kenilworth-第95章

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to　mix　with　general　society；　and　to　exhibit　on　his　brow　as　little
as　he　could　of　the　anguish　and　uncertainty　which　sat　heavy　at　his
heart。　　He　therefore　made　a　virtue　of　necessity；　and　hailed　his
comrades　with；　〃All　mirth　to　you；　gentlemen！　　Whence　come　ye？〃

〃From　Warwick；　to　be　sure；〃　said　Blount；　〃we　must　needs　home　to
change　our　habits；　like　poor　players；　who　are　fain　to　multiply
their　persons　to　outward　appearance　by　change　of　suits；　and　you
had　better　do　the　like；　Tressilian。〃

〃Blount　is　right；〃　said　Raleigh；　〃the　Queen　loves　such　marks　of
deference；　and　notices；　as　wanting　in　respect；　those　who；　not
arriving　in　her　immediate　attendance；　may　appear　in　their　soiled
and　ruffled　riding…dress。　　But　look　at　Blount　himself；
Tressilian；　for　the　love　of　laughter；　and　see　how　his　villainous
tailor　hath　apparelled　himin　blue；　green；　and　crimson；　with
carnation　ribbons；　and　yellow　roses　in　his　shoes！〃

〃Why；　what　wouldst　thou　have？〃　　said　Blount。　　〃I　told　the　cross…
legged　thief　to　do　his　best；　and　spare　no　cost；　and　methinks
these　things　are　gay　enoughgayer　than　thine　own。　　I'll　be
judged　by　Tressilian。〃

〃I　agreeI　agree；〃　said　Walter　Raleigh。　　〃Judge　betwixt　us；
Tressilian；　for　the　love　of　heaven！〃

Tressilian；　thus　appealed　to；　looked　at　them　both；　and　was
immediately　sensible　at　a　single　glance　that　honest　Blount　had
taken　upon　the　tailor's　warrant　the　pied　garments　which　he　had
chosen　to　make；　and　was　as　much　embarrassed　by　the　quantity　of
points　and　ribbons　which　garnished　his　dress；　as　a　clown　is　in
his　holiday　clothes；　while　the　dress　of　Raleigh　was　a　well…
fancied　and　rich　suit；　which　the　wearer　bore　as　a　garb　too　well
adapted　to　his　elegant　person　to　attract　particular　attention。
Tressilian　said；　therefore；　〃That　Blount's　dress　was　finest；　but
Raleigh's　the　best　fancied。〃

Blount　was　satisfied　with　his　decision。　　〃I　knew　mine　was
finest；〃　he　said；　〃if　that　knave　Doublestitch　had　brought　me　home
such　a　simple　doublet　as　that　of　Raleigh's；　I　would　have　beat　his
brains　out　with　his　own　pressing…iron。　　Nay；　if　we　must　be　fools；
ever　let　us　be　fools　of　the　first　head；　say　I。〃

〃But　why　gettest　thou　not　on　thy　braveries；　Tressilian？〃　　said
Raleigh。

〃I　am　excluded　from　my　apartment　by　a　silly　mistake；〃　said
Tressilian；　〃and　separated　for　the　time　from　my　baggage。　　I　was
about　to　seek　thee；　to　beseech　a　share　of　thy　lodging。〃

〃And　welcome；〃　said　Raleigh；　〃it　is　a　noble　one。　　My　Lord　of
Leicester　has　done　us　that　kindness；　and　lodged　us　in　princely
fashion。　　If　his　courtesy　be　extorted　reluctantly；　it　is　at　least
extended　far。　　I　would　advise　you　to　tell　your　strait　to　the
Earl's　chamberlainyou　will　have　instant　redress。〃

〃Nay；　it　is　not　worth　while；　since　you　can　spare　me　room；〃
replied　Tressilian〃I　would　not　be　troublesome。　　Has　any　one
come　hither　with　you？〃

〃Oh；　ay；〃　said　Blount；　〃Varney　and　a　whole　tribe　of　Leicestrians；
besides　about　a　score　of　us　honest　Sussex　folk。　　We　are　all；　it
seems；　to　receive　the　Queen　at　what　they　call　the　Gallery…tower；
and　witness　some　fooleries　there；　and　then　we're　to　remain　in
attendance　upon　the　Queen　in　the　Great　HallGod　bless　the　mark！
while　those　who　are　now　waiting　upon　her　Grace　get　rid　of　their
slough；　and　doff　their　riding…suits。　　Heaven　help　me；　if　her
Grace　should　speak　to　me；　I　shall　never　know　what　to　answer！〃

〃And　what　has　detained　them　so　long　at　Warwick？〃　　said
Tressilian；　unwilling　that　their　conversation　should　return　to
his　own　affairs。

〃Such　a　succession　of　fooleries；〃　said　Blount；　〃as　were　never
seen　at　Bartholomew…fair。　　We　have　had　speeches　and　players；　and
dogs　and　bears；　and　men　making　monkeys　and　women　moppets　of
themselvesI　marvel　the　Queen　could　endure　it。　　But　ever　and
anon　came　in　something　of　'the　lovely　light　of　her　gracious
countenance；'　or　some　such　trash。　　Ah！　　vanity　makes　a　fool　of
the　wisest。　　But　come；　let　us　on　to　this　same　Gallery…tower
though　I　see　not　what　thou　Tressilian；　canst　do　with　thy　riding…
dress　and　boots。〃

