kenilworth-第9章

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thou　be'st；　lad！　　To　look　on　thee　now；　and　compare　thee　with
Master　Tressilian　here；　in　his　sad…coloured　riding…suit；　who
would　not　say　that　thou　wert　the　real　gentleman　and　he　the
tapster's　boy？〃

〃Troth；　uncle；〃　replied　Lambourne；　〃no　one　would　say　so　but　one
of　your　country…breeding；　that　knows　no　better。　　I　will　say；　and
I　care　not　who　hears　me；　there　is　something　about　the　real　gentry
that　few　men　come　up　to　that　are　not　born　and　bred　to　the
mystery。　　I　wot　not　where　the　trick　lies；　but　although　I　can
enter　an　ordinary　with　as　much　audacity；　rebuke　the　waiters　and
drawers　as　loudly；　drink　as　deep　a　health；　swear　as　round　an
oath；　and　fling　my　gold　as　freely　about　as　any　of　the　jingling
spurs　and　white　feathers　that　are　around　me；　yet；　hang　me　if　I
can　ever　catch　the　true　grace　of　it；　though　I　have　practised　an
hundred　times。　　The　man　of　the　house　sets　me　lowest　at　the　board；
and　carves　to　me　the　last；　and　the　drawer　says；　'Coming；　friend；'
without　any　more　reverence　or　regardful　addition。　　But；　hang　it；
let　it　pass；　care　killed　a　cat。　　I　have　gentry　enough　to　pass　the
trick　on　Tony　Fire…the…Faggot；　and　that　will　do　for　the　matter　in
hand。〃

〃You　hold　your　purpose；　then；　of　visiting　your　old　acquaintance？〃
said　Tressilian　to　the　adventurer。

〃Ay；　sir；〃　replied　Lambourne；　〃when　stakes　are　made；　the　game
must　be　played；　that　is　gamester's　law；　all　over　the　world。　　You；
sir；　unless　my　memory　fails　me　（for　I　did　steep　it　somewhat　too
deeply　in　the　sack…butt）；　took　some　share　in　my　hazard？〃

〃I　propose　to　accompany　you　in　your　adventure；〃　said　Tressilian；
〃if　you　will　do　me　so　much　grace　as　to　permit　me；　and　I　have
staked　my　share　of　the　forfeit　in　the　hands　of　our　worthy　host。〃

〃That　he　hath；〃　answered　Giles　Gosling；　〃in　as　fair　Harry…nobles
as　ever　were　melted　into　sack　by　a　good　fellow。　　So；　luck　to　your
enterprise；　since　you　will　needs　venture　on　Tony　Foster；　but；　by
my　credit；　you　had　better　take　another　draught　before　you　depart；
for　your　welcome　at　the　Hall　yonder　will　be　somewhat　of　the
driest。　　And　if　you　do　get　into　peril；　beware　of　taking　to　cold
steel；　but　send　for　me；　Giles　Gosling；　the　head…borough；　and　I
may　be　able　to　make　something　out　of　Tony　yet；　for　as　proud　as　he
is。〃

The　nephew　dutifully　obeyed　his　uncle's　hint；　by　taking　a　second
powerful　pull　at　the　tankard；　observing　that　his　wit　never　served
him　so　well　as　when　he　had　washed　his　temples　with　a　deep
morning's　draught；　and　they　set　forth　together　for　the　habitation
of　Anthony　Foster。

The　village　of　Cumnor　is　pleasantly　built　on　a　hill；　and　in　a
wooded　park　closely　adjacent　was　situated　the　ancient　mansion
occupied　at　this　time　by　Anthony　Foster；　of　which　the　ruins　may
be　still　extant。　　The　park　was　then　full　of　large　trees；　and　in
particular　of　ancient　and　mighty　oaks；　which　stretched　their
giant　arms　over　the　high　wall　surrounding　the　demesne；　thus
giving　it　a　melancholy；　secluded；　and　monastic　appearance。　　The
entrance　to　the　park　lay　through　an　old…fashioned　gateway　in　the
outer　wall；　the　door　of　which　was　formed　of　two　huge　oaken　leaves
thickly　studded　with　nails；　like　the　gate　of　an　old　town。

〃We　shall　be　finely　helped　up　here；〃　said　Michael　Lambourne；
looking　at　the　gateway　and　gate；　〃if　this　fellow's　suspicious
humour　should　refuse　us　admission　altogether；　as　it　is　like　he
may；　in　case　this　linsey…wolsey　fellow　of　a　mercer's　visit　to　his
premises　has　disquieted　him。　　But；　no；〃　he　added；　pushing　the
huge　gate；　which　gave　way；　〃the　door　stands　invitingly　open；　and
here　we　are　within　the　forbidden　ground；　without　other　impediment
than　the　passive　resistance　of　a　heavy　oak　door　moving　on　rusty
hinges。〃

