kenilworth-第77章

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is　no　hope；　no；　not　a　glimpse　of　hope；　that　this　thy　leasehold
may　be　transmuted　into　a　copyhold。　　Thus；　Alasco　will　leave　your
pewter　artillery　untransmigrated；　and　I；　honest　Anthony；　will
still　have　thee　for　my　tenant。〃

〃I　know　not；　gentlemen；〃　said　Foster；　〃where　your　designs　tend
to；　but　in　one　thing　I　am　bound　up；that；　fall　back　fall　edge；　I
will　have　one　in　this　place　that　may　pray　for　me；　and　that　one
shall　be　my　daughter。　　I　have　lived　ill；　and　the　world　has　been
too　weighty　with　me；　but　she　is　as　innocent　as　ever　she　was　when
on　her　mother's　lap；　and　she；　at　least；　shall　have　her　portion　in
that　happy　City；　whose　walls　are　of　pure　gold；　and　the
foundations　garnished　with　all　manner　of　precious　stones。〃

〃Ay；　Tony；〃　said　Varney；　〃that　were　a　paradise　to　thy　heart's
content。Debate　the　matter　with　him；　Doctor　Alasco；　I　will　be
with　you　anon。〃

So　speaking；　Varney　arose；　and　taking　the　flask　from　the　table；
he　left　the　room。

〃I　tell　thee；　my　son；〃　said　Alasco　to　Foster；　as　soon　as　Varney
had　left　them；　〃that　whatever　this　bold　and　profligate　railer　may
say　of　the　mighty　science；　in　which；　by　Heaven's　blessing；　I　have
advanced　so　far　that　I　would　not　call　the　wisest　of　living
artists　my　better　or　my　teacherI　say；　howsoever　yonder
reprobate　may　scoff　at　things　too　holy　to　be　apprehended　by　men
merely　of　carnal　and　evil　thoughts；　yet　believe　that　the　city
beheld　by　St。　John；　in　that　bright　vision　of　the　Christian
Apocalypse；　that　new　Jerusalem；　of　which　all　Christian　men　hope
to　partake；　sets　forth　typically　the　discovery　of　the　GRAND
SECRET；　whereby　the　most　precious　and　perfect　of　nature's　works
are　elicited　out　of　her　basest　and　most　crude　productions；　just
as　the　light　and　gaudy　butterfly；　the　most　beautiful　child　of　the
summer's　breeze；　breaks　forth　from　the　dungeon　of　a　sordid
chrysalis。〃

〃Master　Holdforth　said　nought　of　this　exposition；〃　said　Foster
doubtfully；　〃and　moreover；　Doctor　Alasco；　the　Holy　Writ　says　that
the　gold　and　precious　stones　of　the　Holy　City　are　in　no　sort　for
those　who　work　abomination；　or　who　frame　lies。〃

〃Well；　my　son；〃　said　the　Doctor；　〃and　what　is　your　inference　from
thence？〃

〃That　those；〃　said　Foster；　〃who　distil　poisons；　and　administer
them　in　secrecy；　can　have　no　portion　in　those　unspeakable
riches。〃

〃You　are　to　distinguish；　my　son；〃　replied　the　alchemist；　〃betwixt
that　which　is　necessarily　evil　in　its　progress　and　in　its　end
also；　and　that　which；　being　evil；　is；　nevertheless；　capable　of
working　forth　good。　　If；　by　the　death　of　one　person；　the　happy
period　shall　be　brought　nearer　to　us；　in　which　all　that　is　good
shall　be　attained；　by　wishing　its　presenceall　that　is　evil
escaped；　by　desiring　its　absencein　which　sickness；　and　pain；
and　sorrow　shall　be　the　obedient　servants　of　human　wisdom；　and
made　to　fly　at　the　slightest　signal　of　a　sagein　which　that
which　is　now　richest　and　rarest　shall　be　within　the　compass　of
every　one　who　shall　be　obedient　to　the　voice　of　wisdomwhen　the
art　of　healing　shall　be　lost　and　absorbed　in　the　one　universal
medicine　when　sages　shall　become　monarchs　of　the　earth；　and　death
itself　retreat　before　their　frown；if　this　blessed　consummation
of　all　things　can　be　hastened　by　the　slight　circumstance　that　a
frail；　earthly　body；　which　must　needs　partake　corruption；　shall
be　consigned　to　the　grave　a　short　space　earlier　than　in　the
course　of　nature；　what　is　such　a　sacrifice　to　the　advancement　of
the　holy　Millennium？〃

〃Millennium　is　the　reign　of　the　Saints；〃　said　Foster；　somewhat
doubtfully。

〃Say　it　is　the　reign　of　the　Sages；　my　son；〃　answered　Alasco；　〃or
rather　the　reign　of　Wisdom　itself。〃

〃I　touched　on　the　question　with　Master　Holdforth　last　exercising
night；〃　said　Foster；　〃but　he　says　your　doctrine　is　heterodox；　and
a　damnable　and　false　exposition。〃

〃He　is　in　the　bonds　of　ignorance；　my　son；〃　answered　Alasco；　〃and
as　yet　burning　bricks　in　Egypt；　or；　at　best；　wandering　in　the　dry
desert　of　Sinai。　　Thou　didst　ill　to　speak　to　such　a　man　of　such
matters。　　I　will；　however；　give　thee　proof；　and　that　shortly；
which　I　will　defy　that　peevish　divine　to　confute；　though　he
should　strive　with　me　as　the　magicians　strove　with　Moses　before
King　Pharaoh。　　I　will　do　projection　in　thy　presence；　my　son；in
thy　very　presenceand　thine　eyes　shall　witness　the　truth。〃

