kenilworth-第76章

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〃Am　I　for　ever　to　be　recalled　to　the　affairs　of　earth　from　those
of　heaven？〃

〃To　the　affairs　of　hell；〃　answered　Varney；　〃for　that　is　thy
proper　element。Foster；　we　need　thee　at　our　conference。〃

〃Foster　slowly　entered　the　room。　　Varney；　following；　barred　the
door；　and　they　betook　themselves　to　secret　council。

In　the　meanwhile；　the　Countess　traversed　the　apartment；　with
shame　and　anger　contending　on　her　lovely　cheek。

〃The　villain；〃　she　said〃the　cold…blooded；　calculating　slave！
But　I　unmasked　him；　JanetI　made　the　snake　uncoil　all　his　folds
before　me；　and　crawl　abroad　in　his　naked　deformity；　I　suspended
my　resentment；　at　the　danger　of　suffocating　under　the　effort；
until　he　had　let　me　see　the　very　bottom　of　a　heart　more　foul　than
hell's　darkest　corner。And　thou；　Leicester；　is　it　possible　thou
couldst　bid　me　for　a　moment　deny　my　wedded　right　in　thee；　or
thyself　yield　it　to　another？But　it　is　impossiblethe　villain
has　lied　in　all。Janet；　I　will　not　remain　here　longerI　fear
himI　fear　thy　father。　　I　grieve　to　say　it；　Janetbut　I　fear
thy　father；　and；　worst　of　all；　this　odious　Varney；　I　will　escape
from　Cumnor。〃

〃Alas！　　madam；　whither　would　you　fly；　or　by　what　means　will　you
escape　from　these　walls？〃

〃I　know　not；　Janet；〃　said　the　unfortunate　young　lady；　looking
upwards！　　and　clasping　her　hands　together；　〃I　know　not　where　I
shall　fly；　or　by　what　means；　but　I　am　certain　the　God　I　have
served　will　not　abandon　me　in　this　dreadful　crisis；　for　I　am　in
the　hands　of　wicked　men。〃

〃Do　not　think　so；　dear　lady；〃　said　Janet；　〃my　father　is　stern　and
strict　in　his　temper；　and　severely　true　to　his　trustbut　yet〃

At　this　moment　Anthony　Foster　entered　the　apartment；　bearing　in
his　hand　a　glass　cup　and　a　small　flask。　　His　manner　was　singular；
for；　while　approaching　the　Countess　with　the　respect　due　to　her
rank；　he　had　till　this　time　suffered　to　become　visible；　or　had
been　unable　to　suppress；　the　obdurate　sulkiness　of　his　natural
disposition；　which；　as　is　usual　with　those　of　his　unhappy　temper；
was　chiefly　exerted　towards　those　over　whom　circumstances　gave
him　control。　　But　at　present　he　showed　nothing　of　that　sullen
consciousness　of　authority　which　he　was　wont　to　conceal　under　a
clumsy　affectation　of　civility　and　deference；　as　a　ruffian　hides
his　pistols　and　bludgeon　under　his　ill…fashioned　gaberdine。　　And
yet　it　seemed　as　if　his　smile　was　more　in　fear　than　courtesy；　and
as　if；　while　he　pressed　the　Countess　to　taste　of　the　choice
cordial；　which　should　refresh　her　spirits　after　her　late　alarm；
he　was　conscious　of　meditating　some　further　injury。　　His　hand
trembled　also；　his　voice　faltered；　and　his　whole　outward
behaviour　exhibited　so　much　that　was　suspicious；　that　his
daughter　Janet；　after　she　had　stood　looking　at　him　in
astonishment　for　some　seconds；　seemed　at　once　to　collect　herself
to　execute　some　hardy　resolution；　raised　her　head；　assumed　an
attitude　and　gait　of　determination　and　authority；　and　walking
slowly　betwixt　her　father　and　her　mistress；　took　the　salver　from
the　hand　of　the　former；　and　said　in　a　low　but　marked　and　decided
tone；　〃Father；　I　will　fill　for　my　noble　mistress；　when　such　is
her　pleasure。〃

〃Thou；　my　child？〃　　said　Foster；　eagerly　and　apprehensively；　〃no；
my　childit　is　not　THOU　shalt　render　the　lady　this　service。〃

〃And　why；　I　pray　you；〃　said　Janet；　〃if　it　be　fitting　that　the
noble　lady　should　partake　of　the　cup　at　all？〃

〃Whywhy？〃　　said　the　seneschal；　hesitating；　and　then　bursting
into　passion　as　the　readiest　mode　of　supplying　the　lack　of　all
other　reason〃why；　because　it　is　my　pleasure；　minion；　that　you
should　not！　　Get　you　gone　to　the　evening　lecture。〃

〃Now；　as　I　hope　to　hear　lecture　again；〃　replied　Janet；　〃I　will
not　go　thither　this　night；　unless　I　am　better　assured　of　my
mistress's　safety。　　Give　me　that　flask；　father〃and　she　took　it
from　his　reluctant　hand；　while　he　resigned　it　as　if　conscience…
struck。　　〃And　now；〃　she　said；　〃father；　that　which　shall　benefit
my　mistress；　cannot　do　ME　prejudice。　　Father；　I　drink　to　you。〃

