my kinsman-第5章

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two　before；　had　manifested　much　interest　in　Robin　and　an　elder

brother；　and；　being　childless　himself；　had　thrown　out　hints

respecting　the　future　establishment　of　one　of　them　in　life。　The

elder　brother　was　destined　to　succeed　to　the　farm　which　his

father　cultivated　in　the　interval　of　sacred　duties；　it　was

therefore　determined　that　Robin　should　profit　by　his　kinsman's

generous　intentions；　especially　as　he　seemed　to　be　rather　the

favorite；　and　was　thought　to　possess　other　necessary　endowments。



〃For　I　have　the　name　of　being　a　shrewd　youth；〃　observed　Robin；　in

this　part　of　his　story。



〃I　doubt　not　you　deserve　it；〃　replied　his　new　friend；

good…naturedly；　〃but　pray　proceed。〃



〃Well；　sir；　being　nearly　eighteen　years　old；　and　well　grown；　as

you　see；〃　continued　Robin；　drawing　himself　up　to　his　full　height；

〃I　thought　it　high　time　to　begin　in　the　world。　So　my　mother　and

sister　put　me　in　handsome　trim；　and　my　father　gave　me　half　the

remnant　of　his　last　year's　salary；　and　five　days　ago　I　started

for　this　place；　to　pay　the　Major　a　visit。　But；　would　you　believe

it；　sir！　I　crossed　the　ferry　a　little　after　dark；　and　have　yet

found　nobody　that　would　show　me　the　way　to　his　dwelling；　only；　an

hour　or　two　since；　I　was　told　to　wait　here；　and　Major　Molineux

would　pass　by。〃



〃Can　you　describe　the　man　who　told　you　this？〃　inquired　the

gentleman。



〃Oh；　he　was　a　very　ill…favored　fellow；　sir；〃　replied　Robin；　〃with

two　great　bumps　on　his　forehead；　a　hook　nose；　fiery　eyes；　and；

what　struck　me　as　the　strangest；　his　face　was　of　two　different

colors。　Do　you　happen　to　know　such　a　man；　sir？〃



〃Not　intimately；〃　answered　the　stranger；　〃but　I　chanced　to　meet

him　a　little　time　previous　to　your　stopping　me。　I　believe　you　may

trust　his　word；　and　that　the　Major　will　very　shortly　pass　through

this　street。　In　the　mean　time；　as　I　have　a　singular　curiosity　to

witness　your　meeting；　I　will　sit　down　here　upon　the　steps　and

bear　you　company。〃



He　seated　himself　accordingly；　and　soon　engaged　his　companion　in

animated　discourse。　It　was　but　of　brief　continuance；　however；　for

a　noise　of　shouting；　which　had　long　been　remotely　audible；　drew

so　much　nearer　that　Robin　inquired　its　cause。



〃What　may　be　the　meaning　of　this　uproar？〃　asked　he。　〃Truly；　if

your　town　be　always　as　noisy；　I　shall　find　little　sleep　while　I

am　an　inhabitant。〃



〃Why；　indeed；　friend　Robin；　there　do　appear　to　be　three　or　four

riotous　fellows　abroad　to…night；〃　replied　the　gentleman。　〃You

must　not　expect　all　the　stillness　of　your　native　woods　here　in

our　streets。　But　the　watch　will　shortly　be　at　the　heels　of　these

lads　and〃



〃Ay；　and　set　them　in　the　stocks　by　peep　of　day；〃　interrupted

Robin　recollecting　his　own　encounter　with　the　drowsy

lantern…bearer。　〃But；　dear　sir；　if　I　may　trust　my　ears；　an　army

of　watchmen　would　never　make　head　against　such　a　multitude　of

rioters。　There　were　at　least　a　thousand　voices　went　up　to　make

that　one　shout。〃



〃May　not　a　man　have　several　voices；　Robin；　as　well　as　two

complexions？〃　　said　his　friend。



〃Perhaps　a　man　may；　but　Heaven　forbid　that　a　woman　should！〃

responded　the　shrewd　youth；　thinking　of　the　seductive　tones　of

the　Major's　housekeeper。



The　sounds　of　a　trumpet　in　some　neighboring　street　now　became　so

evident　and　continual；　that　Robin's　curiosity　was　strongly

excited。　In　addition　to　the　shouts；　he　heard　frequent　bursts　from

many　instruments　of　discord；　and　a　wild　and　confused　laughter

filled　up　the　intervals。　Robin　rose　from　the　steps；　and　looked

wistfully　towards　a　point　whither　people　seemed　to　be　hastening。



〃Surely　some　prodigious　merry…making　is　going　on；〃　exclaimed　he

〃I　have　laughed　very　little　since　I　left　home；　sir；　and　should　be

sorry　to　lose　an　opportunity。　Shall　we　step　round　the　corner　by

that　darkish　house　and　take　our　share　of　the　fun？〃



〃Sit　down　again；　sit　down；　good　Robin；〃　replied　the　gentleman；

laying　his　hand　on　the　skirt　of　the　gray　coat。　〃You　forget　that