〃Stick　to　that；　learned　sage；〃　said　Varney；　who　at　this　moment
entered　the　apartment；　〃if　he　refuse　the　testimony　of　thy　tongue；
yet　how　shall　he　deny　that　of　his　own　eyes？〃

〃Varney！〃　　said　the　adept〃Varney　already　returned！　　Hast　thou
〃　he　stopped　short。

〃Have　I　done　mine　errand；　thou　wouldst　say？〃　　replied　Varney。　　〃I
have！　　And　thou；〃　he　added；　showing　more　symptoms　of　interest
than　he　had　hitherto　exhibited；　〃art　thou　sure　thou　hast　poured
forth　neither　more　nor　less　than　the　just　measure？〃

〃Ay；〃　replied　the　alchemist；　〃as　sure　as　men　can　be　in　these　nice
proportions；　for　there　is　diversity　of　constitutions。〃

〃Nay；　then；〃　said　Varney；　〃I　fear　nothing。　　I　know　thou　wilt　not
go　a　step　farther　to　the　devil　than　thou　art　justly　considered
forthou　wert　paid　to　create　illness；　and　wouldst　esteem　it
thriftless　prodigality　to　do　murder　at　the　same　price。　　Come；　let
us　each　to　our　chamber　we　shall　see　the　event　to…morrow。〃

〃What　didst　thou　do　to　make　her　swallow　it？〃　　said　Foster；
shuddering。

〃Nothing；〃　answered　Varney；　〃but　looked　on　her　with　that　aspect
which　governs　madmen；　women；　and　children。　　They　told　me　in　St。
Luke's　Hospital　that　I　have　the　right　look　for　overpowering　a
refractory　patient。　　The　keepers　made　me　their　compliments　on't；
so　I　know　how　to　win　my　bread　when　my　court…favour　fails　me。〃

〃And　art　thou　not　afraid；〃　said　Foster；　〃lest　the　dose　be
disproportioned？〃

〃If　so；〃　replied　Varney；　〃she　will　but　sleep　the　sounder；　and　the
fear　of　that　shall　not　break　my　rest。　　Good　night；　my　masters。〃

Anthony　Foster　groaned　heavily；　and　lifted　up　his　hands　and　eyes。
The　alchemist　intimated　his　purpose　to　continue　some　experiment
of　high　import　during　the　greater　part　of　the　night；　and　the
others　separated　to　their　places　of　repose。



CHAPTER　XXIII。

　　Now　God　be　good　to　me　in　this　wild　pilgrimage！
　　All　hope　in　human　aid　I　cast　behind　me。
　　Oh；　who　would　be　a　woman？who　that　fool；
　　A　weeping；　pining；　faithful；　loving　woman？
　　She　hath　hard　measure　still　where　she　hopes　kindest；
　　And　all　her　bounties　only　make　ingrates。　　　　　LOVE'S　PILGRIMAGE。

The　summer　evening　was　closed；　and　Janet；　just　when　her　longer
stay　might　have　occasioned　suspicion　and　inquiry　in　that　zealous
household；　returned　to　Cumnor　Place；　and　hastened　to　the
apartment　in　which　she　had　left　her　lady。　　She　found　her　with　her
head　resting　on　her　arms；　and　these　crossed　upon　a　table　which
stood　before　her。　　As　Janet　came　in；　she　neither　looked　up　nor
stirred。

Her　faithful　attendant　ran　to　her　mistress　with　the　speed　of
lightning；　and　rousing　her　at　the　same　time　with　her　hand；
conjured　the　Countess；　in　the　most　earnest　manner；　to　look　up　and
say　what　thus　affected　her。　　The　unhappy　lady　raised　her　head
accordingly；　and　looking　on　her　attendant　with　a　ghastly　eye；　and
cheek　as　pale　as　clay〃Janet；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　drunk　it。〃

〃God　be　praised！〃　　said　Janet　hastily〃I　mean；　God　be　praised
that　it　is　no　worse；　the　potion　will　not　harm　you。　　Rise；　shake
this　lethargy　from　your　limbs；　and　this　despair　from　your　mind。〃

〃Janet；〃　repeated　the　Countess　again；　〃disturb　me　notleave　me
at　peacelet　life　pass　quietly。　　I　am　poisoned。〃

〃You　are　not；　my　dearest　lady；〃　answered　the　maiden　eagerly。
〃What　you　have　swallowed　cannot　injure　you；　for　the　antidote　has
been　taken　before　it；　and　I　hastened　hither　to　tell　you　that　the
means　of　escape　are　open　to　you。〃

〃Escape！〃　　exclaimed　the　lady；　as　she　raised　herself　hastily　in
her　chair；　while　light　returned　to　her　eye　and　life　to　her　cheek；
〃but　ah！　　Janet；　it　comes　too　late。〃

〃Not　so；　dearest　lady。　　Rise；　take　mine　arm；　walk　through　the
apartment；　let　not　fancy　do　the　work　of　poison！　　So；　feel　you　not
now　that　you　are　possessed　of　the　full　use　of　your　limbs？〃

〃The　torpor　seems　to　diminish；〃　said　the　Countess；　as；　supported
by　Janet；　she　walked　to　and　fro　in