下载辰思小说免费APP
Thepresswasofconsequencegreataroundtheentrance，andpersonsofallkindspresentedeverysortofpleaforadmittance;
towhichtheguardsturnedaninexorableear，pleading，inreturntofairwords，andeventofairoffers，thestrictnessoftheirorders，foundedontheQueen\'swell—knowndisliketotherudepressingofamultitude。Withthosewhomsuchreasonsdidnotserve，theydealtmorerudely，repellingthemwithoutceremonybythepressureoftheirpowerful，barbedhorses，andgoodroundblowsfromthestockoftheircarabines。Theselastmanoeuvresproducedundulationsamongstthecrowd，whichrenderedWaylandmuchafraidthathemightperforcebeseparatedfromhischargeinthethrong。Neitherdidheknowwhatexcusetomakeinordertoobtainadmittance，andhewasdebatingthematterinhisheadwithgreatuncertainty，whentheEarl\'spursuivant，havingcastaneyeuponhim，exclaimed，tohisnosmallsurprise，"Yeomen，makeroomforthefellowintheorange—tawnycloak。——Comeforward，SirCoxcomb，andmakehaste。What，inthefiend\'sname，haskeptyouwaiting？Comeforwardwithyourbaleofwoman\'sgear。"
WhilethepursuivantgaveWaylandthispressingyetuncourteousinvitation，which，foraminuteortwo，hecouldnotimaginewasappliedtohim，theyeomenspeedilymadeafreepassageforhim，while，onlycautioninghiscompaniontokeepthemufflerclosearoundherface，heenteredthegateleadingherpalfrey，butwithsuchadroopingcrest，andsuchalookofconsciousfearandanxiety，thatthecrowd，notgreatlypleasedatanyratewiththepreferencebestoweduponthem，accompaniedtheiradmissionwithhootingandaloudlaughofderision。
Admittedthuswithinthechase，thoughwithnoveryflatteringnoticeordistinction，Waylandandhischargerodeforward，musingwhatdifficultiesitwouldbenexttheirlottoencounter，throughthebroadavenue，whichwassentinelledoneithersidebyalonglineofretainers，armedwithswords，andpartisansrichlydressedintheEarlofLeicester\'sliveries，andbearinghiscognizanceoftheBearandRaggedStaff，eachplacedwithinthreepacesofeachother，soastolinethewholeroadfromtheentranceintotheparktothebridge。And，indeed，whentheladyobtainedthefirstcommandingviewoftheCastle，withitsstatelytowersrisingfromwithinalong，sweepinglineofoutwardwalls，ornamentedwithbattlementsandturretsandplatformsateverypointofdefence，withmanyabannerstreamingfromitswalls，andsuchabustleofgaycrestsandwavingplumesdisposedontheterracesandbattlements，andallthegayandgorgeousscene，herheart，unaccustomedtosuchsplendour，sankasifitdiedwithinher，andforamomentsheaskedherselfwhatshehadoffereduptoLeicestertodeservetobecomethepartnerofthisprincelysplendour。Butherprideandgenerousspiritresistedthewhisperwhichbadeherdespair。
"Ihavegivenhim，"shesaid，"allthatwomanhastogive。Nameandfame，heartandhand，haveIgiventhelordofallthismagnificenceatthealtar，andEngland\'sQueencouldgivehimnomore。Heismyhusband——Iamhiswife——whomGodhathjoined，mancannotsunder。Iwillbeboldinclaimingmyright;eventhebolder，thatIcomethusunexpected，andthusforlorn。IknowmynobleDudleywell！Hewillbesomethingimpatientatmydisobeyinghim，butAmywillweep，andDudleywillforgiveher。"
ThesemeditationswereinterruptedbyacryofsurprisefromherguideWayland，whosuddenlyfelthimselfgraspedfirmlyroundthebodybyapairoflong，thinblackarms，belongingtosomeonewhohaddroppedhimselfoutofanoaktreeuponthecroupofhishorse，amidsttheshoutsoflaughterwhichburstfromthesentinels。
"Thismustbethedevil，orFlibbertigibbetagain！"saidWayland，afteravainstruggletodisengagehimself，andunhorsetheurchinwhoclungtohim;"doKenilworthoaksbearsuchacorns？"
"Insoothdothey，MasterWayland，"saidhisunexpectedadjunct，"andmanyothers，toohardforyoutocrack，forasoldasyouare，withoutmyteachingyou。Howwouldyouhavepassedthepursuivantattheuppergateyonder，hadnotIwarnedhimourprincipaljugglerwastofollowus？AndherehaveIwaitedforyou，havingclamberedupintothetreefromthetopofthewain;
andIsupposetheyareallmadforwantofmebythistime，"
"Nay，then，thouartalimbofthedevilingoodearnest，"saidWayland。"Igivetheeway，goodimp，andwillwalkbythycounsel;only，asthouartpowerfulbemerciful。"
Ashespoke，theyapproachedastrongtower，atthesouthextremityofthelongbridgewehavementioned，whichservedtoprotecttheoutergatewayoftheCastleofKenilworth。
Undersuchdisastrouscircumstances，andinsuchsingularcompany，didtheunfortunateCountessofLeicesterapproach，forthefirsttime，themagnificentabodeofheralmostprincelyhusband。
CHAPTERXXVI。
SNUG。Haveyouthelion\'spartwritten？pray，ifitbe，giveitme，forIamslowofstudy。
QUINCE。Youmaydoitextempore，foritisnothingbutroaring。
