kenilworth-第89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！


pray　you；　into　Lord　Leicester's　own　hand；　and　mark　how　he　looks
on　receiving　it。〃

Wayland；　on　his　part；　readily　undertook　the　commission；　but
anxiously　prayed　the　lady；　in　his　turn；　to　partake　of　some
refreshment；　in　which　he　at　length　prevailed；　more　through
importunity　and　her　desire　to　see　him　begone　on　his　errand　than
from　any　inclination　the　Countess　felt　to　comply　with　his
request。　　He　then　left　her；　advising　her　to　lock　her　door　on　the
inside；　and　not　to　stir　from　her　little　apartment；　and　went　to
seek　an　opportunity　of　discharging　her　errand；　as　well　as　of
carrying　into　effect　a　purpose　of　his　own；　which　circumstances
had　induced　him　to　form。

In　fact；　from　the　conduct　of　the　lady　during　the　journeyher
long　fits　of　profound　silence；　the　irresolution　and　uncertainty
which　seemed　to　pervade　all　her　movements；　and　the　obvious
incapacity　of　thinking　and　acting　for　herself　under　which　she
seemed　to　labourWayland　had　formed　the　not　improbable　opinion
that　the　difficulties　of　her　situation　had　in　some　degree
affected　her　understanding。

When　she　had　escaped　from　the　seclusion　of　Cumnor　Place；　and　the
dangers　to　which　she　was　there　exposed；　it　would　have　seemed　her
most　rational　course　to　retire　to　her　father's；　or　elsewhere　at　a
distance　from　the　power　of　those　by　whom　these　dangers　had　been
created。　　When；　instead　of　doing　so；　she　demanded　to　be　conveyed
to　Kenilworth；　Wayland　had　been　only　able　to　account　for　her
conduct　by　supposing　that　she　meant　to　put　herself　under　the
tutelage　of　Tressilian；　and　to　appeal　to　the　protection　of　the
Queen。　　But　now；　instead　of　following　this　natural　course；　she
entrusted　him　with　a　letter　to　Leicester；　the　patron　of　Varney；
and　within　whose　jurisdiction　at　least；　if　not　under　his　express
authority；　all　the　evils　she　had　already　suffered　were　inflicted
upon　her。　　This　seemed　an　unsafe　and　even　a　desperate　measure；
and　Wayland　felt　anxiety　for　his　own　safety；　as　well　as　that　of
the　lady；　should　he　execute　her　commission　before　he　had　secured
the　advice　and　countenance　of　a　protector。

He　therefore　resolved；　before　delivering　the　letter　to　Leicester；
that　he　would　seek　out　Tressilian；　and　communicate　to　him　the
arrival　of　the　lady　at　Kenilworth；　and　thus　at　once　rid　himself
of　all　further　responsibility；　and　devolve　the　task　of　guiding
and　protecting　this　unfortunate　lady　upon　the　patron　who　had　at
first　employed　him　in　her　service。

〃He　will　be　a　better　judge　than　I　am；〃　said　Wayland；　〃whether　she
is　to　be　gratified　in　this　humour　of　appeal　to　my　Lord　of
Leicester；　which　seems　like　an　act　of　insanity；　and；　therefore；　I
will　turn　the　matter　over　on　his　hands；　deliver　him　the　letter；
receive　what　they　list　to　give　me　by　way　of　guerdon；　and　then
show　the　Castle　of　Kenilworth　a　pair　of　light　heels；　for；　after
the　work　I　have　been　engaged　in；　it　will　be；　I　fear；　neither　a
safe　nor　wholesome　place　of　residence；　and　I　would　rather　shoe
colts　an　the　coldest　common　in　England　than　share　in　their　gayest
revels。〃



CHAPTER　XXVII。

In　my　time　I　have　seen　a　boy　do　wonders。
Robin；　the　red　tinker；　had　a　boy
Would　ha　run　through　a　cat…hole。　　　　THE　COXCOMB。

Amid　the　universal　bustle　which　filled　the　Castle　and　its
environs；　it　was　no　easy　matter　to　find　out　any　individual；　and
Wayland　was　still　less　likely　to　light　upon　Tressilian；　whom　he
sought　so　anxiously；　because；　sensible　of　the　danger　of
attracting　attention　in　the　circumstances　in　which　he　was　placed；
he　dared　not　make　general　inquiries　among　the　retainers　or
domestics　of　Leicester。　　He　learned；　however；　by　indirect
questions；　that　in　all　probability　Tressilian　must　have　been　one
of　a　large　party　of　gentlemen　in　attendance　on　the　Earl　of
Sussex；　who　had　accompanied　their　patron　that　morning　to
Kenilworth；　when　Leicester　had　received　them　with　marks　of　the
most　formal　respect　and　distinction。　　He　further　learned　that
both　Earls；　with　their　followers；　and　many　other　nobles；　knights；
and　gentlemen；　had　taken　horse；　and　gone　towards　Warwick　several
hours　since；　for　the　purpose　of　escorting　the　Queen　to
Kenilworth。