〃I　will　take　my　station　behind　thee；　Blount；〃　said　Tressilian；
who　saw　that　his　friend's　unusual　finery　had　taken　a　strong　hold
of　his　imagination；　〃thy　goodly　size　and　gay　dress　will　cover　my
defects。〃

〃And　so　thou　shalt；　Edmund；〃　said　Blount。　　〃In　faith　I　am　glad
thou　thinkest　my　garb　well…fancied；　for　all　Mr。　Wittypate　here；
for　when　one　does　a　foolish　thing；　it　is　right　to　do　it
handsomely。〃

So　saying；　Blount　cocked　his　beaver；　threw　out　his　leg；　and
marched　manfully　forward；　as　if　at　the　head　of　his　brigade　of
pikemen；　ever　and　anon　looking　with　complaisance　on　his　crimson
stockings；　and　the　huge　yellow　roses　which　blossomed　on　his
shoes。　　Tressilian　followed；　wrapt　in　his　own　sad　thoughts；　and
scarce　minding　Raleigh；　whose　quick　fancy；　amused　by　the　awkward
vanity　of　his　respectable　friend；　vented　itself　in　jests；　which
he　whispered　into　Tressilian's　ear。

In　this　manner　they　crossed　the　long　bridge；　or　tilt…yard；　and
took　their　station；　with　other　gentlemen　of　quality；　before　the
outer　gate　of　the　Gallery；　or　Entrance…tower。　　The　whole　amounted
to　about　forty　persons；　all　selected　as　of　the　first　rank　under
that　of　knighthood；　and　were　disposed　in　double　rows　on　either
side　of　the　gate；　like　a　guard　of　honour；　within　the　close　hedge
of　pikes　and　partisans　which　was　formed　by　Leicester's　retainers；
wearing　his　liveries。　　The　gentlemen　carried　no　arms　save　their
swords　and　daggers。　　These　gallants　were　as　gaily　dressed　as
imagination　could　devise；　and　as　the　garb　of　the　time　permitted　a
great　display　of　expensive　magnificence；　nought　was　to　be　seen
but　velvet　and　cloth　of　gold　and　silver；　ribbons；　leathers；　gems；
and　golden　chains。　　In　spite　of　his　more　serious　subjects　of
distress；　Tressilian　could　not　help　feeling　that　he；　with　his
riding…suit；　however　handsome　it　might　be；　made　rather　an
unworthy　figure　among　these　〃fierce　vanities；〃　and　the　rather
because　he　saw　that　his　deshabille　was　the　subject　of　wonder
among　his　own　friends；　and　of　scorn　among　the　partisans　of
Leicester。

We　could　not　suppress　this　fact；　though　it　may　seem　something　at
variance　with　the　gravity　of　Tressilian's　character；　but　the
truth　is；　that　a　regard　for　personal　appearance　is　a　species　of
self…love；　from　which　the　wisest　are　not　exempt；　and　to　which　the
mind　clings　so　instinctively　that　not　only　the　soldier　advancing
to　almost　inevitable　death；　but　even　the　doomed　criminal　who　goes
to　certain　execution；　shows　an　anxiety　to　array　his　person　to　the
best　advantage。　　But　this　is　a　digression。

It　was　the　twilight　of　a　summer　night　（9th　July；　1575）；　the　sun
having　for　some　time　set；　and　all　were　in　anxious　expectation　of
the　Queen's　immediate　approach。　　The　multitude　had　remained
assembled　for　many　hours；　and　their　numbers　were　still　rather　on
the　increase。　　A　profuse　distribution　of　refreshments；　together
with　roasted　oxen；　and　barrels　of　ale　set　a…broach　in　different
places　of　the　road；　had　kept　the　populace　in　perfect　love　and
loyalty　towards　the　Queen　and　her　favourite；　which　might　have
somewhat　abated　had　fasting　been　added　to　watching。　　They　passed
away　the　time；　therefore；　with　the　usual　popular　amusements　of
whooping；　hallooing；　shrieking；　and　playing　rude　tricks　upon　each
other；　forming　the　chorus　of　discordant　sounds　usual　on　such
occasions。　　These　prevailed　all　through　the　crowded　roads　and
fields；　and　especially　beyond　the　gate　of　the　Chase；　where　the
greater　number　of　the　common　sort　were　stationed；　when；　all　of　a
sudden；　a　single　rocket　was　seen　to　shoot　into　the　atmosphere；
and；　at　the　instant；　far　heard　over　flood　and　field；　the　great
bell　of　the　Castle　tolled。

Immediately　there　was　a　pause　of　dead　silence；　succeeded　by　a
deep　hum　of　expectation；　the　united　voice　of　many　thousands；　none
of　whom　spoke　above　their　breathor；　to　use　a　singular
expression；　the　whisper　of　an　immense　multitude。

〃They　come　now；　for　certain；〃　said　Raleigh。　　〃Tressilian；　that
sound　is　grand。　　We　hear　it　from　this　distance　as　mariners；　after
a　long　voyage；　hear；　upon　their　night…watch；　the　tide　rush　upon
some　distant　and　unknown　shore。〃

〃Mass！〃　　answered　Blount；　〃I　hear　it　rather　as　I　used　to　hear
mine　own　kine