kenilworth-第106章

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there　was　a　woman　here！〃

〃I　think　you　are　all　mad　this　morning；〃　said　the　sewer。　　〃I　saw
no　woman　here；　nor　no　man　neither　in　a　proper　sense；　but　only　two
beasts　rolling　on　the　floor。〃

〃Nay；　then　I　am　undone；〃　said　the　jailer；　〃the　prison's　broken；
that　is　all。　　Kenilworth　prison　is　broken；〃　he　continued；　in　a
tone　of　maudlin　lamentation；　〃which　was　the　strongest　jail
betwixt　this　and　the　Welsh　Marchesay；　and　a　house　that　has　had
knights；　and　earls；　and　kings　sleeping　in　it；　as　secure　as　if
they　had　been　in　the　Tower　of　London。　　It　is　broken；　the
prisoners　fled；　and　the　jailer　in　much　danger　of　being　hanged！〃

So　saying；　he　retreated　down　to　his　own　den　to　conclude　his
lamentations；　or　to　sleep　himself　sober。　　Lambourne　and　the　sewer
followed　him　close；　and　it　was　well　for　them；　since　the　jailer；
out　of　mere　habit；　was　about　to　lock　the　wicket　after　him；　and
had　they　not　been　within　the　reach　of　interfering；　they　would
have　had　the　pleasure　of　being　shut　up　in　the　turret…chamber；
from　which　the　Countess　had　been　just　delivered。

That　unhappy　lady；　as　soon　as　she　found　herself　at　liberty；　fled；
as　we　have　already　mentioned；　into　the　Pleasance。　　She　had　seen
this　richly…ornamented　space　of　ground　from　the　window　of
Mervyn's　Tower；　and　it　occurred　to　her；　at　the　moment　of　her
escape；　that　among　its　numerous　arbours；　bowers；　fountains；
statues；　and　grottoes；　she　might　find　some　recess　in　which　she
could　lie　concealed　until　she　had　an　opportunity　of　addressing
herself　to　a　protector；　to　whom　she　might　communicate　as　much　as
she　dared　of　her　forlorn　situation；　and　through　whose　means　she
might　supplicate　an　interview　with　her　husband。

〃If　I　could　see　my　guide；〃　she　thought；　〃I　would　learn　if　he　had
delivered　my　letter。　　Even　did　I　but　see　Tressilian；　it　were
better　to　risk　Dudley's　anger；　by　confiding　my　whole　situation　to
one　who　is　the　very　soul　of　honour；　than　to　run　the　hazard　of
further　insult　among　the　insolent　menials　of　this　ill…ruled
place。　　I　will　not　again　venture　into　an　enclosed　apartment。　　I
will　wait；　I　will　watch；　amidst　so　many　human　beings　there　must
be　some　kind　heart　which　can　judge　and　compassionate　what　mine
endures。〃

In　truth；　more　than　one　party　entered　and　traversed　the
Pleasance。　　But　they　were　in　joyous　groups　of　four　or　five
persons　together；　laughing　and　jesting　in　their　own　fullness　of
mirth　and　lightness　of　heart。

The　retreat　which　she　had　chosen　gave　her　the　easy　alternative　of
avoiding　observation。　　It　was　but　stepping　back　to　the　farthest
recess　of　a　grotto；　ornamented　with　rustic　work　and　moss…seats；
and　terminated　by　a　fountain；　and　she　might　easily　remain
concealed；　or　at　her　pleasure　discover　herself　to　any　solitary
wanderer　whose　curiosity　might　lead　him　to　that　romantic
retirement。　　Anticipating　such　an　opportunity；　she　looked　into
the　clear　basin　which　the　silent　fountain　held　up　to　her　like　a
mirror；　and　felt　shocked　at　her　own　appearance；　and　doubtful　at；
the　same　time；　muffled　and　disfigured　as　her　disguise　made　her
seem　to　herself；　whether　any　female　（and　it　was　from　the
compassion　of　her　own　sex　that　she　chiefly　expected　sympathy）
would　engage　in　conference　with　so　suspicious　an　object。
Reasoning　thus　like　a　woman；　to　whom　external　appearance　is
scarcely　in　any　circumstances　a　matter　of　unimportance；　and　like
a　beauty；　who　had　some　confidence　in　the　power　of　her　own　charms；
she　laid　aside　her　travelling　cloak　and　capotaine　hat；　and　placed
them　beside　her；　so　that　she　could　assume　them　in　an　instant；　ere
one　could　penetrate　from　the　entrance　of　the　grotto　to　its
extremity；　in　case　the　intrusion　of　Varney　or　of　Lambourne　should
render　such　disguise　necessary。　　The　dress　which　she　wore　under
these　vestments　was　somewhat　of　a　theatrical　cast；　so　as　to　suit
the　assumed　personage　of　one　of　the　females　who　was　to　act　in　the
pageant；　Wayland　had　found　the　means　of　arranging　it　thus　upon
the　second　day　of　their　journey；　having　experienced　the　service
arising　from　the　assumption　of　such　a　character　on　the　preceding
day。　　The　fountain；　acting　both　as　a　mirror　and　ewer；　afforded
Amy　the　means　of　a　brief　toilette；　of　which　she　availed　herself
as　hastily　as　possible；　then　took　in　her　hand　her　small　casket　of
jewels；　in　case　she　might　find　them　useful　intercessors；　and
retiring　to　the　darkest　and　most　sequestered　nook；　sat　down　on　a
seat　of　moss；　and　awaited　till　fate　should　give　her　some　chance
of　rescue；　or　of　propitiating　an　intercessor。



