“Up, Wildrake — up, thou ill-omened dreamer,” said his friend, shaking him by the collar.
“Hands off!” answered the sleeper. —“I can climb a ladder without help, I trow.”— He then sate8 up in the bed, and opening his eyes, stared around him, and exclaimed, “Zounds! Mark, is it only thou? I thought it was all over with me — fetters9 were struck from my legs — rope drawn10 round my gullet — irons knocked off my hands — hempen11 cravat12 tucked on — all ready for a dance in the open element upon slight footing.”
“Truce with thy folly13, Wildrake; sure the devil of drink, to whom thou hast, I think, sold thyself”—
“For a hogshead of sack,” interrupted Wildrake; “the bargain was made in a cellar in the Vintry.”
“I am as mad as thou art, to trust any thing to thee,” said Markham; “I scarce believe thou hast thy senses yet.”
“What should ail6 me?” said Wildrake —“I trust I have not tasted liquor in my sleep, saving that I dreamed of drinking small-beer with Old Noll, of his own brewing14. But do not look so glum15, man — I am the same Roger Wildrake that I ever was; as wild as a mallard, but as true as a game-cock. I am thine own chum, man — bound to thee by thy kind deeds — devinctus beneficio — there is Latin for it; and where is the thing thou wilt16 charge me with, that I wilt not, or dare not execute, were it to pick the devil’s teeth with my rapier, after he had breakfasted upon round-heads?”
“You will drive me mad,” said Everard. —“When I am about to intrust all I have most valuable on earth to your management, your conduct and language are those of a mere18 Bedlamite. Last night I made allowance for thy drunken fury; but who can endure thy morning madness? — it is unsafe for thyself and me, Wildrake — it is unkind — I might say ungrateful.”
“Nay, do not say that, my friend,” said the cavalier, with some show of feeling; “and do not judge of me with a severity that cannot apply to such as I am. We who have lost our all in these sad jars, who are compelled to shift for our living, not from day to day, but from meal to meal — we whose only hiding place is the jail, whose prospect19 of final repose20 is the gallows21 — what canst thou expect from us, but to bear such a lot with a light heart, since we should break down under it with a heavy one?”
This was spoken in a tone of feeling which found a responding string in Everard’s bosom22. He took his friend’s hand, and pressed it kindly23.
“Nay, if I seemed harsh to thee, Wildrake, I profess24 it was for thine own sake more than mine. I know thou hast at the bottom of thy levity25, as deep a principle of honour and feeling as ever governed a human heart. But thou art thoughtless — thou art rash — and I protest to thee, that wert thou to betray thyself in this matter, in which I trust thee, the evil consequences to myself would not afflict26 me more than the thought of putting thee into such danger.”
“Nay, if you take it on that tone, Mark,” said the cavalier, making an effort to laugh, evidently that he might conceal27 a tendency to a different emotion, “thou wilt make children of us both — babes and sucklings, by the hilt of this bilbo. — Come, trust me; I can be cautious when time requires it — no man ever saw me drink when an alert was expected — and not one poor pint28 of wine will I taste until I have managed this matter for thee. Well, I am thy secretary — clerk — I had forgot — and carry thy dispatches to Cromwell, taking good heed29 not to be surprised or choused out of my lump of loyalty30, (striking his finger on the packet,) and I am to deliver it to the most loyal hands to which it is most humbly31 addressed — Adzooks, Mark, think of it a moment longer — Surely thou wilt not carry thy perverseness32 so far as to strike in with this bloody-minded rebel? — Bid me give him three inches of my dudgeon-dagger, and I will do it much more willingly than present him with thy packet.”
“Go to,” replied Everard, “this is beyond our bargain. If you will help me it is well; if not, let me lose no time in debating with thee, since I think every moment an age till the packet is in the General’s possession. It is the only way left me to obtain some protection, and a place of refuge for my uncle and his daughter.”
“That being the case,” said the cavalier, “I will not spare the spur. My nag17 up yonder at the town will be ready for the road in a trice, and thou mayst reckon on my being with Old Noll — thy General, I mean — in as short time as man and horse may consume betwixt Woodstock and Windsor, where I think I shall for the present find thy friend keeping possession where he has slain33.”
“Hush34, not a word of that. Since we parted last night, I have shaped thee a path which will suit thee better than to assume the decency35 of language and of outward manner, of which thou hast so little. I have acquainted the General that thou hast been by bad example and bad education”—
“Which is to be interpreted by contraries, I hope,” said Wildrake; “for sure I have been as well born and bred up as any lad of Leicestershire might desire.”
