kenilworth-第23部分

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the　Queen；　God　bless　her！　　So　you　see　what　an　enemy　you　have　made
to　yourself。〃

〃Wellit　is　done；　and　I　cannot　help　it；〃　answered　Tressilian。

〃Uds　precious；　but　it　must　be　helped　in　some　manner；〃　said　the
host。　　〃Richard　Varneywhy；　what　between　his　influence　with　my
lord；　and　his　pretending　to　so　many　old　and　vexatious　claims　in
right　of　the　abbot　here；　men　fear　almost　to　mention　his　name；
much　more　to　set　themselves　against　his　practices。　　You　may　judge
by　our　discourses　the　last　night。　Men　said　their　pleasure　of　Tony
Foster；　but　not　a　word　of　Richard　Varney；　though　all　men　judge
him　to　be　at　the　bottom　of　yonder　mystery　about　the　pretty　wench。
But　perhaps　you　know　more　of　that　matter　than　I　do；　for　women；
though　they　wear　not　swords；　are　occasion　for　many　a　blade's
exchanging　a　sheath　of　neat's　leather　for　one　of　flesh　and
blood。〃

〃I　do　indeed　know　more　of　that　poor　unfortunate　lady　than　thou
dost；　my　friendly　host；　and　so　bankrupt　am　I；　at　this　moment；　of
friends　and　advice；　that　I　will　willingly　make　a　counsellor　of
thee；　and　tell　thee　the　whole　history；　the　rather　that　I　have　a
favour　to　ask　when　my　tale　is　ended。〃

〃Good　Master　Tressilian；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃I　am　but　a　poor
innkeeper；　little　able　to　adjust　or　counsel　such　a　guest　as
yourself。　　But　as　sure　as　I　have　risen　decently　above　the　world；
by　giving　good　measure　and　reasonable　charges；　I　am　an　honest
man；　and　as　such；　if　I　may　not　be　able　to　assist　you；　I　am；　at
least；　not　capable　to　abuse　your　confidence。　　Say　away　therefore；
as　confidently　as　if　you　spoke　to　your　father；　and　thus　far　at
least　be　certain；　that　my　curiosityfor　I　will　not　deny　that
which　belongs　to　my　callingis　joined　to　a　reasonable　degree　of
discretion。〃

〃I　doubt　it　not；　mine　host；〃　answered　Tressilian；　and　while　his
auditor　remained　in　anxious　expectation；　he　meditated　for　an
instant　how　he　should　commence　his　narrative。　　〃My　tale；〃　he　at
length　said；　〃to　be　quite　intelligible；　must　begin　at　some
distance　back。　　You　have　heard　of　the　battle　of　Stoke；　my　good
host；　and　perhaps　of　old　Sir　Roger　Robsart；　who；　in　that　battle；
valiantly　took　part　with　Henry　VII。；　the　Queen's　grandfather；　and
routed　the　Earl　of　Lincoln；　Lord　Geraldin　and　his　wild　Irish；　and
the　Flemings　whom　the　Duchess　of　Burgundy　had　sent　over；　in　the
quarrel　of　Lambert　Simnel？〃

〃I　remember　both　one　and　the　other；〃　said　Giles　Gosling；　〃it　is
sung　of　a　dozen　times　a　week　on　my　ale…bench　below。　　Sir　Roger
Robsart　of　Devonoh；　ay；　'tis　him　of　whom　minstrels　sing　to　this
hour；

　'He　was　the　flower　of　Stoke's　red　field；
　　When　Martin　Swart　on　ground　lay　slain；
　　In　raging　rout　he　never　reel'd；
　　But　like　a　rock　did　firm　remain。'

＇This　verse；　or　something　similar；　occurs　in　a　long　ballad；　or
poem；　on　Flodden　Field；　reprinted　by　the　late　Henry　Weber。＇

Ay；　and　then　there　was　Martin　Swart　I　have　heard　my　grandfather
talk　of；　and　of　the　jolly　Almains　whom　he　commanded；　with　their
slashed　doublets　and　quaint　hose；　all　frounced　with　ribands　above
the　nether…stocks。　　Here's　a　song　goes　of　Martin　Swart；　too；　an　I
had　but　memory　for　it：

　'Martin　Swart　and　his　men；
　　Saddle　them；　saddle　them；
　　Martin　Swart　and　his　men；
　　Saddle　them　well。'〃

