the path of the king-第36节
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〃Ye must bring in one of the sairvants of this place；〃 he said。 〃Some common paarter； who has no friends。〃
〃Trust me；〃 said Prance。 〃I will find a likely fellow among the Queen's household。 I have several in my mind for the honour。〃
〃Truly the plaace is a nest of Paapists；〃 said Oates。 〃And not such as you； Mr。 Prance； who putt England before the Paape。 Ye are worth a score of Praatestants to the good caause； and it will be remaimbered。 Be assured it will be remaimbered。 。 。 。 Ye are clear about the main villains？ Walsh； you say； and Pritchard and the man called Le Fevre？〃
〃The last most of all。 But they are sharp…nosed as hounds； and unless we go wiarily they will give us the slip； and we must fall back on lesser game。〃
〃Le Fevre。〃 Oates mouthed the name。 〃The Queen's confessor。 I was spit upon by him at St。 Omer； and would waipe out the affront。 A dog of a Frainch priest！ A man I have long abhaarred。〃
〃So also have I。〃 Prance had venom in his level voice。 〃But he is no Frenchman。 He is English as youa Phayre out of Huntingdon。〃
The name penetrated Lovel's dulled wits。 Phayre！ It was the one man who in his father's life had shown him unselfish kindness。 Long ago in Paris this Phayre had been his teacher； had saved him from starvation； had treated him with a gentleman's courtesy。 Even his crimes had not estranged this friend。 Phayre had baptized his child； and tended his wife when he was in hiding。 But a week ago he had spoken a kindly word in the Mall to one who had rarely a kind word from an honest man。
That day had been to the spy a revelation of odd corners in his soul。 He had mustered in the morning the resolution to kill one man。 Now he discovered a scruple which bade him at all risks avert the killing of another。 He perceived very clearly what the decision meantdesperate peril； perhaps ruin and death。 He dare not delay； for in a little he would be too deep in the toils。 He must escape and be first with the news of Godfrey's death in some potent quarter。 Buckingham； who was a great prince。 Or Danby。 Or the King himself。 。 。 。
The cunning of a lifetime failed him in that moment。 He slipped through the door； but his coat caught in a splinter of wood； and the rending of it gave the alarm。 As with quaking heart he ran up the silent stable…yard towards the Strand gate he felt close on him the wind of the pursuit。 In the dark he slipped on a patch of horse…dung and was down。 Something heavy fell atop of him； and the next second a gross agony tore the breath from him。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
Five minutes later Bedloe was unknotting a coarse kerchief and stuffing it into his pocket。 It was the same that had strangled Godfrey
〃A good riddance；〃 said Oates。 〃The fool had seen too much and would have proved but a saarry witness。 Now by the mairciful dispensation of Goad he has ceased to trouble us。 Ye know him； Captain Bedloe？〃
A Papistical cur； and white…livered at that；〃 the bravo answered。
〃And his boady？ It must be praamptly disposed of。〃
〃An easy task。 There is the Savoy water…gate and in an hour the tide will run。 He has no friends to inquire after him。〃
Oates rubbed his hands and cast his eyes upward。 Great are the doings of the Laard；〃 he said； 〃and wonderful in our saight！〃
CHAPTER 11。 THE LIT CHAMBER
He was hoisted on his horse by an ostler and two local sots from the tap…room； his valise was strapped none too securely before him； and with a farewell； which was meant to be gracious but was only foolish； he tittuped into the rain。 He was as drunk as an owl； though he did not know it。 All afternoon he had been mixing strong Cumberland ale with the brandy he had got from the Solway free…traders； and by five o'clock had reached that state when he saw the world all gilt and rosy and himself as an applauded actor on a splendid stage。 He had talked grandly to his fellow topers； and opened to their rustic wits a glimpse of the great world。 They had bowed to a master； even those slow Cumbrians who admired little but fat cattle and blood horses。 He had made a sensation； had seen wonder and respect in dull eyes； and tasted for a moment that esteem which he had singularly failed to find elsewhere。
But he had been prudent。 The Mr。 Gilbert Craster who had been travelling on secret business in Nithsdale and the Ayrshire moorlands had not been revealed in the change…house of Newbigging。 There he had passed by the name； long since disused； of Gabriel Lovel； which happened to be his true one。 It was a needful ；precaution； for the times were crooked。 Even in a Border hamlet the name of Craster might be known and since for the present it had a Whig complexion it was well to go warily in a place where feeling ran high and at an hour when the Jacobites were on the march。 But that other name of Lovel was buried deep in the forgotten scandal of London by…streets。
