you up in lavender in the Castle at Oxford； or to get your legs
made acquainted with the town…stocks。〃
〃That would be but renewing an old intimacy； for Mike's shins and
the town's wooden pinfold have been well known to each other ere
now；〃 said the mercer； 〃but he shall not budge from his wager；
unless he means to pay forfeit。〃
〃Forfeit？〃 said Lambourne； 〃I scorn it。 I value Tony Foster's
wrath no more than a shelled pea…cod； and I will visit his
Lindabrides； by Saint George； be he willing or no！〃
〃I would gladly pay your halves of the risk； sir；〃 said
Tressilian； 〃to be permitted to accompany you on the adventure。〃
〃In what would that advantage you； sir？〃 answered Lambourne。
〃In nothing； sir；〃 said Tressilian； 〃unless to mark the skill and
valour with which you conduct yourself。 I am a traveller who
seeks for strange rencounters and uncommon passages； as the
knights of yore did after adventures and feats of arms。〃
〃Nay； if it pleasures you to see a trout tickled；〃 answered
Lambourne； 〃I care not how many witness my skill。 And so here I
drink success to my enterprise； and he that will not pledge me on
his knees is a rascal； and I will cut his legs off by the
garters！〃
The draught which Michael Lambourne took upon this occasion had
been preceded by so many others； that reason tottered on her
throne。 He swore one or two incoherent oaths at the mercer； who
refused； reasonably enough； to pledge him to a sentiment which
inferred the loss of his own wager。
〃Wilt thou chop logic with me；〃 said Lambourne； 〃thou knave； with
no more brains than are in a skein of ravelled silk？ By Heaven；
I will cut thee into fifty yards of galloon lace！〃
But as he attempted to draw his sword for this doughty purpose；
Michael Lambourne was seized upon by the tapster and the
chamberlain； and conveyed to his own apartment； there to sleep
himself sober at his leisure。
The party then broke up； and the guests took their leave； much
more to the contentment of mine host than of some of the company；
who were unwilling to quit good liquor； when it was to be had for
free cost； so long as they were able to sit by it。 They were；
however； compelled to remove； and go at length they did； leaving
Gosling and Tressilian in the empty apartment。
〃By my faith；〃 said the former； 〃I wonder where our great folks
find pleasure； when they spend their means in entertainments； and
in playing mine host without sending in a reckoning。 It is what
I but rarely practise； and whenever I do； by Saint Julian； it
grieves me beyond measure。 Each of these empty stoups now； which
my nephew and his drunken comrades have swilled off； should have
been a matter of profit to one in my line； and I must set them
down a dead loss。 I cannot； for my heart； conceive the pleasure
of noise； and nonsense； and drunken freaks； and drunken quarrels；
and smut； and blasphemy； and so forth； when a man loses money
instead of gaining by it。 And yet many a fair estate is lost in
upholding such a useless course； and that greatly contributes to
the decay of publicans； for who the devil do you think would pay
for drink at the Black Bear； when he can have it for nothing at
my Lord's or the Squire's？〃
Tressilian perceived that the wine had made some impression even
on the seasoned brain of mine host； which was chiefly to be
inferred from his declaiming against drunkenness。 As he himself
had carefully avoided the bowl； he would have availed himself of
the frankness of the moment to extract from Gosling some further
information upon the subject of Anthony Foster； and the lady whom
the mercer had seen in his mansion…house； but his inquiries only
set the host upon a new theme of declamation against the wiles of
the fair sex； in which he brought； at full length； the whole
wisdom of Solomon to reinforce his own。 Finally； he turned his
admonitions； mixed with much objurgation； upon his tapsters and
drawers； who were employed in removing the relics of the
entertainment； and restoring order to the apartment； and at
length； joining example to precept； though with no good success；
he demolished a salver with half a score of glasses； in
attempting to show how such service was done at the Three Cranes
in the Vintry； then the most topping tavern in London。 This last
accident so far recalled him to his better self； that he retired
to his bed； slept sound； and awoke a new man in the morning。
CHAPTER III。
Nay； I'll hold touchthe game shall be play'd out；
It ne'er shall stop for me； this merry wager：
That which I say when gamesome； I'll avouch
