kenilworth-第6部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


this　valiant　soldier；　who；　peradventure；　hath　had　more　cuffs　than
crowns　in　the　Low　Countries。　　And　so；　sir；　as　I　passed　under　the
great　painted　window；　leaving　my　rein　loose　on　my　ambling
palfrey's　neck；　partly　for　mine　ease；　and　partly　that　I　might
have　the　more　leisure　to　peer　about；　I　hears　me　the　lattice　open；
and　never　credit　me；　sir；　if　there　did　not　stand　there　the　person
of　as　fair　a　woman　as　ever　crossed　mine　eyes；　and　I　think　I　have
looked　on　as　many　pretty　wenches；　and　with　as　much　judgment；　as
other　folks。〃

〃May　I　ask　her　appearance；　sir？〃　　said　Tressilian。

〃Oh；　sir；〃　replied　Master　Goldthred；　〃I　promise　you；　she　was　in
gentlewoman's　attirea　very　quaint　and　pleasing　dress；　that
might　have　served　the　Queen　herself；　for　she　had　a　forepart　with
body　and　sleeves；　of　ginger…coloured　satin；　which；　in　my
judgment；　must　have　cost　by　the　yard　some　thirty　shillings；　lined
with　murrey　taffeta；　and　laid　down　and　guarded　with　two　broad
laces　of　gold　and　silver。　　And　her　hat；　sir；　was　truly　the　best
fashioned　thing　that　I　have　seen　in　these　parts；　being　of　tawny
taffeta；　embroidered　with　scorpions　of　Venice　gold；　and　having　a
border　garnished　with　gold　fringeI　promise　you；　sir；　an
absolute　and　all…surpassing　device。　　Touching　her　skirts；　they
were　in　the　old　pass…devant　fashion。〃

〃I　did　not　ask　you　of　her　attire；　sir；〃　said　Tressilian；　who　had
shown　some　impatience　during　this　conversation；　〃but　of　her
complexionthe　colour　of　her　hair；　her　features。〃

〃Touching　her　complexion；〃　answered　the　mercer；　〃I　am　not　so
special　certain；　but　I　marked　that　her　fan　had　an　ivory　handle；
curiously　inlaid。　　And　then　again；　as　to　the　colour　of　her　hair；
why；　I　can　warrant；　be　its　hue　what　it　might；　that　she　wore　above
it　a　net　of　green　silk；　parcel　twisted　with　gold。〃

〃A　most　mercer…like　memory！〃　　said　Lambourne。　　〃The　gentleman
asks　him　of　the　lady's　beauty；　and　he　talks　of　her　fine　clothes！〃

〃I　tell　thee；〃　said　the　mercer；　somewhat　disconcerted；　〃I　had
little　time　to　look　at　her；　for　just　as　I　was　about　to　give　her
the　good　time　of　day；　and　for　that　purpose　had　puckered　my
features　with　a　smile〃

〃Like　those　of　a　jackanape　simpering　at　a　chestnut；〃　said　Michael
Lambourne。

〃Up　started　of　a　sudden；〃　continued　Goldthred；　without　heeding
the　interruption；　〃Tony　Foster　himself；　with　a　cudgel　in　his
hand〃

〃And　broke　thy　head　across；　I　hope；　for　thine　impertinence；〃　said
his　entertainer。

〃That　were　more　easily　said　than　done；〃　answered　Goldthred
indignantly；　〃no；　nothere　was　no　breaking　of　heads。　　It's　true；
he　advanced　his　cudgel；　and　spoke　of　laying　on；　and　asked　why　I
did　not　keep　the　public　road；　and　such　like；　and　I　would　have
knocked　him　over　the　pate　handsomely　for　his　pains；　only　for　the
lady's　presence；　who　might　have　swooned；　for　what　I　know。〃

〃Now；　out　upon　thee　for　a　faint…spirited　slave！〃　　said　Lambourne；
〃what　adventurous　knight　ever　thought　of　the　lady's　terror；　when
he　went　to　thwack　giant；　dragon；　or　magician；　in　her　presence；
and　for　her　deliverance？　　But　why　talk　to　thee　of　dragons；　who
would　be　driven　back　by　a　dragon…fly。　　There　thou　hast　missed　the
rarest　opportunity！〃

〃Take　it　thyself；　then；　bully　Mike；〃　answered　Goldthred。　　〃Yonder
is　the　enchanted　manor；　and　the　dragon；　and　the　lady；　all　at　thy
service；　if　thou　darest　venture　on　them。〃

〃Why；　so　I　would　for　a　quartern　of　sack；〃　said　the　soldier　〃or
stay：　　I　am　foully　out　of　linenwilt　thou　bet　a　piece　of
Hollands　against　these　five　angels；　that　I　go　not　up　to　the　Hall
to…morrow　and　force　Tony　Foster　to　introduce　me　to　his　fair
guest？〃

〃I　accept　your　wager；〃　said　the　mercer；　〃and　I　think；　though　thou
hadst　even　the　impudence　of　the　devil；　I　shall　gain　on　thee　this
bout。　　Our　landlord　here　shall　hold　stakes；　and　I　will　stake　down
gold　till　I　send　the　linen。〃

〃I　will　hold　stakes　on　no　such　matter；〃　said　Gosling。　　〃Good　now；
my　kinsman；　drink　your　wine　in　quiet；　and　let　such　ventures
alone。　　I　promise　you；　Master　Foster　hath　interest　enough　to　lay
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　w