the path of the king-第33部分

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s　earning　his　wages。　A　soldier　of　fortune；　he　accepted　the　hire　of　the　best　paymaster；　only　he　sold　not　a　sword；　but　wits。　A　pedant　might　have　called　it　honour；　but　Mr。　Lovel　was　no　pedant。　He　had　served　a　dozen　chiefs　on　different　sides。　For　Blingbroke　he　had　scoured　France　and　twice　imperilled　his　life　in　Highland　bogs。　For　Somers　he　had　travelled　to　Spain；　and　for　Wharton　had　passed　unquiet　months　on　the　Welsh　marches。　After　his　fashion　he　was　an　honest　servant　and　reported　the　truth　so　far　as　his　ingenuity　could　discern　it。　But；　once　quit　of　a　great　man's　service；　he　sold　his　knowledge　readily　to　an　opponent；　and　had　been　like　to　be　out　of　employment；　since　unless　his　masters　gave　him　an　engagement　for　life　he　was　certain　some　day　to　carry　the　goods　they　had　paid　for　to　their　rivals。　But　Marlborough　had　seen　his　uses；　for　the　great　Duke　sat　loose　to　parties　and　earnestly　desired　to　know　the　facts。　So　for　Marlborough　he　went　into　the　conclaves　of　both　Whig　and　Jacobite；　making　his　complexion　suit　his　company。

He　was　new　come　from　the　Scottish　south…west；　for　the　Duke　was　eager　to　know　if　the　malcontent　moorland　Whigs　were　about　to　fling　their　blue　bonnets　for　King　James。　A　mission　of　such　discomfort　Mr。　Lovel　had　never　known；　not　even　when　he　was　a　go…between　for　Ormonde　in　the　Irish　bogs。　He　had　posed　as　an　emissary　from　the　Dutch　brethren；　son　of　an　exiled　Brownist；　and　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　had　found　his　regicide　great…grandfather　useful。　The　jargon　of　the　godly　fell　smoothly　from　his　tongue；　and　with　its　aid　and　that　of　certain　secret　letters　he　had　found　his　way　to　the　heart　of　the　sectaries。　He　had　sat　through　weary　sermons　in　Cameronian　sheilings；　and　been　present　at　the　childish　parades　of　the　Hebronite　remnant。　There　was　nothing　to　be　feared　in　that　quarter；　for　to　them　all　in　authority　were　idolaters　and　George　no　worse　than　James。　In　those　moorland　sojournings；　too；　he　had　got　light　on　other　matters；　for　he　had　the　numbers　of　Kenmure's　levies　in　his　head；　had　visited　my　lord　Stair　at　his　grim　Galloway　castle；　and　had　had　a　long　midnight　colloquy　with　Roxburghe　on　Tweedside。　He　had　a　pretty　tale　for　his　master；　once　he　could　get　to　him。　But　with　Northumberland　up　and　the　Highlanders　at　Jedburgh　and　Kenmure　coming　from　the　west；　it　had　been　a　ticklish　business　to　cross　the　Border。　Yet　by　cunning　and　a　good　horse　it　had　been　accomplished；　and　he　found　himself　in　Cumberland　with　the　road　open　southward　to　the　safe　Lowther　country。　Wherefore　Mr。　Lovel　had　relaxed；　and　taken　his　ease　in　an　inn。

He　would　not　have　admitted　that　he　was　drunk；　but　he　presently　confessed　that　he　was　not　clear　about　his　road。　He　had　meant　to　lie　at　Brampton；　and　had　been　advised　at　the　tavern　of　a　short　cut；　a　moorland　bridle…path。　Who　had　told　him　of　it？　The　landlord；　he　thought；　or　the　merry　fellow　in　brown　who　had　stood　brandy　to　the　company？　Anyhow；　it　was　to　save　him　five　miles；　and　that　was　something　in　this　accursed　weather。　The　path　was　clearhe　could　see　it　squelching　below　him；　pale　in　the　last　wet　daylightbut　where　the　devil　did　it　lead？　Into　the　heart　of　a　moss；　it　seemed；　and　yet　Brampton　lay　out　of　the　moors　in　the　tilled　valley。