The gentleman late re…christened Lovel had for the moment no grudge against life。 He was in the pay of a great man； no less than the lord Duke of Marlborough； and he considered that he was earning his wages。 A soldier of fortune； he accepted the hire of the best paymaster； only he sold not a sword； but wits。 A pedant might have called it honour； but Mr。 Lovel was no pedant。 He had served a dozen chiefs on different sides。 For Blingbroke he had scoured France and twice imperilled his life in Highland bogs。 For Somers he had travelled to Spain； and for Wharton had passed unquiet months on the Welsh marches。 After his fashion he was an honest servant and reported the truth so far as his ingenuity could discern it。 But； once quit of a great man's service； he sold his knowledge readily to an opponent； and had been like to be out of employment； since unless his masters gave him an engagement for life he was certain some day to carry the goods they had paid for to their rivals。 But Marlborough had seen his uses； for the great Duke sat loose to parties and earnestly desired to know the facts。 So for Marlborough he went into the conclaves of both Whig and Jacobite； making his complexion suit his company。
He was new come from the Scottish south…west； for the Duke was eager to know if the malcontent moorland Whigs were about to fling their blue bonnets for King James。 A mission of such discomfort Mr。 Lovel had never known； not even when he was a go…between for Ormonde in the Irish bogs。 He had posed as an emissary from the Dutch brethren； son of an exiled Brownist； and for the first time in his life had found his regicide great…grandfather useful。 The jargon of the godly fell smoothly from his tongue； and with its aid and that of certain secret letters he had found his way to the heart of the sectaries。 He had sat through weary sermons in Cameronian sheilings； and been present at the childish parades of the Hebronite remnant。 There was nothing to be feared in that quarter； for to them all in authority were idolaters and George no worse than James。 In those moorland sojournings； too； he had got light on other matters； for he had the numbers of Kenmure's levies in his head； had visited my lord Stair at his grim Galloway castle； and had had a long midnight colloquy with Roxburghe on Tweedside。 He had a pretty tale for his master； once he could get to him。 But with Northumberland up and the Highlanders at Jedburgh and Kenmure coming from the west； it had been a ticklish business to cross the Border。 Yet by cunning and a good horse it had been accomplished； and he found himself in Cumberland with the road open southward to the safe Lowther country。 Wherefore Mr。 Lovel had relaxed； and taken his ease in an inn。
He would not have admitted that he was drunk； but he presently confessed that he was not clear about his road。 He had meant to lie at Brampton； and had been advised at the tavern of a short cut； a moorland bridle…path。 Who had told him of it？ The landlord； he thought； or the merry fellow in brown who had stood brandy to the company？ Anyhow； it was to save him five miles； and that was something in this accursed weather。 The path was clearhe could see it squelching below him； pale in the last wet daylightbut where the devil did it lead？ Into the heart of a moss； it seemed； and yet Brampton lay out of the moors in the tilled valley。
At first the fumes in his head raised him above the uncertainty of his road and the eternal downpour。 His mind was far away in a select world of his own imagining。 He saw himself in a privy chamber； to which he had been conducted by reverent lackeys； the door closed； the lamp lit； and the Duke's masterful eyes bright with expectation。 He saw the fine thin lips； like a woman's； primmed in satisfaction。 He heard words of compliment〃none so swift and certain as you〃〃in truth； a master…hand〃〃I know not where to look for your like。〃 Delicious speeches seemed to soothe his ear。 And gold； too； bags of it； the tale of which would never appear in any accompt…book。 Nay； his fancy soared higher。 He saw himself presented to Ministers as one of the country's saviours； and kissing the hand of Majesty。 What Majesty and what Ministers he knew not； and did not greatly carethat was not his business。 The rotundity of the Hanoverian and the lean darkness of the Stuart were one to him。 Both cou
