my kinsman-第3节

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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　abed　this　hour　or　more；〃　said　the　lady

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

disturb　him　to…night；　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　to…night。〃



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；　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　twofold

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

party…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

moments　were　consumed　in　philosophical　speculations　upon　the

species　of　man　who　had　just　left　him；　but　having　settled　this

point　shrewdly；　rationally；　and　satisfactorily；　he　was　compelled

to　look　elsewhere　for　his　amusement。　And　first　he　threw　his　eyes

along　the　street。　It　was　of　more　respectable　appearance　than　most

of　those　into　which　he　had　wandered；　and　the　moon；　creating；　like

the　imaginative　power；　a　beautiful　strangeness　in　familiar

objects；　gave　something　of　romance　to　a　scene　that　might　not　have

possessed　it　in　the　light　of　day。　The　irregular　and　often　quaint

architecture　of　the　houses；　some　of　whose　roofs　were　broken　into

numerous　little　peaks；　while　others　ascended；　steep　and　narrow；

into　a　single　point；　and　others　again　were　square；　the　pure

snow…white　of　some　of　their　complexions；　the　aged　darkness　of

others；　and　the　thousand　sparklings；　reflected　from　bright

substances　in　the　walls　of　many；　these　matters　engaged　Robin's

attention　for　a　while；　and　then　began　to　grow　wearisome。　Next　he

endeavored　to　define　the　forms　of　distant　objects；　starting　away；

with　almost　ghostly　indistinctness；　just　as　his　eye　appeared　to

grasp　them；　and　finally　he　took　a　minute　survey　of　an　edifice

which　stood　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　street；　directly　in　front

of　the　church…door；　where　he　was　stationed。　It　was　a　large；

square　mansion；　distinguished　from　its　neighbors　by　a　balcony；

which　rested　on　tall　pillars；　and　by　an　elaborate　Gothic　window；

communicating　therewith。



〃Perhaps　this　is　the　very　house　I　have　been　seeking；〃　thought

Robin。



Then　he　strove　to　speed　away　the　time；　by　listening　to　a　murmur

which　swept　continually　along　the　street；　yet　was　scarcely

audible；　except　to　an　unaccustomed　ear　like　his；　it　was　a　low；

dull；　dreamy　sound；　compounded　of　many　noises；　each　of　which　was

at　too　great　a　distance　to　be　separately　heard。　Robin　marvelled

at　this　snore　of　a　sleeping　town；　and　marvelled　more　whenever　its

continuity　was　broken　by　now　and　then　a　distant　shout；　apparently

loud　where　it　originated。　But　altogether　it　was　a　sleep…inspiring

sound；　and；　to　shake　off　its　drowsy　influence；　Robin　arose；　and

climbed　a　window…frame；　that　he　might　view　the　interior　of　the

church。　There　the　moonbeams　came　trembling　in；　and　fell　down　upon

the　deserted　pews；　and　extended　along　the　quiet　aisles。　A　fainter

yet　more　awful　radiance　was　hovering　around　the　pulpit；　and　one

solitary　ray　had　dared　to　rest　upon　the　open　page　of　the　great

Bible。　Had　nature；　in　that　deep　hour；　become　a　worshipper　in　the

house　which　man　had　builded？　Or　was　that　heavenly　light　the

visible　sanctity　of　the　place；visible　because　no　earthly　and

impure　feet　were　within　the　walls？　The　s