Lambourne drooped his head, left the apartment, and returned in two or

three minutes with his face composed, his hair adjusted, his dress in

order, and exhibiting as great a difference from his former self as if

the whole man had been changed.

"Art thou sober now, and dost thou comprehend me?" said Varney sternly.

Lambourne bowed in acquiescence.

"Thou must presently down to Cumnor Place with the reverend man of art

who sleeps yonder in the little vaulted chamber. Here is the key, that

thou mayest call him by times. Take another trusty fellow with you. Use

him well on the journey, but let him not escape you--pistol him if he

attempt it, and I will be your warrant. I will give thee letters to

Foster. The doctor is to occupy the lower apartments of the eastern

quadrangle, with freedom to use the old elaboratory and its implements.

He is to have no access to the lady, but such as I shall point out--only

she may be amused to see his philosophical jugglery. Thou wilt await

at Cumnor Place my further orders; and, as thou livest, beware of the

ale-bench and the aqua vitae flask. Each breath drawn in Cumnor Place

must be kept severed from common air."

"Enough, my lord--I mean my worshipful master, soon, I trust, to be my

worshipful knightly master. You have given me my lesson and my license;

I will execute the one, and not abuse the other. I will be in the saddle

by daybreak."

"Do so, and deserve favour. Stay--ere thou goest fill me a cup of

wine--not out of that flask, sirrah," as Lambourne was pouring out from

that which Alasco had left half finished, "fetch me a fresh one."

Lambourne obeyed, and Varney, after rinsing his mouth with the liquor,

drank a full cup, and said, as he took up a lamp to retreat to his

sleeping apartment, "It is strange--I am as little the slave of fancy

as any one, yet I never speak for a few minutes with this fellow Alasco,

but my mouth and lungs feel as if soiled with the fumes of calcined

arsenic--pah!"

So saying, he left the apartment. Lambourne lingered, to drink a cup of

the freshly-opened flask. "It is from Saint John's-Berg," he said, as he

paused on the draught to enjoy its flavour, "and has the true relish of

the violet. But I must forbear it now, that I may one day drink it at my

own pleasure." And he quaffed a goblet of water to quench the fumes of

the Rhenish wine, retired slowly towards the door, made a pause, and

then, finding the temptation irresistible, walked hastily back, and took

another long pull at the wine flask, without the formality of a cup.




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