by Walter Scott
CHAPTER V.
He was a man Versed in the world as pilot in his compass. The needle pointed ever to that interest Which was his loadstar, and he spread his sails With vantage to the gale of others' passion. --THE DECEIVER, A TRAGEDY.
Antony Foster was still engaged in debate with his fair guest, whotreated with scorn every entreaty and request that she would retire toher own apartment, when a whistle was heard at the entrance-door of themansion.
"We are fairly sped now," said Foster; "yonder is thy lord's signal, andwhat to say about the disorder which has happened in this household,by my conscience, I know not. Some evil fortune dogs the heels of thatunhanged rogue Lambourne, and he has 'scaped the gallows against everychance, to come back and be the ruin of me!"
"Peace, sir," said the lady, "and undo the gate to your master.--Mylord! my dear lord!" she then exclaimed, hastening to the entrance ofthe apartment; then added, with a voice expressive of disappointment,"Pooh! it is but Richard Varney."
"Ay, madam," said Varney, entering and saluting the lady with arespectful obeisance, which she returned with a careless mixture ofnegligence and of displeasure, "it is but Richard Varney; but even thefirst grey cloud should be acceptable, when it lightens in the east,because it announces the approach of the blessed sun."
"How! comes my lord hither to-night?" said the lady, in joyful yetstartled agitation; and Anthony Foster caught up the word, and echoedthe question. Varney replied to the lady, that his lord purposed toattend her; and would have proceeded with some compliment, when, runningto the door of the parlour, she called aloud, "Janet--Janet! come to mytiring-room instantly." Then returning to Varney, she asked if her lordsent any further commendations to her.
"This letter, honoured madam," said he, taking from his bosom a smallparcel wrapped in scarlet silk, "and with it a token to the Queen ofhis Affections." With eager speed the lady hastened to undo the silkenstring which surrounded the little packet, and failing to unloosereadily the knot with which it was secured, she again called loudly onJanet, "Bring me a knife--scissors--aught that may undo this enviousknot!"
"May not my poor poniard serve, honoured madam?" said Varney,presenting a small dagger of exquisite workmanship, which hung in hisTurkey-leather sword-belt.
"No, sir," replied the lady, rejecting the instrument which heoffered--"steel poniard shall cut no true-love knot of mine."
"It has cut many, however," said Anthony Foster, half aside, and lookingat Varney. By this time the knot was disentangled without any otherhelp than the neat and nimble fingers of Janet, a simply-attired prettymaiden, the daughter of Anthony Foster, who came running at the repeatedcall of her mistress. A necklace of orient pearl, the companion of aperfumed billet, was now hastily produced from the packet. The lady gavethe one, after a slight glance, to the charge of her attendant, whileshe read, or rather devoured, the contents of the other.
"Surely, lady," said Janet, gazing with admiration at the neck-stringof pearls, "the daughters of Tyre wore no fairer neck-jewels than these.And then the posy, 'For a neck that is fairer'--each pearl is worth afreehold."
"Each word in this dear paper is worth the whole string, my girl. Butcome to my tiring-room, girl; we must be brave, my lord comes hitherto-night.--He bids me grace you, Master Varney, and to me his wish is alaw. I bid you to a collation in my bower this afternoon; and you,too, Master Foster. Give orders that all is fitting, and that suitablepreparations be made for my lord's reception to-night." With these wordsshe left the apartment.
"She takes state on her already," said Varney, "and distributes thefavour of her presence, as if she were already the partner of hisdignity. Well, it is wise to practise beforehand the part which fortuneprepares us to play--the young eagle must gaze at the sun ere he soarson strong wing to meet it."
"If holding her head aloft," said Foster, "will keep her eyes fromdazzling, I warrant you the dame will not stoop her crest. She willpresently soar beyond reach of my whistle, Master Varney. I promise you,she holds me already in slight regard."
