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〃What is the matter; say you; master?〃 answered; at length; the
head hostler; in reply to Tressilian's repeated questions。〃Why;
truly; I scarce know myself。 But here was a rider but now; who
says that the devil hath flown away with him they called Wayland
Smith; that won'd about three miles from the Whitehorse of
Berkshire; this very blessed morning; in a flash of fire and a
pillar of smoke; and rooted up the place he dwelt in; near that
old cockpit of upright stones; as cleanly as if it had all been
delved up for a cropping。〃
〃Why; then;〃 said an old farmer; 〃the more is the pity; for that
Wayland Smith (whether he was the devil's crony or no I skill
not) had a good notion of horses' diseases; and it's to be
thought the bots will spread in the country far and near; an
Satan has not gien un time to leave his secret behind un。〃
〃You may say that; Gaffer Grimesby;〃 said the hostler in return;
〃I have carried a horse to Wayland Smith myself; for he passed
all farriers in this country。〃
〃Did you see him?〃 said Dame Alison Crane; mistress of the inn
bearing that sign; and deigning to term HUSBAND the owner
thereof; a mean…looking hop…o'…my…thumb sort or person; whose
halting gait; and long neck; and meddling; henpecked
insignificance are supposed to have given origin to the
celebrated old English tune of 〃My name hath a lame tame Crane。〃
On this occasion he chirped out a repetition of his wife's
question; 〃Didst see the devil; Jack Hostler; I say?〃
〃And what if I did see un; Master Crane?〃 replied Jack Hostler;
for; like all the rest of the household; he paid as little
respect to his master as his mistress herself did。
〃Nay; nought; Jack Hostler;〃 replied the pacific Master Crane;
〃only if you saw the devil; methinks I would like to know what
un's like?〃
〃You will know that one day; Master Crane;〃 said his helpmate;
〃an ye mend not your manners; and mind your business; leaving off
such idle palabras。But truly; Jack Hostler; I should be glad to
know myself what like the fellow was。〃
〃Why; dame;〃 said the hostler; more respectfully; 〃as for what he
was like I cannot tell; nor no man else; for why I never saw un。〃
〃And how didst thou get thine errand done;〃 said Gaffer Grimesby;
〃if thou seedst him not?〃
〃Why; I had schoolmaster to write down ailment o' nag;〃 said Jack
Hostler; 〃and I went wi' the ugliest slip of a boy for my guide
as ever man cut out o' lime…tree root to please a child withal。〃
〃And what was it?and did it cure your nag; Jack Hostler?〃 was
uttered and echoed by all who stood around。
〃Why; how can I tell you what it was?〃 said the hostler; 〃simply
it smelled and tastedfor I did make bold to put a pea's
substance into my mouthlike hartshorn and savin mixed with
vinegar; but then no hartshorn and savin ever wrought so speedy a
cure。 And I am dreading that if Wayland Smith be gone; the bots
will have more power over horse and cattle。〃
The pride of art; which is certainly not inferior in its
influence to any other pride whatever; here so far operated on
Wayland Smith; that; notwithstanding the obvious danger of his
being recognized; he could not help winking to Tressilian; and
smiling mysteriously; as if triumphing in the undoubted evidence
of his veterinary skill。 In the meanwhile; the discourse
continued。
〃E'en let it be so;〃 said a grave man in black; the companion of
Gaffer Grimesby; 〃e'en let us perish under the evil God sends us;
rather than the devil be our doctor。〃
〃Very true;〃 said Dame Crane; 〃and I marvel at Jack Hostler that
he would peril his own soul to cure the bowels of a nag。〃
〃Very true; mistress;〃 said Jack Hostler; 〃but the nag was my
master's; and had it been yours; I think ye would ha' held me
cheap enow an I had feared the devil when the poor beast was in
such a taking。 For the rest; let the clergy look to it。 Every
man to his craft; says the proverbthe parson to the prayer…
book; and the groom to his curry…comb。
〃I vow;〃 said Dame Crane; 〃I think Jack Hostler speaks like a
good Christian and a faithful servant; who will spare neither
body nor soul in his master's service。 However; the devil has
lifted him in time; for a Constable of the Hundred came hither
this morning to get old Gaffer Pinniewinks; the trier of witches;
to go with him to the Vale of Whitehorse to comprehend Wayland
Smith; and put him to his probation。 I helped Pinniewinks to
sharpen his pincers and his poking…awl; and I saw the warrant
from Justice Blindas。〃
〃Poohpoohthe devil would laugh both at Blindas and his
