kenilworth-第70章

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what　of　that？〃

〃Maiden；　I　am　not　altogether　what　I　seem；〃　said　the　pedlar；
lowering　his　voice。

〃The　less　like　to　be　an　honest　man；〃　said　Janet。

〃The　more　so；〃　answered　Wayland；　〃since　I　am　no　pedlar。〃

〃Get　thee　gone　then　instantly；　or　I　will　call　for　assistance；〃
said　Janet；　〃my　father　must　ere　this　be　returned。〃

〃Do　not　be　so　rash；〃　said　Wayland；　〃you　will　do　what　you　may
repent　of。　　I　am　one　of　your　mistress's　friends；　and　she　had　need
of　more；　not　that　thou　shouldst　ruin　those　she　hath。〃

〃How　shall　I　know　that？〃　　said　Janet。

〃Look　me　in　the　face；〃　said　Wayland　Smith；　〃and　see　if　thou　dost
not　read　honesty　in　my　looks。〃

And　in　truth；　though　by　no　means　handsome；　there　was　in　his
physiognomy　the　sharp；　keen　expression　of　inventive　genius　and
prompt　intellect；　which；　joined　to　quick　and　brilliant　eyes；　a
well…formed　mouth；　and　an　intelligent　smile；　often　gives　grace
and　interest　to　features　which　are　both　homely　and　irregular。
Janet　looked　at　him　with　the　sly　simplicity　of　her　sect；　and
replied；　〃Notwithstanding　thy　boasted　honesty；　friend；　and
although　I　am　not　accustomed　to　read　and　pass　judgment　on　such
volumes　as　thou　hast　submitted　to　my　perusal；　I　think　I　see　in
thy　countenance　something　of　the　pedlar…something　of　the
picaroon。〃

〃On　a　small　scale；　perhaps；〃　said　Wayland　Smith；　laughing。　　〃But
this　evening；　or　to…morrow；　will　an　old　man　come　hither　with　thy
father；　who　has　the　stealthy　step　of　the　cat；　the　shrewd　and
vindictive　eye　of　the　rat；　the　fawning　wile　of　the　spaniel；　the
determined　snatch　of　the　mastiffof　him　beware；　for　your　own
sake　and　that　of　your　distress。　　See　you；　fair　Janet；　he　brings
the　venom　of　the　aspic　under　the　assumed　innocence　of　the　dove。
What　precise　mischief　he　meditates　towards　you　I　cannot　guess；
but　death　and　disease　have　ever　dogged　his　footsteps。　　Say　nought
of　this　to　thy　mistress；　my　art　suggests　to　me　that　in　her　state
the　fear　of　evil　may　be　as　dangerous　as　its　operation。　　But　see
that　she　take　my　specific；　for〃　（he　lowered　his　voice；　and　spoke
low　but　impressively　in　her　ear）　〃it　is　an　antidote　against
poison。Hark；　they　enter　the　garden！〃

In　effect；　a　sound　of　noisy　mirth　and　loud　talking　approached　the
garden　door；　alarmed　by　which　Wayland　Smith　sprung　into　the　midst
of　a　thicket　of　overgrown　shrubs；　while　Janet　withdrew　to　the
garden…house　that　she　might　not　incur　observation；　and　that　she
might　at　the　same　time　conceal；　at　least　for　the　present；　the
purchases　made　from　the　supposed　pedlar；　which　lay　scattered　on
the　floor　of　the　summer…house。

Janet；　however；　had　no　occasion　for　anxiety。　　Her　father；　his　old
attendant；　Lord　Leicester's　domestic；　and　the　astrologer；　entered
the　garden　in　tumult　and　in　extreme　perplexity；　endeavouring　to
quiet　Lambourne；　whose　brain　had　now　become　completely　fired　with
liquor；　and　who　was　one　of　those　unfortunate　persons　who；　being
once　stirred　with　the　vinous　stimulus；　do　not　fall　asleep　like
other　drunkards；　but　remain　partially　influenced　by　it　for　many
hours；　until　at　length；　by　successive　draughts；　they　are　elevated
into　a　state　of　uncontrollable　frenzy。　　Like　many　men　in　this
state　also；　Lambourne　neither　lost　the　power　of　motion；　speech；
or　expression；　but；　on　the　contrary；　spoke　with　unwonted　emphasis
and　readiness；　and　told　all　that　at　another　time　he　would　have
been　most　desirous　to　keep　secret。

〃What！〃　　ejaculated　Michael；　at　the　full　extent　of　his　voice；　〃am
I　to　have　no　welcome；　no　carouse；　when　I　have　brought　fortune　to
your　old；　ruinous　dog…house　in　the　shape　of　a　devil's　ally；　that
can　change　slate…shivers　into　Spanish　dollars？Here；　you；　Tony
Fire…the…Fagot；　Papist；　Puritan；　hypocrite；　miser；　profligate；
devil；　compounded　of　all　men's　sins；　bow　down　and　reverence　him
who　has　brought　into　thy　house　the　very　mammon　thou　worshippest。〃

〃For　God's　sake；〃　said　Foster；　〃speak　lowcome　into　the　house
thou　shalt　have　wine；　or　whatever　thou　wilt。〃

