kenilworth-第80章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


wrenching；　yielded　to　the　master…key；　and　the　Countess；　not
without　internal　shuddering；　saw　herself　beyond　the　walls　which
her　husband's　strict　commands　had　assigned　to　her　as　the　boundary
of　her　walks。　　Waiting　with　much　anxiety　for　their　appearance；
Wayland　Smith　stood　at　some　distance；　shrouding　himself　behind　a
hedge　which　bordered　the　high…road。

〃Is　all　safe？〃　　said　Janet　to　him　anxiously；　as　he　approached
them　with　caution。

〃All；〃　he　replied；　〃but　I　have　been　unable　to　procure　a　horse　for
the　lady。　　Giles　Gosling；　the　cowardly　hilding；　refused　me　one　on
any　terms　whatever；　lest；　forsooth；　he　should　suffer。　　But　no
matter；　she　must　ride　on　my　palfrey；　and　I　must　walk　by　her　side
until　I　come　by　another　horse。　　There　will　be　no　pursuit；　if　you；
pretty　Mistress　Janet；　forget　not　thy　lesson。〃

〃No　more　than　the　wise　widow　of　Tekoa　forgot　the　words　which　Joab
put　into　her　mouth；〃　answered　Janet。　　〃Tomorrow；　I　say　that　my
lady　is　unable　to　rise。〃

〃Ay；　and　that　she　hath　aching　and　heaviness　of　the　head　a
throbbing　at　the　heart；　and　lists　not　to　be　disturbed。　　Fear　not；
they　will　take　the　hint；　and　trouble　thee　with　few　questions
they　understand　the　disease；〃

〃But；〃　said　the　lady；　〃My　absence　must　be　soon　discovered；　and
they　will　murder　her　in　revenge。　　I　will　rather　return　than
expose　her　to　such　danger。〃

〃Be　at　ease　on　my　account；　madam；〃　said　Janet；　〃I　would　you　were
as　sure　of　receiving　the　favour　you　desire　from　those　to　whom　you
must　make　appeal；　as　I　am　that　my　father；　however　angry；　will
suffer　no　harm　to　befall　me。〃

The　Countess　was　now　placed　by　Wayland　upon　his　horse；　around　the
saddle　of　which　he　had　placed　his　cloak；　so　folded　as　to　make　her
a　commodious　seat。

〃Adieu；　and　may　the　blessing　of　God　wend　with　you！〃　　said　Janet；
again　kissing　her　mistress's　hand；　who　returned　her　benediction
with　a　mute　caress。　　They　then　tore　themselves　asunder；　and
Janet；　addressing　Wayland；　exclaimed；　〃May　Heaven　deal　with　you
at　your　need；　as　you　are　true　or　false　to　this　most　injured　and
most　helpless　lady！〃

〃Amen！　　dearest　Janet；〃　replied　Way＇and；　〃and　believe　me；　I　will
so　acquit　myself　of　my　trust　as　may　tempt　even　your　pretty　eyes；
saintlike　as　they　are；　to　look　less　scornfully　on　me　when　we　next
meet。〃

The　latter　part　of　this　adieu　was　whispered　into　Janet's　ear　and
although　she　made　no　reply　to　it　directly；　yet　her　manner；
influenced；　no　doubt；　by　her　desire　to　leave　every　motive　in
force　which　could　operate　towards　her　mistress's　safety；　did　not
discourage　the　hope　which　Wayland's　words　expressed。　　She
re…entered　the　postern　door；　and　locked　it　behind　her；　while；
Wayland　taking　the　horse's　bridle　in　his　hand；　and　walking　close
by　its　head；　they　began　in　silence　their　dubious　and　moonlight
journey。

Although　Wayland　Smith　used　the　utmost　dispatch　which　he　could
make；　yet　this　mode　of　travelling　was　so　slow；　that　when　morning
began　to　dawn　through　the　eastern　mist；　he　found　himself　no
farther　than　about　ten　miles　distant　from　Cumnor。　　〃Now；　a　plague
upon　all　smooth…spoken　hosts！〃　　said　Wayland；　unable　longer　to
suppress　his　mortification　and　uneasiness。　　〃Had　the　false　loon；
Giles　Gosling；　but　told　me　plainly　two　days　since　that　I　was　to
reckon　nought　upon　him；　I　had　shifted　better　for　myself。　　But
your　hosts　have　such　a　custom　of　promising　whatever　is　called　for
that　it　is　not　till　the　steed　is　to　be　shod　you　find　they　are　out
of　iron。　　Had　I　but　known；　I　could　have　made　twenty　shifts；　nay；
for　that　matter；　and　in　so　good　a　cause；　I　would　have　thought
little　to　have　prigged　a　prancer　from　the　next　commonit　had　but
been　sending　back　the　brute　to　the　headborough。　　The　farcy　and
the　founders　confound　every　horse　in　the　stables　of　the　Black
Bear！〃

The　lady　endeavoured　to　comfort　her　guide；　observing　that　the
dawn　would　enable　him　to　make　more　speed。

