my kinsman-第1章

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MY　KINSMAN；　MAJOR　MOLINEUX



After　the　kings　of　Great　Britain　had　assumed　the　right　of

appointing　the　colonial　governors；　the　measures　of　the　latter

seldom　met　with　the　ready　and　generous　approbation　which　had　been

paid　to　those　of　their　predecessors；　under　the　original　charters。

The　people　looked　with　most　jealous　scrutiny　to　the　exercise　of

power　which　did　not　emanate　from　themselves；　and　they　usually

rewarded　their　rulers　with　slender　gratitude　for　the　compliances

by　which；　in　softening　their　instructions　from　beyond　the　sea；

they　had　incurred　the　reprehension　of　those　who　gave　them。　The

annals　of　Massachusetts　Bay　will　inform　us；　that　of　six　governors

in　the　space　of　about　forty　years　from　the　surrender　of　the　old

charter；　under　James　II；　two　were　imprisoned　by　a　popular

insurrection；　a　third；　as　Hutchinson　inclines　to　believe；　was

driven　from　the　province　by　the　whizzing　of　a　musket…ball；　a

fourth；　in　the　opinion　of　the　same　historian；　was　hastened　to　his

grave　by　continual　bickerings　with　the　House　of　Representatives；

and　the　remaining　two；　as　well　as　their　successors；　till　the

Revolution；　were　favored　with　few　and　brief　intervals　of　peaceful

sway。　The　inferior　members　of　the　court　party；　in　times　of　high

political　excitement；　led　scarcely　a　more　desirable　life。　These

remarks　may　serve　as　a　preface　to　the　following　adventures；　which

chanced　upon　a　summer　night；　not　far　from　a　hundred　years　ago。

The　reader；　in　order　to　avoid　a　long　and　dry　detail　of　colonial

affairs；　is　requested　to　dispense　with　an　account　of　the　train　of

circumstances　that　had　caused　much　temporary　inflammation　of　the

popular　mind。



It　was　near　nine　o'clock　of　a　moonlight　evening；　when　a　boat

crossed　the　ferry　with　a　single　passenger；　who　had　obtained　his

conveyance　at　that　unusual　hour　by　the　promise　of　an　extra　fare。

While　he　stood　on　the　landing…place；　searching　in　either　pocket

for　the　means　of　fulfilling　his　agreement；　the　ferryman　lifted　a

lantern；　by　the　aid　of　which；　and　the　newly　risen　moon；　he　took　a

very　accurate　survey　of　the　stranger's　figure。　He　was　a　youth　of

barely　eighteen　years；　evidently　country…bred；　and　now；　as　it

should　seem；　upon　his　first　visit　to　town。　He　was　clad　in　a

coarse　gray　coat；　well　worn；　but　in　excellent　repair；　his　under

garments　were　durably　constructed　of　leather；　and　fitted　tight　to

a　pair　of　serviceable　and　well…shaped　limbs；　his　stockings　of

blue　yarn　were　the　incontrovertible　work　of　a　mother　or　a　sister；

and　on　his　head　was　a　three…cornered　hat；　which　in　its　better

days　had　perhaps　sheltered　the　graver　brow　of　the　lad's　father。

Under　his　left　arm　was　a　heavy　cudgel　formed　of　an　oak　sapling；

and　retaining　a　part　of　the　hardened　root；　and　his　equipment　was

completed　by　a　wallet；　not　so　abundantly　stocked　as　to　incommode

the　vigorous　shoulders　on　which　it　hung。　Brown；　curly　hair；

well…shaped　features；　and　bright；　cheerful　eyes　were　nature's

gifts；　and　worth　all　that　art　could　have　done　for　his　adornment。



The　youth；　one　of　whose　names　was　Robin；　finally　drew　from　his

pocket　the　half　of　a　little　province　bill　of　five　shillings；

which；　in　the　depreciation　in　that　sort　of　currency；　did　but

satisfy　the　ferryman's　demand；　with　the　surplus　of　a　sexangular

piece　of　parchment；　valued　at　three　pence。　He　then　walked　forward

into　the　town；　with　as　light　a　step　as　if　his　day's　journey　had

not　already　exceeded　thirty　miles；　and　with　as　eager　an　eye　as　if

he　were　entering　London　city；　instead　of　the　little　metropolis　of

a　New　England　colony。　Before　Robin　had　proceeded　far；　however；　it

occurred　to　him　that　he　knew　not　whither　to　direct　his　steps；　so

he　paused；　and　looked　up　and　down　the　narrow　street；　scrutinizing

the　small　and　mean　wooden　buildings　that　were　scattered　on　either

side。



〃This　low　hovel　cannot　be　my　kinsman's　dwelling；〃　thought　he；

〃nor　yonder　old　house；　where　the　moonlight　enters　at　the　broken

