kenilworth-第104章

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the　prison；　of　the　unfortunate　Countess　of　Leicester；　who　for
some　time　kept　within　bounds　her　uncertainty　and　her　impatience。
She　was　aware　that；　in　the　tumult　of　the　day；　there　might　be　some
delay　ere　her　letter　could　be　safely　conveyed　to　the　hands　of
Leicester；　and　that　some　time　more　might　elapse　ere　he　could
extricate　himself　from　the　necessary　attendance　on　Elizabeth；　to
come　and　visit　her　in　her　secret　bower。　　〃I　will　not　expect　him；〃
she　said；　〃till　night；　he　cannot　be　absent　from　his　royal　guest；
even　to　see　me。　　He　will；　I　know；　come　earlier　if　it　be　possible；
but　I　will　not　expect　him　before　night。〃　　And　yet　all　the　while
she　did　expect　him；　and　while　she　tried　to　argue　herself　into　a
contrary　belief；　each　hasty　noise　of　the　hundred　which　she　heard
sounded　like　the　hurried　step　of　Leicester　on　the　staircase；
hasting　to　fold　her　in　his　arms。

The　fatigue　of　body　which　Amy　had　lately　undergone；　with　the
agitation　of　mind　natural　to　so　cruel　a　state　of　uncertainty；
began　by　degrees　strongly　to　affect　her　nerves；　and　she　almost
feared　her　total　inability　to　maintain　the　necessary　self…command
through　the　scenes　which　might　lie　before　her。　　But　although
spoiled　by　an　over…indulgent　system　of　education；　Amy　had
naturally　a　mind　of　great　power；　united　with　a　frame　which　her
share　in　her　father's　woodland　exercises　had　rendered　uncommonly
healthy。　　She　summoned　to　her　aid　such　mental　and　bodily
resources；　and　not　unconscious　how　much　the　issue　of　her　fate
might　depend　on　her　own　self…possession；　she　prayed　internally
for　strength　of　body　and　for　mental　fortitude；　and　resolved　at
the　same　time　to　yield　to　no　nervous　impulse　which　might　weaken
either。

Yet　when　the　great　bell　of　the　Castle；　which　was　placed　in
Caesar's　Tower；　at　no　great　distance　from　that　called　Mervyn's；
began　to　send　its　pealing　clamour　abroad；　in　signal　of　the
arrival　of　the　royal　procession；　the　din　was　so　painfully　acute
to　ears　rendered　nervously　sensitive　by　anxiety；　that　she　could
hardly　forbear　shrieking　with　anguish；　in　answer　to　every
stunning　clash　of　the　relentless　peal。

Shortly　afterwards；　when　the　small　apartment　was　at　once
enlightened　by　the　shower　of　artificial　fires　with　which　the　air
was　suddenly　filled；　and　which　crossed　each　other　like　fiery
spirits；　each　bent　on　his　own　separate　mission；　or　like
salamanders　executing　a　frolic　dance　in　the　region　of　the　Sylphs；
the　Countess　felt　at　first　as　if　each　rocket　shot　close　by　her
eyes；　and　discharged　its　sparks　and　flashes　so　nigh　that　she
could　feel　a　sense　of　the　heat。　　But　she　struggled　against　these
fantastic　terrors；　and　compelled　herself　to　arise；　stand　by　the
window；　look　out；　and　gaze　upon　a　sight　which　at　another　time
would　have　appeared　to　her　at　once　captivating　and　fearful。　　The
magnificent　towers　of　the　Castle　were　enveloped　in　garlands　of
artificial　fire；　or　shrouded　with　tiaras　of　pale　smoke。　　The
surface　of　the　lake　glowed　like　molten　iron；　while　many　fireworks
（then　thought　extremely　wonderful；　though　now　common）；　whose
flame　continued　to　exist　in　the　opposing　element；　dived　and　rose；
hissed　and　roared；　and　spouted　fire；　like　so　many　dragons　of
enchantment　sporting　upon　a　burning　lake。

Even　Amy　was　for　a　moment　interested　by　what　was　to　her　so　new　a
scene。　　〃I　had　thought　it　magical　art；〃　she　said；　〃but　poor
Tressilian　taught　me　to　judge　of　such　things　as　they　are。　　Great
God！　　and　may　not　these　idle　splendours　resemble　my　own　hoped…for
happinessa　single　spark；　which　is　instantly　swallowed　up　by
surrounding　darknessa　precarious　glow；　which　rises　but　for　a
brief　space　into　the　air；　that　its　fall　may　be　the　lower？　　O
Leicester！　　after　allall　that　thou　hast　saidhast　swornthat
Amy　was　thy　love；　thy　life；　can　it　be　that　thou　art　the　magician
at　whose　nod　these　enchantments　arise；　and　that　she　sees　them　as
an　outcast；　if　not　a　captive？〃