＇This　verse　of　an　old　song　actually　occurs　in　an　old　play　where
the　singer　boasts；
　〃Courteously　I　can　both　counter　and　knack
　　Of　Martin　Swart　and　all　his　merry　men。〃＇

〃True；　good　mine　hostthe　day　was　long　talked　of；　but　if　you
sing　so　loud；　you　will　awake　more　listeners　than　I　care　to　commit
my　confidence　unto。〃

〃I　crave　pardon；　my　worshipful　guest；〃　said　mine　host；　〃I　was
oblivious。　　When　an　old　song　comes　across　us　merry　old　knights　of
the　spigot；　it　runs　away　with　our　discretion。〃

〃Well；　mine　host；　my　grandfather；　like　some　other　Cornishmen；
kept　a　warm　affection　to　the　House　of　York；　and　espoused　the
quarrel　of　this　Simnel；　assuming　the　title　of　Earl　of　Warwick；　as
the　county　afterwards；　in　great　numbers；　countenanced　the　cause
of　Perkin　Warbeck；　calling　himself　the　Duke　of　York。　　My
grandsire　joined　Simnel's　standard；　and　was　taken　fighting
desperately　at　Stoke；　where　most　of　the　leaders　of　that　unhappy
army　were　slain　in　their　harness。　　The　good　knight　to　whom　he
rendered　himself；　Sir　Roger　Robsart；　protected　him　from　the
immediate　vengeance　of　the　king；　and　dismissed　him　without
ransom。　　But　he　was　unable　to　guard　him　from　other　penalties　of
his　rashness；　being　the　heavy　fines　by　which　he　was　impoverished；
according　to　Henry's　mode　of　weakening　his　enemies。　　The　good
knight　did　what　he　might　to　mitigate　the　distresses　of　my
ancestor；　and　their　friendship　became　so　strict；　that　my　father
was　bred　up　as　the　sworn　brother　and　intimate　of　the　present　Sir
Hugh　Robsart；　the　only　son　of　Sir　Roger；　and　the　heir　of　his
honest；　and　generous；　and　hospitable　temper；　though　not　equal　to
him　in　martial　achievements。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　good　Sir　Hugh　Robsart；〃　interrupted　the　host；
〃many　a　time　and　oft；　his　huntsman　and　sworn　servant；　Will
Badger；　hath　spoken　of　him　an　hundred　times　in　this　very　house。
A　jovial　knight　he　is；　and　hath　loved　hospitality　and　open
housekeeping　more　than　the　present　fashion；　which　lays　as　much
gold　lace　on　the　seams　of　a　doublet　as　would　feed　a　dozen　of　tall
fellows　with　beef　and　ale　for　a　twelvemonth；　and　let　them　have
their　evening　at　the　alehouse　once　a　week；　to　do　good　to　the
publican。〃

〃If　you　have　seen　Will　Badger；　mine　host；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃you
have　heard　enough　of　Sir　Hugh　Robsart；　and　therefore　I　will　but
say；　that　the　hospitality　you　boast　of　hath　proved　somewhat
detrimental　to　the　estate　of　his　family；　which　is　perhaps　of　the
less　consequence；　as　he　has　but　one　daughter　to　whom　to　bequeath
it。　　And　here　begins　my　share　in　the　tale。　　Upon　my　father's
death；　now　several　years　since；　the　good　Sir　Hugh　would　willingly
have　made　me　his　constant　companion。　　There　was　a　time；　however；
at　which　I　felt　the　kind　knight's　excessive　love　for　field…sports
detained　me　from　studies；　by　which　I　might　have　profited　more；
but　I　ceased　to　regret　the　leisure　which　gratitude　and　hereditary
friendship　compelled　me　to　bestow　on　these　rural　avocations。　　The
exquisite　beauty　of　Mistress　Amy　Robsart；　as　she　grew　up　from
childhood　to　woman；　could　not　escape　one　whom　circumstances
obliged　to　be　so　constantly　in　her　companyI　loved　her；　in
short；　mine　host；　and　her　father　saw　it。〃

〃And　crossed　your　true　loves；　no　doubt？〃　　said　mine　host。　　〃It　is
the　way　in　all　such　cases；　and　I　judge　it　must　have　been　so　in
your　instance；　from　the　heavy　sigh　you　uttered　even　now。〃

〃The　case　was　different；　mine　host。　　My　suit　was　highly　approved
by　the　generous　Sir　Hugh　Robsart；　it　was　his　daughter　who　was
cold　to　my　passion。〃

