kenilworth-第103章

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instant；　if　it　is　not　too　burdensome　to　your　knighthood；　while　I
compose　myself　to　sleep。　　I　believe　the　bustle　of　this　day　has
fevered　my　blood；　for　it　streams　through　my　veins　like　a　current
of　molten　lead。　　Remain　an　instant；　I　pray　youI　would　fain　feel
my　eyes　heavy　ere　I　closed　them。〃

Varney　officiously　assisted　his　lord　to　bed；　and　placed　a　massive
silver　night…lamp；　with　a　short　sword；　on　a　marble　table　which
stood　close　by　the　head　of　the　couch。　　Either　in　order　to　avoid
the　light　of　the　lamp；　or　to　hide　his　countenance　from　Varney；
Leicester　drew　the　curtain；　heavy　with　entwined　silk　and　gold；　so
as　completely　to　shade　his　face。　　Varney　took　a　seat　near　the
bed；　but　with　his　back　towards　his　master；　as　if　to　intimate　that
he　was　not　watching　him；　and　quietly　waited　till　Leicester
himself　led　the　way　to　the　topic　by　which　his　mind　was　engrossed。

〃And　so；　Varney；〃　said　the　Earl；　after　waiting　in　vain　till　his
dependant　should　commence　the　conversation；　〃men　talk　of　the
Queen's　favour　towards　me？〃

〃Ay；　my　good　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃of　what　can　they　else；　since　it
is　so　strongly　manifested？〃

〃She　is　indeed　my　good　and　gracious　mistress；〃　said　Leicester；
after　another　pause；　〃but　it　is　written；　'Put　not　thy　trust　in
princes。'〃

〃A　good　sentence　and　a　true；〃　said　Varney；　〃unless　you　can　unite
their　interest　with　yours　so　absolutely　that　they　must　needs　sit
on　your　wrist　like　hooded　hawks。〃

〃I　know　what　thou　meanest；〃　said　Leicester　impatiently；　〃though
thou　art　to…night　so　prudentially　careful　of　what　thou　sayest　to
me。　　Thou　wouldst　intimate　I　might　marry　the　Queen　if　I　would？〃

〃It　is　your　speech；　my　lord；　not　mine；〃　answered　Varney；　〃but
whosesoever　be　the　speech；　it　is　the　thought　of　ninety…nine　out
of　an　hundred　men　throughout　broad　England。〃

〃Ay；　but；〃　said　Leicester；　turning　himself　in　his　bed；　〃the
hundredth　man　knows　better。　　Thou；　for　example；　knowest　the
obstacle　that　cannot　be　overleaped。〃

〃It　must；　my　lord；　if　the　stars　speak　true；〃　said　Varney
composedly。

〃What；　talkest　thou　of　them；〃　said　Leicester；　〃that　believest　not
in　them　or　in　aught　else？〃

〃You　mistake；　my　lord；　under　your　gracious　pardon；〃　said　Varney；
〃I　believe　in　many　things　that　predict　the　future。　　I　believe；　if
showers　fall　in　April；　that　we　shall　have　flowers　in　May；　that　if
the　sun　shines；　grain　will　ripen；　and　I　believe　in　much　natural
philosophy　to　the　same　effect；　which；　if　the　stars　swear　to　me；　I
will　say　the　stars　speak　the　truth。　　And　in　like　manner；　I　will
not　disbelieve　that　which　I　see　wished　for　and　expected　on　earth；
solely　because　the　astrologers　have　read　it　in　the　heavens。〃

〃Thou　art　right；〃　said　Leicester；　again　tossing　himself　on　his
couch　〃Earth　does　wish　for　it。　　I　have　had　advices　from　the
reformed　churches　of　Germanyfrom　the　Low　Countriesfrom
Switzerlandurging　this　as　a　point　on　which　Europe's　safety
depends。　　France　will　not　oppose　it。　　The　ruling　party　in
Scotland　look　to　it　as　their　best　security。　　Spain　fears　it；　but
cannot　prevent　it。　　And　yet　thou　knowest　it　is　impossible。〃

〃I　know　not　that；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃the　Countess　is
indisposed。〃

〃Villain！〃　　said　Leicester；　starting　up　on　his　couch；　and　seizing
the　sword　which　lay　on　the　table　beside　him；　〃go　thy　thoughts
that　way？thou　wouldst　not　do　murder？〃

〃For　whom；　or　what；　do　you　hold　me；　my　lord？〃　　said　Varney；
assuming　the　superiority　of　an　innocent　man　subjected　to　unjust
suspicion。　　〃I　said　nothing　to　deserve　such　a　horrid　imputation
as　your　violence　infers。　　I　said　but　that　the　Countess　was　ill。
And　Countess　though　she　belovely　and　beloved　as　she　issurely
your　lordship　must　hold　her　to　be　mortal？　　She　may　die；　and　your
lordship's　hand　become　once　more　your　own。〃

〃Away！　　away！〃　　said　Leicester；　〃let　me　have　no　more　of　this。〃

〃Good　night；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　seeming　to　understand　this　as
a　command　to　depart；　but　Leicester's　voice　interrupted　his
purpose。

〃Thou　'scapest　me　not　thus；　Sir　Fool；〃　said　he；　〃I　think　thy
knighthood　has　addled　thy　brains。　　Confess　thou　hast　talked　of
impossibilities　as　of　things　which　may　come　to　pass。〃

