suppress some violent internal emotion。
〃Because；〃 said Lambourne coolly； 〃you dare not for your life lay
a finger on me。 I am younger and stronger than you； and have in
me a double portion of the fighting devil； though not； it may be；
quite so much of the undermining fiend； that finds an underground
way to his purposewho hides halters under folk's pillows； and
who puts rats…bane into their porridge； as the stage…play says。〃
Foster looked at him earnestly； then turned away； and paced the
room twice with the same steady and considerate pace with which
he had entered it； then suddenly came back； and extended his hand
to Michael Lambourne； saying； 〃Be not wroth with me； good Mike； I
did but try whether thou hadst parted with aught of thine old and
honourable frankness； which your enviers and backbiters called
saucy impudence。〃
〃Let them call it what they will；〃 said Michael Lambourne； 〃it is
the commodity we must carry through the world with us。Uds
daggers！ I tell thee； man； mine own stock of assurance was too
small to trade upon。 I was fain to take in a ton or two more of
brass at every port where I touched in the voyage of life； and I
started overboard what modesty and scruples I had remaining； in
order to make room for the stowage。〃
〃Nay； nay；〃 replied Foster； 〃touching scruples and modesty； you
sailed hence in ballast。 But who is this gallant； honest Mike？
is he a Corinthiana cutter like thyself？〃
〃I prithee； know Master Tressilian； bully Foster；〃 replied
Lambourne； presenting his friend in answer to his friend's
question； 〃know him and honour him； for he is a gentleman of many
admirable qualities； and though he traffics not in my line of
business； at least so far as I know； he has； nevertheless； a just
respect and admiration for artists of our class。 He will come to
in time； as seldom fails； but as yet he is only a neophyte； only
a proselyte； and frequents the company of cocks of the game； as a
puny fencer does the schools of the masters； to see how a foil is
handled by the teachers of defence。〃
〃If such be his quality； I will pray your company in another
chamber； honest Mike； for what I have to say to thee is for thy
private ear。Meanwhile； I pray you； sir； to abide us in this
apartment； and without leaving it； there be those in this house
who would be alarmed by the sight of a stranger。〃
Tressilian acquiesced； and the two worthies left the apartment
together； in which he remained alone to await their return。〃
＇See Note 1。 Foster； Lambourne； and the Black Bear。＇
CHAPTER IV。
Not serve two masters？Here's a youth will try it
Would fain serve God； yet give the devil his due；
Says grace before he doth a deed of villainy；
And returns his thanks devoutly when 'tis acted； OLD PLAY。
The room into which the Master of Cumnor Place conducted his
worthy visitant was of greater extent than that in which they had
at first conversed； and had yet more the appearance of
dilapidation。 Large oaken presses； filled with shelves of the
same wood； surrounded the room； and had； at one time； served for
the arrangement of a numerous collection of books； many of which
yet remained； but torn and defaced； covered with dust； deprived
of their costly clasps and bindings； and tossed together in heaps
upon the shelves； as things altogether disregarded； and abandoned
to the pleasure of every spoiler。 The very presses themselves
seemed to have incurred the hostility of those enemies of
learning who had destroyed the volumes with which they had been
heretofore filled。 They were； in several places； dismantled of
their shelves； and otherwise broken and damaged； and were；
moreover； mantled with cobwebs and covered with dust。
〃The men who wrote these books；〃 said Lambourne； looking round
him； 〃little thought whose keeping they were to fall into。〃
〃Nor what yeoman's service they were to do me；〃 quoth Anthony
Foster； 〃the cook hath used them for scouring his pewter； and the
groom hath had nought else to clean my boots with； this many a
month past。〃
〃And yet；〃 said Lambourne； 〃I have been in cities where such
learned commodities would have been deemed too good for such
offices。〃
〃Pshaw； pshaw；〃 answered Foster； 〃'they are Popish trash； every
one of themprivate studies of the mumping old Abbot of
Abingdon。 The nineteenthly of a pure gospel sermon were worth a
cartload of such rakings of the kennel of Rome。〃
〃Gad…a…mercy； Master Tony Fire…the…Fagot！〃 said Lambourne； by
way of reply。
Foster scowled darkly at him； as he replied； 〃Hark ye； friend
Mike； forget that name； and the passage which it relates to； if
