twice-told tales- my kinsman, major molineux-第2节

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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　province。'　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？　O；　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　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　youth；　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　someone；　who　struck　down　a　cane　on　the

flagstones　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　door；　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；　the

airy　counterpart　of　a　stream　of　melted　silver；　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；〃　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　h