we　must　wait　here　for　your　kinsman；　and　there　is　reason　to

believe　that　he　will　pass　by；　in　the　course　of　a　very　few

moments。〃



The　near　approach　of　the　uproar　had　now　disturbed　the

neighborhood；　windows　flew　open　on　all　sides；　and　many　heads；　in

the　attire　of　the　pillow；　and　confused　by　sleep　suddenly　broken；

were　protruded　to　the　gaze　of　whoever　had　leisure　to　observe

them。　Eager　voices　hailed　each　other　from　house　to　house；　all

demanding　the　explanation；　which　not　a　soul　could　give。

Half…dressed　men　hurried　towards　the　unknown　commotion　stumbling

as　they　went　over　the　stone　steps　that　thrust　themselves　into　the

narrow　foot…walk。　The　shouts；　the　laughter；　and　the　tuneless　bray

the　antipodes　of　music；　came　onwards　with　increasing　din；　till

scattered　individuals；　and　then　denser　bodies；　began　to　appear

round　a　corner　at　the　distance　of　a　hundred　yards



〃Will　you　recognize　your　kinsman；　if　he　passes　in　this　crowd？〃

inquired　the　gentleman



〃Indeed；　I　can't　warrant　it；　sir；　but　I'll　take　my　stand　here；

and　keep　a　bright　lookout；〃　answered　Robin；　descending　to　the

outer　edge　of　the　pavement。



A　mighty　stream　of　people　now　emptied　into　the　street；　and　came

rolling　slowly　towards　the　church。　A　single　horseman　wheeled　the

corner　in　the　midst　of　them；　and　close　behind　him　came　a　band　of

fearful　wind　instruments；　sending　forth　a　fresher　discord　now

that

no　intervening　buildings　kept　it　from　the　ear。　Then　a　redder

light　disturbed　the　moonbeams；　and　a　dense　multitude　of　torches

shone　along　the　street；　concealing；　by　their　glare；　whatever

object　they　illuminated。　The　single　horseman；　clad　in　a　military

dress；　and　bearing　a　drawn　sword；　rode　onward　as　the　leader；　and；

by　his　fierce　and　variegated　countenance；　appeared　like　war

personified；　the　red　of　one　cheek　was　an　emblem　of　fire　and

sword；　the　blackness　of　the　other　betokened　the　mourning　that

attends　them。　In　his　train　were　wild　figures　in　the　Indian　dress；

and　many　fantastic　shapes　without　a　model；　giving　the　whole　march

a　visionary　air；　as　if　a　dream　had　broken　forth　from　some

feverish　brain；　and　were　sweeping　visibly　through　the　midnight

streets。　A　mass　of　people；　inactive；　except　as　applauding

spectators；　hemmed　the　procession　in；　and　several　women　ran　along

the　sidewalk；　piercing　the　confusion　of　heavier　sounds　with　their

shrill　voices　of　mirth　or　terror。



〃The　double…faced　fellow　has　his　eye　upon　me；〃　muttered　Robin；

with　an　indefinite　but　an　uncomfortable　idea　that　he　was　himself

to　bear　a　part　in　the　pageantry。



The　leader　turned　himself　in　the　saddle；　and　fixed　his　glance

full　upon　the　country　youth；　as　the　steed　went　slowly　by。　When

Robin　had　freed　his　eyes　from　those　fiery　ones；　the　musicians

were　passing　before　him；　and　the　torches　were　close　at　hand；　but

the　unsteady　brightness　of　the　latter　formed　a　veil　which　he

could　not　penetrate。　The　rattling　of　wheels　over　the　stones

sometimes　found　its　way　to　his　ear；　and　confused　traces　of　a

human　form　appeared　at　intervals；　and　then　melted　into　the　vivid

light。　A　moment　more；　and　the　leader　thundered　a　command　to　halt：

the　trumpets　vomited　a　horrid　breath；　and　then　held　their　peace；

the　shouts　and　laughter　of　the　people　died　away；　and　there

remained　only　a　universal　hum；　allied　to　silence。　Right　before

Robin's　eyes　was　an　uncovered　cart。　There　the　torches　blazed　the

brightest；　there　the　moon　shone　out　like　day；　and　there；　in

tar…and…feathery　dignity；　sat　his　kinsman；　Major　Molineux！



He　was　an　elderly　man；　of　large　and　majestic　person；　and　strong；

square　features；　betokening　a　steady　soul；　but　steady　as　it　was；

his　enemies　had　found　means　to　shake　it。　His　face　was　pale　as

death；　and　far　more　ghastly；　the　broad　forehead　was　contracted　in

his　agony；　so　that　his　eyebrows　formed　one　grizzled　line；　his

eyes　were　red　and　wild；　and　the　foam　hung　white　upon　his

quivering　lip。　His　whole　frame　was　agitated　by　a　quick　and

continual　tremor；　which　his　pride　strove　to