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thus evanished？ You may ask mine host； Giles Goslingask the
tapster and hostlerask Cicely； and the whole household； how I
kept eyes on Tressilian while he was on foot。 On my soul； I
could not be expected to watch him like a sick nurse； when I had
seen him fairly a…bed in his chamber。 That will be allowed me；
surely。〃
Varney did； in fact； make some inquiry among the household； which
confirmed the truth of Lambourne's statement。 Tressilian； it was
unanimously agreed； had departed suddenly and unexpectedly；
betwixt night and morning。
〃But I will wrong no one；〃 said mine host； 〃he left on the table
in his lodging the full value of his reckoning； with some
allowance to the servants of the house； which was the less
necessary that he saddled his own gelding； as it seems； without
the hostler's assistance。〃
Thus satisfied of the rectitude of Lambourne's conduct； Varney
began to talk to him upon his future prospects； and the mode in
which he meant to bestow himself； intimating that he understood
from Foster he was not disinclined to enter into the household of
a nobleman。
〃Have you；〃 said he； 〃ever been at court？〃
〃No；〃 replied Lambourne； 〃but ever since I was ten years old； I
have dreamt once a week that I was there； and made my fortune。〃
〃It may be your own fault if your dream comes not true；〃 said
Varney。 〃Are you needy？〃
〃Um！〃 replied Lambourne； 〃I love pleasure。〃
〃That is a sufficient answer； and an honest one；〃 said Varney。
〃Know you aught of the requisites expected from the retainer of a
rising courtier？〃
〃I have imagined them to myself； sir；〃 answered Lambourne； 〃as；
for example； a quick eye； a close mouth； a ready and bold hand； a
sharp wit； and a blunt conscience。〃
〃And thine； I suppose；〃 said Varney； 〃has had its edge blunted
long since？〃
〃I cannot remember； sir； that its edge was ever over…keen；〃
replied Lambourne。 〃When I was a youth； I had some few whimsies；
but I rubbed them partly out of my recollection on the rough
grindstone of the wars； and what remained I washed out in the
broad waves of the Atlantic。〃
〃Thou hast served； then； in the Indies？〃
〃In both East and West；〃 answered the candidate for court
service； 〃by both sea and land。 I have served both the Portugal
and the Spaniard； both the Dutchman and the Frenchman； and have
made war on our own account with a crew of jolly fellows； who
held there was no peace beyond the Line。〃 ＇Sir Francis Drake；
Morgan； and many a bold buccaneer of those days； were； in fact；
little better than pirates。＇
〃Thou mayest do me； and my lord； and thyself； good service；〃 said
Varney； after a pause。 〃But observe； I know the worldand
answer me truly； canst thou be faithful？〃
〃Did you not know the world；〃 answered Lambourne； 〃it were my
duty to say ay； without further circumstance； and to swear to it
with life and honour； and so forth。 But as it seems to me that
your worship is one who desires rather honest truth than politic
falsehood； I reply to you； that I can be faithful to the gallows'
foot； ay； to the loop that dangles from it； if I am well used and
well recompensednot otherwise。〃
〃To thy other virtues thou canst add； no doubt；〃 said Varney； in
a jeering tone； 〃the knack of seeming serious and religious； when
the moment demands it？〃
〃It would cost me nothing；〃 said Lambourne； 〃to say yes； but； to
speak on the square； I must needs say no。 If you want a
hypocrite； you may take Anthony Foster； who； from his childhood；
had some sort of phantom haunting him； which he called religion；
though it was that sort of godliness which always ended in being
great gain。 But I have no such knack of it。〃
〃Well；〃 replied Varney； 〃if thou hast no hypocrisy； hast thou not
a nag here in the stable？〃
〃Ay； sir；〃 said Lambourne； 〃that shall take hedge and ditch with
my Lord Duke's best hunters。 Then I made a little mistake on
Shooter's Hill； and stopped an ancient grazier whose pouches were
better lined than his brain…pan； the bonny bay nag carried me
sheer off in spite of the whole hue and cry。〃
〃Saddle him then instantly； and attend me；〃 said Varney。 〃Leave
thy clothes and baggage under charge of mine host； and I will
conduct thee to a service； in which； if thou do not better
thyself； the fault shall not be fortune's； but thine own。〃
〃Brave and hearty！〃 said Lambourne； 〃and I am mounted in an
instant。Knave； hostler； saddle my nag without the loss of one
second； as thou dost value the safety of thy noddle。Pretty
Cicely； take half this purse to comfort thee for my sudden
departure。〃
