CHAPTER V

 Ghysbrecht Van Swieten was an artful man. He opened on the novice¹ with something quite wide of the mark he was really aiming at. “The town records,” said he, “are crabbedly written, and the ink rusty² with age.” He offered Gerard the honour of transcribing³ them fair.

 

Gerard inquired what he was to be paid.

 

Ghysbrecht offered a sum that would have just purchased the pens, ink, and parchment.

 

“But, burgomaster, my labour? Here is a year's work.”

 

“Your labour? Call you marking parchment labour? Little sweat goes to that, I trow.”

 

“'Tis labour, and skilled labour to boot; and that is better paid in all crafts than rude labour, sweat or no sweat. Besides, there's my time.”

 

“Your time? Why, what is time to you, at two-and-twenty?” Then fixing his eyes keenly on Gerard, to mark the effect of his words, he said: “Say, rather, you are idle grown. You are in love. Your body is with these chanting monks⁴, but your heart is with Peter Brandt and his red-haired girl.”

 

“I know no Peter Brandt.”

 

This denial confirmed Ghysbrecht's suspicion that the caster-out of demons⁵ was playing a deep game.

 

“Ye lie!” he shouted. “Did I not find you at her elbow on the road to Rotterdam?”

 

“Ah!”

 

“Ah! And you were seen at Sevenbergen but t'other day.”

 

“Was I?'

 

“Ah and at Peter's house.”

 

“At Sevenbergen?”

 

“Ay, at Sevenbergen.”

 

Now, this was what in modern days is called a draw. It was a guess, put boldly forth⁶ as fact, to elicit⁷ by the young man's answer whether he had been there lately or not.

 

The result of the artifice⁸ surprised the crafty⁹ one. Gerard started up in a strange state of nervous excitement.

 

“Burgomaster,” said he, with trembling voice, “I have not been at Sevenbergen these three years, and I know not the name of those you saw me with, nor where they dwelt; but, as my time is precious, though you value it not, give you good day.” And he darted¹⁰ out, with his eyes sparkling.

 

Ghysbrecht started up in huge ire; but he sank into his chair again.

 

“He fears me not. He knows something, if not all.”

 

Then he called hastily to his trusty servant, and almost dragged him to a window.

 

“See you yon man?” he cried. “Haste! follow him! But let him not see you. He is young, but old in craft. Keep him in sight all day. Let me know whither he goes, and what he does.”

 

It was night when the servant returned.

 

“Well? well?” cried Van Swieten eagerly.

 

“Master, the young man went from you to Sevenbergen.”

 

Ghysbrecht groaned¹¹.

 

“To the house of Peter the Magician.”

1 novice   

adj.新手的，生手的

参考例句：

• As a novice writer,this is something I'm interested in.作为初涉写作的人，我对此很感兴趣。
• She realized that she was a novice.她知道自己初出茅庐。

2 rusty   

adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的

参考例句：

• The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
• I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。

3 transcribing   

（用不同的录音手段）转录( transcribe的现在分词 )； 改编（乐曲）（以适应他种乐器或声部）； 抄写； 用音标标出（声音）

参考例句：

• They continue to remove molecules until the cell stops transcribing the gene. 他们继续除去分子，直到细胞不再转录基因为止。
• Q: Can I use Voice-to-Text software to help with the transcribing? 问：我能使用声音-到-本文的软件帮助转换吗？

4 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 demons   

n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念

参考例句：

• demons torturing the sinners in Hell 地狱里折磨罪人的魔鬼
• He is plagued by demons which go back to his traumatic childhood. 他为心魔所困扰，那可追溯至他饱受创伤的童年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

7 elicit   

v.引出,抽出,引起

参考例句：

• It was designed to elicit the best thinking within the government. 机构的设置是为了在政府内部集思广益。
• Don't try to elicit business secrets from me. I won't tell you anything. 你休想从我这里套问出我们的商业机密, 我什么都不会告诉你的。

8 artifice   

n.妙计，高明的手段；狡诈，诡计

参考例句：

• The use of mirrors in a room is an artifice to make the room look larger.利用镜子装饰房间是使房间显得大一点的巧妙办法。
• He displayed a great deal of artifice in decorating his new house.他在布置新房子中表现出富有的技巧。

9 crafty   

adj.狡猾的，诡诈的

参考例句：

• He admired the old man for his crafty plan.他敬佩老者的神机妙算。
• He was an accomplished politician and a crafty autocrat.他是个有造诣的政治家，也是个狡黠的独裁者。

10 darted   

v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 groaned   

v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
• The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》