KENILWORTH - Penn State University

Kenilworthion, against whom he began now to nourish a quarrel on hisown account, which he trusted to avenge by the execution ofhis new master Varney’s directions. The hour of supper arrived,and was followed by that of repose, when Tressilian,like others, retired to his sleeping apartment.He had not been in bed long, when the train of sad reveries,which supplied the place of rest in his disturbed mind, wassuddenly interrupted by the jar of a door on its hinges, and alight was seen to glimmer in the apartment. Tressilian, whowas as brave as steel, sprang from his bed at this alarm, andhad laid hand upon his sword, when he was prevented fromdrawing it by a voice which said, “Be not too rash with yourrapier, Master Tressilian. It is I, your host, Giles Gosling.”At the same time, unshrouding the dark lantern, which hadhitherto only emitted an indistinct glimmer, the goodly aspectand figure of the landlord of the Black Bear was visiblypresented to his astonished guest.“What mummery is this, mine host?” said Tressilian. “Haveyou supped as jollily as last night, and so mistaken your chamber?or is midnight a time for masquerading it in your guest’slodging?”“Master Tressilian,” replied mine host, “I know my placeand my time as well as e’er a merry landlord in England. Buthere has been my hang-dog kinsman watching you as close asever cat watched a mouse; and here have you, on the otherhand, quarrelled and fought, either with him or with someother person, and I fear that danger will come of it.”“Go to, thou art but a fool, man,” said Tressilian. “Thykinsman is beneath my resentment; and besides, why shouldstthou think I had quarrelled with any one whomsoever?”“Oh, sir,” replied the innkeeper, “there was a red spot on thyvery cheek-bone, which boded of a late brawl, as sure as theconjunction of Mars and Saturn threatens misfortune; and whenyou returned, the buckles of your girdle were brought forward,and your step was quick and hasty, and all things showed yourhand and your hilt had been lately acquainted.”“Well, good mine host, if I have been obliged to draw mysword,” said Tressilian, “why should such a circumstance fetchthee out of thy warm bed at this time of night? Thou seestthe mischief is all over.”“Under favour, that is what I doubt. Anthony Foster is adangerous man, defended by strong court patronage, which100