kenilworth-第107章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


decisive　of　their　fate；　and　gives　it　a　turn　very　different
perhaps　from　what　they　themselves　anticipated。　　Gallantry　becomes
mingled　with　conversation；　and　affection　and　passion　come
gradually　to　mix　with　gallantry。　　Nobles；　as　well　as　shepherd
swains；　will；　in　such　a　trying　moment；　say　more　than　they
intended；　and　Queens；　like　village　maidens；　will　listen　longer
than　they　should。

Horses　in　the　meanwhile　neighed　and　champed　the　bits　with
impatience　in　the　base…court；　hounds　yelled　in　their　couples；　and
yeomen；　rangers；　and　prickers　lamented　the　exhaling　of　the　dew；
which　would　prevent　the　scent　from　lying。　　But　Leicester　had
another　chase　in　viewor；　to　speak　more　justly　towards　him；　had
become　engaged　in　it　without　premeditation；　as　the　high…spirited
hunter　which　follows　the　cry　of　the　hounds　that　have　crossed　his
path　by　accident。　　The　Queen；　an　accomplished　and　handsome　woman；
the　pride　of　England；　the　hope　of　France　and　Holland；　and　the
dread　of　Spain；　had　probably　listened　with　more　than　usual　favour
to　that　mixture　of　romantic　gallantry　with　which　she　always　loved
to　be　addressed；　and　the　Earl　had；　in　vanity；　in　ambition；　or　in
both；　thrown　in　more　and　more　of　that　delicious　ingredient；　until
his　importunity　became　the　language　of　love　itself。

〃No；　Dudley；〃　said　Elizabeth；　yet　it　was　with　broken　accents
〃no；　I　must　be　the　mother　of　my　people。　　Other　ties；　that　make
the　lowly　maiden　happy；　are　denied　to　her　Sovereign。　　No；
Leicester；　urge　it　no　more。　　Were　I　as　others；　free　to　seek　my
own　happiness；　then；　indeedbut　it　cannotcannot　be。　　Delay　the
chasedelay　it　for　half　an　hourand　leave　me；　my　lord。〃

〃How！　　leave　you；　madam？〃　　said　Leicester；〃has　my　madness
offended　you？〃

〃No；　Leicester；　not　so！〃　　answered　the　Queen　hastily；　〃but　it　is
madness；　and　must　not　be　repeated。　　Gobut　go　not　far　from
hence；　and　meantime　let　no　one　intrude　on　my　privacy。〃

While　she　spoke　thus；　Dudley　bowed　deeply；　and　retired　with　a
slow　and　melancholy　air。　　The　Queen　stood　gazing　after　him；　and
murmured　to　herself；　〃Were　it　possiblewere　it　BUT　possible！
but　nono；　Elizabeth　must　be　the　wife　and　mother　of　England
alone。〃

As　she　spoke　thus；　and　in　order　to　avoid　some　one　whose　step　she
heard　approaching；　the　Queen　turned　into　the　grotto　in　which　her
hapless；　and　yet　but　too　successful；　rival　lay　concealed。

The　mind　of　England's　Elizabeth；　if　somewhat　shaken　by　the
agitating　interview　to　which　she　had　just　put　a　period；　was　of
that　firm　and　decided　character　which　soon　recovers　its　natural
tone。　　It　was　like　one　of　those　ancient　Druidical　monuments
called　Rocking…stones。　　The　finger　of　Cupid；　boy　as　he　is
painted；　could　put　her　feelings　in　motion；　but　the　power　of
Hercules　could　not　have　destroyed　their　equilibrium。　　As　she
advanced　with　a　slow　pace　towards　the　inmost　extremity　of　the
grotto；　her　countenance；　ere　she　had　proceeded　half　the　length；
had　recovered　its　dignity　of　look；　and　her　mien　its　air　of
command。

It　was　then　the　Queen　became　aware　that　a　female　figure　was
placed　beside；　or　rather　partly　behind；　an　alabaster　column；　at
the　foot　of　which　arose　the　pellucid　fountain　which　occupied　the
inmost　recess　of　the　twilight　grotto。　　The　classical　mind　of
Elizabeth　suggested　the　story　of　Numa　and　Egeria；　and　she　doubted
not　that　some　Italian　sculptor　had　here　represented　the　Naiad
whose　inspirations　gave　laws　to　Rome。　　As　she　advanced；　she
became　doubtful　whether　she　beheld　a　statue；　or　a　form　of　flesh
and　blood。　　The　unfortunate　Amy；　indeed；　remained　motionless；
betwixt　the　desire　which　she　had　to　make　her　condition　known　to
one　of　her　own　sex；　and　her　awe　for　the　stately　form　which
approached　her；　and　which；　though　her　eyes　had　never　before
beheld；　her　fears　instantly　suspected　to　be　the　personage　she
really　was。　　Amy　had　arisen　from　her　seat　with　the　purpose　of
addressing　the　lady　who　entered　the　grotto　alone；　and；　as　she　at
first　thought；　so　opportunely。　　But　when　she　recollected　the
alarm　which　Leicester　had　expressed　at　the　Queen's　knowing　aught
of　their　union；　and　became　more　and　more　satisfied　that　the
person　whom　she　now　beheld　was　Elizabeth　herself；　she　stood　with
one　foot　advanced　and　one　withdrawn；　her　arms；　head；　and　hands
perfectly　motionless；　and　her　cheek　as　pallid　as　the　alabaster
pedestal　against　which　she　leaned。　　Her　dress　was　of　pale　sea…
green　silk；　little　distinguished　in　that　imperfect　light；　and
somewhat　resembled　the　drapery　of　a　Grecian　Nymph；　such　an
antique　disguise　having　been　thought　the　most　secure；　where　so
many　maskers　and　revellers　were　assembled；　so　that　the　Queen's
doubt　of　her　being　a　living　form　was　well　justified　by　all
contingent　circumstances；　as　well　as　by　the　bloodless　cheek　and
the　fixed　eye。

