　had
been　preceded　by　so　many　others；　that　reason　tottered　on　her
throne。　　He　swore　one　or　two　incoherent　oaths　at　the　mercer；　who
refused；　reasonably　enough；　to　pledge　him　to　a　sentiment　which
inferred　the　loss　of　his　own　wager。

〃Wilt　thou　chop　logic　with　me；〃　said　Lambourne；　〃thou　knave；　with
no　more　brains　than　are　in　a　skein　of　ravelled　silk？　　By　Heaven；
I　will　cut　thee　into　fifty　yards　of　galloon　lace！〃

But　as　he　attempted　to　draw　his　sword　for　this　doughty　purpose；
Michael　Lambourne　was　seized　upon　by　the　tapster　and　the
chamberlain；　and　conveyed　to　his　own　apartment；　there　to　sleep
himself　sober　at　his　leisure。

The　party　then　broke　up；　and　the　guests　took　their　leave；　much
more　to　the　contentment　of　mine　host　than　of　some　of　the　company；
who　were　unwilling　to　quit　good　liquor；　when　it　was　to　be　had　for
free　cost；　so　long　as　they　were　able　to　sit　by　it。　　They　wer