twice-told tales- my kinsman, major molineux-第3章

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harbor。　The　moonlight　fell　upon　no　passenger　along　the　whole　extent；

but　in　the　third　domicile　which　Robin　passed　there　was　a　half…opened

door；　and　his　keen　glance　detected　a　woman's　garment　within。

　　　〃My　luck　may　be　better　here；〃　said　he　to　himself。

　　　Accordingly；　he　approached　the　door；　and　beheld　it　shut　closer　as

he　did　so；　yet　an　open　space　remained；　sufficing　for　the　fair　occupant

to　observe　the　stranger；　without　a　corresponding　display　on　her

part。　All　that　Robin　could　discern　was　a　strip　of　scarlet　petticoat；

and　the　occasional　sparkle　of　an　eye；　as　if　the　moonbeams　were

trembling　on　some　bright　thing。

　　　〃Pretty　mistress；〃　for　I　may　call　her　so　with　a　good　conscience；

thought　the　shrewd　youth；　since　I　know　nothing　to　the　contrary…　〃my

sweet　pretty　mistress；　will　you　be　kind　enough　to　tell　me

whereabouts　I　must　seek　the　dwelling　of　my　kinsman；　Major　Molineux？〃

　　　Robin's　voice　was　plaintive　and　winning；　and　the　female；　seeing

nothing　to　be　shunned　in　the　handsome　country　youth；　thrust　open　the

door；　and　came　forth　into　the　moonlight。　She　was　a　dainty　little

figure；　with　a　white　neck；　round　arms；　and　a　slender　waist；　at　the

extremity　of　which　her　scarlet　petticoat　jutted　out　over　a　hoop；　as　if

she　were　standing　in　a　balloon。　Moreover；　her　face　was　oval　and

pretty；　her　hair　dark　beneath　the　little　cap；　and　her　bright　eyes

possessed　a　sly　freedom；　which　triumphed　over　those　of　Robin。

　　　〃Major　Molineux　dwells　here；〃　said　this　fair　woman。

　　　Now；　her　voice　was　the　sweetest　Robin　had　heard　that　night；　the

airy　counterpart　of　a　stream　of　melted　silver；　yet　he　could　not　help

doubting　whether　that　sweet　voice　spoke　Gospel　truth。　He　looked　up　and

down　the　mean　street；　and　then　surveyed　the　house　before　which　they

stood。　It　was　a　small；　dark　edifice　of　two　stories；　the　second　of

which　projected　over　the　lower　floor；　and　the　front　apartment　had

the　aspect　of　a　shop　for　petty　commodities。

　　　〃Now　truly　I　am　in　luck；〃　replied　Robin；　cunningly；　〃and　so

indeed　is　my　kinsman；　the　major；　in　having　so　pretty　a　housekeeper。

But　I　prithee　trouble　him　to　step　to　the　door；　I　will　deliver　him　a

message　from　his　friends　in　the　country；　and　then　go　back　to　my

lodgings　at　the　inn。〃

　　　〃Nay；　the　major　has　been　a…bed　this　hour　or　more；〃　said　the　lady　of

the　scarlet　petticoat；　〃and　it　would　be　to　little　purpose　to　disturb

him　tonight；　seeing　his　evening　draught　was　of　the　strongest。　But　he

is　a　kind…hearted　man；　and　it　would　be　as　much　as　my　life's　worth　to

let　a　kinsman　of　his　turn　away　from　the　door。　You　are　the　good　old

gentleman's　very　picture；　and　I　could　swear　that　was　his　rainy…weather

hat。　Also　he　has　garments　very　much　resembling　those　leather

small…clothes。　But　come　in；　I　pray；　for　I　bid　you　hearty　welcome　in

his　name。〃

　　　So　saying；　the　fair　and　hospitable　dame　took　our　hero　by　the

hand；　and　the　touch　was　light；　and　the　force　was　gentleness；　and

though　Robin　read　in　her　eyes　what　he　did　not　hear　in　her　words；　yet

the　slender…waisted　woman　in　the　scarlet　petticoat　proved　stronger

than　the　athletic　country　youth。　She　had　drawn　his　half…willing

footsteps　nearly　to　the　threshold；　when　the　opening　of　a　door　in　the

neighborhood　startled　the　major's　housekeeper；　and；　leaving　the

major's　kinsman；　she　vanished　speedily　into　her　own　domicile。　A

heavy　yawn　preceded　the　appearance　of　a　man；　who；　like　the　Moonshine

of　Pyramus　and　Thisbe；　carried　a　lantern；　needlessly　aiding　his　sister

luminary　in　the　heavens。　As　he　walked　sleepily　up　the　street；　he

turned　his　broad；　dull　face　on　Robin；　and　displayed　a　long　staff；

spiked　at　the　end。

　　　〃Home；　vagabond；　home！〃　said　the　watchman；　in　accents　that　seemed

to　fall　asleep　as　soon　as　they　were　uttered。　〃Home；　or　we'll　set　you

in　the　stocks；　by　peep　of　day！〃

　　　〃This　is　the　second　hint　of　the　kind；〃　thought　Robin。　〃I　wish

they　would　end　my　difficulties；　by　setting　me　there　tonight。〃

　　　Nevertheless；　the　youth　felt　an　instinctive　antipathy　towards　the

