kenilworth-第94章

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in　his　chamber；　and　that　is　all　one。　　But　confess；　thou　old
bat's…eyed　dungeon…keeper；　that　you　fear　to　keep　awake　by
yourself　in　that　Mervyn's　Tower　of　thine？〃

〃Why；　as　to　fear；　Master　Lambourne；〃　said　the　fellow；　〃I　mind　it
not　the　turning　of　a　key；　but　strange　things　have　been　heard　and
seen　in　that　tower。　　You　must　have　heard；　for　as　short　time　as
you　have　been　in　Kenilworth；　that　it　is　haunted　by　the　spirit　of
Arthur　ap　Mervyn；　a　wild　chief　taken　by　fierce　Lord　Mortimer　when
he　was　one　of　the　Lords　Marchers　of　Wales；　and　murdered；　as　they
say；　in　that　same　tower　which　bears　his　name。〃

〃Oh；　I　have　heard　the　tale　five　hundred　times；〃　said　Lambourne；
〃and　how　the　ghost　is　always　most　vociferous　when　they　boil　leeks
and　stirabout；　or　fry　toasted　cheese；　in　the　culinary　regions。
Santo　Diavolo；　man；　hold　thy　tongue；　I　know　all　about　it！〃

〃Ay；　but　thou　dost　not；　though；〃　said　the　turnkey；　〃　for　as　wise
as　thou　wouldst　make　thyself。　　Ah；　it　is　an　awful　thing　to　murder
a　prisoner　in　his　ward！you　that　may　have　given　a　man　a　stab　in
a　dark　street　know　nothing　of　it。　　To　give　a　mutinous　fellow　a
knock　on　the　head　with　the　keys；　and　bid　him　be　quiet；　that's
what　I　call　keeping　order　in　the　ward；　but　to　draw　weapon　and
slay　him；　as　was　done　to　this　Welsh　lord；　THAT　raises　you　a　ghost
that　will　render　your　prison…house　untenantable　by　any　decent
captive　for　some　hundred　years。　　And　I　have　that　regard　for　my
prisoners；　poor　things；　that　I　have　put　good　squires　and　men　of
worship；　that　have　taken　a　ride　on　the　highway；　or　slandered　my
Lord　of　Leicester；　or　the　like；　fifty　feet　under　ground；　rather
than　I　would　put　them　into　that　upper　chamber　yonder　that　they
call　Mervyn's　Bower。　　Indeed；　by　good　Saint　Peter　of　the　Fetters；
I　marvel　my　noble　lord；　or　Master　Varney；　could　think　of　lodging
guests　there；　and　if　this　Master　Tressilian　could　get　any　one　to
keep　him　company；　and　in　especial　a　pretty　wench；　why；　truly；　I
think　he　was　in　the　right　on't。〃

〃I　tell　thee；〃　said　Lambourne；　leading　the　way　into　the　turnkey's
apartment；　〃thou　art　an　ass。　　Go　bolt　the　wicket　on　the　stair；
and　trouble　not　thy　noddle　about　ghosts。　　Give　me　the　wine　stoup；
man；　I　am　somewhat　heated　with　chafing　with　yonder　rascal。〃

While　Lambourne　drew　a　long　draught　from　a　pitcher　of　claret；
which　he　made　use　of　without　any　cup；　the　warder　went　on；
vindicating　his　own　belief　in　the　supernatural。

〃Thou　hast　been　few　hours　in　this　Castle；　and　hast　been　for　the
whole　space　so　drunk；　Lambourne；　that　thou　art　deaf；　dumb；　and
blind。　　But　we　should　hear　less　of　your　bragging　were　you　to　pass
a　night　with　us　at　full　moon；　for　then　the　ghost　is　busiest；　and
more　especially　when　a　rattling　wind　sets　in　from　the　north…west；
with　some　sprinkling　of　rain；　and　now　and　then　a　growl　of
thunder。　　Body　o'　me；　what　crackings　and　clashings；　what
groanings　and　what　howlings；　will　there　be　at　such　times　in
Mervyn's　Bower；　right　as　it　were　over　our　heads；　till　the　matter
of　two　quarts　of　distilled　waters　has　not　been　enough　to　keep　my
lads　and　me　in　some　heart！〃

