kenilworth-第7节

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you　up　in　lavender　in　the　Castle　at　Oxford；　or　to　get　your　legs
made　acquainted　with　the　town…stocks。〃

〃That　would　be　but　renewing　an　old　intimacy；　for　Mike's　shins　and
the　town's　wooden　pinfold　have　been　well　known　to　each　other　ere
now；〃　said　the　mercer；　〃but　he　shall　not　budge　from　his　wager；
unless　he　means　to　pay　forfeit。〃

〃Forfeit？〃　　said　Lambourne；　〃I　scorn　it。　　I　value　Tony　Foster's
wrath　no　more　than　a　shelled　pea…cod；　and　I　will　visit　his
Lindabrides；　by　Saint　George；　be　he　willing　or　no！〃

〃I　would　gladly　pay　your　halves　of　the　risk；　sir；〃　said
Tressilian；　〃to　be　permitted　to　accompany　you　on　the　adventure。〃

〃In　what　would　that　advantage　you；　sir？〃　　answered　Lambourne。

〃In　nothing；　sir；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃unless　to　mark　the　skill　and
valour　with　which　you　conduct　yourself。　　I　am　a　traveller　who
seeks　for　strange　rencounters　and　uncommon　passages；　as　the
knights　of　yore　did　after　adventures　and　feats　of　arms。〃

〃Nay；　if　it　pleasures　you　to　see　a　trout　tickled；〃　answered
Lambourne；　〃I　care　not　how　many　witness　my　skill。　　And　so　here　I
drink　success　to　my　enterprise；　and　he　that　will　not　pledge　me　on
his　knees　is　a　rascal；　and　I　will　cut　his　legs　off　by　the
garters！〃

The　draught　which　Michael　Lambourne　took　upon　this　occasion　had
been　preceded　by　so　many　others；　that　reason　tottered　on　her
throne。　　He　swore　one　or　two　incoherent　oaths　at　the　mercer；　who
refused；　reasonably　enough；　to　pledge　him　to　a　sentiment　which
inferred　the　loss　of　his　own　wager。

〃Wilt　thou　chop　logic　with　me；〃　said　Lambourne；　〃thou　knave；　with
no　more　brains　than　are　in　a　skein　of　ravelled　silk？　　By　Heaven；
I　will　cut　thee　into　fifty　yards　of　galloon　lace！〃

But　as　he　attempted　to　draw　his　sword　for　this　doughty　purpose；
Michael　Lambourne　was　seized　upon　by　the　tapster　and　the
chamberlain；　and　conveyed　to　his　own　apartment；　there　to　sleep
himself　sober　at　his　leisure。

The　party　then　broke　up；　and　the　guests　took　their　leave；　much
more　to　the　contentment　of　mine　host　than　of　some　of　the　company；
who　were　unwilling　to　quit　good　liquor；　when　it　was　to　be　had　for
free　cost；　so　long　as　they　were　able　to　sit　by　it。　　They　were；
however；　compelled　to　remove；　and　go　at　length　they　did；　leaving
Gosling　and　Tressilian　in　the　empty　apartment。

〃By　my　faith；〃　said　the　former；　〃I　wonder　where　our　great　folks
find　pleasure；　when　they　spend　their　means　in　entertainments；　and
in　playing　mine　host　without　sending　in　a　reckoning。　　It　is　what
I　but　rarely　practise；　and　whenever　I　do；　by　Saint　Julian；　it
grieves　me　beyond　measure。　　Each　of　these　empty　stoups　now；　which
my　nephew　and　his　drunken　comrades　have　swilled　off；　should　have
been　a　matter　of　profit　to　one　in　my　line；　and　I　must　set　them
down　a　dead　loss。　　I　cannot；　for　my　heart；　conceive　the　pleasure
of　noise；　and　nonsense；　and　drunken　freaks；　and　drunken　quarrels；
and　smut；　and　blasphemy；　and　so　forth；　when　a　man　loses　money
instead　of　gaining　by　it。　　And　yet　many　a　fair　estate　is　lost　in
upholding　such　a　useless　course；　and　that　greatly　contributes　to
the　decay　of　publicans；　for　who　the　devil　do　you　think　would　pay
for　drink　at　the　Black　Bear；　when　he　can　have　it　for　nothing　at
my　Lord's　or　the　Squire's？〃

