my kinsman-第2章

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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　providence。'　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？

Oh；　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　had

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　youths；　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　some　one　who　struck　down　a　cane　on　the　flag…stones　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　doors　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；　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　abed　this　hour　or　more；〃　said　the　lady

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

disturb　him　to…night；　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　to…night。〃



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　pa