kenilworth-第102章

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shoulder。〃

〃Your　Majesty　gave　him　a　smart　ACCOLADE；〃　said　the　Duchess；　〃we
who　stood　behind　heard　the　blade　clatter　on　his　collar…bone；　and
the　poor　man　fidgeted　too　as　if　he　felt　it。〃

〃I　could　not　help　it；　wench；〃　said　the　Queen；　laughing。　　〃But　we
will　have　this　same　Sir　Nicholas　sent　to　Ireland　or　Scotland；　or
somewhere；　to　rid　our　court　of　so　antic　a　chevalier；　he　may　be　a
good　soldier　in　the　field；　though　a　preposterous　ass　in　a
banqueting…hall。〃

The　discourse　became　then　more　general；　and　soon　after　there　was
a　summons　to　the　banquet。

In　order　to　obey　this　signal；　the　company　were　under　the
necessity　of　crossing　the　inner　court　of　the　Castle；　that　they
might　reach　the　new　buildings　containing　the　large　banqueting…
room；　in　which　preparations　for　supper　were　made　upon　a　scale　of
profuse　magnificence；　corresponding　to　the　occasion。

The　livery　cupboards　were　loaded　with　plate　of　the　richest
description；　and　the　most　variedsome　articles　tasteful；　some
perhaps　grotesque；　in　the　invention　and　decoration；　but　all
gorgeously　magnificent；　both　from　the　richness　of　the　work　and
value　of　the　materials。　　Thus　the　chief　table　was　adorned　by　a
salt；　ship…fashion；　made　of　mother…of…pearl；　garnished　with
silver　and　divers　warlike　ensigns　and　other　ornaments；　anchors；
sails；　and　sixteen　pieces　of　ordnance。　　It　bore　a　figure　of
Fortune；　placed　on　a　globe；　with　a　flag　in　her　hand。　　Another
salt　was　fashioned　of　silver；　in　form　of　a　swan　in　full　sail。
That　chivalry　might　not　be　omitted　amid　this　splendour；　a　silver
Saint　George　was　presented；　mounted　and　equipped　in　the　usual
fashion　in　which　he　bestrides　the　dragon。　　The　figures　were
moulded　to　be　in　some　sort　useful。　　The　horse's　tail　was　managed
to　hold　a　case　of　knives；　while　the　breast　of　the　dragon
presented　a　similar　accommodation　for　oyster　knives；

In　the　course　of　the　passage　from　the　hall　of　reception　to　the
banqueting…room；　and　especially　in　the　courtyard；　the　new…made
knights　were　assailed　by　the　heralds；　pursuivants；　minstrels；
etc。；　with　the　usual　cry　of　LARGESSE；　LARGESSE；　CHEVALIERS　TRES
HARDIS！　　an　ancient　invocation；　intended　to　awaken　the　bounty　of
the　acolytes　of　chivalry　towards　those　whose　business　it　was　to
register　their　armorial　bearings；　and　celebrate　the　deeds　by
which　they　were　illustrated。　　The　call　was；　of　course；　liberally
and　courteously　answered　by　those　to　whom　it　was　addressed。
Varney　gave　his　largesse　with　an　affectation　of　complaisance　and
humility。　　Raleigh　bestowed　his　with　the　graceful　ease　peculiar
to　one　who　has　attained　his　own　place；　and　is　familiar　with　its
dignity。　　Honest　Blount　gave　what　his　tailor　had　left　him　of　his
half…year's　rent；　dropping　some　pieces　in　his　hurry；　then
stooping　down　to　look　for　them；　and　then　distributing　them
amongst　the　various　claimants；　with　the　anxious　face　and　mien　of
the　parish　beadle　dividing　a　dole　among　paupers。

The　donations　were　accepted　with　the　usual　clamour　and　VIVATS　of
applause　common　on　such　occasions；　but　as　the　parties　gratified
were　chiefly　dependants　of　Lord　Leicester；　it　was　Varney　whose
name　was　repeated　with　the　loudest　acclamations。　　Lambourne；
especially；　distinguished　himself　by　his　vociferations　of　〃Long
life　to　Sir　Richard　Varney！Health　and　honour　to　Sir　Richard！
Never　was　a　more　worthy　knight　dubbed！〃then；　suddenly　sinking
his　voice；　he　added〃since　the　valiant　Sir　Pandarus　of　Troy；〃a
winding…up　of　his　clamorous　applause　which　set　all　men　a…laughing
who　were　within　hearing　of　it。

It　is　unnecessary　to　say　anything　further　of　the　festivities　of
the　evening；　which　were　so　brilliant　in　themselves；　and　received
with　such　obvious　and　willing　satisfaction　by　the　Queen；　that
Leicester　retired　to　his　own　apartment　with　all　the　giddy
raptures　of　successful　ambition。　　Varney；　who　had　changed　his
splendid　attire；　and　now　waited　on　his　patron　in　a　very　modest
and　plain　undress；　attended　to　do　the　honours　of　the　Earl's
COUCHER。

〃How！　　Sir　Richard；〃　said　Leicester；　smiling；　〃your　new　rank
scarce　suits　the　humility　of　this　attendance。〃