At　first　the　fumes　in　his　head　raised　him　above　the　uncertainty　of　his　road　and　the　eternal　downpour。　His　mind　was　far　away　in　a　select　world　of　his　own　imagining。　He　saw　himself　in　a　privy　chamber；　to　which　he　had　been　conducted　by　reverent　lackeys；　the　door　closed；　the　lamp　lit；　and　the　Duke's　masterful　eyes　bright　with　expectation。　He　saw　the　fine　thin　lips；　like　a　woman's；　primmed　in　satisfaction。　He　heard　words　of　compliment〃none　so　swift　and　certain　as　you〃〃in　truth；　a　master…hand〃〃I　know　not　where　to　look　for　your　like。〃　Delicious　speeches　seemed　to　soothe　his　ear。　And　gold；　too；　bags　of　it；　the　tale　of　which　would　never　appear　in　any　accompt…book。　Nay；　his　fancy　soared　higher。　He　saw　himself　presented　to　Ministers　as　one　of　the　country's　saviours；　and　kissing　the　hand　of　Majesty。　What　Majesty　and　what　Ministers　he　knew　not；　and　did　not　greatly　carethat　was　not　his　business。　The　rotundity　of　the　Hanoverian　and　the　lean　darkness　of　the　Stuart　were　one　to　him。　Both　could　reward　an　adroit　servant。　。　。　。　　His　vanity；　terribly　starved　and　cribbed　in　his　normal　existence；　now　blossomed　like　a　flower。　His　muddled　head　was　fairly　ravished　with　delectable　pictures。　He　seemed　to　be　set　at　a　great　height　above　mundane　troubles；　and　to　look　down　on　men　like　a　benignant　God。　His　soul　glowed　with　a　happy　warmth。

But　somewhere　he　was　devilish　cold。　His　wretched　body　was　beginning　to　cry　out　with　discomfort。　A　loop　of　his　hat　was　broken　and　the　loose　flap　was　a　conduit　for　the　rain　down　his　back。　His　old　ridingcoat　was　like　a　dish…clout；　and　he　felt　icy　about　the　middle。　Separate　streams　of　water　entered　the　tops　of　his　ridingbootsthey　were　a　borrowed　pair　and　too　big　for　himand　his　feet　were　in　puddles。　It　was　only　by　degrees　that　he　realised　this　misery。　Then　in　the　boggy　track　his　horse　began　to　stumble。　The　fourth　or　fifth　peck　woke　irritation；　and　he　jerked　savagely　at　the　bridle；　and　struck　the　beast's　dripping　flanks　with　his　whip。　The　result　was　a　jib　and　a　flounder；　and　the　shock　squeezed　out　the　water　from　his　garments　as　from　a　sponge。　Mr。　Lovel　descended　from　the　heights　of　fancy　to　prosaic　fact；　and　cursed。

The　dregs　of　strong　drink　were　still　in　him；　and　so　soon　as　exhilaration　ebbed　they　gave　edge　to　his　natural　fears。　He　perceived　that　it　had　grown　very　dark　and　lonely。　The　rain；　falling　sheer；　seemed　to　shut　him　into　a　queer　wintry　world。　All　around　the　land　echoed　with　the　steady　drum　of　it；　and　the　rumour　of　swollen　runnels。　A　wild　bird　wailed　out　of　the　mist　and　startled　Mr。　Lovel　like　a　ghost。　He　heard　the　sound　of　men　talking　and　drew　rein；　it　was　only　a　larger　burn　foaming　by　the　wayside。　The　sky　was　black　above　him；　yet　a　faint　grey　light　seemed　to　linger；　for　water　glimmered　and　he　passed　what　seemed　to　be　the　edge　of　a　loch。　。　。　。　　At　another　time　the　London…bred　citizen　would　have　been　only　peevish；　for　Heaven　knew　he　had　faced　ill　weather　before　in　ill　places。　But　the　fiery　stuff　he　had　swallowed　had　woke　a　feverish　fancy。　Exaltation　suddenly　changed　to　foreboding。

He　halted　and　listened。　Nothing　but　the　noise　of　the　weather；　and　the　night　dark　around　him　like　a　shell。　For　a　moment　he　fancied　he　caught　the　sound　of　horses；　but　it　was　not　repeated。　Where　did　this　accursed　track　mean　to　lead　him？　Long　ago　he　should　have　been　in　the　valley　and　nearing　Brampton。　He　was　as　wet　as　if　he　had　wallowed　in　a　pool；　cold；　and　very　weary。　A　sudden　disgust　at　his　condition　drove　away　his　fears　and　he　swore　lustily　at　fortune。　He　longed　for　the　warmth　and　the　smells　of　his　favourite　hauntsGilpin's　with　oysters　frizzling　in　a　dozen　pans；　and　noble　odours　stealing　from　the　tap…room；　the　Green　Man　with　its　tripe…suppers；　Wanless's　Coffee　House；　noted　for　its　cuts　of　beef　and　its　white　puddings。　He　would　give　much　to　be　in　a　chair　by　one　of　those　hearths　and　in　the　thick　of　that　blowsy　fragrance。　Now　his　nostrils　were　filled　with　rain　and　bog　water　and　a　sodden　world。　It　smelt　sour；　like　stale　beer　in　a　mouldy　cellar。　And　cold！　He　crushed　down　his　hat　on　his　head　and　precipitated　a　new　deluge。