casement；　and　truly　I　see　none　hereabouts　that　might　be　worthy　of

him。　It　would　have　been　wise　to　inquire　my　way　of　the　ferryman；

and　doubtless　he　would　have　gone　with　me；　and　earned　a　shilling

from　the　Major　for　his　pains。　But　the　next　man　I　meet　will　do　as

well。〃



He　resumed　his　walk；　and　was　glad　to　perceive　that　the　street　now

became　wider；　and　the　houses　more　respectable　in　their

appearance。　He　soon　discerned　a　figure　moving　on　moderately　in

advance；　and　hastened　his　steps　to　overtake　it。　As　Robin　drew

nigh；　he　saw　that　the　passenger　was　a　man　in　years；　with　a　full

periwig　of　gray　hair；　a　wide…skirted　coat　of　dark　cloth；　and　silk

stockings　rolled　above　his　knees。　He　carried　a　long　and　polished

cane；　which　he　struck　down　perpendicularly　before　him　at　every

step；　and　at　regular　intervals　he　uttered　two　successive　hems；　of

a　peculiarly　solemn　and　sepulchral　intonation。　Having　made　these

observations；　Robin　laid　hold　of　the　skirt　of　the　old　man's　coat

just　when　the　light　from　the　open　door　and　windows　of　a　barber's

shop　fell　upon　both　their　figures。



〃Good　evening　to　you；　honored　sir；〃　said　he；　making　a　low　bow；

and　still　retaining　his　hold　of　the　skirt。　〃I　pray　you　tell　me

whereabouts　is　the　dwelling　of　my　kinsman；　Major　Molineux。〃



The　youth's　question　was　uttered　very　loudly；　and　one　of　the

barbers；　whose　razor　was　descending　on　a　well…soaped　chin；　and

another　who　was　dressing　a　Ramillies　wig；　left　their　occupations；

and　came　to　the　door。　The　citizen；　in　the　mean　time；　turned　a

long…favored　countenance　upon　Robin；　and　answered　him　in　a　tone

of　excessive　anger　and　annoyance。　His　two　sepulchral　hems；

however；　broke　into　the　very　centre　of　his　rebuke；　with　most

singular　effect；　like　a　thought　of　the　cold　grave　obtruding　among

wrathful　passions。



〃Let　go　my　garment；　fellow！　I　tell　you；　I　know　not　the　man　you

speak　of。　What！　I　have　authority；　I　havehem；　hemauthority；

and　if　this　be　the　respect　you　show　for　your　betters；　your　feet

shall　be　brought　acquainted　with　the　stocks　by　daylight；　tomorrow

morning！〃



Robin　released　the　old　man's　skirt；　and　hastened　away；　pursued　by

an　ill…mannered　roar　of　laughter　from　the　barber's　shop。　He　was

at　first　considerably　surprised　by　the　result　of　his　question；

but；　being　a　shrewd　youth；　soon　thought　himself　able　to　account

for　the　mystery。



〃This　is　some　country　representative；〃　was　his　conclusion；　〃who

has　never　seen　the　inside　of　my　kinsman's　door；　and　lacks　the

breeding　to　answer　a　stranger　civilly。　The　man　is　old；　or

verilyI　might　be　tempted　to　turn　back　and　smite　him　on　the

nose。　Ah；　Robin；　Robin！　even　the　barber's　boys　laugh　at　you　for

choosing　such　a　guide！　You　will　be　wiser　in　time；　friend　Robin。〃



He　now　became　entangled　in　a　succession　of　crooked　and　narrow

streets；　which　crossed　each　other；　and　meandered　at　no　great

distance　from　the　water…side。　The　smell　of　tar　was　obvious　to　his

nostrils；　the　masts　of　vessels　pierced　the　moonlight　above　the

tops　of　the　buildings；　and　the　numerous　signs；　which　Robin　paused

to　read；　informed　him　that　he　was　near　the　centre　of　business。

But　the　streets　were　empty；　the　shops　were　closed；　and　lights

were　visible　only　in　the　second　stories　of　a　few　dwelling…houses。

At　length；　on　the　corner　of　a　narrow　lane；　through　which　he　was

passing；　he　beheld　the　broad　countenance　of　a　British　hero

swinging　before　the　door　of　an　inn；　whence　proceeded　the　voices

of　many　guests。　The　casement　of　one　of　the　lower　windows　was

thrown　back；　and　a　very　thin　curtain　permitted　Robin　to

distinguish　a　party　at　supper；　round　a　well…furnished　table。　The

fragrance　of　the　good　cheer　steamed　forth　into　the　outer　air；　and

the　youth　could　not　fail　to　recollect　that　the　last　remnant　of

his　travelling　stock　of　provision　had　yielded　to　his　morning

appetite；　and　that　noon　had　found　and　left　him　dinnerless。



〃Oh；　that　a　parchment　three…penny　might　give　me　a　right　to　sit

down　at　yonder　table！〃　said　Robin；　with　a　sigh。　〃But　the　Major

will　make　me　welcome　to　the　best　of　his　v