CHAPTER　XXXIV。

　　Have　you　not　seen　the　partridge　quake；
　　Viewing　the　hawk　approaching　nigh？
　　She　cuddles　close　beneath　the　brake；
　　Afraid　to　sit；　afraid　to　fly；　　　　　　　　　　PRIOR。

It　chanced；　upon　that　memorable　morning；　that　one　of　the　earliest
of　the　huntress　train；　who　appeared　from　her　chamber　in　full
array　for　the　chase；　was　the　Princess　for　whom　all　these
pleasures　were　instituted；　England's　Maiden　Queen。　　I　know　not　if
it　were　by　chance；　or　out　of　the　befitting　courtesy　due　to　a
mistress　by　whom　he　was　so　much　honoured；　that　she　had　scarcely
made　one　step　beyond　the　threshold　of　her　chamber　ere　Leicester
was　by　her　side；　and　proposed　to　her；　until　the　preparations　for
the　chase　had　been　completed；　to　view　the　Pleasance；　and　the
gardens　which　it　connected　with　the　Castle　yard。

To　this　new　scene　of　pleasures　they　walked；　the　Earl's　arm
affording　his　Sovereign　the　occasional　support　which　she
required；　where　flights　of　steps；　then　a　favourite　ornament　in　a
garden；　conducted　them　from　terrace　to　terrace；　and　from　parterre
to　parterre。　　The　ladies　in　attendance；　gifted　with　prudence；　or
endowed　perhaps　with　the　amiable　desire　of　acting　as　they　would
be　done　by；　did　not　conceive　their　duty　to　the　Queen's　person
required　them；　though　they　lost　not　sight　of　her；　to　approach　so
near　as　to　share；　or　perhaps　disturb；　the　conversation　betwixt
the　Queen　and　the　Earl；　who　was　not　only　her　host；　but　also　her
most　trusted；　esteemed；　and　favoured　servant。　　They　contented
themselves　with　admiring　the　grace　of　this　illustrious　couple；
whose　robes　of　state　were　now　exchanged　for　hunting　suits；　almost
equally　magnificent。

Elizabeth's　silvan　dress；　which　was　of　a　pale　blue　silk；　with
silver　lace　and　AIGUILLETTES；　approached　in　form　to　that　of　the
ancient　Amazons；　and　was　therefore　well　suited　at　once　to　her
height　and　to　the　dignity　of　her　mien；　which　her　conscious　rank
and　long　habits　of　authority　had　rendered　in　some　degree　too
masculine　to　be　seen　to　the　best　advantage　in　ordinary　female
weeds。　　Leicester's　hunting　suit　of　Lincoln　green；　richly
embroidered　with　gold；　and　crossed　by　the　gay　baldric　which
sustained　a　bugle…horn；　and　a　wood…knife　instead　of　a　sword；
became　its　master；　as　did　his　other　vestments　of　court　or　of　war。
For　such　were　the　perfections　of　his　form　and　mien；　that
Leicester　was　always　supposed　to　be　seen　to　the　greatest
advantage　in　the　character　and　dress　which　for　the　time　he
represented　or　wore。

The　conversation　of　Elizabeth　and　the　favourite　Earl　has　not
reached　us　in　detail。　　But　those　who　watched　at　some　distance
（and　the　eyes　of　courtiers　and　court　ladies　are　right　sharp）　were
of　opinion　that　on　no　occasion　did　the　dignity　of　Elizabeth；　in
gesture　and　motion；　seem　so　decidedly　to　soften　away　into　a　mien
expressive　of　indecision　and　tenderness。　　Her　step　was　not　only
slow；　but　even　unequal；　a　thing　most　unwonted　in　her　carriage；
her　looks　seemed　bent　on　the　ground；　and　there　was　a　timid
disposition　to　withdraw　from　her　companion；　which　external
gesture　in　females　often　indicates　exactly　the　opposite　tendency
in　the　secret　mind。　　The　Duchess　of　Rutland；　who　ventured
nearest；　was　even　heard　to　aver　that　she　discerned　a　tear　in
Elizabeth's　eye　and　a　blush　on　her　cheek；　and　still　further；　〃She
bent　her　looks　on　the　ground　to　avoid　mine；〃　said　the　Duchess；
〃she　who；　in　her　ordinary　mood；　could　look　down　a　lion。〃　　To　what
conclusion　these　symptoms　led　is　sufficiently　evident；　nor　were
they　probably　entirely　groundless。　　The　progress　of　a　private
conversation　betwixt　two　persons　of　different　sexes　is　often
decisive　of　their　fate；　and　gives　it　a　turn　very　different
perhaps　from　what　they　themselves　anticipa