Tressilian　perceived　that　the　wine　had　made　some　impression　even
on　the　seasoned　brain　of　mine　host；　which　was　chiefly　to　be
inferred　from　his　declaiming　against　drunkenness。　　As　he　himself
had　carefully　avoided　the　bowl；　he　would　have　availed　himself　of
the　frankness　of　the　moment　to　extract　from　Gosling　some　further
information　upon　the　subject　of　Anthony　Foster；　and　the　lady　whom
the　mercer　had　seen　in　his　mansion…house；　but　his　inquiries　only
set　the　host　upon　a　new　theme　of　declamation　against　the　wiles　of
the　fair　sex；　in　which　he　brought；　at　full　length；　the　whole
wisdom　of　Solomon　to　reinforce　his　own。　　Finally；　he　turned　his
admonitions；　mixed　with　much　objurgation；　upon　his　tapsters　and
drawers；　who　were　employed　in　removing　the　relics　of　the
entertainment；　and　restoring　order　to　the　apartment；　and　at
length；　joining　example　to　precept；　though　with　no　good　success；
he　demolished　a　salver　with　half　a　score　of　glasses；　in
attempting　to　show　how　such　service　was　done　at　the　Three　Cranes
in　the　Vintry；　then　the　most　topping　tavern　in　London。　　This　last
accident　so　far　recalled　him　to　his　better　self；　that　he　retired
to　his　bed；　slept　sound；　and　awoke　a　new　man　in　the　morning。



CHAPTER　III。

　　Nay；　I'll　hold　touchthe　game　shall　be　play'd　out；
　　It　ne'er　shall　stop　for　me；　this　merry　wager：
　　That　which　I　say　when　gamesome；　I'll　avouch
　　In　my　most　sober　mood；　ne'er　trust　me　else。　　　THE　HAZARD　TABLE。

〃And　how　doth　your　kinsman；　good　mine　host？〃　　said　Tressilian；
when　Giles　Gosling　first　appeared　in　the　public　room；　on　the
morning　following　the　revel　which　we　described　in　the　last
chapter。　　〃Is　he　well；　and　will　he　abide　by　his　wager？〃

〃For　well；　sir；　he　started　two　hours　since；　and　has　visited　I
know　not　what　purlieus　of　his　old　companions；　hath　but　now
returned；　and　is　at　this　instant　breakfasting　on　new…laid　eggs
and　muscadine。　　And　for　his　wager；　I　caution　you　as　a　friend　to
have　little　to　do　with　that；　or　indeed　with　aught　that　Mike
proposes。　　Wherefore；　I　counsel　you　to　a　warm　breakfast　upon　a
culiss；　which　shall　restore　the　tone　of　the　stomach；　and　let　my
nephew　and　Master　Goldthred　swagger　about　their　wager　as　they
list。〃

〃It　seems　to　me；　mine　host；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃that　you　know　not
well　what　to　say　about　this　kinsman　of　yours；　and　that　you　can
neither　blame　nor　commend　him　without　some　twinge　of　conscience。〃

