A Blot In The 'Scutcheon [1]
you!
THIRD RETAINER. I'll wager he has let Both swans he tamed for Lady Mildred swim Over the falls and gain the river!
GERARD. Ralph, Is not to-morrow my inspecting-day For you and for your hawks?
FOURTH RETAINER. Let Gerard be! He's coarse-grained, like his carved black cross-bow stock. Ha, look now, while we squabble with him, look! Well done, now--is not this beginning, now, To purpose?
FIRST RETAINER. Our retainers look as fine-- That's comfort. Lord, how Richard holds himself With his white staff! Will not a knave behind Prick him upright?
FOURTH RETAINER. He's only bowing, fool! The Earl's man bent us lower by this much.
FIRST RETAINER. That's comfort. Here's a very cavalcade!
THIRD RETAINER. I don't see wherefore Richard, and his troop Of silk and silver varlets there, should find Their perfumed selves so indispensable On high days, holidays! Would it so disgrace Our family, if I, for instance, stood-- In my right hand a cast of Swedish hawks, A leash of greyhounds in my left?--
GERARD. --With Hugh The logman for supporter, in his right The bill-hook, in his left the brushwood-shears!
THIRD RETAINER. Out on you, crab! What next, what next? The Earl!
FIRST RETAINER. Oh Walter, groom, our horses, do they match The Earl's? Alas, that first pair of the six-- They paw the ground--Ah Walter! and that brute Just on his haunches by the wheel!
SIXTH RETAINER. Ay--ay! You, Philip, are a special hand, I hear, At soups and sauces: what's a horse to you? D'ye mark that beast they've slid into the midst So cunningly?--then, Philip, mark this further; No leg has he to stand on!
FIRST RETAINER. No? that's comfort.
SECOND RETAINER. Peace, Cook! The Earl descends. Well, Gerard, see The Earl at least! Come, there's a proper man, I hope! Why, Ralph, no falcon, Pole or Swede, Has got a starrier eye.
THIRD RETAINER. His eyes are blue: But leave my hawks alone!
FOURTH RETAINER. So young, and yet So tall and shapely!
FIFTH RETAINER. Here's Lord Tresham's self! There now--there's what a nobleman should be! He's older, graver, loftier, he's more like A House's head.
SECOND RETAINER. But you'd not have a boy --And what's the Earl beside?--possess too soon That stateliness?
FIRST RETAINER. Our master takes his hand-- Richard and his white staff are on the move-- Back fall our people--(tsh!--there's Timothy Sure to get tangled in his ribbon-ties, And Peter's cursed rosette's a-coming off!) --At last I see our lord's back and his friend's; And the whole beautiful bright company Close round them--in they go! [Jumping down from the window-bench, and making for the table and its jugs.] Good health, long life, Great joy to our Lord Tresham and his House!
SIXTH RETAINER. My father drove his father first to court, After his marriage-day--ay, did he!
SECOND RETAINER. God bless Lord Tresham, Lady Mildred, and the Earl! Here, Gerard, reach your beaker!
GERARD. Drink, my boys! Don't mind me--all's not right about me--drink!
SECOND RETAINER [aside]. He's vexed, now, that he let the show escape! [To GERARD.] Remember that the Earl returns this way.
GERARD. That way?
SECOND RETAINER. Just so.
GERARD. Then my way's here. [Goes.]
SECOND RETAINER. Old Gerard Will die soon--mind, I said it! He was used To care about the pitifullest thing That touched the House's honour, not an eye But his could see wherein: and on a cause Of scarce a quarter this importance, Gerard Fairly had fretted flesh and bone away In cares that this was right, nor that was wrong, Such point decorous, and such square by rule-- He knew such niceties, no herald more: And now--you see his humour: die he will!
SECOND RETAINER. God help him! Who's for the great servants' hall To hear what's going on inside!
THIRD RETAINER. I'll wager he has let Both swans he tamed for Lady Mildred swim Over the falls and gain the river!
GERARD. Ralph, Is not to-morrow my inspecting-day For you and for your hawks?
FOURTH RETAINER. Let Gerard be! He's coarse-grained, like his carved black cross-bow stock. Ha, look now, while we squabble with him, look! Well done, now--is not this beginning, now, To purpose?
FIRST RETAINER. Our retainers look as fine-- That's comfort. Lord, how Richard holds himself With his white staff! Will not a knave behind Prick him upright?
FOURTH RETAINER. He's only bowing, fool! The Earl's man bent us lower by this much.
FIRST RETAINER. That's comfort. Here's a very cavalcade!
THIRD RETAINER. I don't see wherefore Richard, and his troop Of silk and silver varlets there, should find Their perfumed selves so indispensable On high days, holidays! Would it so disgrace Our family, if I, for instance, stood-- In my right hand a cast of Swedish hawks, A leash of greyhounds in my left?--
GERARD. --With Hugh The logman for supporter, in his right The bill-hook, in his left the brushwood-shears!
THIRD RETAINER. Out on you, crab! What next, what next? The Earl!
FIRST RETAINER. Oh Walter, groom, our horses, do they match The Earl's? Alas, that first pair of the six-- They paw the ground--Ah Walter! and that brute Just on his haunches by the wheel!
SIXTH RETAINER. Ay--ay! You, Philip, are a special hand, I hear, At soups and sauces: what's a horse to you? D'ye mark that beast they've slid into the midst So cunningly?--then, Philip, mark this further; No leg has he to stand on!
FIRST RETAINER. No? that's comfort.
SECOND RETAINER. Peace, Cook! The Earl descends. Well, Gerard, see The Earl at least! Come, there's a proper man, I hope! Why, Ralph, no falcon, Pole or Swede, Has got a starrier eye.
THIRD RETAINER. His eyes are blue: But leave my hawks alone!
FOURTH RETAINER. So young, and yet So tall and shapely!
FIFTH RETAINER. Here's Lord Tresham's self! There now--there's what a nobleman should be! He's older, graver, loftier, he's more like A House's head.
SECOND RETAINER. But you'd not have a boy --And what's the Earl beside?--possess too soon That stateliness?
FIRST RETAINER. Our master takes his hand-- Richard and his white staff are on the move-- Back fall our people--(tsh!--there's Timothy Sure to get tangled in his ribbon-ties, And Peter's cursed rosette's a-coming off!) --At last I see our lord's back and his friend's; And the whole beautiful bright company Close round them--in they go! [Jumping down from the window-bench, and making for the table and its jugs.] Good health, long life, Great joy to our Lord Tresham and his House!
SIXTH RETAINER. My father drove his father first to court, After his marriage-day--ay, did he!
SECOND RETAINER. God bless Lord Tresham, Lady Mildred, and the Earl! Here, Gerard, reach your beaker!
GERARD. Drink, my boys! Don't mind me--all's not right about me--drink!
SECOND RETAINER [aside]. He's vexed, now, that he let the show escape! [To GERARD.] Remember that the Earl returns this way.
GERARD. That way?
SECOND RETAINER. Just so.
GERARD. Then my way's here. [Goes.]
SECOND RETAINER. Old Gerard Will die soon--mind, I said it! He was used To care about the pitifullest thing That touched the House's honour, not an eye But his could see wherein: and on a cause Of scarce a quarter this importance, Gerard Fairly had fretted flesh and bone away In cares that this was right, nor that was wrong, Such point decorous, and such square by rule-- He knew such niceties, no herald more: And now--you see his humour: die he will!
SECOND RETAINER. God help him! Who's for the great servants' hall To hear what's going on inside!