下载辰思小说免费APP
"Savingalwayswhenmybettersareinpresence，"saidLambourne，withthecivilimpudenceofaservantwhoknowshisservicestobesoindispensablethathisjestwillbepermittedtopassmuster。
"Andwhatisthenameofthisdevil，ordevil\'sdam，whohastimedherturnssostrangely？"saidVarney。"Wecanillaffordtospareanyofouractors。"
"GAUDETNOMINESIBYLLAE，"saidthefirstspeaker;"sheiscalledSibylLaneham，wifeofMasterRobertLaneham——"
"ClerktotheCouncil—chamberdoor，"saidVarney;"why，sheisinexcusable，havinghadexperiencehowtohaveorderedhermattersbetter。Butwhowerethose，amanandawoman，Ithink，whorodesohastilyupthehillbeforemeevennow？Dotheybelongtoyourcompany？"
Waylandwasabouttohazardareplytothisalarminginquiry，whenthelittlediablotinagainthrustinhisoar。
"Sopleaseyou，"hesaid，comingcloseuptoVarney，andspeakingsoasnottobeoverheardbyhiscompanions，"themanwasourdevilmajor，whohastricksenoughtosupplythelackofahundredsuchasDameLaneham;andthewoman，ifyouplease，isthesagepersonwhoseassistanceismostparticularlynecessarytoourdistressedcomrade。"
"Oh，what！youhavegotthewisewoman，then？"saidVarney。
"Why，truly，sherodelikeoneboundtoaplacewhereshewasneeded。AndyouhaveasparelimbofSatan，besides，tosupplytheplaceofMistressLaneham？"
"Ay，sir，"saidtheboy;"theyarenotsoscarceinthisworldasyourhonour\'svirtuouseminencewouldsuppose。Thismaster—fiendshallspitafewflashesoffire，andeructavolumeortwoofsmokeonthespot，ifitwilldoyoupleasure——youwouldthinkhehadAEtnainhisabdomen。"
"Ilacktimejustnow，mosthopefulimpofdarkness，towitnesshisperformance，"saidVarney;"buthereissomethingforyoualltodrinktheluckyhour——andso，astheplaysays，\'GodbewithYourlabour！\'"
Thusspeaking，hestruckhishorsewiththespurs，androdeonhisway。
Lambournetarriedamomentortwobehindhismaster，andrummagedhispouchforapieceofsilver，whichhebestowedonthecommunicativeimp，ashesaid，forhisencouragementonhispathtotheinfernalregions，somesparksofwhosefire，hesaid，hecoulddiscoverflashingfromhimalready。Thenhavingreceivedtheboy\'sthanksforhisgenerosityhealsospurredhishorse，androdeafterhismasterasfastasthefireflashesfromflint。
"Andnow，"saidthewilyimp，sidlingcloseuptoWayland\'shorse，andcuttingagambolintheairwhichseemedtovindicatehistitletorelationshipwiththeprinceofthatelement，"I
havetoldthemwhoYOUare，doyouinreturntellmewhoIam？"
"EitherFlibbertigibbet，"answeredWaylandSmith，"orelseanimpofthedevilingoodearnest。"
"Thouhasthitit，"answeredDickieSludge。"IamthineownFlibbertigibbet，man;andIhavebrokenforthofbounds，alongwithmylearnedpreceptor，asItoldtheeIwoulddo，whetherhewouldornot。Butwhatladyhastthougotwiththee？Isawthouwertatfaultthefirstquestionwasasked，andsoIdrewupforthyassistance。ButImustknowallwhosheis，dearWayland。"
"Thoushaltknowfiftyfinerthings，mydearingle，"saidWayland;"butatrucetothineinquiriesjustnow。AndsinceyouareboundforKenilworth，thitherwillItoo，evenfortheloveofthysweetfaceandwaggishcompany。"
"Thoushouldsthavesaidmywaggishfaceandsweetcompany，"saidDickie;"buthowwiltthoutravelwithus——Imeaninwhatcharacter？"
"E\'eninthatthouhastassignedme，tobesure——asajuggler;
thouknowestIamusedtothecraft，"answeredWayland。
"Ay，butthelady？"answeredFlibbertigibbet。"Creditme，I
thinksheISoneandthouartinaseaoftroublesaboutheratthismoment，asIcanperceivebythyfidgeting。"
"Oh，she，man！——sheisapoorsisterofmine，"saidWayland;"shecansingandplayo\'thelutewouldwinthefishouto\'thestream。"
"Letmehearherinstantly，"saidtheboy，"Ilovetheluterarely;Iloveitofallthings，thoughIneverheardit。"
"Thenhowcanstthouloveit，Flibbertigibbet？"saidWayland。
"Asknightsloveladiesinoldtales，"answeredDickie——"onhearsay。"
"Thenloveitonhearsayalittlelonger，tillmysisterisrecoveredfromthefatigueofherjourney，"saidWayland;
mutteringafterwardsbetwixthisteeth，"Thedeviltaketheimp\'scuriosity！Imustkeepfairweatherwithhim，orweshallfaretheworse。"
HethenproceededtostatetoMasterHolidayhisowntalentsasajuggler，withthoseofhissisterasamusician。Someproofofhisdexteritywasdemanded，whichhegaveinsuchastyleofexcellence，that，delightedatobtainingsuchanaccessiontotheirparty，theyreadilyacquiescedintheapologywhichheofferedwhenadisplayofhissister\'stalentswasrequired。Thenew—comerswereinvitedtopartakeoftherefreshmentswithwhichthepartywereprovided;anditwaswithsomedifficultythatWaylandSmithobtainedanopportunityofbeingapartwithhissupposedsisterduringthemeal，ofwhichintervalheavailedhimselftoentreathertoforgetforthepresentbothherrankandhersorrows，andcondescend，asthemostprobablechanceofremainingconcealed，tomixinthesocietyofthosewithwhomshewastotravel。