〃You　have　spoken　truly；　Master　Tressilian；〃　replied　Giles
Gosling。　　〃There　is　Natural　Affection　whimpering　into　one　ear；
'Giles；　Giles；　why　wilt　thou　take　away　the　good　name　of　thy　own
nephew？　　Wilt　thou　defame　thy　sister's　son；　Giles　Gosling？　　wilt
thou　defoul　thine　own　nest；　dishonour　thine　own　blood？'　And　then；
again；　comes　Justice；　and　says；　'Here　is　a　worthy　guest　as　ever
came　to　the　bonny　Black　Bear；　one　who　never　challenged　a
reckoning'　（as　I　say　to　your　face　you　never　did；　Master
Tressiliannot　that　you　have　had　cause）；　'one　who　knows　not　why
he　came；　so　far　as　I　can　see；　or　when　he　is　going　away；　and　wilt
thou；　being　a　publican；　having　paid　scot　and　lot　these　thirty
years　in　the　town　of　Cumnor；　and　being　at　this　instant　head…
borough；　wilt　thou　suffer　this　guest　of　guests；　this　man　of　men；
this　six…hooped　pot　（as　I　may　say）　of　a　traveller；　to　fall　into
the　meshes　of　thy　nephew；　who　is　known　for　a　swasher　and　a
desperate　Dick；　a　carder　and　a　dicer；　a　professor　of　the　seven
damnable　sciences；　if　ever　man　took　degrees　in　them？'　　No；　by
Heaven！　　I　might　wink；　and　let　him　catch　such　a　small　butterfly
as　Goldthred；　but　thou；　my　guest；　shall　be　forewarned；　forearmed；
so　thou　wilt　but　listen　to　thy　trusty　host。〃

〃Why；　mine　host；　thy　counsel　shall　not　be　cast　away；〃　replied
Tressilian；　〃however；　I　must　uphold　my　share　in　this　wager；
having　once　passed　my　word　to　that　effect。　　But　lend　me；　I　pray；
some　of　thy　counsel。　　This　Foster；　who　or　what　is　he；　and　why
makes　he　such　mystery　of　his　female　inmate？〃

〃Troth；〃　replied　Gosling；　〃I　can　add　but　little　to　what　you　heard
last　night。　　He　was　one　of　Queen　Mary's　Papists；　and　now　he　is
one　of　Queen　Elizabeth's　Protestants；　he　was　an　onhanger　of　the
Abbot　of　Abingdon；　and　now　he　lives　as　master　of　the　Manor…house。
Above　all；　he　was　poor；　and　is　rich。　　Folk　talk　of　private
apartments　in　his　old　waste　mansion…house；　bedizened　fine　enough
to　serve　the　Queen；　God　bless　her！　　Some　men　think　he　found　a
treasure　in　the　orchard；　some　that　he　sold　himself　to　the　devil
for　treasure；　and　some　say　that　he　cheated　the　abbot　out　of　the
church　plate；　which　was　hidden　in　the　old　Manor…house　at　the
Reformation。　　Rich；　however；　he　is；　and　God　and　his　conscience；
with　the　devil　perhaps　besides；　only　know　how　he　came　by　it。　　He
has　sulky　ways　toobreaking　off　intercourse　with　all　that　are　of
the　place；　as　if　he　had　either　some　strange　secret　to　keep；　or
held　himself　to　be　made　of　another　clay　than　we　are。　　I　think　it
likely　my　kinsman　and　he　will　quarrel；　if　Mike　thrust　his
acquaintance　on　him；　and　I　am　sorry　that　you；　my　worthy　Master
Tressilian；　will　still　think　of　going　in　my　nephew's　company。〃

Tressilian　again　answered　him；　that　he　would　proceed　with　great
caution；　and　that　he　should　have　no　fears　on　his　account；　in
short；　he　bestowed　on　him　all　the　customary　assurances　with　which
those　who　are　determined　on　a　rash　action　are　wont　to　parry　the
advice　of　their　friends。

Meantime；　the　traveller　accepted　the　landlord's　invitation；　and
had　just　finished　the　excellent　breakfast；　which　was　served　to
him　and　Gosling　by　pretty　Cicely；　the　beauty　of　the　bar；　when　the
hero　of　the　preceding　night；　Michael　Lambourne；　entered　the
apartment。　　His　toilet　had　apparently　cost　him　some　labour；　for
his　clothes；　which　differed　from　those　he　wore　on　his　journey；
were　of　the　newest　fashion；　and　put　on　with　great　attention　to
the　display　of　his　person。

〃By　my　faith；　uncle；〃　said　the　gallant；　〃you　made　a　wet　night　of
it；　and　I　feel　it　followed　by　a　dry　morning。　　I　will　pledge　you
willingly　in　a　cup　of　bastard