warrant; constable and witch…finder to boot;〃 said old Dame
Crank; the Papist laundress; 〃Wayland Smith's flesh would mind
Pinniewinks' awl no more than a cambric ruff minds a hot
piccadilloe…needle。 But tell me; gentlefolks; if the devil ever
had such a hand among ye; as to snatch away your smiths and your
artists from under your nose; when the good Abbots of Abingdon
had their own? By Our Lady; no!they had their hallowed tapers;
and their holy water; and their relics; and what not; could send
the foulest fiends a…packing。 Go ask a heretic parson to do the
like。 But ours were a comfortable people。〃
〃Very true; Dame Crank;〃 said the hostler; 〃so said Simpkins of
Simonburn when the curate kissed his wife;'They are a
comfortable people;' said he。〃
〃Silence; thou foul…mouthed vermin;〃 said Dame Crank; 〃is it fit
for a heretic horse…boy like thee to handle such a text as the
Catholic clergy?〃
〃In troth no; dame;〃 replied the man of oats; 〃and as you
yourself are now no text for their handling; dame; whatever may
have been the case in your day; I think we had e'en better leave
un alone。〃
At this last exchange of sarcasm; Dame Crank set up her throat;
and began a horrible exclamation against Jack Hostler; under
cover of which Tressilian and his attendant escaped into the
house。
They had no sooner entered a private chamber; to which Goodman
Crane himself had condescended to usher them; and dispatched
their worthy and obsequious host on the errand of procuring wine
and refreshment; than Wayland Smith began to give vent to his
self…importance。
〃You see; sir;〃 said he; addressing Tressilian; 〃that I nothing
fabled in asserting that I possessed fully the mighty mystery of
a farrier; or mareschal; as the French more honourably term us。
These dog…hostlers; who; after all; are the better judges in such
a case; know what credit they should attach to my medicaments。 I
call you to witness; worshipful Master Tressilian; that nought;
save the voice of calumny and the hand of malicious violence;
hath driven me forth from a station in which I held a place alike
useful and honoured。〃
〃I bear witness; my friend; but will reserve my listening;〃
answered Tressilian; 〃for a safer time; unless; indeed; you deem
it essential to your reputation to be translated; like your late
dwelling; by the assistance of a flash of fire。 For you see your
best friends reckon you no better than a mere sorcerer。〃
〃Now; Heaven forgive them;〃 said the artist; 〃who confounded
learned skill with unlawful magic! I trust a man may be as
skilful; or more so; than the best chirurgeon ever meddled with
horse…flesh; and yet may be upon the matter little more than
other ordinary men; or at the worst no conjurer。〃
〃God forbid else!〃 said Tressilian。 〃But be silent just for the
present; since here comes mine host with an assistant; who seems
something of the least。〃
Everybody about the inn; Dame Crane herself included; had been
indeed so interested and agitated by the story they had heard of
Wayland Smith; and by the new; varying; and more marvellous
editions of the incident which arrived from various quarters;
that mine host; in his righteous determination to accommodate his
guests; had been able to obtain the assistance of none of his
household; saving that of a little boy; a junior tapster; of
about twelve years old; who was called Sampson。
〃I wish;〃 he said; apologizing to his guests; as he set down a
flagon of sack; and promised some food immediately〃I wish the
devil had flown away with my wife and my whole family instead of
this Wayland Smith; who; I daresay; after all said and done; was
much less worthy of the distinction which Satan has done him。〃
〃I hold opinion with you; good fellow;〃 replied Wayland Smith;
〃and I will drink to you upon that argument。〃
〃Not that I would justify any man who deals with the devil;〃 said
mine host; after having pledged Wayland in a rousing draught of
sack; 〃but thatsaw ye ever better sack; my masters?but that;
I say; a man had better deal with a dozen cheats and scoundrel
fellows; such as this Wayland Smith; than with a devil incarnate;
that takes possession of house and home; bed and board。〃
The poor fellow's detail of grievances was here interrupted by
the shrill voice of his helpmate; screaming from the kitchen; to
which he instantly hobbled; craving pardon of his guests。 He was
no sooner gone than Wayland Smith expressed; by every
contemptuous epithet in the language; his utter scorn for a
nincompoop who stuck his head under his wife's apron…string; and
intimated that; saving for the sake of the horses; which r