kenilworth-第78章

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〃The　torpor　seems　to　diminish；〃　said　the　Countess；　as；　supported
by　Janet；　she　walked　to　and　fro　in　the　apartment；　〃but　is　it　then
so；　and　have　I　not　swallowed　a　deadly　draught？　　Varney　was　here
since　thou　wert　gone；　and　commanded　me；　with　eyes　in　which　I　read
my　fate；　to　swallow　yon　horrible　drug。　　O　Janet！　　it　must　be
fatal；　never　was　harmless　draught　served　by　such　a　cup…bearer！〃

〃He　did　not　deem　it　harmless；　I　fear；〃　replied　the　maiden；　〃but
God　confounds　the　devices　of　the　wicked。　　Believe　me；　as　I　swear
by　the　dear　Gospel　in　which　we　trust；　your　life　is　safe　from　his
practice。　　Did　you　not　debate　with　him？〃

〃The　house　was　silent；〃　answered　the　lady〃thou　goneno　other
but　he　in　the　chamberand　he　capable　of　every　crime。　　I　did　but
stipulate　he　would　remove　his　hateful　presence；　and　I　drank
whatever　he　offered。But　you　spoke　of　escape；　Janet；　can　I　be　so
happy？〃

〃Are　you　strong　enough　to　bear　the　tidings；　and　make　the　effort？〃
said　the　maiden。

〃Strong！〃　　answered　the　Countess。　　〃Ask　the　hind；　when　the　fangs
of　the　deerhound　are　stretched　to　gripe　her；　if　she　is　strong
enough　to　spring　over　a　chasm。　　I　am　equal　to　every　effort　that
may　relieve　me　from　this　place。〃

〃Hear　me；　then；〃　said　Janet。　　〃One　whom　I　deem　an　assured　friend
of　yours　has　shown　himself　to　me　in　various　disguises；　and　sought
speech　of　me；　whichfor　my　mind　was　not　clear　on　the　matter
until　this　eveningI　have　ever　declined。　　He　was　the　pedlar　who
brought　you　goodsthe　itinerant　hawker　who　sold　me　books；
whenever　I　stirred　abroad　I　was　sure　to　see　him。　　The　event　of
this　night　determined　me　to　speak　with　him。　　He　awaits　even　now
at　the　postern　gate　of　the　park　with　means　for　your　flight。But
have　you　strength　of　body？have　you　courage　of　mind？can　you
undertake　the　enterprise？〃

〃She　that　flies　from　death；〃　said　the　lady；　〃finds　strength　of
bodyshe　that　would　escape　from　shame　lacks　no　strength　of　mind。
The　thoughts　of　leaving　behind　me　the　villain　who　menaces　both　my
life　and　honour　would　give　me　strength　to　rise　from　my　deathbed。〃

〃In　God's　name；　then；　lady；〃　said　Janet；　〃I　must　bid　you　adieu；
and　to　God's　charge　I　must　commit　you！〃

〃Will　you　not　fly　with　me；　then；　Janet？〃　　said　the　Countess；
anxiously。　　〃Am　I　to　lose　thee？　　Is　this　thy　faithful　service？〃

〃Lady；　I　would　fly　with　you　as　willingly　as　bird　ever　fled　from
cage；　but　my　doing　so　would　occasion　instant　discovery　and
pursuit。　　I　must　remain；　and　use　means　to　disguise　the　truth　for
some　time。　　May　Heaven　pardon　the　falsehood；　because　of　the
necessity！〃

〃And　am　I　then　to　travel　alone　with　this　stranger？〃　　said　the
lady。　　〃Bethink　thee；　Janet；　may　not　this　prove　some　deeper　and
darker　scheme　to　separate　me　perhaps　from　you；　who　are　my　only
friend？〃

〃No；　madam；　do　not　suppose　it；〃　answered　Janet　readily；　〃the
youth　is　an　honest　youth　in　his　purpose　to　you；　and　a　friend　to
Master　Tressilian；　under　whose　direction　he　is　come　hither。〃

〃If　he　be　a　friend　of　Tressilian；〃　said　the　Countess；　〃I　will
commit　myself　to　his　charge　as　to　that　of　an　angel　sent　from
heaven；　for　than　Tressilian　never　breathed　mortal　man　more　free
of　whatever　was　base；　false；　or　selfish。　　He　forgot　himself
whenever　he　could　be　of　use　to　others。　　Alas！　　and　how　was　he
requited？〃

With　eager　haste　they　collected　the　few　necessaries　which　it　was
thought　proper　the　Countess　should　take　with　her；　and　which
Janet；　with　speed　and　dexterity；　formed　into　a　small　bundle；　not
forgetting　to　add　such　ornaments　of　intrinsic　value　as　came　most
readily　in　her　way；　and　particularly　a　casket　of　jewels；　which
she　wisely　judged　might　prove　of　service　in　some　future
emergency。　　The　Countess　of　Leicester　next　changed　her　dress　for
one　which　Janet　usually　wore　upon　any　brief　journey；　for　they
judged　it　necessary　to　avoid　every　external　distinction　which
might　attract　attention。　　Ere　these　preparations　were　fully　made；
the　moon　had　arisen　in　the　summer　heaven；　and　all　in　the　mansion
had　betaken　themselves　to　rest；　or　at　least　to　the　silence　and
retirement　of　their　chambers。

