kenilworth-第92章

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stuffsnuff；　call　you　it？　　Why；　you　would　play　the　saint　on　us；
Master　Tressilian；　and　forget　that　even　now　thou　hast　a　commodity
in　thy　very　bedchamber；　to　the　shame　of　my　lord's　castle；　ha！
ha！　　ha！　　Have　I　touched　you；　Master　Tressilian？〃

〃I　know　not　what　you　mean；〃　said　Tressilian；　inferring；　however；
too　surely；　that　this　licentious　ruffian　must　have　been　sensible
of　Amy's　presence　in　his　apartment；　'i　but　if；〃　he　continued；
〃thou　art　varlet　of　the　chambers；　and　lackest　a　fee；　there　is　one
to　leave　mine　unmolested。〃

Lambourne　looked　at　the　piece　of　gold；　and　put　it　in　his　pocket
saying；　〃Now；　I　know　not　but　you　might　have　done　more　with　me　by
a　kind　word　than　by　this　chiming　rogue。　　But　after　all　he　pays
well　that　pays　with　gold；　and　Mike　Lambourne　was　never　a
makebate；　or　a　spoil…sport；　or　the　like。　　E'en　live；　and　let
others　live；　that　is　my　motto…only；　I　would　not　let　some　folks
cock　their　beaver　at　me　neither；　as　if　they　were　made　of　silver
ore；　and　I　of　Dutch　pewter。　　So　if　I　keep　your　secret；　Master
Tressilian；　you　may　look　sweet　on　me　at　least；　and　were　I　to　want
a　little　backing　or　countenance；　being　caught；　as　you　see　the
best　of　us　may　be；　in　a　sort　of　peccadillowhy；　you　owe　it　me
and　so　e'en　make　your　chamber　serve　you　and　that　same　bird　in
bower　besideit's　all　one　to　Mike　Lambourne。〃

〃Make　way；　sir；〃　said　Tressilian；　unable　to　bridle　his
indignation；　〃you　have　had　your　fee。〃

〃Um！〃　　said　Lambourne；　giving　place；　however；　while　he　sulkily
muttered　between　his　teeth；　repeating　Tressilian's　words；　〃Make
wayand　you　have　had　your　fee；　but　it　matters　not；　I　will　spoil
no　sport；　as　I　said　before。　　I　am　no　dog　in　the　mangermind
that。〃

He　spoke　louder　and　louder；　as　Tressilian；　by　whom　he　felt
himself　overawed；　got　farther　and　farther　out　of　hearing。

〃I　am　no　dog　in　the　manger；　but　I　will　not　carry　coals　neither
mind　that；　Master　Tressilian；　and　I　will　have　a　peep　at　this
wench　whom　you　have　quartered　so　commodiously　in　your　old　haunted
roomafraid　of　ghosts；　belike；　and　not　too　willing　to　sleep
alone。　　If　I　had　done　this　now　in　a　strange　lord's　castle；　the
word　had　been；　The　porter's　lodge　for　the　knave！　　and；　have　him
floggedtrundle　him　downstairs　like　a　turnip！　　Ay；　but　your
virtuous　gentlemen　take　strange　privileges　over　us；　who　are
downright　servants　of　our　senses。　　WellI　have　my　Master
Tressilian's　head　under　my　belt　by　this　lucky　discovery；　that　is
one　thing　certain；　and　I　will　try　to　get　a　sight　of　this
Lindabrides　of　his；　that　is　another。〃



CHAPTER　XXIX。

　　Now　fare　thee　well；　my　masterif　true　service
　　Be　guerdon'd　with　hard　looks；　e'en　cut　the　tow…line；
　　And　let　our　barks　across　the　pathless　flood
　　Hold　different　courses　　　　　　　　THE　SHIPWRECK。

Tressilian　walked　into　the　outer　yard　of　the　Castle　scarce
knowing　what　to　think　of　his　late　strange　and　most　unexpected
interview　with　Amy　Robsart；　and　dubious　if　he　had　done　well；
being　entrusted　with　the　delegated　authority　of　her　father；　to
pass　his　word　so　solemnly　to　leave　her　to　her　own　guidance　for　so
many　hours。　　Yet　how　could　he　have　denied　her　requestdependent
as　she　had　too　probably　rendered　herself　upon　Varney？　　Such　was
his　natural　reasoning。　　The　happiness　of　her　future　life　might
depend　upon　his　not　driving　her　to　extremities；　and　since　no
authority　of　Tressilian's　could　extricate　her　from　the　power　of
Varney；　supposing　he　was　to　acknowledge　Amy　to　be　his　wife；　what
title　had　he　to　destroy　the　hope　of　domestic　peace；　which　might
yet　remain　to　her；　by　setting　enmity　betwixt　them？　　Tressilian
resolved；　therefore；　scrupulously　to　observe　his　word　pledged　to
Amy；　both　because　it　had　been　given；　and　because；　as　he　still
thought；　while　he　considered　and　reconsidered　that　extraordinary
interview；　it　could　not　with　justice　or　propriety　have　been
refused。

