按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
for an hour ere I again open mine iron chest。〃
Varney； meantime； spurred after his lord； whom he found waiting
for him at the postern gate of the park。
〃You waste time； Varney；〃 said the Earl； 〃and it presses。 I must
be at Woodstock before I can safely lay aside my disguise； and
till then I journey in some peril。〃
〃It is but two hours' brisk riding； my lord；〃 said Varney。 〃For
me； I only stopped to enforce your commands of care and secrecy
on yonder Foster； and to inquire about the abode of the gentleman
whom I would promote to your lordship's train； in the room of
Trevors。〃
〃Is he fit for the meridian of the antechamber； think'st thou？〃
said the Earl。
〃He promises well； my lord；〃 replied Varney ； 〃but if your
lordship were pleased to ride on； I could go back to Cumnor； and
bring him to your lordship at Woodstock before you are out of
bed。〃
〃Why； I am asleep there； thou knowest； at this moment；〃 said the
Earl； 〃and I pray you not to spare horse…flesh； that you may be
with me at my levee。〃
So saying； he gave his horse the spur； and proceeded on his
journey； while Varney rode back to Cumnor by the public road；
avoiding the park。 The latter alighted at the door of the bonny
Black Bear； and desired to speak with Master Michael Lambourne；
That respectable character was not long of appearing before his
new patron； but it was with downcast looks。
〃Thou hast lost the scent；〃 said Varney； 〃of thy comrade
Tressilian。 I know it by thy bang…dog visage。 Is this thy
alacrity； thou impudent knave？〃
〃Cogswounds！〃 said Lambourne； 〃there was never a trail so finely
hunted。 I saw him to earth at mine uncle's herestuck to him
like bees'…waxsaw him at supperwatched him to his chamber；
and； presto！ he is gone next morning； the very hostler knows not
where。〃
〃This sounds like practice upon me； sir；〃 replied Varney； 〃and if
it proves so； by my soul you shall repent it！〃
〃Sir； the best hound will be sometimes at fault；〃 answered
Lambourne； 〃how should it serve me that this fellow should have
thus evanished？ You may ask mine host； Giles Goslingask the
tapster and hostlerask Cicely； and the whole household； how I
kept eyes on Tressilian while he was on foot。 On my soul； I
could not be expected to watch him like a sick nurse； when I had
seen him fairly a…bed in his chamber。 That will be allowed me；
surely。〃
Varney did； in fact； make some inquiry among the household； which
confirmed the truth of Lambourne's statement。 Tressilian； it was
unanimously agreed； had departed suddenly and unexpectedly；
betwixt night and morning。
〃But I will wrong no one；〃 said mine host； 〃he left on the table
in his lodging the full value of his reckoning； with some
allowance to the servants of the house； which was the less
necessary that he saddled his own gelding； as it seems； without
the hostler's assistance。〃
Thus satisfied of the rectitude of Lambourne's conduct； Varney
began to talk to him upon his future prospects； and the mode in
which he meant to bestow himself； intimating that he understood
from Foster he was not disinclined to enter into the household of
a nobleman。
〃Have you；〃 said he； 〃ever been at court？〃
〃No；〃 replied Lambourne； 〃but ever since I was ten years old； I
have dreamt once a week that I was there； and made my fortune。〃
〃It may be your own fault if your dream comes not true；〃 said
Varney。 〃Are you needy？〃
〃Um！〃 replied Lambourne； 〃I love pleasure。〃
〃That is a sufficient answer； and an honest one；〃 said Varney。
〃Know you aught of the requisites expected from the retainer of a
rising courtier？〃
〃I have imagined them to myself； sir；〃 answered Lambourne； 〃as；
for example； a quick eye； a close mouth； a ready and bold hand； a
sharp wit； and a blunt conscience。〃
〃And thine； I suppose；〃 said Varney； 〃has had its edge blunted
long since？〃
〃I cannot remember； sir； that its edge was ever over…keen；〃
replied Lambourne。 〃When I was a youth； I had some few whimsies；
but I rubbed them partly out of my recollection on the rough
grindstone of the wars； and what remained I washed out in the
broad waves of the Atlantic。〃
〃Thou hast served； then； in the Indies？〃
〃In both East and West；〃 answered the candidate for court
service； 〃by both sea and land。 I have served both the Portugal
and the Spaniard； both the Dutchman and the Frenchman； and have
made war on our own account with a crew of jolly fellows； who
held there was no peace beyond the Line。〃 ＇Sir Francis Drake；
Morgan； and many a bold buccaneer of those days； were； in fact；
little better than pirates。＇
〃Thou mayest do me； and my lord； and thyself； good service；〃 said
Varney； after a pause。 〃But observe； I know the worldand
answer me truly； canst thou be faithful？〃
〃Did you not know the world；〃 answered Lambourne； 〃it were my
duty to say ay； without further circumstance； and to swear to it
with life and honour； and so forth。 But as it seems to me that
your worship is one who desires rather honest truth than politic
falsehood； I reply to you； that I can be faithful to the gallows'
foot； ay； to the loop that dangles from it； if I am well used and
well recompensednot otherwise。〃
〃To thy other virtues thou canst add； no doubt；〃 said Varney； in
a jeering tone； 〃the knack of seeming serious and religious； when
the moment demands it？〃
〃It would cost me nothing；〃 said Lambourne； 〃to say yes； but； to
speak on the square； I must needs say no。 If you want a
hypocrite； you may take Anthony Foster； who； from his childhood；
had some sort of phantom haunting him； which he called religion；
though it was that sort of godliness which always ended in being
great gain。 But I have no such knack of it。〃
〃Well；〃 replied Varney； 〃if thou hast no hypocrisy； hast thou not
a nag here in the stable？〃
〃Ay； sir；〃 said Lambourne； 〃that shall take hedge and ditch with
my Lord Duke's best hunters。 Then I made a little mistake on
Shooter's Hill； and stopped an ancient grazier whose pouches were
better lined than his brain…pan； the bonny bay nag carried me
sheer off in spite of the whole hue and cry。〃
〃Saddle him then instantly； and attend me；〃 said Varney。 〃Leave
thy clothes and baggage under charge of mine host； and I will
conduct thee to a service； in which； if thou do not better
thyself； the fault shall not be fortune's； but thine own。〃
〃Brave and hearty！〃 said Lambourne； 〃and I am mounted in an
instant。Knave； hostler； saddle my nag without the loss of one
second； as thou dost value the safety of thy noddle。Pretty
Cicely； take half this purse to comfort thee for my sudden
departure。〃
〃Gogsnouns！〃 replied the father； 〃Cicely wants no such token
from thee。 Go away； Mike； and gather grace if thou canst； though
I think thou goest not to the land where it grows。〃
〃Let me look at this Cicely of thine； mine host；〃 said Varney； 〃I
have heard much talk of her beauty。〃
〃It is a sunburnt beauty；〃 said mine host； 〃well qualified to
stand out rain and wind； but little calculated to please such
critical gallants as yourself。 She keeps her chamber； and cannot
encounter the glance of such sunny…day courtiers as my noble
guest。〃
〃Well； peace be w