〃No；　old　puckfoist；　I　will　have　it　here；〃　thundered　the
inebriated　ruffian〃here；　AL　FRESCO；　as　the　Italian　hath　it。　No；
no；　I　will　not　drink　with　that　poisoning　devil　within　doors；　to
be　choked　with　the　fumes　of　arsenic　and　quick…silver；　I　learned
from　villain　Varney　to　beware　of　that。〃

〃Fetch　him　wine；　in　the　name　of　all　the　fiends！〃　　said　the
alchemist。

〃Aha！　　and　thou　wouldst　spice　it　for　me；　old　Truepenny；　wouldst
thou　not？　　Ay；　I　should　have　copperas；　and　hellebore；　and
vitriol；　and　aqua　fortis；　and　twenty　devilish　materials　bubbling
in　my　brain…pan　like　a　charm　to　raise　the　devil　in　a　witch's
cauldron。　Hand　me　the　flask　thyself；　old　Tony　Fire…the…Fagotand
let　it　be　coolI　will　have　no　wine　mulled　at　the　pile　of　the　old
burnt　bishops。　　Or　stay；　let　Leicester　be　king　if　he　willgood
and　Varney；　villain　Varney；　grand　vizierwhy；　excellent！and
what　shall　I　be；　then？why；　emperorEmperor　Lambourne！　　I　will
see　this　choice　piece　of　beauty　that　they　have　walled　up　here　for
their　private　pleasures；　I　will　have　her　this　very　night　to　serve
my　wine…cup　and　put　on　my　nightcap。　　What　should　a　fellow　do　with
two　wives；　were　he　twenty　times　an　Earl？　　Answer　me　that；　Tony
boy；　you　old　reprobate；　hypocritical　dog；　whom　God　struck　out　of
the　book　of　life；　but　tormented　with　the　constant　wish　to　be
restored　to　ityou　old　bishop…burning；　blasphemous　fanatic；
answer　me　that。〃

〃I　will　stick　my　knife　to　the　haft　in　him；〃　said　Foster；　in　a　low
tone；　which　trembled　with　passion。

〃For　the　love　of　Heaven；　no　violence！〃　　said　the　astrologer。　　〃It
cannot　but　be　looked　closely　into。Here；　honest　Lambourne；　wilt
thou　pledge　me　to　the　health　of　the　noble　Earl　of　Leicester　and
Master　Richard　Varney？〃

〃I　will；　mine　old　AlbumazarI　will；　my　trusty　vender　of
ratsbane。　　I　would　kiss　thee；　mine　honest　infractor　of　the　Lex
Julia　（as　they　said　at　Leyden）；　didst　thou　not　flavour　so
damnably　of　sulphur；　and　such　fiendish　apothecary's　stuff。Here
goes　it；　up　seyesto　Varney　and　Leicester　two　more　noble
mounting　spiritsand　more　dark…seeking；　deep…diving；　high…
flying；　malicious；　ambitious　miscreantswell；　I　say　no　more；　but
I　will　whet　my　dagger　on　his　heart…spone　that　refuses　to　pledge
me！　　And　so；　my　masters〃

Thus　speaking；　Lambourne　exhausted　the　cup　which　the　astrologer
had　handed　to　him；　and　which　contained　not　wine；　but　distilled
spirits。　　He　swore　half　an　oath；　dropped　the　empty　cup　from　his
grasp；　laid　his　hand　on　his　sword　without　being　able　to　draw　it；
reeled；　and　fell　without　sense　or　motion　into　the　arms　of　the
domestic；　who　dragged　him　off　to　his　chamber；　and　put　him　to　bed。

In　the　general　confusion；　Janet　regained　her　lady's　chamber
unobserved；　trembling　like　an　aspen　leaf；　but　determined　to　keep
secret　from　the　Countess　the　dreadful　surmises　which　she　could
not　help　entertaining　from　the　drunken　ravings　of　Lambourne。　　Her
fears；　however；　though　they　assumed　no　certain　shape；　kept　pace
with　the　advice　of　the　pedlar；　and　she　confirmed　her　mistress　in
her　purpose　of　taking　the　medicine　which　he　had　recommended；　from
which　it　is　probable　she　would　otherwise　have　dissuaded　her。
Neither　had　these　intimations　escaped　the　ears　of　Wayland；　who
knew　much　better　how　to　interpret　them。　　He　felt　much　compassion
at　beholding　so　lovely　a　creature　as　the　Countess；　and　whom　he
had　first　seen　in　the　bosom　of　domestic　happiness；　exposed　to　the
machinations　of　such　a　gang　of　villains。　　His　indignation；　too；
had　been　highly　excited　by　hearing　the　voice　of　his　old　master；
against　whom　he　felt；　in　equal　degree；　the　passions　of　hatred　and
fear。　　He　nourished　also　a　pride　in　his　own　art　and　resources；
and；　dangerous　as　the　task　was；　he　that　night　formed　a
determination　to　attain　the　bottom　of　the　mystery；　and　to　aid　the
distressed　lady；　if　it　were　yet　possible。　　From　some　words　which
Lambourne　had　dropped　among　his　ravings；　Wayland　now；　for　the
first　time；　felt　inclined　to　doubt　that　Varney　had　acted　entirely
on　his　own　account　in　wooing　and　winning　the　affections　of　this
beautiful　creature。　　Fame　asserted　of　this　zealous　retainer　that
he　had　accommodated　his　lord　in　former　love　intrigues；　and　it
occurred　to　Wayland　Smith　that　Leicester　himself　might　be　the
party　chiefly　interested。　　Her　marr