"It is thine own fault, thou sullen, uninventive companion," answeredVarney, "who knowest no mode of control save downright brute force.Canst thou not make home pleasant to her, with music and toys? Canstthou not make the out-of-doors frightful to her, with tales of goblins?Thou livest here by the churchyard, and hast not even wit enough toraise a ghost, to scare thy females into good discipline."
"Speak not thus, Master Varney," said Foster; "the living I fear not,but I trifle not nor toy with my dead neighbours of the churchyard. Ipromise you, it requires a good heart to live so near it. Worthy MasterHoldforth, the afternoon's lecturer of Saint Antonlin's, had a sorefright there the last time he came to visit me."
"Hold thy superstitious tongue," answered Varney; "and while thoutalkest of visiting, answer me, thou paltering knave, how cameTressilian to be at the postern door?"
"Tressilian!" answered Foster, "what know I of Tressilian? I never heardhis name."
"Why, villain, it was the very Cornish chough to whom old Sir HughRobsart destined his pretty Amy; and hither the hot-brained fool hascome to look after his fair runaway. There must be some order taken withhim, for he thinks he hath wrong, and is not the mean hind that will sitdown with it. Luckily he knows nought of my lord, but thinks he has onlyme to deal with. But how, in the fiend's name, came he hither?"
"Why, with Mike Lambourne, an you must know," answered Foster.
"And who is Mike Lambourne?" demanded Varney. "By Heaven! thou wert bestset up a bush over thy door, and invite every stroller who passes by tosee what thou shouldst keep secret even from the sun and air."
"Ay! ay! this is a courtlike requital of my service to you, MasterRichard Varney," replied Foster. "Didst thou not charge me to seek outfor thee a fellow who had a good sword and an unscrupulous conscience?and was I not busying myself to find a fit man--for, thank Heaven, myacquaintance lies not amongst such companions--when, as Heaven wouldhave it, this tall fellow, who is in all his dualities the very flashingknave thou didst wish, came hither to fix acquaintance upon me in theplenitude of his impudence; and I admitted his claim, thinking to doyou a pleasure. And now see what thanks I get for disgracing myself byconverse with him!"
"And did he," said Varney, "being such a fellow as thyself, onlylacking, I suppose, thy present humour of hypocrisy, which lies as thinover thy hard, ruffianly heart as gold lacquer upon rusty iron--did he,I say, bring the saintly, sighing Tressilian in his train?"
"They came together, by Heaven!" said Foster; "and Tressilian--to speakHeaven's truth--obtained a moment's interview with our pretty moppet,while I was talking apart with Lambourne."
"Improvident villain! we are both undone," said Varney. "She has of latebeen casting many a backward look to her father's halls, whenever herlordly lover leaves her alone. Should this preaching fool whistle herback to her old perch, we were but lost men."
"No fear of that, my master," replied Anthony Foster; "she is in no moodto stoop to his lure, for she yelled out on seeing him as if an adderhad stung her."
"That is good. Canst thou not get from thy daughter an inkling of whatpassed between them, good Foster?"
"I tell you plain, Master Varney," said Foster, "my daughter shall notenter our purposes or walk in our paths. They may suit me well enough,who know how to repent of my misdoings; but I will not have my child'ssoul committed to peril either for your pleasure or my lord's. I maywalk among snares and pitfalls myself, because I have discretion, but Iwill not trust the poor lamb among them."
"Why, thou suspicious fool, I were as averse as thou art that thybaby-faced girl should enter into my plans, or walk to hell at herfather's elbow. But indirectly thou mightst gain some intelligence ofher?"
"And so I did, Master Varney," answered Foster; "and she said her ladycalled out upon the sickness of her father."
"Good!" replied Varney; "that is a hint worth catching, and I will workupon it. But the country must be rid of this Tressilian. I would havecumber
ed no man about the matter, for I hate him like strong poison--hispresence is hemlock to me--and this day I had been rid of him, but thatmy foot slipped, when, to speak truth, had not thy comrade yonder cometo my aid, and held his hand, I should have known by this time whetheryou and I have been treading the path to heaven or hell."