Elizabeth　remained　in　doubt；　even　after　she　had　approached　within
a　few　paces；　whether　she　did　not　gaze　on　a　statue　so　cunningly
fashioned　that　by　the　doubtful　light　it　could　not　be
distinguished　from　reality。　　She　stopped；　therefore；　and　fixed
upon　this　interesting　object　her　princely　look　with　so　much
keenness　that　the　astonishment　which　had　kept　Amy　immovable　gave
way　to　awe；　and　she　gradually　cast　down　her　eyes；　and　drooped　her
head　under　the　commanding　gaze　of　the　Sovereign。　　Still；　however；
she　remained　in　all　respects；　saving　this　slow　and　profound
inclination　of　the　head；　motionless　and　silent。

From　her　dress；　and　the　casket　which　she　instinctively　held　in
her　hand；　Elizabeth　naturally　conjectured　that　the　beautiful　but
mute　figure　which　she　beheld　was　a　performer　in　one　of　the
various　theatrical　pageants　which　had　been　placed　in　different
situations　to　surprise　her　with　their　homage；　and　that　the　poor
player；　overcome　with　awe　at　her　presence；　had　either　forgot　the
part　assigned　her；　or　lacked　courage　to　go　through　it。　　It　was
natural　and　courteous　to　give　her　some　encouragement；　and
Elizabeth　accordingly　said；　in　a；　tone　of　condescending　kindness；
〃How　now；　fair　Nymph　of　this　lovely　grotto；　art　thou　spell…bound
and　struck　with　dumbness　by　the　charms　of　the　wicked　enchanter
whom　men　term　Fear？　　We　are　his　sworn　enemy；　maiden；　and　can
reverse　his　charm。　　Speak；　we　command　thee。〃

Instead　of　answering　her　by　speech；　the　unfortunate　Countess
dropped　on　her　knee　before　the　Queen；　let　her　casket　fall　from
her　hand；　and　clasping　her　palms　together；　looked　up　in　the
Queen's　face　with　such　a　mixed　agony　of　fear　and　supplication；
that　Elizabeth　was　considerably　affected。

〃What　may　this　mean？〃　　she　said；　〃this　is　a　stronger　passion　than
befits　the　occasion。　　Stand　up；　damselwhat　wouldst　thou　have
with　us？〃

〃Your　protection；　madam；〃　faltered　forth　the　unhappy　petitioner。

〃Each　daughter　of　England　has　it　while　she　is　worthy　of　it；〃
replied　the　Queen；　〃but　your　distress　seems　to　have　a　deeper　root
than　a　forgotten　task。　　Why；　and　in　what；　do　you　crave　our
protection？〃

Amy　hastily　endeavoured　to　recall　what　she　were　best　to　say；
which　might　secure　herself　from　the　imminent　dangers　that
surrounded　her；　without　endangering　her　husband；　and　plunging
from　one　thought　to　another；　amidst　the　chaos　which　filled　her
mind；　she　could　at　length；　in　answer　to　the　Queen's　repeated
inquiries　in　what　she　sought　protection；　only　falter　out；　〃Alas！
I　know　not。〃

〃This　is　folly；　maiden；〃　said　Elizabeth　impatiently；　for　there
was　something　in　the　extreme　confusion　of　the　suppliant　which
irritated　her　curiosity；　as　well　as　interested　her　feelings。
〃The　sick　man　must　tell　his　malady　to　the　physician；　nor　are　WE
accustomed　to　ask　questions　so　oft　without　receiving　an　answer。〃

〃I　requestI　implore；〃　stammered　forth　the　unfortunate　Countess
〃I　beseech　your　gracious　protectionagainstagainst　one
Varney。〃　　She　choked　well…nigh　as　she　uttered　the　fatal　word；
which　was　instantly　caught　up　by　the　Queen。

〃What；　VarneySir　Richard　Varneythe　servant　of　Lord　Leicester！
what；　damsel；　are　you　to　him；　or　he　to　you？〃

〃IIwas　his　prisonerand　he　practised　on　my　lifeand　I　broke
forth　toto〃

〃To　throw　thyself　on　my　protection；　doubtless；〃　said　Elizabeth。
〃Thou　shalt　have　itthat　is；　if　thou　art　worthy；　for　we　will
sift　this　matter　to　the　uttermost。　　Thou　art；〃　she　said；　bending
on　the　Countess　an　eye　w