kenilworth-第109章

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consideration　of　consistency　and　of　self…interest。　　〃Oh；　if　I
did；　I　foully　belied　him。　　May　God　so　judge　me；　as　I　believe　he
was　never　privy　to　a　thought　that　would　harm　me！〃

〃Woman！〃　　said　Elizabeth；　〃I　will　know　who　has　moved　thee　to
this；　or　my　wrathand　the　wrath　of　kings　is　a　flaming　fire
shall　wither　and　consume　thee　like　a　weed　in　the　furnace！〃

As　the　Queen　uttered　this　threat；　Leicester's　better　angel　called
his　pride　to　his　aid；　and　reproached　him　with　the　utter　extremity
of　meanness　which　would　overwhelm　him　for　ever　if　he　stooped　to
take　shelter　under　the　generous　interposition　of　his　wife；　and
abandoned　her；　in　return　for　her　kindness；　to　the　resentment　of
the　Queen。　　He　had　already　raised　his　head　with　the　dignity　of　a
man　of　honour　to　avow　his　marriage；　and　proclaim　himself　the
protector　of　his　Countess；　when　Varney；　born；　as　it　appeared；　to
be　his　master's　evil　genius；　rushed　into　the　presence　with　every
mark　of　disorder　on　his　face　and　apparel。

〃What　means　this　saucy　intrusion？〃　　said　Elizabeth。

Varney；　with　the　air　of　a　man　altogether　overwhelmed　with　grief
and　confusion；　prostrated　himself　before　her　feet；　exclaiming；
〃Pardon；　my　Liege；　pardon！or　at　least　let　your　justice　avenge
itself　on　me；　where　it　is　due；　but　spare　my　noble；　my　generous；
my　innocent　patron　and　master！〃

Amy；　who　was　yet　kneeling；　started　up　as　she　saw　the　man　whom　she
deemed　most　odious　place　himself　so　near　her；　and　was　about　to
fly　towards　Leicester；　when；　checked　at　once　by　the　uncertainty
and　even　timidity　which　his　looks　had　reassumed　as　soon　as　the
appearance　of　his　confidant　seemed　to　open　a　new　scene；　she　hung
back；　and　uttering　a　faint　scream；　besought　of　her　Majesty　to
cause　her　to　be　imprisoned　in　the　lowest　dungeon　of　the　Castle
to　deal　with　her　as　the　worst　of　criminals〃but　spare；〃　she
exclaimed；　〃my　sight　and　hearing　what　will　destroy　the　little
judgment　I　have　leftthe　sight　of　that　unutterable　and　most
shameless　villain！〃

〃And　why；　sweetheart？〃　　said　the　Queen；　moved　by　a　new　impulse；
〃what　hath　he；　this　false　knight；　since　such　thou　accountest　him；
done　to　thee？〃

〃Oh；　worse　than　sorrow；　madam；　and　worse　than　injuryhe　has　sown
dissension　where　most　there　should　be　peace。　　I　shall　go　mad　if　I
look　longer　on　him！〃

〃Beshrew　me；　but　I　think　thou　art　distraught　already；〃　answered
the　Queen。〃My　Lord　Hunsdon；　look　to　this　poor　distressed　young
woman；　and　let　her　be　safely　bestowed；　and　in　honest　keeping；
till　we　require　her　to　be　forthcoming。〃

Two　or　three　of　the　ladies　in　attendance；　either　moved　by
compassion　for　a　creature　so　interesting；　or　by　some　other
motive；　offered　their　services　to　look　after　her；　but　the　Queen
briefly　answered；　〃Ladies；　under　favour；　no。　　You　have　all　（give
God　thanks）　sharp　ears　and　nimble　tongues；　our　kinsman　Hunsdon
has　ears　of　the　dullest；　and　a　tongue　somewhat　rough；　but　yet　of
the　slowest。Hunsdon；　look　to　it　that　none　have　speech　of　her。〃

〃By　Our　Lady；〃　said　Hunsdon；　taking　in　his　strong；　sinewy　arms
the　fading　and　almost　swooning　form　of　Amy；　〃she　is　a　lovely
child！　　and　though　a　rough　nurse；　your　Grace　hath　given　her　a
kind　one。　　She　is　safe　with　me　as　one　of　my　own　ladybirds　of
daughters。〃

So　saying；　he　carried　her　off；　unresistingly　and　almost
unconsciously；　his　war…worn　locks　and　long；　grey　beard　mingling
with　her　light…brown　tresses；　as　her　head　reclined　on　his　strong；
square　shoulder。　　The　Queen　followed　him　with　her　eye。　　She　had
already；　with　that　self…command　which　forms　so　necessary　a　part
of　a　Sovereign's　accomplishments；　suppressed　every　appearance　of
agitation；　and　seemed　as　if　she　desired　to　banish　all　traces　of
her　burst　of　passion　from　the　recollection　of　those　who　had
witnessed　it。　　〃My　Lord　of　Hunsdon　says　well；〃　she　observed；　〃he
is　indeed　but　a　rough　nurse　for　so　tender　a　babe。〃

〃My　Lord　of　Hunsdon；〃　said　the　Dean　of　St。　Asaph〃I　speak　it　not
in　defamation　of　his　more　noble　qualitieshath　a　broad　license
in　speech；　and　garnishes　his　discourse　somewhat　too　freely　with
the　cruel　and　superstitious　oaths　which　savour　both　of
profaneness　and　of　old　Papistrie。〃