〃She　was　the　more　dangerous　enemy　of　the　two；〃　said　the
innkeeper。　　〃I　fear　me　your　suit　proved　a　cold　one。〃

〃She　yielded　me　her　esteem；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃and　seemed　not
unwilling　that　I　should　hope　it　might　ripen　into　a　warmer
passion。　　There　was　a　contract　of　future　marriage　executed
betwixt　us；　upon　her　father's　intercession；　but　to　comply　with
her　anxious　request；　the　execution　was　deferred　for　a
twelvemonth。　　During　this　period；　Richard　Varney　appeared　in　the
country；　and；　availing　himself　of　some　distant　family　connection
with　Sir　Hugh　Robsart；　spent　much　of　his　time　in　his　company；
until；　at　length；　he　almost　lived　in　the　family。〃

〃That　could　bode　no　good　to　the　place　he　honoured　with　his
residence；〃　said　Gosling。

〃No；　by　the　rood！〃　　replied　Tressilian。　　〃Misunderstanding　and
misery　followed　his　presence；　yet　so　strangely　that　I　am　at　this
moment　at　a　loss　to　trace　the　gradations　of　their　encroachment
upon　a　family　which　had；　till　then；　been　so　happy。　　For　a　time
Amy　Robsart　received　the　attentions　of　this　man　Varney　with　the
indifference　attached　to　common　courtesies；　then　followed　a
period　in　which　she　seemed　to　regard　him　with　dislike；　and　even
with　disgust；　and　then　an　extraordinary　species　of　connection
appeared　to　grow　up　betwixt　them。　　Varney　dropped　those　airs　of
pretension　and　gallantry　which　had　marked　his　former　approaches；
and　Amy；　on　the　other　hand；　seemed　to　renounce　the　ill…disguised
disgust　with　which　she　had　regarded　them。　　They　seemed　to　have
more　of　privacy　and　confidence　together　than　I　fully　liked；　and　I
suspected　that　they　met　in　private；　where　there　was　less
restraint　than　in　our　presence。　　Many　circumstances；　which　I
noticed　but　little　at　the　timefor　I　deemed　her　heart　as　open　as
her　angelic　countenancehave　since　arisen　on　my　memory；　to
convince　me　of　their　private　understanding。　　But　I　need　not
detail　themthe　fact　speaks　for　itself。　　She　vanished　from　her
father's　house；　Varney　disappeared　at　the　same　time；　and　this
very　day　I　have　seen　her　in　the　character　of　his　paramour；　living
in　the　house　of　his　sordid　dependant　Foster；　and　visited　by　him；
muffled；　and　by　a　secret　entrance。〃

〃And　this；　then；　is　the　cause　of　your　quarrel？　　Methinks；　you
should　have　been　sure　that　the　fair　lady　either　desired　or
deserved　your　interference。〃

〃Mine　host；〃　answered　Tressilian；　〃my　fathersuch　I　must　ever
consider　Sir　Hugh　Robsartsits　at　home　struggling　with　his
grief；　or；　if　so　far　recovered；　vainly　attempting　to　drown；　in
the　practice　of　his　field…sports；　the　recollection　that　he　had
once　a　daughtera　recollection　which　ever　and　anon　breaks　from
him　under　circumstances　the　most　pathetic。　　I　could　not　brook　the
idea　that　he　should　live　in　misery；　and　Amy　in　guilt；　and　I
endeavoured　to…seek　her　out；　with　the　hope　of　inducing　her　to
return　to　her　family。　　I　have　found　her；　and　when　I　have　either
succeeded　in　my　attempt；　or　have　found　it　altogether　unavailing；
it　is　my　purpose　to　embark　for　the　Virginia　voyage。〃

〃Be　not　so　rash；　good　sir；〃　replied　Giles　Gosling；　〃and　cast　not
yourself　away　because　a　womanto　be　briefIS　a　woman；　and
changes　her　lovers　like　her　suit　of　ribands；　with　no　better
reason　than　mere　fantasy。　　And　ere　we　probe　this　matter　further；
let　me　ask　you　what　circumstances　of　suspicion　directed　you　so
truly　to　this　lady's　residence；　or　rather　to　her　place　of
concealment？〃

〃The　last　is　the　better　chosen　word；　mine　host；〃　answered
Tressilian；　〃and　touching　your　question；