“Now, I prithee, hush — thou hast, I say, by bad example become at one time a malignant36, and mixed in the party of the late King. But seeing what things were wrought37 in the nation by the General, thou hast come to a clearness touching38 his calling to be a great implement39 in the settlement of these distracted kingdoms. This account of thee will not only lead him to pass over some of thy eccentricities40, should they break out in spite of thee, but will also give thee an interest with him as being more especially attached to his own person.”
“Doubtless,” said Wildrake, “as every fisher loves best the trouts that are of his own tickling41.”
“It is likely, I think, he will send thee hither with letters to me,” said the Colonel, “enabling me to put a stop to the proceedings42 of these sequestrators, and to give poor old Sir Henry Lee permission to linger out his days among the oaks he loves to look upon. I have made this my request to General Cromwell, and I think my father’s friendship and my own may stretch so far on his regard without risk of cracking, especially standing43 matters as they now do — thou dost understand?”
“Entirely well,” said the cavalier; “stretch, quotha! — I would rather stretch a rope than hold commerce with the old King-killing ruffian. But I have said I will be guided by thee, Markham, and rat me but I will.”
“Be cautious, then,” said Everard, “mark well what he does and says — more especially what he does; for Oliver is one of those whose mind is better known by his actions than by his words; and stay — I warrant thee thou wert setting off without a cross in thy purse?”
“Too true, Mark,” said Wildrake; “the last noble melted last night among yonder blackguard troopers of yours.”
“Well, Roger,” replied the Colonel, “that is easily mended.” So saying, he slipped his purse into his friend’s hand. “But art thou not an inconsiderate weather-brained fellow, to set forth44 as thou wert about to do, without any thing to bear thy charges; what couldst thou have done?”
“Faith, I never thought of that; I must have cried Stand, I suppose, to the first pursy townsman or greasy45 grazier that I met o’ the heath — it is many a good fellow’s shift in these bad times.”
“Go to,” said Everard; “be cautious — use none of your loose acquaintance — rule your tongue — beware of the wine-pot — for there is little danger if thou couldst only but keep thyself sober — Be moderate in speech, and forbear oaths or vaunting.”
“In short, metamorphose myself into such a prig as thou art, Mark — Well,” said Wildrake, “so far as outside will go, I think I can make a Hope-on-High-Bomby 1 as well as thou canst. Ah! those were merry days when we saw Mills present Bomby at the Fortune playhouse, Mark, ere I had lost my laced cloak and the jewel in my ear, or thou hadst gotten the wrinkle on thy brow, and the puritanic twist of thy mustache!”
“They were like most worldly pleasures, Wildrake,” replied Everard, “sweet in the mouth and bitter in digestion46. — But away with thee; and when thou bring’st back my answer, thou wilt find me either here or at Saint George’s Inn, at the little borough47. — Good luck to thee — Be but cautious how thou bearest thyself.”
The Colonel remained in deep meditation48. —“I think,” he said, “I have not pledged myself too far to the General. A breach49 between him and the Parliament seems inevitable50, and would throw England back into civil war, of which all men are wearied. He may dislike my messenger — yet that I do not greatly fear. He knows I would choose such as I can myself depend on, and hath dealt enough with the stricter sort to be aware that there are among them, as well as elsewhere, men who can hide two faces under one hood51.”
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1
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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2
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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ail
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| v.生病，折磨，苦恼 | |
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vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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8
sate
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| v.使充分满足 | |
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9
fetters
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| n.脚镣( fetter的名词复数 )；束缚v.给…上脚镣，束缚( fetter的第三人称单数 ) | |
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10
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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hempen
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| adj. 大麻制的, 大麻的 | |
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cravat
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| n.领巾，领结；v.使穿有领结的服装，使结领结 | |
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13
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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brewing
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| n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式 | |
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15
glum
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| adj.闷闷不乐的，阴郁的 | |
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16
wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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17
nag
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| v.(对…)不停地唠叨；n.爱唠叨的人 | |
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18
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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gallows
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| n.绞刑架，绞台 | |
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22
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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23
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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24
profess
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| v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰 | |
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25
levity
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| n.轻率，轻浮，不稳定，多变 | |
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afflict
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| vt.使身体或精神受痛苦，折磨 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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pint
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| n.品脱 | |
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29
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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30
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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31
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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32
perverseness
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| n. 乖张, 倔强, 顽固 | |
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33
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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34
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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35
decency
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| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
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36
malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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38
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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39
implement
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| n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行 | |
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40
eccentricities
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| n.古怪行为( eccentricity的名词复数 )；反常；怪癖 | |
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41
tickling
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| 反馈，回授，自旋挠痒法 | |
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42
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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43
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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44
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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45
greasy
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| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
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46
digestion
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| n.消化，吸收 | |
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47
borough
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| n.享有自治权的市镇；(英)自治市镇 | |
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48
meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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49
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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50
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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51
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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