〃True；　madam；〃　he　replied；　〃but　then　it　will　enable　other　folk　to
take　note　of　us；　and　that　may　prove　an　ill　beginning　of　our
journey。　　I　had　not　cared　a　spark　from　anvil　about　the　matter　had
we　been　further　advanced　on　our　way。　　But　this　Berkshire　has　been
notoriously　haunted；　ever　since　I　knew　the　country；　with　that
sort　of　malicious　elves　who　sit　up　late　and　rise　early　for　no
other　purpose　than　to　pry　into　other　folk's　affairs。　　I　have　been
endangered　by　them　ere　now。　　But　do　not　fear；〃　he　added；　〃good
madam；　for　wit；　meeting　with　opportunity；　will　not　miss　to　find　a
salve　for　every　sore。〃

The　alarms　of　her　guide　made　more　impression　on　the　Countess's
mind　than　the　comfort　which　he　judged　fit　to　administer　along
with　it。　　She　looked　anxiously　around　her。　　and　as　the　shadows
withdrew　from　the　landscape；　and　the　heightening　glow　of　the
eastern　sky　promised　the　speedy　rise　of　the　sun；　expected　at
every　turn　that　the　increasing　light　would　expose　them　to　the
view　of　the　vengeful　pursuers；　or　present　some　dangerous　and
insurmountable　obstacle　to　the　prosecution　of　their　journey。
Wayland　Smith　perceived　her　uneasiness；　and；　displeased　with
himself　for　having　given　her　cause　of　alarm；　strode　on　with
affected　alacrity；　now　talking　to　the　horse　as　one　expert　in　the
language　of　the　stable；　now　whistling　to　himself　low　and
interrupted　snatches　of　tunes；　and　now　assuring　the　lady　there
was　no　danger；　while　at　the　same　time　he　looked　sharply　around　to
see　that　there　was　nothing　in　sight　which　might　give　the　lie　to
his　words　while　they　were　issuing　from　his　mouth。　　Thus　did　they
journey　on；　until　an　unexpected　incident　gave　them　the　means　of
continuing　their　pilgrimage　with　more　speed　and　convenience。



CHAPTER　XXIV。

　　RICHARD。　A　horse！A　horse！my　kingdom　for　a　horse！
　　CATESBY。　。。。。。My　lord；　I'll　help　you　to　a　horse。　　　RICHARD　III。


Our　travellers　were　in　the　act　of　passing　a　small　thicket　of
trees　close　by　the　roadside；　when　the　first　living　being
presented　himself　whom　they　had　seen　since　their　departure　from
Cumnor　Place。　　This　was　a　stupid　lout；　seemingly　a　farmer's　boy；
in　a　grey　jerkin；　with　his　head　bare；　his　hose　about　his　heels；
and　huge　startups　upon　his　feet。　　He　held　by　the　bridle　what　of
all　things　they　most　wanteda　palfrey；　namely；　with　a　side…
saddle；　and　all　other　garniture　for　a　woman's　mounting；　and　he
hailed　Wayland　Smith　with；　〃Zur；　be　ye　zure　the　party？〃

〃Ay；　that　I　be；　my　lad；〃　answered　Wayland；　without　an　instant's
hesitation；　and　it　must　be　owned　that　consciences　trained　in　a
stricter　school　of　morality　might　have　given　way　to　an　occasion
so　tempting。　　While　he　spoke；　he　caught　the　rein　out　of　the　boy's
hand；　and　almost　at　the　same　time　helped　down　the　Countess　from
his　own　horse；　and　aided　her　to　mount　on　that　which　chance　had
thus　presented　for　her　acceptance。　　Indeed；　so　naturally　did　the
whole　take　place；　that　the　Countess；　as　it　afterwards　appeared；
never　suspected　but　that　the　horse　had　been　placed　there　to　meet
them　by　the　precaution　of　the　guide　or　some　of　his　friends。

The　lad；　however；　who　was　thus　hastily　dispossessed　of　his
charge；　began　to　stare　hard；　and　scratch　his　head；　as　if　seized
with　some　qualms　of　conscience　for　delivering　up　the　animal　on
such　brief　explanation。　　〃I　be　right　zure　thou　be'st　the　party；〃
said　he；　muttering　to　himself；　〃but　thou　shouldst　ha　zaid　BEANS；
thou　knawest。〃

〃Ay；　ay；〃　said　Wayland；　speaking　at　a　venture；　〃and　thou　BACON；
thou　knowest。〃

〃Noa；　noa；〃　said　the　lad；　〃bide　yebide　yeit　was　PEAS　a　should
ha　said。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　answered　Wayland；　〃Peas　be　it；　a　God's　name！
though　Bacon　were　the　better　password。〃

And　being　by　this　time　mounted　on　his　own　horse；　he　caught　the
rein　of　the　palfrey　from　the　uncertain　hold　of　the　hesitating
young　boor；　flung　him　a　small　piece　of　money；　and　made　amends　for
lost　time　by　riding　briskly　off　without　further　parley。　　The　lad
was　still　visible　from　the　hill　up　which　they　were　riding；　and
Wayland；　as　he　looked　back；　beheld　him　standing　with　his　fingers
in　his　hair　as　immovable　as　a　guide…post；　and　his　head　turned　in
the　direction　in　which　they　were　escaping　from　him。　　At　length；
just　as　they　topped　the　hill；　he　saw　the　clown　stoop　to　lift　up
the　silver　groat　which　his　benevolence　had　imparted。　　〃Now　this
is　what　I　call　a　God