Foster；　without　speaking　a　word；　rushed　on　his　daughter　and
wrested　the　flask　from　her　hand；　then；　as　if　embarrassed　by　what
he　had　done；　and　totally　unable　to　resolve　what　he　should　do
next；　he　stood　with　it　in　his　hand；　one　foot　advanced　and　the
other　drawn　back；　glaring　on　his　daughter　with　a　countenance　in
which　rage；　fear；　and　convicted　villainy　formed　a　hideous
combination。

〃This　is　strange；　my　father；〃　said　Janet；　keeping　her　eye　fixed
on　his；　in　the　manner　in　which　those　who　have　the　charge　of
lunatics　are　said　to　overawe　their　unhappy　patients；　〃will　you
neither　let　me　serve　my　lady；　nor　drink　to　her　myself？〃

The　courage　of　the　Countess　sustained　her　through　this　dreadful
scene；　of　which　the　import　was　not　the　less　obvious　that　it　was
not　even　hinted　at。　　She　preserved　even　the　rash　carelessness　of
her　temper；　and　though　her　cheek　had　grown　pale　at　the　first
alarm；　her　eye　was　calm　and　almost　scornful。　　〃Will　YOU　taste
this　rare　cordial；　Master　Foster？　　Perhaps　you　will　not　yourself
refuse　to　pledge　us；　though　you　permit　not　Janet　to　do　so。
Drink；　sir；　I　pray　you。〃

〃I　will　not；〃　answered　Foster。

〃And　for　whom；　then；　is　the　precious　beverage　reserved；　sir？〃
said　the　Countess。

〃For　the　devil；　who　brewed　it！〃　　answered　Foster；　and；　turning　on
his　heel；　he　left　the　chamber。

Janet　looked　at　her　mistress　with　a　countenance　expressive　in　the
highest　degree　of　shame；　dismay；　and　sorrow。

〃Do　not　weep　for　me；　Janet；〃　said　the　Countess　kindly。

〃No；　madam；〃　replied　her　attendant；　in　a　voice　broken　by　sobs；
〃it　is　not　for　you　I　weep；　it　is　for　myselfit　is　for　that
unhappy　man。　　Those　who　are　dishonoured　before　manthose　who　are
condemned　by　Godhave　cause　to　mourn；　not　those　who　are
innocent！　　Farewell；　madam！〃　　she　said　hastily　assuming　the
mantle　in　which　she　was　wont　to　go　abroad。

〃Do　you　leave　me；　Janet？〃　　said　her　mistress〃desert　me　in　such
an　evil　strait？〃

〃Desert　you；　madam！〃　　exclaimed　Janet；　and　running　back　to　her
mistress；　she　imprinted　a　thousand　kisses　on　her　hand〃desert
you　Imay　the　Hope　of　my　trust　desert　me　when　I　do　so！　　No；
madam；　well　you　said　the　God　you　serve　will　open　you　a　path　for
deliverance。　　There　is　a　way　of　escape。　　I　have　prayed　night　and
day　for　light；　that　I　might　see　how　to　act　betwixt　my　duty　to
yonder　unhappy　man　and　that　which　I　owe　to　you。　　Sternly　and
fearfully　that　light　has　now　dawned；　and　I　must　not　shut　the　door
which　God　opens。　　Ask　me　no　more。　　I　will　return　in　brief　space。〃

So　speaking；　she　wrapped　herself　in　her　mantle；　and　saying　to　the
old　woman　whom　she　passed　in　the　outer　room　that　she　was　going　to
evening　prayer；　she　left　the　house。

Meanwhile　her　father　had　reached　once　more　the　laboratory；　where
he　found　the　accomplices　of　his　intended　guilt。　　〃Has　the　sweet
bird　sipped？〃　　said　Varney；　with　half　a　smile；　while　the
astrologer　put　the　same　question　with　his　eyes；　but　spoke　not　a
word。

〃She　has　not；　nor　she　shall　not　from　my　hands；〃　replied　Foster；
〃would　you　have　me　do　murder　in　my　daughter's　presence？〃

〃Wert　thou　not　told；　thou　sullen　and　yet　faint…hearted　slave；〃
answered　Varney；　with　bitterness；　〃that　no　MURDER　as　thou　callest
it；　with　that　staring　look　and　stammering　tone；　is　designed　in
the　matter？　　Wert　thou　not　told　that　a　brief　illness；　such　as
woman　puts　on　in　very　wantonness；　that　she　may　wear　her　night…
gear　at　noon；　and　lie　on　a　settle　when　she　should　mind　her
domestic　business；　is　all　here　aimed　at？　　Here　is　a　learned　man
will　swear　it　to　thee　by　the　key　of　the　Castle　of　Wisdom。〃

〃I　swear　it；〃　said　Alasco；　〃that　the　elixir　thou　hast　there　in
the　flask　will　not　prejudice　life！　　I　swear　it　by　that　immortal
and　indestructible　quintessence　of　gold；　which　pervades　every
substance　in　nature；　though　its　secret　existence　can　be　traced　by
him　only　to　whom　Trismegistus　renders　the　key　of　the　Cabala。〃

〃An　oath　of　force；〃　said　Varney。　　〃Foster；　thou　wert　worse　than　a
pagan　to　disbelieve　it。　　Believe　me；　moreover；　who　swear　by
nothing　but　by　my　own　word；　that　if　you　be　not　conformable；　there
is　no　hope；　no；　not　a　glimpse　of　hope；　that　this　thy　leasehold
may　be　transmuted　into　a　copyhold。　　Thus；　Ala