In my most sober mood； ne'er trust me else。 THE HAZARD TABLE。
〃And how doth your kinsman； good mine host？〃 said Tressilian；
when Giles Gosling first appeared in the public room； on the
morning following the revel which we described in the last
chapter。 〃Is he well； and will he abide by his wager？〃
〃For well； sir； he started two hours since； and has visited I
know not what purlieus of his old companions； hath but now
returned； and is at this instant breakfasting on new…laid eggs
and muscadine。 And for his wager； I caution you as a friend to
have little to do with that； or indeed with aught that Mike
proposes。 Wherefore； I counsel you to a warm breakfast upon a
culiss； which shall restore the tone of the stomach； and let my
nephew and Master Goldthred swagger about their wager as they
list。〃
〃It seems to me； mine host；〃 said Tressilian； 〃that you know not
well what to say about this kinsman of yours； and that you can
neither blame nor commend him without some twinge of conscience。〃
〃You have spoken truly； Master Tressilian；〃 replied Giles
Gosling。 〃There is Natural Affection whimpering into one ear；
'Giles； Giles； why wilt thou take away the good name of thy own
nephew？ Wilt thou defame thy sister's son； Giles Gosling？ wilt
thou defoul thine own nest； dishonour thine own blood？' And then；
again； comes Justice； and says； 'Here is a worthy guest as ever
came to the bonny Black Bear； one who never challenged a
reckoning' （as I say to your face you never did； Master
Tressiliannot that you have had cause）； 'one who knows not why
he came； so far as I can see； or when he is going away； and wilt
thou； being a publican； having paid scot and lot these thirty
years in the town of Cumnor； and being at this instant head…
borough； wilt thou suffer this guest of guests； this man of men；
this six…hooped pot （as I may say） of a traveller； to fall into
the meshes of thy nephew； who is known for a swasher and a
desperate Dick； a carder and a dicer； a professor of the seven
damnable sciences； if ever man took degrees in them？' No； by
Heaven！ I might wink； and let him catch such a small butterfly
as Goldthred； but thou； my guest； shall be forewarned； forearmed；
so thou wilt but listen to thy trusty host。〃
〃Why； mine host； thy counsel shall not be cast away；〃 replied
Tressilian； 〃however； I must uphold my share in this wager；
having once passed my word to that effect。 But lend me； I pray；
some of thy counsel。 This Foster； who or what is he； and why
makes he such mystery of his female inmate？〃
〃Troth；〃 replied Gosling； 〃I can add but little to what you heard
last night。 He was one of Queen Mary's Papists； and now he is
one of Queen Elizabeth's Protestants； he was an onhanger of the
Abbot of Abingdon； and now he lives as master of the Manor…house。
Above all； he was poor； and is rich。 Folk talk of private
apartments in his old waste mansion…house； bedizened fine enough
to serve the Queen； God bless her！ Some men think he found a
treasure in the orchard； some that he sold himself to the devil
for treasure； and some say that he cheated the abbot out of the
church plate； which was hidden in the old Manor…house at the
Reformation。 Rich； however； he is； and God and his conscience；
with the devil perhaps besides； only know how he came by it。 He
has sulky ways toobreaking off intercourse with all that are of
the place； as if he had either some strange secret to keep； or
held himself to be made of another clay than we are。 I think it
likely my kinsman and he will quarrel； if Mike thrust his
acquaintance on him； and I am sorry that you； my worthy Master
Tressilian； will still think of going in my nephew's company。〃
Tressilian again answered him； that he would proceed with great
caution； and that he should have no fears on his account； in
short； he bestowed on him all the customary assurances with which
those who are determined on a rash action are wont to parry the
advice of their friends。
Meantime； the traveller accepted the landlord's invitation； and
had just finished the excellent breakfast； which was served to
him and Gosling by pretty Cicely； the beauty of the bar； when the
hero of the preceding night； Michael Lambourne； entered the
apartment。 His toilet had apparently cost him some labour； for
his clothes； which differed from those he wore on his journey；
were of the newest fashion； and put on with great attention to
the display of his person。
〃By my faith； uncle；〃 said the gallant； 〃you made a wet night of
it； and I feel it followed by a dry morning。 I will pledge you
willingly in a cup of bastard