kenilworth-第83章

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〃GAUDET　NOMINE　SIBYLLAE；〃　said　the　first　speaker；　〃she　is　called
Sibyl　Laneham；　wife　of　Master　Robert　Laneham〃

〃Clerk　to　the　Council…chamber　door；〃　said　Varney；　〃why；　she　is
inexcusable；　having　had　experience　how　to　have　ordered　her
matters　better。　　But　who　were　those；　a　man　and　a　woman；　I　think；
who　rode　so　hastily　up　the　hill　before　me　even　now？　　Do　they
belong　to　your　company？〃

Wayland　was　about　to　hazard　a　reply　to　this　alarming　inquiry；
when　the　little　diablotin　again　thrust　in　his　oar。

〃So　please　you；〃　he　said；　coming　close　up　to　Varney；　and　speaking
so　as　not　to　be　overheard　by　his　companions；　〃the　man　was　our
devil　major；　who　has　tricks　enough　to　supply　the　lack　of　a
hundred　such　as　Dame　Laneham；　and　the　woman；　if　you　please；　is
the　sage　person　whose　assistance　is　most　particularly　necessary
to　our　distressed　comrade。〃

〃Oh；　what！　　you　have　got　the　wise　woman；　then？〃　　said　Varney。
〃Why；　truly；　she　rode　like　one　bound　to　a　place　where　she　was
needed。　　And　you　have　a　spare　limb　of　Satan；　besides；　to　supply
the　place　of　Mistress　Laneham？〃

〃Ay；　sir；〃　said　the　boy；　〃they　are　not　so　scarce　in　this　world　as
your　honour's　virtuous　eminence　would　suppose。　　This　master…fiend
shall　spit　a　few　flashes　of　fire；　and　eruct　a　volume　or　two　of
smoke　on　the　spot；　if　it　will　do　you　pleasureyou　would　think　he
had　AEtna　in　his　abdomen。〃

〃I　lack　time　just　now；　most　hopeful　imp　of　darkness；　to　witness
his　performance；〃　said　Varney；　〃but　here　is　something　for　you　all
to　drink　the　lucky　hourand　so；　as　the　play　says；　'God　be　with
Your　labour！'〃

Thus　speaking；　he　struck　his　horse　with　the　spurs；　and　rode　on
his　way。

Lambourne　tarried　a　moment　or　two　behind　his　master；　and　rummaged
his　pouch　for　a　piece　of　silver；　which　he　bestowed　on　the
communicative　imp；　as　he　said；　for　his　encouragement　on　his　path
to　the　infernal　regions；　some　sparks　of　whose　fire；　he　said；　he
could　discover　flashing　from　him　already。　　Then　having　received
the　boy's　thanks　for　his　generosity　he　also　spurred　his　horse；
and　rode　after　his　master　as　fast　as　the　fire　flashes　from　flint。

〃And　now；〃　said　the　wily　imp；　sidling　close　up　to　Wayland's
horse；　and　cutting　a　gambol　in　the　air　which　seemed　to　vindicate
his　title　to　relationship　with　the　prince　of　that　element；　〃I
have　told　them　who　YOU　are；　do　you　in　return　tell　me　who　I　am？〃

〃Either　Flibbertigibbet；〃　answered　Wayland　Smith；　〃or　else　an　imp
of　the　devil　in　good　earnest。〃

〃Thou　hast　hit　it；〃　answered　Dickie　Sludge。　　〃I　am　thine　own
Flibbertigibbet；　man；　and　I　have　broken　forth　of　bounds；　along
with　my　learned　preceptor；　as　I　told　thee　I　would　do；　whether　he
would　or　not。　　But　what　lady　hast　thou　got　with　thee？　　I　saw　thou
wert　at　fault　the　first　question　was　asked；　and　so　I　drew　up　for
thy　assistance。　　But　I　must　know　all　who　she　is；　dear　Wayland。〃

〃Thou　shalt　know　fifty　finer　things；　my　dear　ingle；〃　said
Wayland；　〃but　a　truce　to　thine　inquiries　just　now。　　And　since　you
are　bound　for　Kenilworth；　thither　will　I　too；　even　for　the　love
of　thy　sweet　face　and　waggish　company。〃

〃Thou　shouldst　have　said　my　waggish　face　and　sweet　company；〃　said
Dickie；〃　but　how　wilt　thou　travel　with　usI　mean　in　what
character？〃

〃E'en　in　that　thou　hast　assigned　me；　to　be　sureas　a　juggler；
thou　knowest　I　am　used　to　the　craft；〃　answered　Wayland。

〃Ay；　but　the　lady？〃　　answered　Flibbertigibbet。　　〃Credit　me；　I
think　she　IS　one　and　thou　art　in　a　sea　of　troubles　about　her　at
this　moment；　as　I　can　perceive　by　thy　fidgeting。〃

〃Oh；　she；　man！she　is　a　poor　sister　of　mine；〃　said　Wayland；　〃she
can　sing　and　play　o'　the　lute　would　win　the　fish　out　o'　the
stream。〃

〃Let　me　hear　her　instantly；〃　said　the　boy；　〃I　love　the　lute
rarely；　I　love　it　of　all　things；　though　I　never　heard　it。〃