"And you can speak thus of such a risk!" said Foster. "You keep a stoutheart, Master Varney. For me, if I did not hope to live many years, andto have time for the great work of repentance, I would not go forwardwith you."
"Oh! thou shalt live as long as Methuselah," said Varney, "and amassas much wealth as Solomon; and thou shalt repent so devoutly, that thyrepentance shall be more famous than thy villainy--and that is a boldword. But for all this, Tressilian must be looked after. Thy ruffianyonder is gone to dog him. It concerns our fortunes, Anthony."
"Ay, ay," said Foster sullenly, "this it is to be leagued with one whoknows not even so much of Scripture, as that the labourer is worthy ofhis hire. I must, as usual, take all the trouble and risk."
"Risk! and what is the mighty risk, I pray you?" answered Varney. "Thisfellow will come prowling again about your demesne or into your house,and if you take him for a house-breaker or a park-breaker, is it notmost natural you should welcome him with cold steel or hot lead? Evena mastiff will pull down those who come near his kennel; and who shallblame him?"
"Ay, I have a mastiff's work and a mastiff's wage among you," saidFoster. "Here have you, Master Varney, secured a good freehold estateout of this old superstitious foundation; and I have but a poor lease ofthis mansion under you, voidable at your honour's pleasure."
"Ay, and thou wouldst fain convert thy leasehold into a copyhold--thething may chance to happen, Anthony Foster, if thou dost good servicefor it. But softly, good Anthony--it is not the lending a room or two ofthis old house for keeping my lord's pretty paroquet--nay, it is notthe shutting thy doors and windows to keep her from flying off that maydeserve it. Remember, the manor and tithes are rated at the clear annualvalue of seventy-nine pounds five shillings and fivepence halfpenny,besides the value of the wood. Come, come, thou must be conscionable;great and secret service may deserve both this and a better thing. Andnow let thy knave come and pluck off my boots. Get us some dinner, anda cup of thy best wine. I must visit this mavis, brave in apparel,unruffled in aspect, and gay in temper."
They parted and at the hour of noon, which was then that of dinner, theyagain met at their meal, Varney gaily dressed like a courtier of thetime, and even Anthony Foster improved in appearance, as far as dresscould amend an exterior so unfavourable.
This alteration did not escape Varney. Then the meal was finished, thecloth removed, and they were left to their private discourse--"Thouart gay as a goldfinch, Anthony," said Varney, looking at his host;"methinks, thou wilt whistle a jig anon. But I crave your pardon,that would secure your ejection from the congregation of the zealousbotchers, the pure-hearted weavers, and the sanctified bakers ofAbingdon, who let their ovens cool while their brains get heated."
"To answer you in the spirit, Master Varney," said Foster, "were--excusethe parable--to fling sacred and precious things before swine. So I willspeak to thee in the language of the world, which he who is king of theworld, hath taught thee, to understand, and to profit by in no commonmeasure."
"Say what thou wilt, honest Tony," replied Varney; "for be it accordingto thine absurd faith, or according to thy most villainous practice,it cannot choose but be rare matter to qualify this cup of Alicant.Thy conversation is relishing and poignant, and beats caviare, driedneat's-tongue, and all other provocatives that give savour to goodliquor."
"Well, then, tell me," said Anthony Foster, "is not our good lord andmaster's turn better served, and his antechamber more suitably filled,with decent, God-fearing men, who will work his will and their ownprofit quietly, and without worldly scandal, than that he should bemanned, and attended, and followed by such open debauchers and ruffianlyswordsmen as Tidesly, Killigrew, this fellow Lambourne, whom you haveput me to seek out for you, and other such, who bear the gallows intheir face and murder in their right hand--who are a terror to peaceablemen, and a scandal to my lord's service?"
"Oh, content you, good Master Anthony Foster," answered Varney; "he thatflies at all manner of game must keep all kinds of hawks, both short andlong-winged. The course my lord holds is no easy one, and he muststand provided at all points with trusty retainers to meet each sort ofservice. He must have his gay courtier, like myself, to ruffle it inthe presence-chamber, and to lay hand on hilt when any speaks indisparagement of my lord's honour--"
"Ay," said Foster, "and to whisper a word for him into a fair lady'sear, when he may not approach her himself."