〃Pshaw；　man！〃　　replied　Lambourne；　on　whom　his　last　draught；
joined　to　repeated　visitations　of　the　pitcher　upon　former
occasions；　began　to　make　some　innovation；　〃thou　speakest　thou
knowest　not　what　about　spirits。　　No　one　knows　justly　what　to　say
about　them；　and；　in　short；　least　said　may　in　that　matter　be
soonest　amended。　Some　men　believe　in　one　thing；　some　in　another
it　is　all　matter　of　fancy。　　I　have　known　them　of　all　sorts；　my
dear　Lawrence　Lock…the…door；　and　sensible　men　too。　　There's　a
great　lordwe'll　pass　his　name；　Lawrencehe　believes　in　the
stars　and　the　moon；　the　planets　and　their　courses；　and　so　forth；
and　that　they　twinkle　exclusively　for　his　benefit；　when　in　sober；
or　rather　in　drunken　truth；　Lawrence；　they　are　only　shining　to
keep　honest　fellows　like　me　out　of　the　kennel。　　Well；　sir；　let
his　humour　pass；　he　is　great　enough　to　indulge　it。　　Then；　look
ye；　there　is　anothera　very　learned　man；　I　promise　you；　and　can
vent　Greek　and　Hebrew　as　fast　as　I　can　Thieves'　Latin　he　has　an
humour　of　sympathies　and　antipathiesof　changing　lead　into　gold；
and　the　like；　why；　via；　let　that　pass　too；　and　let　him　pay　those
in　transmigrated　coin　who　are　fools　enough　to　let　it　be　current
with　them。　　Then　here　comest　thou　thyself；　another　great　man；
though　neither　learned　nor　noble；　yet　full　six　feet　high；　and
thou；　like　a　purblind　mole；　must　needs　believe　in　ghosts　and
goblins；　and　such　like。　　Now；　there　is；　besides；　a　great　man
that　is；　a　great　little　man；　or　a　little　great　man；　my　dear
Lawrenceand　his　name　begins　with　V；　and　what　believes　he？　　Why；
nothing；　honest　Lawrencenothing　in　earth；　heaven；　or　hell；　and
for　my　part；　if　I　believe　there　is　a　devil；　it　is　only　because　I
think　there　must　be　some　one　to　catch　our　aforesaid　friend　by　the
back　'when　soul　and　body　sever；'　as　the　ballad　says；　for　your
antecedent　will　have　a　consequentRARO　ANTECEDENTEM；　as　Doctor
Bircham　was　wont　to　say。　　But　this　is　Greek　to　you　now；　honest
Lawrence；　and　in　sooth　learning　is　dry　work。　　Hand　me　the　pitcher
once　more。〃

〃In　faith；　if　you　drink　more；　Michael；〃　said　the　warder；　〃you
will　be　in　sorry　case　either　to　play　Arion　or　to　wait　on　your
master　on　such　a　solemn　night；　and　I　expect　each　moment　to　hear
the　great　bell　toll　for　the　muster　at　Mortimer's　Tower；　to
receive　the　Queen。〃

While　Staples　remonstrated；　Lambourne　drank；　and　then　setting
down　the　pitcher；　which　was　nearly　emptied；　with　a　deep　sigh；　he
said；　in　an　undertone；　which　soon　rose　to　a　high　one　as　his
speech　proceeded；　〃Never　mind；　Lawrence；　if　I　be　drunk；　I　know
that　shall　make　Varney　uphold　me　sober。　　But；　as　I　said；　never
mind；　I　can　carry　my　drink　discreetly。　　Moreover；　I　am　to　go　on
the　water　as　Orion；　and　shall　take　cold　unless　I　take　something
comfortable　beforehand。　　Not　play　Orion？　　Let　us　see　the　best
roarer　that　ever　strained　his　lungs　for　twelve　pence　out…mouth
me！　　What　if　they　see　me　a　little　disguised？　　Wherefore　should
any　man　be　sober　to…night？　　answer　me　that。　　It　is　matter　of
loyalty　to　be　merry；　and　I　tell　thee　there　are　those　in　the
Castle　who；　if　they　are　not　merry　when　drunk；　have　little　chance
to　be　merry　when　soberI　name　no　names；　Lawrence。　　But　your
pottle　of　sack　is　a　fine　shoeing…horn　to　pull　on　a　loyal　humour；
and　a　merry　one。　　Huzza　for　Queen　Elizabeth！for　the　noble
Leicester！for　the　worshipful　Master　Varney！and　for　Michael
Lambourne；　that　can　turn　them　all　round　his　finger！〃

So　saying；　he　walked　downstairs；　and　across　the　inner　court。

The　warder　looked　after　him；　shook　his　head；　and　while　he　drew
close　and　locked　a　wicket；　which；　crossing　the　staircase；
rendered　it　impossible　for　any　one　to　ascend　higher　than　the
story　immediately　beneath　Mervyn's　Bower；　as　Tressilian's　chamber
was　named；　he　thus　soliloquized　with　himself〃It's　a　good　thing
to　be　a　favourite。　　I　well…nigh　lost　mine　office；　because　one
frosty　morning　Master　Varney　thought　I　smelled　of　aqua　vitae；　and
this　fellow　can　appear　before　him　drunk　as　a　wineskin；　and　yet
meet　no　rebuke。　　But　then　he　is　a　pestilent　clever　fellow　withal；
and　no　one　can　understand　above　one　half　of　what　he　says。〃



CHAPTER　XXX。

　　Now　bid　the　steeple　rockshe　comes；　she　comes！
　　Speak　for　us；　bellsspeak　for　us；　shrill…tongued　tuckets。
　　Stand　to　thy　linstock；　gunner；　let　thy　cannon
　　Play　such　a　peal；　as　if　a　paynim　foe
　　Came　stretch'd　in　turban'd　ranks　to　storm　the　ramparts。
　　We　will　have　pageants　toobut　that　craves　wit；
　　And　I'm　a　rough…hewn　soldier。　　THE　VIRGIN　QUEENA　TRAGI…COMEDY。

Tressilian；　when　Wayland　had　left　him；　as　mentioned　in　the　last
chapter；　remained　uncertain　what　he　ought　next　to　do；　when
Raleigh　and　Blount　came　up　to　him　arm　in　arm；　yet；　according　to
their　wont；　very　eagerly　disputing　together。　　Tressilian　had　no
great　desire　for　their　society　in　the　present　state　of　his
feelings；　but　there　was　no　possibility　of　avoiding　them；　and
indeed　he　felt　that；　bound　by　his　promise　not　to　approach　Amy；　or
take　any　step　in　her　behalf；　it　would　be　his　best　course　at　once
to　mix　with　general　society；　and　to　exhibit　on　his　brow　as　little
as　he　could　of　the　anguish　and　uncertainty　whi