〃Then　how　canst　thou　love　it；　Flibbertigibbet？〃　　said　Wayland。

〃As　knights　love　ladies　in　old　tales；〃　answered　Dickie〃on
hearsay。〃

〃Then　love　it　on　hearsay　a　little　longer；　till　my　sister　is
recovered　from　the　fatigue　of　her　journey；〃　said　Wayland；
muttering　afterwards　betwixt　his　teeth；　〃The　devil　take　the　imp's
curiosity！　　I　must　keep　fair　weather　with　him；　or　we　shall　fare
the　worse。〃

He　then　proceeded　to　state　to　Master　Holiday　his　own　talents　as　a
juggler；　with　those　of　his　sister　as　a　musician。　　Some　proof　of
his　dexterity　was　demanded；　which　he　gave　in　such　a　style　of
excellence；　that；　delighted　at　obtaining　such　an　accession　to
their　party；　they　readily　acquiesced　in　the　apology　which　he
offered　when　a　display　of　his　sister's　talents　was　required。　　The
new…comers　were　invited　to　partake　of　the　refreshments　with　which
the　party　were　provided；　and　it　was　with　some　difficulty　that
Wayland　Smith　obtained　an　opportunity　of　being　apart　with　his
supposed　sister　during　the　meal；　of　which　interval　he　availed
himself　to　entreat　her　to　forget　for　the　present　both　her　rank
and　her　sorrows；　and　condescend；　as　the　most　probable　chance　of
remaining　concealed；　to　mix　in　the　society　of　those　with　whom　she
was　to　travel。

The　Countess　allowed　the　necessity　of　the　case；　and　when　they
resumed　their　journey；　endeavoured　to　comply　with　her　guide's
advice；　by　addressing　herself　to　a　female　near　her；　and
expressing　her　concern　for　the　woman　whom　they　were　thus　obliged
to　leave　behind　them。

〃Oh；　she　is　well　attended；　madam；〃　replied　the　dame　whom　she
addressed；　who；　from　her　jolly　and　laughter…loving　demeanour；
might　have　been　the　very　emblem　of　the　Wife　of　Bath；　〃and　my
gossip　Laneham　thinks　as　little　of　these　matters　as　any　one。　　By
the　ninth　day；　an　the　revels　last　so　long；　we　shall　have　her　with
us　at　Kenilworth；　even　if　she　should　travel　with　her　bantling　on
her　back。〃

There　was　something　in　this　speech　which　took　away　all　desire　on
the　Countess　of　Leicester's　part　to　continue　the　conversation。
But　having　broken　the　charm　by　speaking　to　her　fellow…traveller
first；　the　good　dame；　who　was　to　play　Rare　Gillian　of　Croydon　in
one　of　the　interludes；　took　care　that　silence　did　not　again
settle　on　the　journey；　but　entertained　her　mute　companion　with　a
thousand　anecdotes　of　revels；　from　the　days　of　King　Harry
downwards；　with　the　reception　given　them　by　the　great　folk；　and
all　the　names　of　those　who　played　the　principal　characters；　but
ever　concluding　with　〃they　would　be　nothing　to　the　princely
pleasures　of　Kenilworth。〃

〃And　when　shall　we　reach　Kenilworth？　　said　the　Countess；　with　an
agitation　which　she　in　vain　attempted　to　conceal。

〃We　that　have　horses　may；　with　late　riding；　get　to　Warwick　to…
night；　and　Kenilworth　may　be　distant　some　four　or　five　miles。
But　then　we　must　wait　till　the　foot…people　come　up；　although　it
is　like　my　good　Lord　of　Leicester　will　have　horses　or　light
carriages　to　meet　them；　and　bring　them　up　without　being　travel…
toiled；　which　last　is　no　good　preparation；　as　you　may　suppose；
for　dancing　before　your　betters。　　And　yet；　Lord　help　me；　I　have
seen　the　day　I　would　have　tramped　five　leagues　of　lea…land；　and
turned　an　my　toe　the　whole　evening　after；　as　a　juggler　spins　a
pewter　platter　on　the　point　of　a　needle。　　But　age　has　clawed　me
somewhat　in　his　clutch；　as　the　song　says；　though；　if　I　like　the
tune　and　like　my　partner；　I'll　dance　the　hays　yet　with　any　merry
lass　in　Warwickshire　that　writes　that　unhappy　figure　four　with　a
round　O　after　it。〃

If　the　Countess　was　overwhelmed　with　the　garrulity　of　this　good
dame；　Wayland　Smith；　on　his　part；　had　enough　to　do　to　sustain　and
parry；the　constant　attacks　made　upon　him　by　the　indefatigable
curiosity　of　his　old　acquaintance　Richard　Sludge。　　Nature　had
given　that　arch　youngster　a　prying　cast　of　disposition；　which
matched　admirably　with　his　sharp　wit；　the　former　inducing　him　to
plant　himself　as　a　spy　on　other　people's　affairs；　and　the　latter
quality　leading　him　perpetually　to　interfere；　after　he　had　made
himself　master　of　that　which　concerned　him　not。　　He　spent　the
livelong　day　in　attempting　to　peer　under　the　Countess's　muffler；
and　apparently　what　he　could　there　discern　greatly　sharpened　his
curiosity。

〃That　sister　of　thine；　Wayland；〃　he　said；　〃has　a　fair　neck　to
have　been　born　in　a　smithy；　and　a　pretty　taper　hand　to　have　been
used　for　twirling　a　spindlefaith；　I'll　bel