They　stood　now　in　an　avenue　overshadowed　by　such　old　trees　as　we
have　described；　and　which　had　been　bordered　at　one　time　by　high
hedges　of　yew　and　holly。　　But　these；　having　been　untrimmed　for
many　years；　had　run　up　into　great　bushes；　or　rather　dwarf…trees；
and　now　encroached；　with　their　dark　and　melancholy　boughs；　upon
the　road　which　they　once　had　screened。　　The　avenue　itself　was
grown　up　with　grass；　and；　in　one　or　two　places；　interrupted　by
piles　of　withered　brushwood；　which　had　been　lopped　from　the　trees
cut　down　in　the　neighbouring　park；　and　was　here　stacked　for
drying。　　Formal　walks　and　avenues；　which；　at　different　points；
crossed　this　principal　approach；　were；　in　like　manner；　choked　up
and　interrupted　by　piles　of　brushwood　and　billets；　and　in　other
places　by　underwood　and　brambles。　　Besides　the　general　effect　of
desolation　which　is　so　strongly　impressed　whenever　we　behold　the
contrivances　of　man　wasted　and　obliterated　by　neglect；　and
witness　the　marks　of　social　life　effaced　gradually　by　the
influence　of　vegetation；　the　size　of　the　trees　and　the
outspreading　extent　of　their　boughs　diffused　a　gloom　over　the
scene；　even　when　the　sun　was　at　the　highest；　and　made　a
proportional　impression　on　the　mind　of　those　who　visited　it。
This　was　felt　even　by　Michael　Lambourne；　however　alien　his　habits
were　to　receiving　any　impressions；　excepting　from　things　which
addressed　themselves　immediately　to　his　passions。

〃This　wood　is　as　dark　as　a　wolf's　mouth；〃　said　he　to　Tressilian；
as　they　walked　together　slowly　along　the　solitary　and　broken
approach；　and　had　just　come　in　sight　of　the　monastic　front　of　the
old　mansion；　with　its　shafted　windows；　brick　walls　overgrown　with
ivy　and　creeping　shrubs；　and　twisted　stalks　of　chimneys　of　heavy
stone…work。　　〃And　yet；〃　continued　Lambourne；　〃it　is　fairly　done
on　the　part　of　Foster　too　for　since　he　chooses　not　visitors；　it
is　right　to　keep　his　place　in　a　fashion　that　will　invite　few　to
trespass　upon　his　privacy。　　But　had　he　been　the　Anthony　I　once
knew　him；　these　sturdy　oaks　had　long　since　become　the　property　of
some　honest　woodmonger；　and　the　manor…close　here　had　looked
lighter　at　midnight　than　it　now　does　at　noon；　while　Foster　played
fast　and　loose　with　the　price；　in　some　cunning　corner　in　the
purlieus　of　Whitefriars。〃

〃Was　he　then　such　an　unthrift？〃　　asked　Tressilian。

〃He　was；〃　answered　Lambourne；　〃like　the　rest　of　us；　no　saint；　and
no　saver。　　But　what　I　liked　worst　of　Tony　was；　that　he　loved　to
take　his　pleasure　by　himself；　and　grudged；　as　men　say；　every　drop
of　water　that　went　past　his　own　mill。　　I　have　known　him　deal　with
such　measures　of　wine　when　he　was　alone；　as　I　would　not　have
ventured　on　with　aid　of　the　best　toper　in　Berkshire；that；　and
some　sway　towards　superstition；　which　he　had　by　temperament；
rendered　him　unworthy　the　company　of　a　good　fellow。　　And　now　he
has　earthed　himself　here；　in　a　den　just　befitting　such　a　sly　fox
as　himself。〃

〃May　I　ask　you；　Master　Lambourne；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃since　your
old　companion's　humour　jumps　so　little　with　your　own；　wherefore
you　are　so　desirous　to　renew　acquaintance　with　him？〃

〃And　may　I　ask　you；　in　return；　Master　Tressilian；〃　answered
Lambourne；　〃wherefore　you　have　shown　yourself　so　desirous　to
accompany　me　on　this　party？〃

〃I　told　you　my　motive；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃when　I　took　share　in
your　wagerit　was　simple　curiosity。〃

〃La　you　there　now！〃　　answered　Lambourne。　　〃See　how　you　civil　and
discreet　gentlemen　think　to　use　us　who　live　by　the　free　exercise
of　our　wits！　　Had　I　answered　your　question　by　saying　that　it　was
simple　curiosity　which　led　me　to　visit　my　old　comrade　Anthony
Foster；　I　warrant　you　had　set　it　down　for　an　evasion；　and　a　turn
of　my　trade。　　But　any　answer；　I　suppose；　must　serve　my　turn。〃

〃And　wherefore　should　not　bare　curiosity；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃be　a
sufficient　reason　for　my　taking　this　walk　with　you？〃

〃Oh；　content　yourself；　sir；〃　replied　Lambourne；　〃you　cannot　put
the　change　on　me　so　easy　as　you　think；　for　I　have　lived　among　the
quick…stirring　spirits　of　the　age　too　long　to　swallow　chaff　for
grain。　　You　are　a　gentleman　of　birth　and　breedingyour　bearing
makes　it　good；　of　civil　habits　and　fair　reputationyour　manners
declare　it；　and　my　uncle　avouches　it；　and　yet　you　associate
yourself　with　a　sort　of　scant…of…grace；　as　men　call　me；　and；
knowing　me　to　be　such；　you　make　yourself　my　companion　in　a　visit
to　a　man　whom　you　are　a　stranger　toand　all　out　of　mere
curiosity；　forsooth！　　The　excuse；　if　curiously　balanced；　would　be