"Thou hast lost the scent," said Varney, "of thy comrade Tressilian.

I know it by thy bang-dog visage. Is this thy alacrity, thou impudent

knave?"

"Cogswounds!" said Lambourne, "there was never a trail so finely

hunted. I saw him to earth at mine uncle's here--stuck to him like

bees'-wax--saw him at supper--watched him to his chamber, and, presto!

he is gone next morning, the very hostler knows not where."

"This sounds like practice upon me, sir," replied Varney; "and if it

proves so, by my soul you shall repent it!"

"Sir, the best hound will be sometimes at fault," answered Lambourne;

"how should it serve me that this fellow should have thus evanished?

You may ask mine host, Giles Gosling--ask the tapster and hostler--ask

Cicely, and the whole household, how I kept eyes on Tressilian while

he was on foot. On my soul, I could not be expected to watch him like a

sick nurse, when I had seen him fairly a-bed in his chamber. That will

be allowed me, surely."

Varney did, in fact, make some inquiry among the household, which

confirmed the truth of Lambourne's statement. Tressilian, it was

unanimously agreed, had departed suddenly and unexpectedly, betwixt

night and morning.

"But I will wrong no one," said mine host; "he left on the table in

his lodging the full value of his reckoning, with some allowance to the

servants of the house, which was the less necessary that he saddled his

own gelding, as it seems, without the hostler's assistance."

Thus satisfied of the rectitude of Lambourne's conduct, Varney began to

talk to him upon his future prospects, and the mode in which he meant

to bestow himself, intimating that he understood from Foster he was not

disinclined to enter into the household of a nobleman.

"Have you," said he, "ever been at court?"

"No," replied Lambourne; "but ever since I was ten years old, I have

dreamt once a week that I was there, and made my fortune."

"It may be your own fault if your dream comes not true," said Varney.

"Are you needy?"

"Um!" replied Lambourne; "I love pleasure."

"That is a sufficient answer, and an honest one," said Varney. "Know

you aught of the requisites expected from the retainer of a rising

courtier?"

"I have imagined them to myself, sir," answered Lambourne; "as, for

example, a quick eye, a close mouth, a ready and bold hand, a sharp wit,

and a blunt conscience."




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