you would not have our newly…revived comradeship die a sudden and
a violent death。〃
〃Why；〃 said Michael Lambourne； 〃you were wont to glory in the
share you had in the death of the two old heretical bishops。〃
〃That；〃 said his comrade； 〃was while I was in the gall of
bitterness and bond of iniquity； and applies not to my walk or my
ways now that I am called forth into the lists。 Mr。 Melchisedek
Maultext compared my misfortune in that matter to that of the
Apostle Paul； who kept the clothes of the witnesses who stoned
Saint Stephen。 He held forth on the matter three Sabbaths past；
and illustrated the same by the conduct of an honourable person
present； meaning me。〃
〃I prithee peace； Foster；〃 said Lambourne； 〃for I know not how it
is； I have a sort of creeping comes over my skin when I hear the
devil quote Scripture； and besides； man； how couldst thou have
the heart to quit that convenient old religion； which you could
slip off or on as easily as your glove？ Do I not remember how
you were wont to carry your conscience to confession； as duly as
the month came round？ and when thou hadst it scoured； and
burnished； and whitewashed by the priest； thou wert ever ready
for the worst villainy which could be devised； like a child who
is always readiest to rush into the mire when he has got his
Sunday's clean jerkin on。〃
〃Trouble not thyself about my conscience；〃 said Foster； 〃it is a
thing thou canst not understand； having never had one of thine
own。 But let us rather to the point； and say to me； in one word；
what is thy business with me； and what hopes have drawn thee
hither？〃
〃The hope of bettering myself； to be sure；〃 answered Lambourne；
〃as the old woman said when she leapt over the bridge at
Kingston。 Look you； this purse has all that is left of as round
a sum as a man would wish to carry in his slop…pouch。 You are
here well established； it would seem； and； as I think； well
befriended； for men talk of thy being under some special
protectionnay； stare not like a pig that is stuck； mon； thou
canst not dance in a net and they not see thee。 Now I know such
protection is not purchased for nought； you must have services to
render for it； and in these I propose to help thee。〃
〃But how if I lack no assistance from thee； Mike？ I think thy
modesty might suppose that were a case possible。〃
〃That is to say；〃 retorted Lambourne； 〃that you would engross the
whole work； rather than divide the reward。 But be not over…
greedy； Anthonycovetousness bursts the sack and spills the
grain。 Look you； when the huntsman goes to kill a stag； he takes
with him more dogs than one。 He has the stanch lyme…hound to
track the wounded buck over hill and dale； but he hath also the
fleet gaze…hound to kill him at view。 Thou art the lyme…hound； I
am the gaze…hound； and thy patron will need the aid of both； and
can well afford to requite it。 Thou hast deep sagacityan
unrelenting purposea steady； long…breathed malignity of nature；
that surpasses mine。 But then； I am the bolder； the quicker； the
more ready； both at action and expedient。 Separate； our
properties are not so perfect； but unite them； and we drive the
world before us。 How sayest thoushall we hunt in couples？〃
〃It is a currish proposalthus to thrust thyself upon my private
matters；〃 replied Foster； 〃but thou wert ever an ill…nurtured
whelp。〃
〃You shall have no cause to say so； unless you spurn my
courtesy；〃 said Michael Lambourne； 〃but if so； keep thee well
from me； Sir Knight； as the romance has it。 I will either share
your counsels or traverse them； for I have come here to be busy；
either with thee or against thee。〃
〃Well；〃 said Anthony Foster； 〃since thou dost leave me so fair a
choice； I will rather be thy friend than thine enemy。 Thou art
right； I CAN prefer thee to the service of a patron who has
enough of means to make us both； and an hundred more。 And； to
say truth； thou art well qualified for his service。 Boldness and
dexterity he demandsthe justice…books bear witness in thy
favour； no starting at scruples in his service why； who ever
suspected thee of a conscience？ an assurance he must have who
would follow a courtierand thy brow is as impenetrable as a
Milan visor。 There is but one thing I would fain see amended in
thee。〃
〃And what is that； my most precious friend Anthony？〃 replied
Lambourne； 〃for I swear by the pillow of the Seven Sleepers I
will not be slothful in amending it。〃
〃Why； you gave a sample of it even now；〃 said Foster。 〃Your
speech twangs too much of the old stamp； and you garnish it e