The　sustained；　prolonged；　and　repeated　bursts　of　music；　from　so
many　different　quarters；　and　at　so　many　varying　points　of
distance；　which　sounded　as　if　not　the　Castle　of　Kenilworth　only；
but　the　whole　country　around；　had　been　at　once　the　scene　of
solemnizing　some　high　national　festival；　carried　the　same
oppressive　thought　still　closer　to　her　heart；　while　some　notes
would　melt　in　distant　and　falling　tones；　as　if　in　compassion　for
her　sorrows；　and　some　burst　close　and　near　upon　her；　as　if
mocking　her　misery；　with　all　the　insolence　of　unlimited　mirth。
〃These　sounds；〃　she　said；　〃are　minemine；　because　they　are　HIS；
but　I　cannot　say；　Be　still；　these　loud　strains　suit　me　not；　and
the　voice　of　the　meanest　peasant　that　mingles　in　the　dance　would
have　more　power　to　modulate　the　music　than　the　command　of　her　who
is　mistress　of　all。〃

By　degrees　the　sounds　of　revelry　died　away；　and　the　Countess
withdrew　from　the　window　at　which　she　had　sat　listening　to　them。
It　was　night；　but　the　moon　afforded　considerable　light　in　the
room；　so　that　Amy　was　able　to　make　the　arrangement　which　she
judged　necessary。　　There　was　hope　that　Leicester　might　come　to
her　apartment　as　soon　as　the　revel　in　the　Castle　had　subsided；
but　there　was　also　risk　she　might　be　disturbed　by　some
unauthorized　intruder。　　She　had　lost　confidence　in　the　key　since
Tressilian　had　entered　so　easily；　though　the　door　was　locked　on
the　inside；　yet　all　the　additional　security　she　could　think　of
was　to　place　the　table　across　the　door；　that　she　might　be　warned
by　the　noise　should　any　one　attempt　to　enter。　　Having　taken　these
necessary　precautions；　the　unfortunate　lady　withdrew　to　her
couch；　stretched　herself　down　on　it；　mused　in　anxious
expectation；　and　counted　more　than　one　hour　after　midnight；　till
exhausted　nature　proved　too　strong　for　love；　for　grief；　for　fear；
nay；　even　for　uncertainty；　and　she　slept。

Yes；　she　slept。　　The　Indian　sleeps　at　the　stake　in　the　intervals
between　his　tortures；　and　mental　torments；　in　like　manner；
exhaust　by　long　continuance　the　sensibility　of　the　sufferer；　so
that　an　interval　of　lethargic　repose　must　necessarily　ensue；　ere
the　pangs　which　they　inflict　can　again　be　renewed。

The　Countess　slept；　then；　for　several　hours；　and　dreamed　that　she
was　in　the　ancient　house　at　Cumnor　Place；　listening　for　the　low
whistle　with　which　Leicester　often　used　to　announce　his　presence
in　the　courtyard　when　arriving　suddenly　on　one　of　his　stolen
visits。　　But　on　this　occasion；　instead　of　a　whistle；　she　heard
the　peculiar　blast　of　a　bugle…horn；　such　as　her　father　used　to
wind　on　the　fall　of　the　stag；　and　which　huntsmen　then　called　a
MORT。　　She　ran；　as　she　thought；　to　a　window　that　looked　into　the
courtyard；　which　she　saw　filled　with　men　in　mourning　garments。
The　old　Curate　seemed　about　to　read　the　funeral　service。
Mumblazen；　tricked　out　in　an　antique　dress；　like　an　ancient
herald；　held　aloft　a　scutcheon；　with　its　usual　decorations　of
skulls；　cross…bones；　and　hour…glasses；　surrounding　a　coat…of…
arms；　of　which　she　could　only　distinguish　that　it　was　surmounted
with　an　Earl's　coronet。　　The　old　man　looked　at　her　with　a　ghastly
smile；　and　said；　〃Amy；　are　they　not　rightly　quartered？〃　　Just　as
he　spoke；　the　horns　again　poured　on　her　ear　the　melancholy　yet
wild　strain　of　the　MORT；　or　death…note；　and　she　awoke。

The　Countess　awoke　to　hear　a　real　bugle…note；　or　rather　the
combined　breath　of　many　bugles；　sounding　not　the　MORT。　　but　the
jolly　REVEILLE；　to　remind　the　inmates　of　the　Castle　of　Kenilworth
that　the　pleasures　of　the　day　were　to　commence　with　a　magnificent
stag…hunting　in　the　neighbouring　Chase。　　Amy　started　up　from　her
couch；　listened　to　the　sound；　saw　the　first　beams　of　the　summer
morning　already　twinkle　through　the　lattice　of　her　window；　and
recollected；　with　feelings　of　giddy　agony；　where　she　was；　and　how
circumstanced。

〃He　thinks　not　of　me；〃　she　said；　〃he　will　not　come　nigh　me！　　A
Queen　is　his　guest；　and　what　cares　he　in　what　corner　of　his　huge
Castle　a　wretch　like　me　pines　in　doubt；　which　is　fast　fading　into
despair？〃　　At　once　a　sound　at　the　door；　as　of　some　one　attempting
to　open　it　softly；　filled　her　with　an　ineffable　mixture　of　joy
and　fear；　and　hastening　to　remove　the　obstacle　she　had　placed
against　the　door；　and　to　unlock　it；　she　had　the　precaution　to
ask！