"Then," said Varney, going on without appearing to notice theinterruption, "he must have his lawyers--deep, subtle pioneers--to drawhis contracts, his pre-contracts, and his post-contracts, and to findthe way to make the most of grants of church-lands, and commons, andlicenses for monopoly. And he must have physicians who can spice a cupor a caudle. And he must have his cabalists, like Dec and Allan, forconjuring up the devil. And he must have ruffling swordsmen, who wouldfight the devil when he is raised and at the wildest. And aboveall, without prejudice to others, he must have such godly, innocent,puritanic souls as thou, honest Anthony, who defy Satan, and do his workat the same time."
"You would not say, Master Varney," said Foster, "that our good lordand master, whom I hold to be fulfilled in all nobleness, would use suchbase and sinful means to rise, as thy speech points at?"
"Tush, man," said Varney, "never look at me with so sad a brow. You trapme not--nor am I in your power, as your weak brain may imagine, becauseI name to you freely the engines, the springs, the screws, the tackle,and braces, by which great men rise in stirring times. Sayest thou ourgood lord is fulfilled of all nobleness? Amen, and so be it--he has themore need to have those about him who are unscrupulous in his service,and who, because they know that his fall will overwhelm and crush them,must wager both blood and brain, soul and body, in order to keep himaloft; and this I tell thee, because I care not who knows it."
"You speak truth, Master Varney," said Anthony Foster. "He that is headof a party is but a boat on a wave, that raises not itself, but is movedupward by the billow which it floats upon."
"Thou art metaphorical, honest Anthony," replied Varney; "that velvetdoublet hath made an oracle of thee. We will have thee to Oxford to takethe degrees in the arts. And, in the meantime, hast thou arranged allthe matters which were sent from London, and put the western chambersinto such fashion as may answer my lord's humour?"
"They may serve a king on his bridal-day," said Anthony; "and I promiseyou that Dame Amy sits in them yonder as proud and gay as if she werethe Queen of Sheba."
"'Tis the better, good Anthony," answered Varney; "we must found ourfuture fortunes on her good liking."
"We build on sand then," said Anthony Foster; "for supposing that shesails away to court in all her lord's dignity and authority, how is sheto look back upon me, who am her jailor as it were, to detain her hereagainst her will, keeping her a caterpillar on an old wall, when shewould fain be a painted butterfly in a court garden?"
"Fear not her displeasure, man," said Varney. "I will show her all thouhast done in this matter was good service, both to my lord and her;and when she chips the egg-shell and walks alone, she shall own we havehatched her greatness."
"Look to yourself, Master Varney," said Foster, "you may misreckonfoully in this matter. She gave you but a frosty reception this morning,and, I think, looks on you, as well as me, with an evil eye."
"You mistake her, Foster--you mistake her utterly. To me she is boundby all the ties which can secure her to one who has been the means ofgratifying both her love and ambition. Who was it that took the obscureAmy Robsart, the daughter of an impoverished and dotard knight--thedestined bride of a moonstruck, moping enthusiast, like EdmundTressilian, from her lowly fates, and held out to her in prospect thebrightest fortune in En
gland, or perchance in Europe? Why, man, it wasI--as I have often told thee--that found opportunity for their secretmeetings. It was I who watched the wood while he beat for the deer. Itwas I who, to this day, am blamed by her family as the companion of herflight; and were I in their neighbourhood, would be fain to wear a shirtof better stuff than Holland linen, lest my ribs should be acquaintedwith Spanish steel. Who carried their letters?--I. Who amused the oldknight and Tressilian?--I. Who planned her escape?--it was I. It wasI, in short, Dick Varney, who pulled this pretty little daisy from itslowly nook, and placed it in the proudest bonnet in Britain."
"Ay, Master Varney," said Foster; "but it may be she thinks that had thematter remained with you, the flower had been stuck so slightly into thecap, that the first breath of a changeable breeze of passion had blownthe poor daisy to the common."