A　bird　skirled　again　in　his　ear；　and　his　fright　returned。　He　felt　small　and　alone　in　a　vast　inhospitable　universe。　And　mingled　with　it　all　was　self…pity；　for　drink　had　made　him　maudlin。　He　wanted　so　littleonly　a　modest　comfort；　a　little　ease。　He　had　forgotten　that　half　an　hour　before　he　had　been　figuring　in　princes'　cabinets。　He　would　give　up　this　business　and　be　quit　of　danger　and　the　high　road。　The　Duke　must　give　him　a　reasonable　reward；　and　with　it　he　and　his　child　might　dwell　happily　in　some　country　place。　He　remembered　a　cottage　at　Guildford　all　hung　with　roses。　。　。　。　But　the　Duke　was　reputed　a　miserly　patron；　and　at　the　thought　Mr。　Lovel's　eyes　overflowed。　There　was　that　damned　bird　again；　wailing　like　a　lost　soul。　The　eeriness　of　it　struck　a　chill　to　his　heart；　so　that　if　he　had　been　able　to　think　of　any　refuge　he　would　have　set　spurs　to　his　horse　and　galloped　for　it　in　blind　terror。　He　was　in　the　mood　in　which　men　compose　poetry；　for　he　felt　himself　a　midget　in　the　grip　of　immensities。　He　knew　no　poetry；　save　a　few　tavern　songs；　but　in　his　youth　he　had　had　the　Scriptures　drubbed　into　him。　He　remembered　ill…omened　texts　one　especially　about　wandering　through　dry　places　seeking　rest。　Would　to　Heaven　he　were　in　a　dry　place　now！　。　。　。

The　horse　sprang　aside　and　nearly　threw　him。　It　had　blundered　against　the　stone　pillar　of　a　gateway。　It　was　now　clear　even　to　Mr。　Lovel's　confused　wits　that　he　was　lost。　This　might　be　the　road　to　Tophet；　but　it　was　no　road　to　Brampton。　He　felt　with　numbed　hands　the　face　of　the　gateposts。　Here　was　an　entrance　to　some　dwelling；　and　it　stood　open。　The　path　led　through　it；　and　if　he　left　the　path　he　would　without　doubt　perish　in　a　bog…hole。　In　his　desolation　he　longed　for　a　human　face。　He　might　find　a　good　fellow　who　would　house　him；　at　the　worst　he　would　get　direction　about　the　road。　So　he　passed　the　gateway　and　entered　an　avenue。

It　ran　between　trees　which　took　the　force　of　the　downpour；　so　that　it　seemed　a　very　sanctuary　after　the　open　moor。　His　spirits　lightened。　The　infernal　birds　had　stopped　crying；　but　again　he　heard　the　thud　of　hooves。　That　was　right；　and　proved　the　place　was　tenanted。　Presently　he　turned　a　corner　and　faced　a　light　which　shone　through　the　wet；　rayed　like　a　heraldic　star。

The　sight　gave　him　confidence；　for　it　brought　him　back　to　a　familiar　world。　He　rode　straight　to　it；　crossing　a　patch　of　rough　turf；　where　a　fallen　log　all　but　brought　him　down。　As　he　neared　it　the　light　grew　till　he　saw　its　cause。　He　stood　before　the　main　door　of　a　house　and　it　was　wide　open。　A　great　lantern；　hung　from　a　beam　just　inside；　showed　a　doorway　of　some　size　and　magnificence。　And　below　it　stood　a　servant；　an　old　man；　who　at　the　sight　of　the　stranger　advanced　to　hold　his　stirrup。

〃Welcome；　my　lord；〃　said　the　man。　〃All　is　ready　for　you。〃

The　last　hour　had　partially　sobered　the　traveller；　but；　having　now　come　safe　to　port；　his　drunkenness　revived。　He　saw　nothing　odd　in　the　open　door　or　the　servant's　greeting。　As　he　scrambled　to　the　ground　he　was　back　in　his