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

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　　　〃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　him　a

message　from　his　friends　in　the　country；　and　then　go　back　to　my

lodgings　at　the　inn。〃

　　　〃Nay；　the　major　has　been　a…bed　this　hour　or　more；〃　said　the　lady　of

the　scarlet　petticoat；　〃and　it　would　be　to　little　purpose　to　disturb

him　tonight；　seeing　his　evening　draught　was　of　the　strongest。　But　he

is　a　kind…hearted　man；　and　it　would　be　as　much　as　my　life's　worth　to

let　a　kinsman　of　his　turn　away　from　the　door。　You　are　the　good　old

gentleman's　very　picture；　and　I　could　swear　that　was　his　rainy…weather

hat。　Also　he　has　garments　very　much　resembling　those　leather

small…clothes。　But　come　in；　I　pray；　for　I　bid　you　hearty　welcome　in

his　name。〃

　　　So　saying；　the　fair　and　hospitable　dame　took　our　hero　by　the

hand；　and　the　touch　was　light；　and　the　force　was　gentleness；　and

though　Robin　read　in　her　eyes　what　he　did　not　hear　in　her　words；　yet

the　slender…waisted　woman　in　the　scarlet　petticoat　proved　stronger

than　the　athletic　country　youth。　She　had　drawn　his　half…willing

footsteps　nearly　to　the　threshold；　when　the　opening　of　a　door　in　the

neighborhood　startled　the　major's　housekeeper；　and；　leaving　the

major's　kinsman；　she　vanished　speedily　into　her　own　domicile。　A

heavy　yawn　preceded　the　appearance　of　a　man；　who；　like　the　Moonshine

of　Pyramus　and　Thisbe；　carried　a　lantern；　needlessly　aiding　his　sister

luminary　in　the　heavens。　As　he　walked　sleepily　up　the　street；　he

turned　his　broad；　dull　face　on　Robin；　and　displayed　a　long　staff；

spiked　at　the　end。

　　　〃Home；　vagabond；　home！〃　said　the　watchman；　in　accents　that　seemed

to　fall　asleep　as　soon　as　they　were　uttered。　〃Home；　or　we'll　set　you

in　the　stocks；　by　peep　of　day！〃

　　　〃This　is　the　second　hint　of　the　kind；〃　thought　Robin。　〃I　wish

they　would　end　my　difficulties；　by　setting　me　there　tonight。〃

　　　Nevertheless；　the　youth　felt　an　instinctive　antipathy　towards　the

guardian　of　midnight　order；　which　at　first　prevented　him　from　asking

his　usual　question。　But　just　when　the　man　was　about　to　vanish　behind

the　corner；　Robin　resolved　not　to　lose　the　opportunity；　and　shouted

lustily　after　him…　〃I　say；　friend！　will　you　guide　me　to　the　house　of

my　kinsman；　Major　Molineux？〃

　　　The　watchman　made　no　reply；　but　turned　the　corner　and　was　gone；　yet

Robin　seemed　to　hear　the　sound　of　drowsy　laughter　stealing　along　the

solitary　street。　At　that　moment；　also；　a　pleasant　titter　saluted　him

from　the　open　window　above　his　head；　he　looked　up；　and　caught　the

sparkle　of　a　saucy　eye；　a　round　arm　beckoned　to　him；　and　next　he　heard

light　footsteps　descending　the　staircase　within。　But　Robin；　being　of

the　household　of　a　New　England　clergyman；　was　a　good　youth；　as　well　as

a　shrewd　one；　so　he　resisted　temptation；　and　fled　away。

　　　He　now　roamed　desperately；　and　at　random；　through　the　town；

almost　ready　to　believe　that　a　spell　was　on　him；　like　that　by　which

a　wizard　of　his　country　had　once　kept　three　pursuers　wandering；　a

whole　winter　night；　within　twenty　paces　of　the　cottage　which　they

sought。　The　streets　lay　before　him；　strange　and　desolate；　and　the

lights　were　extinguished　in　almost　every　house。　Twice；　however；　little

parties　of　men；　among　whom　Robin　distinguished　individuals　in

outlandish　attire；　came　hurrying　along；　but　though　on　both　occasions

they　paused　to　address　him；　such　intercourse　did　not　at　all

enlighten　his　perplexity。　They　did　but　utter　a　few　words　in　some

language　of　which　Robin　knew　nothing；　and　perceiving　his　inability

to　answer；　bestowed　a　curse　upon　him　in　plain　English；　and　hastened

away。　Finally；　the　lad　determined　to　knock　at　the　door　of　every

mansion　that　might　appear　worthy　to　be　occupied　by　his　kinsman；

trusting　that　perseverance　would　overcome　the　fatality　that　had

hitherto　thwarted　him。　Firm　in　this　resolve；　he　was　passing　beneath

the　walls　of　a　church；　which　formed　the　corner　of　two　streets；　when；

as　he　turned　into　the　shade　of　its　steeple；　he　encountered　a　bulky

stranger；　muffled　in　a　cloak。　The　man　was　proceeding　with　the　spee