There　was　no　difficulty　anticipated　in　escaping；　whether　from　the
house　or　garden；　provided　only　they　could　elude　observation。
Anthony　Foster　had　accustomed　himself　to　consider　his　daughter　as
a　conscious　sinner　might　regard　a　visible　guardian　angel；　which；
notwithstanding　his　guilt；　continued　to　hover　around　him；　and
therefore　his　trust　in　her　knew　no　bounds。　　Janet　commanded　her
own　motions　during　the　daytime；　and　had　a　master…key　which　opened
the　postern　door　of　the　park；　so　that　she　could　go　to　the　village
at　pleasure；　either　upon　the　household　affairs；　which　were
entirely　confided　to　her　management；　or　to　attend　her　devotions
at　the　meeting…house　of　her　sect。　　It　is　true　the　daughter　of
Foster　was　thus　liberally　entrusted　under　the　solemn　condition
that　she　should　not　avail　herself　of　these　privileges　to　do
anything　inconsistent　with　the　safe…keeping　of　the　Countess；　for
so　her　residence　at　Cumnor　Place　had　been　termed；　since　she　began
of　late　to　exhibit　impatience　of　the　restrictions　to　which　she
was　subjected。　　Nor　is　there　reason　to　suppose　that　anything
short　of　the　dreadful　suspicions　which　the　scene　of　that　evening
had　excited　could　have　induced　Janet　to　violate　her　word　or
deceive　her　father's　confidence。　　But　from　what　she　had
witnessed；　she　now　conceived　herself　not　only　justified；　but
imperatively　called　upon；　to　make　her　lady's　safety　the　principal
object　of　her　care；　setting　all　other　considerations　aside。

The　fugitive　Countess　with　her　guide　traversed　with　hasty　steps
the　broken　and　interrupted　path；　which　had　once　been　an　avenue；
now　totally　darkened　by　the　boughs　of　spreading　trees　which　met
above　their　head；　and　now　receiving　a　doubtful　and　deceiving
light　from　the　beams　of　the　moon；　which　penetrated　where　the　axe
had　made　openings　in　the　wood。　　Their　path　was　repeatedly
interrupted　by　felled　trees；　or　the　large　boughs　which　had　been
left　on　the　ground　till　time　served　to　make　them　into　fagots　and
billets。　　The　inconvenience　and　difficulty　attending　these
interruptions；　the　breathless　haste　of　the　first　part　of　their
route；　the　exhausting　sensations　of　hope　and　fear；　so　much
affected　the　Countess's　strength；　that　Janet　was　forced　to
propose　that　they　should　pause　for　a　few　minutes　to　recover
breath　and　spirits。　　Both　therefore　stood　still　beneath　the
shadow　of　a　huge　old　gnarled　oak…tree；　and　both　naturally　looked
back　to　the　mansion　which　they　had　left　behind　them；　whose　long；
dark　front　was　seen　in　the　gloomy　distance；　with　its　huge　stacks
of　chimneys；　turrets；　and　clock…house；　rising　above　the　line　of
the　roof；　and　definedly　visible　against　the　pure　azure　blue　of
the　summer　sky。　　One　light　only　twinkled　from　the　extended　and
shadowy　mass；　and　it　was　placed　so　low　that　it　rather　seemed　to
glimmer　from　the　ground　in　front　of　the　mansion　than　from　one　of
the　windows。　　The　Countess's　terror　was　awakened。　　〃They　follow
us！〃　　she　said；　pointing　out　to　Janet　the　light　which　thus
alarmed　her。

Less　agitated　than　her　mistress；　Janet　perceived　that　the　gleam
was　stationary；　and　informed　the　Countess；　in　a　whisper；　that　the
light　proceeded　from　the　solitary　cell　in　which　the　alchemist
pursued　his　occult　experiments。　　〃He　is　of　those；〃　she　added；
〃who　sit　up　and　watch　by　night　that　they　may　commit　iniquity。
Evil　was　the　chance　which　sent　hither　a　man　whose　mixed　speech　of
earthly　wealth　and　unearthly　or　superhuman　knowledge　hath　in　it
what　does　so　especially　captivate　my　poor　father。　　Well　spoke　the
good　Master　Holdforthand；　methought；　not　without　meaning　that
those　of　our　household　should　find　therein　a　practical　use。
'There　be　those；'　he　said；　'and　their　number　is　legion；　who　will
rather；　like　the　wicked　Ahab；　listen　to　the　dreams　of　the　false
prophet　Zedekiah；　than　to　the　words　of　him　by　whom　the　Lord　has
spoken。'　And　he　further　insisted'Ah；　my　brethren；　there　be　many
Zedekiahs　among　youmen　that　promise　you　the　light　of　their
carnal　knowledge；　so　you　will　surrender　to　them　that　of　your
heavenly　understanding。　　What　are　they　better　than　the　tyrant
Naas；　who　demanded　the　right　eye　of　those　who　were　subjected　to
him？'　And　furth