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read； or rather devoured； the contents of the other。
〃Surely； lady；〃 said Janet； gazing with admiration at the neck…
string of pearls； 〃the daughters of Tyre wore no fairer neck…
jewels than these。 And then the posy； 'For a neck that is
fairer'each pearl is worth a freehold。〃
〃Each word in this dear paper is worth the whole string； my girl。
But come to my tiring…room； girl； we must be brave； my lord comes
hither to…night。He bids me grace you； Master Varney； and to me
his wish is a law。 I bid you to a collation in my bower this
afternoon； and you； too； Master Foster。 Give orders that all is
fitting； and that suitable preparations be made for my lord's
reception to…night。〃 With these words she left the apartment。
〃She takes state on her already；〃 said Varney； 〃and distributes
the favour of her presence； as if she were already the partner of
his dignity。 Well； it is wise to practise beforehand the part
which fortune prepares us to playthe young eagle must gaze at
the sun ere he soars on strong wing to meet it。〃
〃If holding her head aloft；〃 said Foster； 〃will keep her eyes
from dazzling； I warrant you the dame will not stoop her crest。
She will presently soar beyond reach of my whistle； Master
Varney。 I promise you； she holds me already in slight regard。〃
〃It is thine own fault； thou sullen； uninventive companion；〃
answered Varney； 〃who knowest no mode of control save downright
brute force。 Canst thou not make home pleasant to her； with
music and toys？ Canst thou not make the out…of…doors frightful
to her； with tales of goblins？ Thou livest here by the
churchyard； and hast not even wit enough to raise a ghost； to
scare thy females into good discipline。〃
〃Speak not thus； Master Varney；〃 said Foster； 〃the living I fear
not； but I trifle not nor toy with my dead neighbours of the
churchyard。 I promise you； it requires a good heart to live so
near it。 Worthy Master Holdforth； the afternoon's lecturer of
Saint Antonlin's； had a sore fright there the last time he came
to visit me。〃
〃Hold thy superstitious tongue；〃 answered Varney； 〃and while thou
talkest of visiting； answer me； thou paltering knave； how came
Tressilian to be at the postern door？〃
〃Tressilian！〃 answered Foster； 〃what know I of Tressilian？ I
never heard his name。〃
〃Why； villain； it was the very Cornish chough to whom old Sir
Hugh Robsart destined his pretty Amy； and hither the hot…brained
fool has come to look after his fair runaway。 There must be some
order taken with him； for he thinks he hath wrong； and is not the
mean hind that will sit down with it。 Luckily he knows nought of
my lord； but thinks he has only me to deal with。 But how； in the
fiend's name； came he hither？〃
〃Why； with Mike Lambourne； an you must know；〃 answered Foster。
〃And who is Mike Lambourne？〃 demanded Varney。 〃By Heaven！ thou
wert best set up a bush over thy door； and invite every stroller
who passes by to see what thou shouldst keep secret even from the
sun and air。〃
〃Ay！ ay！ this is a courtlike requital of my service to you；
Master Richard Varney；〃 replied Foster。 〃Didst thou not charge
me to seek out for thee a fellow who had a good sword and an
unscrupulous conscience？ and was I not busying myself to find a
fit manfor； thank Heaven； my acquaintance lies not amongst such
companionswhen； as Heaven would have it； this tall fellow； who
is in all his dualities the very flashing knave thou didst wish；
came hither to fix acquaintance upon me in the plenitude of his
impudence； and I admitted his claim； thinking to do you a
pleasure。 And now see what thanks I get for disgracing myself by
converse with him！〃
〃And did he；〃 said Varney； 〃being such a fellow as thyself； only
lacking； I suppose； thy present humour of hypocrisy； which lies
as thin over thy hard； ruffianly heart as gold lacquer upon rusty
irondid he； I say； bring the saintly； sighing Tressilian in his
train？〃
〃They came together； by Heaven！〃 said Foster； 〃and Tressilian
to speak Heaven's truthobtained a moment's interview with our
pretty moppet； while I was talking apart with Lambourne。〃
〃Improvident villain！ we are both undone；〃 said Varney。 〃She
has of late been casting many a backward look to her father's
halls； whenever her lordly lover leaves her alone。 Should this
preaching fool whistle her back to her old perch； we were but
lost men。〃
〃No fear of that； my master；〃 replied Anthony Foster； 〃she is in
no mood to stoop to his lure； for she yelled out on seeing him as
if an adder had stung her。〃
〃That is good。 Canst thou not get from thy daughter an inkling
of what passed between them； good Foster？〃
〃I tell you plain； Master Varney；〃 said Foster； 〃my daughter
shall not enter our purposes or walk in our paths。 They may suit
me well enough； who know how to repent of my misdoings； but I
will not have my child's soul committed to peril either for your
pleasure or my lord's。 I may walk among snares and pitfalls
myself； because I have discretion； but I will not trust the poor
lamb among them。〃
〃Why； thou suspicious fool； I were as averse as thou art that thy
baby…faced girl should enter into my plans； or walk to hell at
her father's elbow。 But indirectly thou mightst gain some
intelligence of her？〃
〃And so I did； Master Varney；〃 answered Foster； 〃and she said her
lady called out upon the sickness of her father。〃
〃Good！〃 replied Varney； 〃that is a hint worth catching； and I
will work upon it。 But the country must be rid of this
Tressilian。 I would have cumbered no man about the matter； for I
hate him like strong poisonhis presence is hemlock to meand
this day I had been rid of him； but that my foot slipped； when；
to speak truth； had not thy comrade yonder come to my aid； and
held his hand； I should have known by this time whether you and I
have been treading the path to heaven or hell。〃
〃And you can speak thus of such a risk！〃 said Foster。 〃You keep
a stout heart； Master Varney。 For me； if I did not hope to live
many years； and to have time for the great work of repentance； I
would not go forward with you。〃
〃Oh！ thou shalt live as long as Methuselah；〃 said Varney； 〃and
amass as much wealth as Solomon； and thou shalt repent so
devoutly； that thy repentance shall be more famous than thy
villainyand that is a bold word。 But for all this； Tressilian
must be looked after。 Thy ruffian yonder is gone to dog him。 It
concerns our fortunes； Anthony。〃
〃Ay； ay；〃 said Foster sullenly； 〃this it is to be leagued with
one who knows not even so much of Scripture； as that the labourer
is worthy of his hire。 I must； as usual； take all the trouble
and risk。〃
〃Risk！ and what is the mighty risk； I pray you？〃 answered
Varney。 〃This fellow will come prowling again about your demesne
or into your house； and if you take him for a house…breaker or a
park…breaker； is it not most natural you should welcome him with
cold steel or hot lead？ Even a mastiff will pull down those who
come near his kennel； and who shall blame him？〃
〃Ay； I have a mastiff's work and a mastiff's wage among you；〃
said Foster。 〃Here have you； Master Varney； secured a good
freehold estate out