Her　Majesty's　arrival；　like　other　great　events；　was　delayed　from
hour　to　hour；　and　it　was　now　announced　by　a　breathless　post　that
her　Majesty；　being　detained　by　her　gracious　desire　to　receive　the
homage　of　her　lieges　who　had　thronged　to　wait　upon　her　at
Warwick；　it　would　be　the　hour　of　twilight　ere　she　entered　the
Castle。　　The　intelligence　released　for　a　time　those　who　were　upon
duty；　in　the　immediate　expectation　of　the　Queen's　appearance；　and
ready　to　play　their　part　in　the　solemnities　with　which　it　was　to
be　accompanied；　and　Wayland；　seeing　several　horsemen　enter　the
Castle；　was　not　without　hopes　that　Tressilian　might　be　of　the
number。　　That　he　might　not　lose　an　opportunity　of　meeting　his
patron　in　the　event　of　this　being　the　case；　Wayland　placed
himself　in　the　base…court　of　the　Castle；　near　Mortimer's　Tower；
and　watched　every　one　who　went　or　came　by　the　bridge；　the
extremity　of　which　was　protected　by　that　building。　　Thus
stationed；　nobody　could　enter　or　leave　the　Castle　without　his
observation；　and　most　anxiously　did　he　study　the　garb　and
countenance　of　every　horseman；　as；　passing　from　under　the
opposite　Gallery…tower；　they　paced　slowly；　or　curveted；　along　the
tilt…yard；　and　approached　the　entrance　of　the　base…court。

But　while　Wayland　gazed　thus　eagerly　to　discover　him　whom　he　saw
not；　he　was　pulled　by　the　sleeve　by　one　by　whom　he　himself　would
not　willingly　have　been　seen。

This　was　Dickie　Sludge；　or　Flibbertigibbet；　who；　like　the　imp
whose　name　he　bore；　and　whom　he　had　been　accoutred　in　order　to
resemble；　seemed　to　be　ever　at　the　ear　of　those　who　thought　least
of　him。　　Whatever　were　Wayland's　internal　feelings；　he　judged　it
necessary　to　express　pleasure　at　their　unexpected　meeting。

〃Ha！　　is　it　thou；　my　minikinmy　miller's　thumbmy　prince　of
cacodemonsmy　little　mouse？〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Dickie；　〃the　mouse　which　gnawed　asunder　the　toils；
just　when　the　lion　who　was　caught　in　them　began　to　look
wonderfully　like　an　ass。〃

〃Thy；　thou　little　hop…the…gutter；　thou　art　as　sharp　as　vinegar
this　afternoon！　　But　tell　me；　how　didst　thou　come　off　with　yonder
jolterheaded　giant　whom　I　left　thee　with？　　I　was　afraid　he　would
have　stripped　thy　clothes；　and　so　swallowed　thee；　as　men　peel　and
eat　a　roasted　chestnut。〃

〃Had　he　done　so；〃　replied　the　boy；　〃he　would　have　had　more　brains
in　his　guts　than　ever　he　had　in　his　noddle。　　But　the　giant　is　a
courteous　monster；　and　more　grateful　than　many　other　folk　whom　I
have　helped　at　a　pinch；　Master　Wayland　Smith。〃

〃Beshrew　me；　Flibbertigibbet；〃　replied　Wayland；　〃but　thou　art
sharper　than　a　Sheffield　whittle！　　I　would　I　knew　by　what　charm
you　muzzled　yonder　old　bear。〃

〃Ay；　that　is　in　your　own　manner；〃　answered　Dickie；　〃you　think
fine　speeches　will　pass　muster　instead　of　good…will。　　However；　as
to　this　honest　porter；　you　must　know　that　when　we　presented
ourselves　at　the　gate　yonder；　his　brain　was　over…burdened　with　a
speech　that　had　been　penned　for　him；　and　which　proved　rather　an
overmatch　for　his　gigantic　faculties。　　Now　this　same　pithy
oration　had　been　indited；　like　sundry　others；　by　my　learned
magister；　Erasmus　Holiday；　so　I　had　heard　it　often　enough　to
remember　every　line。　　As　soon　as　I　heard　him　blundering　and
floundering　like　a　fish　upon　dry　land；　through　the　first　verse；
and　perceived　him　at　a　stand；　I　knew　where　the　shoe　pinched；　and
helped　him　to　the　next　word；　when　he　caught　me　up　in　an　ecstasy；
even　as　you　saw　but　now。　　I　promised；　as　the　price　of　your
admission；　to　hide　me　under　his　bearish　gaberdine；　and　prompt　him
in　the　hour　of　need。　　I　have　just　now　been　getting　some　food　in
the　Castle；　and　am　about　to　return　to　him。〃

〃That's　rightthat's　right；　my　dear　Dickie；〃　replied　Wayland；
〃haste　thee；　for　Heaven's　sake！　　else　the　poor　giant　will　be
utterly　disconsolate　for　want　of　his　dwarfish　auxiliary。　　Away
with　thee；　Dickie！〃

〃Ay；　ay！〃　　answered　the　boy〃away　with　Dickie；　when　we　have　got
what　good　of　him　we　can。　　You　will　not　let　me　know　the　story　of
this　lady；　then；　who　is　as　much　sister　of　thine　as　I　am？〃

〃Why；　what　good　would　it　do　thee；　thou　silly　elf？〃