〃My　lord；　long　live　your　fair　Countess；〃　said　Varney；　〃but
neither　your　love　nor　my　good　wishes　can　make　her　immortal。　　But
God　grant　she　live　long　to　be　happy　herself；　and　to　render　you
so！　　I　see　not　but　you　may　be　King　of　England　notwithstanding。〃

〃Nay；　now；　Varney；　thou　art　stark　mad；〃　said　Leicester。

〃I　would　I　were　myself　within　the　same　nearness　to　a　good　estate
of　freehold；〃　said　Varney。　　〃Have　we　not　known　in　other　countries
how　a　left…handed　marriage　might　subsist　betwixt　persons　of
differing　degree？ay；　and　be　no　hindrance　to　prevent　the　husband
from　conjoining　himself　afterwards　with　a　more　suitable　partner？〃

〃I　have　heard　of　such　things　in　Germany；〃　said　Leicester。

〃Ay；　and　the　most　learned　doctors　in　foreign　universities　justify
the　practice　from　the　Old　Testament；〃　said　Varney。　　〃And　after
all；　where　is　the　harm？　　The　beautiful　partner　whom　you　have
chosen　for　true　love　has　your　secret　hours　of　relaxation　and
affection。　　Her　fame　is　safe　her　conscience　may　slumber　securely。
You　have　wealth　to　provide　royally　for　your　issue；　should　Heaven
bless　you　with　offspring。　　Meanwhile　you　may　give　to　Elizabeth
ten　times　the　leisure；　and　ten　thousand　times　the　affection；　that
ever　Don　Philip　of　Spain　spared　to　her　sister　Mary；　yet　you　know
how　she　doted　on　him　though　so　cold　and　neglectful。　　It　requires
but　a　close　mouth　and　an　open　brow；　and　you　keep　your　Eleanor　and
your　fair　Rosamond　far　enough　separate。　　Leave　me　to　build　you　a
bower　to　which　no　jealous　Queen　shall　find　a　clew。〃

Leicester　was　silent　for　a　moment；　then　sighed；　and　said；　〃It　is
impossible。　　Good　night；　Sir　Richard　Varneyyet　stay。　　Can　you
guess　what　meant　Tressilian　by　showing　himself　in　such　careless
guise　before　the　Queen　to…day？to　strike　her　tender　heart；　I
should　guess；　with　all　the　sympathies　due　to　a　lover　abandoned　by
his　mistress　and　abandoning　himself。〃

Varney；　smothering　a　sneering　laugh；　answered；　〃He　believed
Master　Tressilian　had　no　such　matter　in　his　head。〃

〃How！〃　　said　Leicester；　〃what　meanest　thou？　　There　is　ever
knavery　in　that　laugh　of　thine；　Varney。〃

〃I　only　meant；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃that　Tressilian　has　taken
the　sure　way　to　avoid　heart…breaking。　　He　hath　had　a　companiona
female　companiona　mistressa　sort　of　player's　wife　or　sister；
as　I　believewith　him　in　Mervyn's　Bower；　where　I　quartered　him
for　certain　reasons　of　my　own。〃

〃A　mistress！meanest　thou　a　paramour？〃

〃Ay；　my　lord；　what　female　else　waits　for　hours　in　a　gentleman's
chamber？〃

〃By　my　faith；　time　and　space　fitting；　this　were　a　good　tale　to
tell；〃　said　Leicester。　　〃I　ever　distrusted　those　bookish；
hypocritical；　seeming…virtuous　scholars。　　WellMaster　Tressilian
makes　somewhat　familiar　with　my　house；　if　I　look　it　over；　he　is
indebted　to　it　for　certain　recollections。　　I　would　not　harm　him
more　than　I　can　help。　　Keep　eye　on　him；　however；　Varney。〃

〃I　lodged　him　for　that　reason；〃　said　Varney；　〃in　Mervyn's　Tower；
where　he　is　under　the　eye　of　my　very　vigilant；　if　he　were　not
also　my　very　drunken；　servant；　Michael　Lambourne；　whom　I　have
told　your　Grace　of。〃

〃Grace！〃　　said　Leicester；　〃what　meanest　thou　by　that　epithet？〃

〃It　came　unawares；　my　lord；　and　yet　it　sounds　so　very　natural
that　I　cannot　recall　it。〃

〃It　is　thine　own　preferment　that　hath　turned　thy　brain；〃　said
Leicester；　laughing；　〃new　honours　are　as　heady　as　new　wine。〃

〃May　your　lordship　soon　have　cause　to　say　so　from　experience；〃
said　Varney；　and　wishing　his　patron　good　night；　he　withdrew。〃
＇See　Note　8。　Furniture　of　Kenilworth。＇



CHAPTER　XXXIII。

　　Here　stands　the　victimthere　the　proud　betrayer；
　　E'en　as　the　hind　pull'd　down　by　strangling　dogs
　　Lies　at　the　hunter's　feetwho　courteous　proffers
　　To　some　high　dame；　the　Dian　of　the　chase；
　　To　whom　he　looks　for　guerdon；　his　sharp　blade；
　　To　gash　the　sobbing　throat。　　　　　　　　　　　THE　WOODSMAN。

We　are　now　to　return　to　Mervyn's　Bower；　the　apartment；　or　rather
the　prison；　of　the　unfortunate　Countess　of　Leicester；　who　for
some　time　kept　within　bounds　her　uncertainty　and　her　impatience。
She　w