In　one　respect；　he　had　gained　much　towards　securing　effectual
protection　for　this　unhappy　and　still　beloved　object　of　his　early
affection。　　Amy　was　no　longer　mewed　up　in　a　distant　and　solitary
retreat　under　the　charge　of　persons　of　doubtful　reputation。　　She
was　in　the　Castle　of　Kenilworth；　within　the　verge　of　the　Royal
Court　for　the　time；　free　from　all　risk　of　violence；　and　liable　to
be　produced　before　Elizabeth　on　the　first　summons。　　These　were
circumstances　which　could　not　but　assist　greatly　the　efforts
which　he　might　have　occasion　to　use　in　her　behalf。

While　he　was　thus　balancing　the　advantages　and　perils　which
attended　her　unexpected　presence　in　Kenilworth；　Tressilian　was
hastily　and　anxiously　accosted　by　Wayland；　who；　after
ejaculating；　〃Thank　God；　your　worship　is　found　at　last！〃
proceeded　with　breathless　caution　to　pour　into　his　ear　the
intelligence　that　the　lady　had　escaped　from　Cumnor　Place。

〃And　is　at　present　in　this　Castle；〃　said　Tressilian。　　〃I　know　it；
and　I　have　seen　her。　　Was　it　by　her　own　choice　she　found　refuge
in　my　apartment？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Wayland；　〃but　I　could　think　of　no　other　way　of
safely　bestowing　her；　and　was　but　too　happy　to　find　a　deputy…
usher　who　knew　where　you　were　quarteredin　jolly　society　truly；
the　hall　on　the　one　hand；　and　the　kitchen　on　the　other！〃

〃Peace；　this　is　no　time　for　jesting；〃　answered　Tressilian
sternly。

〃I　wot　that　but　too　well；〃　said　the　artist；　〃for　I　have　felt
these　three　days　as　if　I　had　a　halter　round　my　neck。　　This　lady
knows　not　her　own　mindshe　will　have　none　of　your　aidcommands
you　not　to　be　named　to　herand　is　about　to　put　herself　into　the
hands　of　my　Lord　Leicester。　　I　had　never　got　her　safe　into　your
chamber；　had　she　known　the　owner　of　it。〃

〃Is　it　possible〃〃　said　Tressilian。　　〃But　she　may　have　hopes　the
Earl　will　exert　his　influence　in　her　favour　over　his　villainous
dependant。〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　that；〃　said　Wayland；　〃but　I　believe；　if　she　is
to　reconcile　herself　with　either　Leicester　or　Varney；　the　side　of
the　Castle　of　Kenilworth　which　will　be　safest　for　us　will　be　the
outside；　from　which　we　can　fastest　fly　away。　　It　is　not　my
purpose　to　abide　an　instant　after　delivery　of　the　letter　to
Leicester；　which　waits　but　your　commands　to　find　its　way　to　him。
See；　here　it　isbut　noa　plague　on　itI　must　have　left　it　in
my　dog…hole；　in　the　hay…loft　yonder；　where　I　am　to　sleep。〃

〃Death　and　fury！〃　　said　Tressilian；　transported　beyond　his　usual
patience；　〃thou　hast　not　lost　that　on　which　may　depend　a　stake
more　important　than　a　thousand　such　lives　as　thine？〃

〃Lost　it！〃　　answered　Wayland　readily；　〃that　were　a　jest　indeed！
No；　sir；　I　have　it　carefully　put　up　with　my　night…sack；　and　some
matters　I　have　occasion　to　use；　I　will　fetch　it　in　an　instant。〃

〃Do　so；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃be　faithful；　and　thou　shalt　be　well
rewarded。　　But　if　I　have　reason　to　suspect　thee；　a　dead　dog　were
in　better　case　than　thou！〃

Wayland　bowed；　and　took　his　leave　with　seeming　confidence　and
alacrity；　but；　in　fact；　filled　with　the　utmost　dread　and
confusion。　　The　letter　was　lost；　that　was　certain；
notwithstanding　the　apology　which　he　had　made　to　appease　the
impatient　displeasure　of　Tressilian。　　It　was　lostit　might　fall
into　wrong　handsit　would　then　certainly　occasion　a　discovery　of
the　whole　intrigue　in　which　he　had　been　engaged；　nor；　indeed；　did
Wayland　see　much　prospect　of　its　remaining　concealed；　in　any
event。　　He　felt　much　hurt；　besides；　at　Tressilian's　burst　of
impatience。

〃Nay；　if　I　am　to　be　paid　in　this　coin　for　services　where　my　neck
is　concerned；　it　is　time　I　should　look　to　myself。　　Here　have　I
offended；　for　aught　I　know；　to　the　death；　the　lord　of　this
stately　castle；　whose　word　were　as　powerful　to　take　away　my　life
as　the　breath　which　speaks　it　to　blow　out　a　farthing　candle。　　And
all　this　for　a　mad　lady；　and　a　melancholy　gallant；　who；　on　the
loss　of　a　four…nooked　bit　of　paper；　has　his　hand　on　his　poignado；
and　swears　death　and　fury！Then　there　is　the　Doctor　and　Varney。
I　will　save　myself　from　the　whole　mess　of　them。　　Life　is　dearer
than　gold。　　I　will　fly　this　instant；　though　I　leave　my　reward
behind　me。〃

These　reflections　naturally　enough　occurred　to　a　mind　like
Wayland's；　who　found　himself　engaged　far　deeper　than　he　had
expected　in　a　train　of　mysterious　and　unintelligible　intrigues；
in　which　the　actors　seemed　hardly