TheCountessallowedthenecessityofthecase，andwhentheyresumedtheirjourney，endeavouredtocomplywithherguide\'sadvice，byaddressingherselftoafemalenearher，andexpressingherconcernforthewomanwhomtheywerethusobligedtoleavebehindthem。
"Oh，sheiswellattended，madam，"repliedthedamewhomsheaddressed，who，fromherjollyandlaughter—lovingdemeanour，mighthavebeentheveryemblemoftheWifeofBath;"andmygossipLanehamthinksaslittleofthesemattersasanyone。Bytheninthday，antherevelslastsolong，weshallhaveherwithusatKenilworth，evenifsheshouldtravelwithherbantlingonherback。"
TherewassomethinginthisspeechwhichtookawayalldesireontheCountessofLeicester\'sparttocontinuetheconversation。
Buthavingbrokenthecharmbyspeakingtoherfellow—travellerfirst，thegooddame，whowastoplayRareGillianofCroydoninoneoftheinterludes，tookcarethatsilencedidnotagainsettleonthejourney，butentertainedhermutecompanionwithathousandanecdotesofrevels，fromthedaysofKingHarrydownwards，withthereceptiongiventhembythegreatfolk，andallthenamesofthosewhoplayedtheprincipalcharacters;buteverconcludingwith"theywouldbenothingtotheprincelypleasuresofKenilworth。"
"AndwhenshallwereachKenilworth？saidtheCountess，withanagitationwhichsheinvainattemptedtoconceal。
"Wethathavehorsesmay，withlateriding，gettoWarwickto—
night，andKenilworthmaybedistantsomefourorfivemiles。
Butthenwemustwaittillthefoot—peoplecomeup;althoughitislikemygoodLordofLeicesterwillhavehorsesorlightcarriagestomeetthem，andbringthemupwithoutbeingtravel—
toiled，whichlastisnogoodpreparation，asyoumaysuppose，fordancingbeforeyourbetters。Andyet，Lordhelpme，IhaveseenthedayIwouldhavetrampedfiveleaguesoflea—land，andturnedanmytoethewholeeveningafter，asajugglerspinsapewterplatteronthepointofaneedle。Butagehasclawedmesomewhatinhisclutch，asthesongsays;though，ifIlikethetuneandlikemypartner，I\'lldancethehaysyetwithanymerrylassinWarwickshirethatwritesthatunhappyfigurefourwitharoundOafterit。"
IftheCountesswasoverwhelmedwiththegarrulityofthisgooddame，WaylandSmith，onhispart，hadenoughtodotosustainandparry，theconstantattacksmadeuponhimbytheindefatigablecuriosityofhisoldacquaintanceRichardSludge。Naturehadgiventhatarchyoungsterapryingcastofdisposition，whichmatchedadmirablywithhissharpwit;theformerinducinghimtoplanthimselfasaspyonotherpeople\'saffairs，andthelatterqualityleadinghimperpetuallytointerfere，afterhehadmadehimselfmasterofthatwhichconcernedhimnot。HespentthelivelongdayinattemptingtopeerundertheCountess\'smuffler，andapparentlywhathecouldtherediscerngreatlysharpenedhiscuriosity。
"Thatsisterofthine，Wayland，"hesaid，"hasafairnecktohavebeenborninasmithy，andaprettytaperhandtohavebeenusedfortwirlingaspindle——faith，I\'llbelieveinyourrelationshipwhenthecrow\'seggishatchedintoacygnet。"
"Goto，"saidWayland，"thouartapratingboy，andshouldbebreechedforthineassurance。"
"Well，"saidtheimp，drawingoff，"allIsayis——rememberyouhavekeptasecretfromme，andifIgivetheenotaRolandforthineOliver，mynameisnotDickonSludge！"
Thisthreat，andthedistanceatwhichHobgoblinkeptfromhimfortherestoftheway，alarmedWaylandverymuch，andhesuggestedtohispretendedsisterthat，onpretextofweariness，sheshouldexpressadesiretostoptwoorthreemilesshortofthefairtownofWarwick，promisingtorejointhetroopinthemorning。Asmallvillageinnaffordedthemaresting—place，anditwaswithsecretpleasurethatWaylandsawthewholeparty，includingDickon，passon，afteracourteousfarewell，andleavethembehind。
"To—morrow，madam，"hesaidtohischarge，"wewill，withyourleave，againstartearly，andreachKenilworthbeforetheroutwhicharetoassemblethere。"
TheCountessgaveassenttotheproposalofherfaithfulguide;
but，somewhattohissurprise，saidnothingfurtheronthesubject，whichleftWaylandunderthedisagreeableuncertaintywhetherornoshehadformedanyplanforherownfutureproceedings，asheknewhersituationdemandedcircumspection，althoughhewasbutimperfectlyacquaintedwithallitspeculiarities。Conc
