第21章

Heenteredthetavern，andwasguidedbythemurmurofvoices，

andthefumesoftobacco，tothepublicroom。Itwasalongandlow

apartment，withoakenwalls，growndarkinthecontinualsmoke，and

afloor，whichwasthicklysanded，butofnoimmaculatepurity。A

numberofpersons-thelargerpartofwhomappearedtobemariners，or

insomewayconnectedwiththesea-occupiedthewoodenbenches，or

leather-bottomedchairs，conversingonvariousmatters，and

occasionallylendingtheirattentiontosometopicofgeneral

interest。Threeorfourlittlegroupsweredrainingasmanybowlsof

punch，whichtheWestIndiatradehadlongsincemadeafamiliardrink

inthecolony。Others，whohadtheappearanceofmenwholivedby

regularandlaborioushandicraft，preferredtheinsulatedblissof

anunsharedpotation，andbecamemoretaciturnunderitsinfluence。

Nearlyall，inshort，evincedapredilectionfortheGoodCreature

insomeofitsvariousshapes，forthisisavicetowhich，as

Fast-daysermonsofahundredyearsagowilltestify，wehavealong

hereditaryclaim。TheonlygueststowhomRobin’ssympathies

inclinedhimweretwoorthreesheepishcountrymen，whowereusingthe

innsomewhatafterthefashionofaTurkishcaravansary；theyhad

gottenthemselvesintothedarkestcorneroftheroom，and，heedless

oftheNicotianatmosphere，weresuppingonthebreadoftheirown

ovens，andthebaconcuredintheirownchimney-smoke。Butthough

Robinfeltasortofbrotherhoodwiththesestrangers，hiseyeswere

attractedfromthemtoapersonwhostoodnearthedoor，holding

whisperedconversationwithagroupofill-dressedassociates。His

featureswereseparatelystrikingalmosttogrotesqueness，andthe

wholefaceleftadeepimpressiononthememory。Theforeheadbulged

outintoadoubleprominence，withavalebetween；thenosecame

boldlyforthinanirregularcurve，anditsbridgewasofmorethan

afinger’sbreadth；theeyebrowsweredeepandshaggy，andtheeyes

glowedbeneaththemlikefireinacave。

WhileRobindeliberatedofwhomtoinquirerespectinghiskinsman’s

dwelling，hewasaccostedbytheinnkeeper，alittlemanina

stainedwhiteapron，whohadcometopayhisprofessionalwelcometo

thestranger。BeinginthesecondgenerationfromaFrenchProtestant，

heseemedtohaveinheritedthecourtesyofhisparentnation；but

novarietyofcircumstanceswaseverknowntochangehisvoicefrom

theoneshrillnoteinwhichhenowaddressedRobin。

“Fromthecountry，Ipresume，sir？”saidhe，withaprofoundbow。

“Begleavetocongratulateyouonyourarrival，andtrustyouintenda

longstaywithus。Finetownhere，sir，beautifulbuildings，and

muchthatmayinterestastranger。MayIhopeforthehonorofyour

commandsinrespecttosupper？”

“Themanseesafamilylikeness！theroguehasguessedthatIam

relatedtothemajor！”thoughtRobin，whohadhithertoexperienced

littlesuperfluouscivility。

Alleyeswerenowturnedonthecountrylad，standingatthe

door，inhiswornthree-corneredhat，graycoat，leatherbreeches，and

blueyarnstockings，leaningonanoakencudgel，andbearinga

walletonhisback。

Robinrepliedtothecourteousinnkeeper，withsuchanassumption

ofconfidenceasbefittedthemajor’srelative。“Myhonestfriend。”he

said，“Ishallmakeitapointtopatronizeyourhouseonsome

occasionwhen“-herehecouldnothelploweringhisvoice-“whenImay

havemorethanaparchmentthree-penceinmypocket。Mypresent

business。”continuedhe，speakingwithloftyconfidence，“ismerelyto

inquiremywaytothedwellingofmykinsman，MajorMolineux。”

Therewasasuddenandgeneralmovementintheroom，whichRobin

interpretedasexpressingtheeagernessofeachindividualtobecome

hisguide。Buttheinnkeeperturnedhiseyestoawrittenpaperonthe

wall，whichheread，orseemedtoread，withoccasionalrecurrencesto

theyoungman’sfigure。

“Whathavewehere？”saidhe，break