MIDSUMMERNIGHT\'SDREAM。
WhentheCountessofLeicesterarrivedattheoutergateoftheCastleofKenilworth，shefoundthetower，beneathwhichitsampleportalarchopened，guardedinasingularmanner。Uponthebattlementswereplacedgiganticwarders，withclubs，battle—
axes，andotherimplementsofancientwarfare，designedtorepresentthesoldiersofKingArthur;thoseprimitiveBritons，bywhom，accordingtoromantictradition，theCastlehadbeenfirsttenanted，thoughhistorycarriedbackitsantiquityonlytothetimesoftheHeptarchy。
Someofthesetremendousfigureswererealmen，dressedupwithvizardsandbuskins;othersweremerepageantscomposedofpasteboardandbuckram，which，viewedfrombeneath，andmingledwiththosethatwerereal，formedasufficientlystrikingrepresentationofwhatwasintended。Butthegiganticporterwhowaitedatthegatebeneath，andactuallydischargedthedutiesofwarder，owednoneofhisterrorstofictitiousmeans。Wewasamanwhosehugestature，thews，sinews，andbulkinproportion，wouldhaveenabledhimtoenactColbrand，Ascapart，oranyothergiantofromance，withoutraisinghimselfnearertoheavenevenbythealtitudeofachopin。ThelegsandkneesofthissonofAnakwerebare，aswerehisarmsfromaspanbelowtheshoulder;
buthisfeetweredefendedwithsandals，fastenedwithcrossstrapsofscarletleatherstuddedwithbrazenknobs。Aclosejerkinofscarletvelvetloopedwithgold，withshortbreechesofthesame，coveredhisbodyandapartofhislimbs;andheworeonhisshoulders，insteadofacloak，theskinofablackbear。
Theheadofthisformidablepersonwasuncovered，exceptbyhisshaggy，blackhair，whichdescendedoneithersidearoundfeaturesofthathuge，lumpish，andheavycastwhichareoftenannexedtomenofveryuncommonsize，andwhich，notwithstandingsomedistinguishedexceptions，havecreatedageneralprejudiceagainstgiants，asbeingadullandsullenkindofpersons。Thistremendouswarderwasappropriatelyarmedwithaheavyclubspikedwithsteel。Infine，herepresentedexcellentlyoneofthosegiantsofpopularromance，whofigureineveryfairytaleorlegendofknight—errantry。
ThedemeanourofthismodernTitan，whenWaylandSmithbenthisattentiontohim，hadinitsomethingarguingmuchmentalembarrassmentandvexation;forsometimeshesatdownforaninstantonamassivestonebench，whichseemedplacedforhisaccommodationbesidethegateway，andtheneverandanonhestartedup，scratchinghishugehead，andstridingtoandfroonhispost，likeoneunderafitofimpatienceandanxiety。Itwaswhiletheporterwaspacingbeforethegateinthisagitatedmanner，thatWayland，modestly，yetasamatterofcourse（not，however，withoutsomementalmisgiving），wasabouttopasshim，andentertheportalarch。Theporter，however，stoppedhisprogress，biddinghim，inathunderingvoice，"Standback！"andenforcinghisinjunctionbyheavinguphissteel—shodmace，anddashingitonthegroundbeforeWayland\'shorse\'snosewithsuchvehemencethatthepavementflashedfire，andthearchwayrangtotheclamour。Wayland，availinghimselfofDickie\'shints，begantostatethathebelongedtoabandofperformerstowhichhispresencewasindispensable，thathehadbeenaccidentallydetainedbehind，andmuchtothesamepurpose。Butthewarderwasinexorable，andkeptmutteringandmurmuringsomethingbetwixthisteeth，whichWaylandcouldmakelittleof;andaddressingbetwixtwhilesarefusalofadmittance，couchedinlanguagewhichwasbuttoointelligible。Aspecimenofhisspeechmightrunthus:——"What，hownow，mymasters？"（tohimself）——"Here\'sastir——here\'sacoil。"——（ThentoWayland）——
"Youarealoiteringknave，andshallhavenoentrance。"——（Againtohimself）——"Here\'sathrong——here\'sathrusting。——Ishallne\'ergetthroughwithit——Here\'sa——humph——ha。"——（ToWayland）——"Backfromthegate，orI\'llbreakthepateofthee。"——（Oncemoretohimself）——"Here\'sa——no——Ishallnevergetthroughit。"
"Standstill，"whisperedFlibbertigibbetintoWayland\'sear，"I
knowwheretheshoepinches，andwilltamehiminaninstant。"
Hedroppeddownfromthehorse，andskippinguptotheporter，pluckedhimbythetailofthebearskin，soastoinducehimtodeclinehishugehead，andwhisperedsomethinginhisear。NotatthecommandofthelordofsomeEasterntalismandideverAfritechangehishorridfrownintoalookofsmoothsubmissionmoresuddenlythanthegiganticporterofKenilworthrelaxedtheterrorsofhislooksattheinstantFlibbertigibbet\'swhisperreachedhisears。Heflunghisclubupontheground，andcaughtupDickieSludge，raisinghimtosuchadistancefromtheearthasmighthaveprovedperiloushadhechancedtolethimslip。
"Itisevenso，"hesaid，withathunderingsoundofexultation——"itisevenso，mylittledandieprat。Butwhothedevilcouldteachitthee？"
"Donotthouc