guardian　of　midnight　order；　which　at　first　prevented　him　from　asking

his　usual　question。　But　just　when　the　man　was　about　to　vanish　behind

the　corner；　Robin　resolved　not　to　lose　the　opportunity；　and　shouted

lustily　after　him…　〃I　say；　friend！　will　you　guide　me　to　the　house　of

my　kinsman；　Major　Molineux？〃

　　　The　watchman　made　no　reply；　but　turned　the　corner　and　was　gone；　yet

Robin　seemed　to　hear　the　sound　of　drowsy　laughter　stealing　along　the

solitary　street。　At　that　moment；　also；　a　pleasant　titter　saluted　him

from　the　open　window　above　his　head；　he　looked　up；　and　caught　the

sparkle　of　a　saucy　eye；　a　round　arm　beckoned　to　him；　and　next　he　heard

light　footsteps　descending　the　staircase　within。　But　Robin；　being　of

the　household　of　a　New　England　clergyman；　was　a　good　youth；　as　well　as

a　shrewd　one；　so　he　resisted　temptation；　and　fled　away。

　　　He　now　roamed　desperately；　and　at　random；　through　the　town；

almost　ready　to　believe　that　a　spell　was　on　him；　like　that　by　which

a　wizard　of　his　country　had　once　kept　three　pursuers　wandering；　a

whole　winter　night；　within　twenty　paces　of　the　cottage　which　they

sought。　The　streets　lay　before　him；　strange　and　desolate；　and　the

lights　were　extinguished　in　almost　every　house。　Twice；　however；　little

parties　of　men；　among　whom　Robin　distinguished　individuals　in

outlandish　attire；　came　hurrying　along；　but　though　on　both　occasions

they　paused　to　address　him；　such　intercourse　did　not　at　all

enlighten　his　perplexity。　They　did　but　utter　a　few　words　in　some

language　of　which　Robin　knew　nothing；　and　perceiving　his　inability

to　answer；　bestowed　a　curse　upon　him　in　plain　English；　and　hastened

away。　Finally；　the　lad　determined　to　knock　at　the　door　of　every

mansion　that　might　appear　worthy　to　be　occupied　by　his　kinsman；

trusting　that　perseverance　would　overcome　the　fatality　that　had

hitherto　thwarted　him。　Firm　in　this　resolve；　he　was　passing　beneath

the　walls　of　a　church；　which　formed　the　corner　of　two　streets；　when；

as　he　turned　into　the　shade　of　its　steeple；　he　encountered　a　bulky

stranger；　muffled　in　a　cloak。　The　man　was　proceeding　with　the　speed　of

earnest　business；　but　Robin　planted　himself　full　before　him；　holding

the　oak　cudgel　with　both　hands　across　his　body；　as　a　bar　to　further

passage。

　　　〃Halt；　honest　man；　and　answer　me　a　question；〃　said　he；　very

resolutely。　〃Tell　me；　this　instant；　whereabouts　is　the　dwelling　of

my　kinsman；　Major　Molineux？〃

　　　〃Keep　your　tongue　between　your　teeth；　fool；　and　let　me　pass！〃

said　a　deep；　gruff　voice；　which　Robin　partly　remembered。　〃Let　me　pass；

I　say；　or　I'll　strike　you　to　the　earth！〃

　　　〃No；　no；　neighbor！〃　cried　Robin；　flourishing　his　cudgel；　and　then

thrusting　its　larger　end　close　to　the　man's　muffled　face。　〃No；　no；　I'm

not　the　fool　you　take　me　for；　nor　do　you　pass　till　I　have　an　answer　to

my　question。　Whereabouts　is　the　dwelling　of　my　kinsman；　Major

Molineux？〃

　　　The　stranger；　instead　of　attempting　to　force　his　passage；　stepped

back　into　the　moonlight；　unmuffled　his　face；　and　stared　full　into　that

of　Robin。

　　　〃Watch　here　an　hour；　and　Major　Molineux　will　pass　by；〃　said　he。

　　　Robin　gazed　with　dismay　and　astonishment　on　the　unprecedented

physiognomy　of　the　speaker。　The　forehead　with　its　double　prominence；

the　broad　hooked　nose；　the　shaggy　eyebrows；　and　fiery　eyes；　were　those

which　he　had　noticed　at　the　inn；　but　the　man's　complexion　had

undergone　a　singular；　or；　more　properly；　a　two…fold　change。　One　side

of　the　face　blazed　an　intense　red；　while　the　other　was　black　as

midnight；　the　division　line　being　in　the　broad　bridge　of　the　nose；　and

a　mouth　which　seemed　to　extend　from　ear　to　ear　was　black　or　red；　in

contrast　to　the　color　of　the　cheek。　The　effect　was　as　if　two

individual　devils；　a　fiend　of　fire　and　a　fiend　of　darkness；　had　united

themselves　to　form　this　infernal　visage。　The　stranger　grinned　in

Robin's　face；　muffled　his　parti…colored　features；　and　was　out　of　sight

in　a　moment。

　　　〃Strange　things　we　travellers　see！〃　ejaculated　Robin。

　　　He　seated　himself；　however；　upon　the　steps　of　the　church…door；

resolving　to　wait　the　appointed　time　for　his　kinsman。　A　few　mom