my kinsman-第2节

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more　taciturn　under　its　influence。　Nearly　all；　in　short；　evinced

a　predilection　for　the　Good　Creature　in　some　of　its　various

shapes；　for　this　is　a　vice　to　which；　as　Fast　Day　sermons　of　a

hundred　years　ago　will　testify；　we　have　a　long　hereditary　claim。

The　only　guests　to　whom　Robin's　sympathies　inclined　him　were　two

or　three　sheepish　countrymen；　who　were　using　the　inn　somewhat

after　the　fashion　of　a　Turkish　caravansary；　they　had　gotten

themselves　into　the　darkest　corner　of　the　room；　and　heedless　of

the　Nicotian　atmosphere；　were　supping　on　the　bread　of　their　own

ovens；　and　the　bacon　cured　in　their　own　chimney…smoke。　But　though

Robin　felt　a　sort　of　brotherhood　with　these　strangers；　his　eyes

were　attracted　from　them　to　a　person　who　stood　near　the　door；

holding　whispered　conversation　with　a　group　of　ill…dressed

associates。　His　features　were　separately　striking　almost　to

grotesqueness；　and　the　whole　face　left　a　deep　impression　on　the

memory。　The　forehead　bulged　out　into　a　double　prominence；　with　a

vale　between；　the　nose　came　boldly　forth　in　an　irregular　curve；

and　its　bridge　was　of　more　than　a　finger's　breadth；　the　eyebrows

were　deep　and　shaggy；　and　the　eyes　glowed　beneath　them　like　fire

in　a　cave。



While　Robin　deliberated　of　whom　to　inquire　respecting　his

kinsman's　dwelling；　he　was　accosted　by　the　innkeeper；　a　little

man　in　a　stained　white　apron；　who　had　come　to　pay　his

professional　welcome　to　the　stranger。　Being　in　the　second

generation　from　a　French　Protestant；　he　seemed　to　have　inherited

the　courtesy　of　his　parent　nation；　but　no　variety　of

circumstances　was　ever　known　to　change　his　voice　from　the　one

shrill　note　in　which　he　now　addressed　Robin。



〃From　the　country；　I　presume；　sir？〃　said　he；　with　a　profound　bow。

〃Beg　leave　to　congratulate　you　on　your　arrival；　and　trust　you

intend　a　long　stay　with　us。　Fine　town　here；　sir；　beautiful

buildings；　and　much　that　may　interest　a　stranger。　May　I　hope　for

the　honor　of　your　commands　in　respect　to　supper？〃



〃The　man　sees　a　family　likeness！　the　rogue　has　guessed　that　I　am

related　to　the　Major！〃　thought　Robin；　who　had　hitherto

experienced　little　superfluous　civility。



All　eyes　were　now　turned　on　the　country　lad；　standing　at　the

door；　in　his　worn　three…cornered　hat；　gray　coat；　leather

breeches；　and　blue　yarn　stockings；　leaning　on　an　oaken　cudgel；

and　bearing　a　wallet　on　his　back。



Robin　replied　to　the　courteous　innkeeper；　with　such　an　assumption

of　confidence　as　befitted　the　Major's　relative。　〃My　honest

friend；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　make　it　a　point　to　patronize　your