〃It　is　the　fault　of　his　blood；　Mr。　Dean；〃　said　the　Queen；　turning
sharply　round　upon　the　reverend　dignitary　as　she　spoke；　〃and　you
may　blame　mine　for　the　same　distemperature。　　The　Boleyns　were
ever　a　hot　and　plain…spoken　race；　more　hasty　to　speak　their　mind
than　careful　to　choose　their　expressions。　　And　by　my　wordI　hope
there　is　no　sin　in　that　affirmationI　question　if　it　were　much
cooled　by　mixing　with　that　of　Tudor。〃

As　she　made　this　last　observation　she　smiled　graciously；　and
stole　her　eyes　almost　insensibly　round　to　seek　those　of　the　Earl
of　Leicester；　to　whom　she　now　began　to　think　she　had　spoken　with
hasty　harshness　upon　the　unfounded　suspicion　of　a　moment。

The　Queen's　eye　found　the　Earl　in　no　mood　to　accept　the　implied
offer　of　conciliation。　　His　own　looks　had　followed；　with　late　and
rueful　repentance；　the　faded　form　which　Hunsdon　had　just　borne
from　the　presence。　　They　now　reposed　gloomily　on　the　ground；　but
moreso　at　least　it　seemed　to　Elizabethwith　the　expression　of
one　who　has　received　an　unjust　affront；　than　of　him　who　is
conscious　of　guilt。　　She　turned　her　face　angrily　from　him；　and
said　to　Varney；　〃Speak；　Sir　Richard；　and　explain　these　riddles
thou　hast　sense　and　the　use　of　speech；　at　least；　which　elsewhere
we　look　for　in　vain。〃

As　she　said　this；　she　darted　another　resentful　glance　towards
Leicester；　while　the　wily　Varney　hastened　to　tell　his　own　story。

〃Your　Majesty's　piercing　eye；〃　he　said；　〃has　already　detected　the
cruel　malady　of　my　beloved　lady；　which；　unhappy　that　I　am；　I
would　not　suffer　to　be　expressed　in　the　certificate　of　her
physician；　seeking　to　conceal　what　has　now　broken　out　with　so
much　the　more　scandal。〃

〃She　is　then　distraught？〃　　said　the　Queen。　　〃Indeed　we　doubted
not　of　it；　her　whole　demeanour　bears　it　out。　　I　found　her　moping
in　a　corner　of　yonder　grotto；　and　every　word　she　spokewhich
indeed　I　dragged　from　her　as　by　the　rackshe　instantly　recalled
and　forswore。　　But　how　came　she　hither？　　Why　had　you　her　not　in
safe…keeping？〃

〃My　gracious　Liege；〃　said　Varney；　〃the　worthy　gentleman　under
whose　charge　I　left　her；　Master　Anthony　Foster；　has　come　hither
but　now；　as　fast　as　man　and　horse　can　travel；　to　show　me　of　her
escape；　which　she　managed　with　the　art　peculiar　to　many　who　are
afflicted　with　this　malady。　　He　is　at　hand　for　examination。〃

〃Let　it　be　for　another　time；〃　said　the　Queen。　　〃But；　Sir　Richard；
we　envy　you　not　your　domestic　felicity；　your　lady　railed　on　you
bitterly；　and　seemed　ready　to　swoon　at　beholding　you。〃

〃It　is　the　nature　of　persons　in　her　disorder；　so　please　your
Grace；〃　answered　Varney；　〃to　be　ever　most　inveterate　in　their
spleen　against　those　whom；　in　their　better　moments；　they　hold
nearest　and　dearest。〃

〃We　have　heard　so；　indeed；〃　said　Elizabeth；　〃and　give　faith　to
the　saying。〃

〃May　your　Grace　then　be　pleased；〃　said　Varney；　〃　to　command　my
unfortunate　wife　to　be　delivered　into　the　custody　of　her
friends？〃

Leicester　partly　started；　but　making　a　strong　effort；　he　subdued
his　emotion；　while　Elizabeth　answered　sharply；　〃You　are　something
too　hasty；　Master　Varney。　　We　will　have　first　a　report　of　the
lady's　health　and　state　of　mind　from　Masters；　our　own　physician；
and　then　determine　what　shall　be　thought　just。　　You　shall　have
license；　however；　to　see　her；　that　if　there　be　any　matrimonial
quarrel　betwixt　yousuch　things　we　have　heard　do　occur；　even
betwixt　a　loving　coupleyou　may　make　it　up；　without　further
scandal　to　our　court　or　trouble　to　ourselves。〃

Varney　bowed　low；　and　made　no　other　answer。

Elizabeth　again　looked　towards　Leicester；　and　said；　with　a　degree
of　condescension　which　could　only　arise　out　of　the　most　heartfelt
interest；　〃Discord；　as　the　Italian　poet　says；　will　find　her　way
into　peaceful　convents；　as　well　as　into　the　privacy　of　families；
and　we　fear　our　own　guards　and　ushers　will　hardly　exclude　her
from　courts。　　My　Lord　of　Leicester；　you　are　offended　with　us；　and
we　have　right　to　be　offended　with　you。　　We　will　take　the　lion's
part　upon　us；　and　be　the　first　to　forgive。〃

Leicester　smoothed　his　bro