"She should consider," said Varney, smiling, "the true faith I owed mylord and master prevented me at first from counselling marriage; andyet I did counsel marriage when I saw she would not be satisfied withoutthe--the sacrament, or the ceremony--which callest thou it, Anthony?"
"Still she has you at feud on another score," said Foster; "and I tellit you that you may look to yourself in time. She would not hide hersplendour in this dark lantern of an old monastic house, but would fainshine a countess amongst countesses."
"Very natural, very right," answered Varney; "but what have I to dowith that?--she may shine through horn or through crystal at my lord'spleasure, I have nought to say against it."
"She deems that you have an oar upon that side of the boat, MasterVarney," replied Foster, "and that you can pull it or no, at your goodpleasure. In a word, she ascribes the secrecy and obscurity in which sheis kept to your secret counsel to my lord, and to my strict agency; andso she loves us both as a sentenced man loves his judge and his jailor."
"She must love us better ere she leave this place, Anthony," answeredVarney. "If I have counselled for weighty reasons that she remain herefor a season, I can also advise her being brought forth in the full blowof her dignity. But I were mad to do so, holding so near a place tomy lord's person, were she mine enemy. Bear this truth in upon her asoccasion offers, Anthony, and let me alone for extolling you in her ear,and exalting you in her opinion--KA ME, KA THEE--it is a proverb allover the world. The lady must know her friends, and be made to judge ofthe power they have of being her enemies; meanwhile, watch her strictly,but with all the outward observance that thy rough nature will permit.'Tis an excellent thing that sullen look and bull-dog humour of thine;thou shouldst thank God for it, and so should my lord, for when thereis aught harsh or hard-natured to be done, thou dost it as if it flowedfrom thine own natural doggedness, and not from orders, and so my lordescapes the scandal.--But, hark--some one knocks at the gate. Lookout at the window--let no one enter--this were an ill night to beinterrupted."
"It is he whom we spoke of before dinner," said Foster, as he lookedthrough the casement; "it is Michael Lambourne."
"Oh, admit him, by all means," said the courtier; "he comes to give someaccount of his guest; it imports us much to know the movements of EdmundTressilian.--Admit him, I say, but bring him not hither; I will come toyou presently in the Abbot's library."
Foster left the room, and the courtier, who remained behind, paced theparlour more than once in deep thought, his arms folded on his bosom,until at length he gave vent to his meditations in broken words, whichwe have somewhat enlarged and connected, that his soliloquy may beintelligible to the reader.
"'Tis true," he said, suddenly stopping, and resting his right hand onthe table at which they had been sitting, "this base churl hath fathomedthe very depth of my fear, and I have been unable to disguise it fromhim. She loves me not--I would it were as true that I loved not her!Idiot that I was, to move her in my own behalf, when wisdom bade me bea true broker to my lord! And this fatal error has placed me more at herdiscretion than a wise man would willingly be at that of the best pieceof painted Eve's flesh of them all. Since the hour that my policy madeso perilous a slip, I cannot look at her without fear, and hate, andfondness, so strangely mingled, that I know not whether, were it at mychoice, I would rather possess or ruin her. But she must not leave thisretreat until I am assured on what terms we are to stand. My lord'sinterest--and so far it is mine own, for if he sinks I fall in histrain--demands concealment of this obscure marriage; and besides, I willnot lend her my arm to climb to her chair of state, that she may set herfoot on my neck when she is fairly seated. I must work an interest inher, either through love or through fear; and who knows but I may yetreap the sweetest and best revenge for her former scorn?--thatwere indeed a masterpiece of courtlike art! Let me but once be hercounsel-keeper--let her confide to me a secret, did it but concern therobbery of a linnet's nest, and, fair Countess, thou art mine own!"He again paced the room in silence, stopped, filled and drank a cup ofwine, as if to compose the agitation of his mind, and muttering,"Now for a close heart and an open and unruffled brow," he left theapartment.