〃Gogsnouns！〃 replied the father； 〃Cicely wants no such token
from thee。 Go away； Mike； and gather grace if thou canst； though
I think thou goest not to the land where it grows。〃
〃Let me look at this Cicely of thine； mine host；〃 said Varney； 〃I
have heard much talk of her beauty。〃
〃It is a sunburnt beauty；〃 said mine host； 〃well qualified to
stand out rain and wind； but little calculated to please such
critical gallants as yourself。 She keeps her chamber； and cannot
encounter the glance of such sunny…day courtiers as my noble
guest。〃
〃Well； peace be with her； my good host；〃 answered Varney； 〃our
horses are impatientwe bid you good day。〃
〃Does my nephew go with you； so please you？〃 said Gosling。
〃Ay； such is his purpose；〃 answered Richard Varney。
〃You are rightfully right；〃 replied mine host〃you are； I say；
fully right； my kinsman。 Thou hast got a gay horse； see thou
light not unaware upon a halteror； if thou wilt needs be made
immortal by means of a rope； which thy purpose of following this
gentleman renders not unlikely； I charge thee to find a gallows
as far from Cumnor as thou conveniently mayest。 And so I commend
you to your saddle。〃
The master of the horse and his new retainer mounted accordingly；
leaving the landlord to conclude his ill…omened farewell； to
himself and at leisure； and set off together at a rapid pace；
which prevented conversation until the ascent of a steep sandy
hill permitted them to resume it。
〃You are contented； then；〃 said Varney to his companion； 〃to take
court service？〃
〃Ay； worshipful sir； if you like my terms as well as I like
yours。〃
〃And what are your terms？〃 demanded Varney。
〃If I am to have a quick eye for my patron's interest； he must
have a dull one towards my faults；〃 said Lambourne。
〃Ay；〃 said Varney； 〃so they lie not so grossly open that he must
needs break his shins over them。〃
〃Agreed；〃 said Lambourne。 〃Next； if I run down game； I must have
the picking of the bones。〃
〃That is but reason；〃 replied Varney； 〃so that your betters are
served before you。〃
〃Good；〃 said Lambourne； 〃and it only remains to be said； that if
the law and I quarrel； my patron must bear me out； for that is a
chief point。〃
〃Reason again；〃 said Varney； 〃if the quarrel hath happened in
your master's service。〃
〃For the wage and so forth； I say nothing；〃 proceeded Lambourne；
〃it is the secret guerdon that I must live by。〃
〃Never fear；〃 said Varney； 〃thou shalt have clothes and spending
money to ruffle it with the best of thy degree； for thou goest to
a household where you have gold； as they say； by the eye。〃
〃That jumps all with my humour；〃 replied Michael Lambourne； 〃and
it only remains that you tell me my master's name。〃
〃My name is Master Richard Varney；〃 answered his companion。
〃But I mean；〃 said Lambourne； 〃the name of the noble lord to
whose service you are to prefer me。〃
〃How； knave； art thou too good to call me master？〃 said Varney
hastily； 〃I would have thee bold to others； but not saucy to me。〃
〃I crave your worship's pardon；〃 said Lambourne； 〃but you seemed
familiar with Anthony Foster； now I am familiar with Anthony
myself。〃
〃Thou art a shrewd knave； I see；〃 replied Varney。 〃Mark meI do
indeed propose to introduce thee into a nobleman's household； but
it is upon my person thou wilt chiefly wait； and upon my
countenance that thou wilt depend。 I am his master of horse。
Thou wilt soon know his nameit is one that shakes the council
and wields the state。〃
〃By this light； a brave spell to conjure with；〃 said Lambourne；
〃if a man would discover hidden treasures！〃
〃Used with discretion； it may prove so；〃 replied Varney； 〃but
markif thou conjure with it at thine own hand； it may raise a
devil who will tear thee in fragments。〃
〃Enough said；〃 replied Lambourne； 〃I will not exceed my limits。〃
The travellers then resumed the rapid rate of travelling which
their discourse had interrupted； and soon arrived at the Royal
Park of Woodstock。 This ancient possession of the crown of
England was then very different from what it had been when it was
the residence of the fair Rosamond； and the scene of Henry the
Second's secret and illicit amours； and yet more unlike to the
scene which it exhibits in the present day； when Blenheim House
commemorates the victory of Marlborough； and no less the genius
of Vanbrugh； though decried in his own time by persons of taste
far inferior to his own。 It was； in Elizabeth's time； an ancient
mansion in bad repair； which had long ceased to be honoured with
the royal residence； to the great impoverishment of the adjacent
village。 T