house　on　some　occasion；　when〃here　he　could　not　help　lowering

his　voice〃when　I　may　have　more　than　a　parchment　three…pence　in

my　pocket。　My　present　business；〃　continued　he；　speaking　with

lofty　confidence；　〃is　merely　to　inquire　my　way　to　the　dwelling　of

my　kinsman；　Major　Molineux。〃



There　was　a　sudden　and　general　movement　in　the　room；　which　Robin

interpreted　as　expressing　the　eagerness　of　each　individual　to

become　his　guide。　But　the　innkeeper　turned　his　eyes　to　a　written

paper　on　the　wall；　which　he　read；　or　seemed　to　read；　with

occasional　recurrences　to　the　young　man's　figure。



〃What　have　we　here？〃　said　he；　breaking　his　speech　into　little　dry

fragments。　〃　'Left　the　house　of　the　subscriber；　bounden　servant；

Hezekiah　Mudge；had　on；　when　he　went　away；　gray　coat；　leather

breeches；　master's　third…best　hat。　One　pound　currency　reward　to

whosoever　shall　lodge　him　in　any　jail　of　the　providence。'　Better

trudge；　boy；　better　trudge！〃



Robin　had　begun　to　draw　his　hand　towards　the　lighter　end　of　the

oak　cudgel；　but　a　strange　hostility　in　every　countenance　induced

him　to　relinquish　his　purpose　of　breaking　the　courteous

innkeeper's　head。　As　he　turned　to　leave　the　room；　he　encountered

a　sneering　glance　from　the　bold…featured　personage　whom　he　had

before　noticed；　and　no　sooner　was　he　beyond　the　door；　than　he

heard　a　general　laugh；　in　which　the　innkeeper's　voice　might　be

distinguished；　like　the　dropping　of　small　stones　into　a　kettle。



〃Now；　is　it　not　strange；〃　thought　Robin；　with　his　usual

shrewdness；　〃is　it　not　strange　that　the　confession　of　an　empty

pocket　should　outweigh　the　name　of　my　kinsman；　Major　Molineux？

Oh；　if　I　had　one　of　those　grinning　rascals　in　the　woods；　where　I

and　my　oak　sapling　grew　up　together；　I　would　teach　him　that　my

arm　is　heavy　though　my　purse　be　light！〃



On　turning　the　corner　of　the　narrow　lane；　Robin　found　himself　in

a　spacious　street；　with　an　unbroken　line　of　lofty　houses　on　each

side；　and　a　steepled　building　at　the　upper　end；　whence　the

ringing　of　a　bell　announced　the　hour　of　nine。　The　light　of　the

moon；　and　the　lamps　from　the　numerous　shop…windows；　discovered

people　promenading　on　the　pavement；　and　amongst　them　Robin　had

hoped　to　recognize　his　hitherto　inscrutable　relative。　The　result

of　his　former　inquiries　made　him　unwilling　to　hazard　another；　in

a　scene　of　such　publicity；　and　he　determined　to　walk　slowly　and

silently　up　the　street；　thrusting　his　face　close　to　that　of　every

elderly　gentleman；　in　search　of　the　Major's　lineaments。　In　his

progress；　Robin　encountered　many　gay　and　gallant　figures。

Embroidered　garments　of　showy　colors；　enormous　periwigs；

gold…laced　hats；　and　silver…hilted　swords　glided　past　him　and

dazzled　his　optics。　Travelled　youths；　imitators　of　the　European

fine　gentlemen　of　the　period；　trod　jauntily　along；　half　dancing

to　the　fashionable　tunes　which　they　hummed；　and　making　poor　Robin

ashamed　of　his　quiet　and　natural　gait。　At　length；　after　many

pauses　to　examine　the　gorgeous　display　of　goods　in　the

shop…windows；　and　after　suffering　some　rebukes　for　the

impertinence　of　his　scrutiny　into　people's　faces；　the　Major's

kinsman　found　himself　near　the　steepled　building；　still

unsuccessful　in　his　search。　As　yet；　however；　he　had　seen　only　one

side　of　the　thronged　street；　so　Robin　crossed；　and　continued　the

same　sort　of　inquisition　down　the　opposite　pavement；　with

stronger　hopes　than　the　philosopher　seeking　an　honest　man；　but

with　no　better　fortune。　He　had　arrived　about　midway　towards　the

lower　end；　from　which　his　course　began；　when　he　overheard　the

approach　of　some　one　who　struck　down　a　cane　on　the　flag…stones　at

every　step；　uttering　at　regular　intervals；　two　sepulchral　hems。



〃Mercy　on　us！〃　quoth　Robin；　recognizing　the　sound。



Turning　a　corner；　which　chanced　to　be　close　at　his　right　hand；　he

hastened　to　pursue　his　researches　in　some　other　part　of　the　town。

His　patience　now　was　wearing　low；　and　he　seemed　to　feel　more

fatigue　from　his　rambles　since　he　crossed　the　ferry；　than　from

his　journey　of　several　days　on　the　other　side。　Hunger　also

pleaded　loudly　within　him；　and　Robin　began　to　balance　the

propriety　of　demanding；　violently；　and　with　lifted　cudgel；　the

necessary　guidance　from　the　first　solitary　passenger　whom　he

should　meet。　While　a　resolution　to　this　effect　was　gaining

strength；　he　entered　a　street　of　mean　appearance；　on　either　side

of　which　a　row　of　ill…built　houses　was　straggling　towards　the

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　doors　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；　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；〃