〃I　would　disown　that　rank；　my　Lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃could　I　think
it　was　to　remove　me　to　a　distance　from　your　lordship's　person。〃

〃Thou　art　a　grateful　fellow；〃　said　Leicester；　〃but　I　must　not
allow　you　to　do　what　would　abate　you　in　the　opinion　of　others。〃

While　thus　speaking；　he　still　accepted　without　hesitation　the
offices　about　his　person；　which　the　new…made　knight　seemed　to
render　as　eagerly　as　if　he　had　really　felt；　in　discharging　the
task；　that　pleasure　which　his　words　expressed。

〃I　am　not　afraid　of　men's　misconstruction；〃　he　said；　in　answer　to
Leicester's　remark；　〃since　there　is　not（permit　me　to　undo　the
collar）a　man　within　the　Castle　who　does　not　expect　very　soon　to
see　persons　of　a　rank　far　superior　to　that　which；　by　your
goodness；　I　now　hold；　rendering　the　duties　of　the　bedchamber　to
you；　and　accounting　it　an　honour。〃

〃It　might；　indeed；　so　have　been〃said　the　Earl；　with　an
involuntary　sigh；　and　then　presently　added；　〃My　gown；　Varney；　I
will　look　out　on　the　night。　　Is　not　the　moon　near　to　the　full？〃

〃I　think　so；　my　lord；　according　to　the　calendar；〃　answered
Varney。

There　was　an　abutting　window；　which　opened　on　a　small　projecting
balcony　of　stone；　battlemented　as　is　usual　in　Gothic　castles。
The　Earl　undid　the　lattice；　and　stepped　out　into　the　open　air。
The　station　he　had　chosen　commanded　an　extensive　view　of　the　lake
and　woodlands　beyond；　where　the　bright　moonlight　rested　on　the
clear　blue　waters　and　the　distant　masses　of　oak　and　elm　trees。
The　moon　rode　high　in　the　heavens；　attended　by　thousands　and
thousands　of　inferior　luminaries。　　All　seemed　already　to　be
hushed　in　the　nether　world；　excepting　occasionally　the　voice　of
the　watch　（for　the　yeomen　of　the　guard　performed　that　duty
wherever　the　Queen　was　present　in　person）　and　the　distant　baying
of　the　hounds；　disturbed　by　the　preparations　amongst　the　grooms
and　prickers　for　a　magnificent　hunt；　which　was　to　be　the
amusement　of　the　next　day。

Leicester　looked　out　on　the　blue　arch　of　heaven；　with　gestures
and　a　countenance　expressive　of　anxious　exultation；　while　Varney；
who　remained　within　the　darkened　apartment；　could　（himself
unnoticed）；　with　a　secret　satisfaction；　see　his　patron　stretch
his　hands　with　earnest　gesticulation　towards　the　heavenly　bodies。

〃Ye　distant　orbs　of　living　fire；〃　so　ran　the　muttered　invocation
of　the　ambitious　Earl；　〃ye　are　silent　while　you　wheel　your　mystic
rounds；　but　Wisdom　has　given　to　you　a　voice。　　Tell　me；　then；　to
what　end　is　my　high　course　destined？　　Shall　the　greatness　to
which　I　have　aspired　be　bright；　pre…eminent；　and　stable　as　your
own；　or　am　I　but　doomed　to　draw　a　brief　and　glittering　train
along　the　nightly　darkness；　and　then　to　sink　down　to　earth；　like
the　base　refuse　of　those　artificial　fires　with　which　men　emulate
your　rays？〃

He　looked　on　the　heavens　in　profound　silence　for　a　minute　or　two
longer；　and　then　again　stepped　into　the　apartment；　where　Varney
seemed　to　have　been　engaged　in　putting　the　Earl's　jewels　into　a
casket。

〃What　said　Alasco　of　my　horoscope？〃　　demanded　Leicester。　　〃You
already　told　me；　but　it　has　escaped　me；　for　I　think　but　lightly
of　that　art。〃

〃Many　learned　and　great　men　have　thought　otherwise；〃　said　Varney；
〃and；　not　to　flatter　your　lordship；　my　own　opinion　leans　that
way。〃

〃Ay；　Saul　among　the　prophets？〃　　said　Leicester。　　〃I　thought　thou
wert　sceptical　in　all　such　matters　as　thou　couldst　neither　see；
hear；　smell；　taste；　or　touch；　and　that　thy　belief　was　limited　by
thy　senses。〃

〃Perhaps；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃I　may　be　misled　on　the　present
occasion　by　my　wish　to　find　the　predictions　of　astrology　true。
Alasco　says　that　your　favourite　planet　is　culminating；　and　that
the　adverse　influencehe　would　not　use　a　plainer　termthough
not　overcome；　was　evidently　combust；　I　think　he　said；　or
retrograde。〃

〃It　is　even　so；〃　said　Leicester；　looking　at　an　abstract　of
astrological　calculations　which　he　had　in　his　hand；　〃the　stronger
influence　will　prevail；　and；　as　I　think；　the　evil　hour　pass　away。
Lend　me　your　hand；　Sir　Richard；　to　doff　my　gown；　and　remain　an
instant；　if　it　is　not　too　burdensome　to　your　knig