kenilworth-第111章

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light　enough　for　any　such　to　have　satisfied　their　curiosity。
They　emerged　at　a　door　where　Lord　Hunsdon　had；　with　military
precaution；　placed　a　sentinel；　one　of　his　own　northern　retainers
as　it　fortuned；　who　readily　admitted　Sir　Richard　Varney　and　his
attendant；　saying　only；　in　his　northern　dialect；　〃I　would；　man；
thou　couldst　make　the　mad　lady　be　still　yonder；　for　her　moans　do
sae　dirl　through　my　head　that　I　would　rather　keep　watch　on　a
snowdrift；　in　the　wastes　of　Catlowdie。〃

They　hastily　entered；　and　shut　the　door　behind　them。

〃Now；　good　devil；　if　there　be　one；〃　said　Varney；　within　himself；
〃for　once　help　a　votary　at　a　dead　pinch；　for　my　boat　is　amongst
the　breakers！〃

The　Countess　Amy；　with　her　hair　and　her　garments　dishevelled；　was
seated　upon　a　sort　of　couch；　in　an　attitude　of　the　deepest
affliction；　out　of　which　she　was　startled　by　the　opening　of　the
door。　　Size　turned　hastily　round；　and　fixing　her　eye　on　Varney；
exclaimed；　〃Wretch！　　art　thou　come　to　frame　some　new　plan　of
villainy？〃

Leicester　cut　short　her　reproaches　by　stepping　forward　and
dropping　his　cloak；　while　he　said；　in　a　voice　rather　of　authority
than　of　affection；　〃It　is　with　me；　madam；　you　have　to　commune；
not　with　Sir　Richard　Varney。〃

The　change　effected　on　the　Countess's　look　and　manner　was　like
magic。　　〃Dudley！〃　　she　exclaimed；　〃Dudley！　　and　art　thou　come　at
last？〃　And　with　the　speed　of　lightning　she　flew　to　her　husband；
clung　round　his　neck；　and　unheeding　the　presence　of　Varney；
overwhelmed　him　with　caresses；　while　she　bathed　his　face　in　a
flood　of　tears；　muttering；　at　the　same　time；　but　in　broken　and
disjointed　monosyllables；　the　fondest　expressions　which　Love
teaches　his　votaries。

Leicester；　as　it　seemed　to　him；　had　reason　to　be　angry　with　his
lady　for　transgressing　his　commands；　and　thus　placing　him　in　the
perilous　situation　in　which　he　had　that　morning　stood。　　But　what
displeasure　could　keep　its　ground　before　these　testimonies　of
affection　from　a　being　so　lovely；　that　even　the　negligence　of
dress；　and　the　withering　effects　of　fear；　grief；　and　fatigue；
which　would　have　impaired　the　beauty　of　others；　rendered　hers　but
the　more　interesting。　　He　received　and　repaid　her　caresses　with
fondness　mingled　with　melancholy；　the　last　of　which　she　seemed
scarcely　to　observe；　until　the　first　transport　of　her　own　joy　was
over；　when；　looking　anxiously　in　his　face；　she　asked　if　he　was
ill。

〃Not　in　my　body；　Amy；〃　was　his　answer。

〃Then　I　will　be　well　too。　　O　Dudley！　　I　have　been　ill！very　ill；
since　we　last　met！for　I　call　not　this　morning's　horrible　vision
a　meeting。　　I　have　been　in　sickness；　in　grief；　and　in　danger。
But　thou　art　come；　and　all　is　joy；　and　health；　and　safety！〃

〃Alas；　Amy；〃　said　Leicester；　〃thou　hast　undone　me！〃

〃I；　my　lord？〃　said　Amy；　her　cheek　at　once　losing　its　transient
flush　of　joy〃how　could　I　injure　that　which　I　love　better　than
myself？〃

〃I　would　not　upbraid　you；　Amy；〃　replied　the　Earl；　〃but　are　you
not　here　contrary　to　my　express　commandsand　does　not　your
presence　here　endanger　both　yourself　and　me？〃

〃Does　it；　does　it　indeed？〃　she　exclaimed　eagerly；　〃then　why　am　I
here　a　moment　longer？　　Oh；　if　you　knew　by　what　fears　I　was　urged
to　quit　Cumnor　Place！　　But　I　will　say　nothing　of　myselfonly
that　if　it　might　be　otherwise；　I　would　not　willingly　return
THITHER；　yet　if　it　concern　your　safety〃

〃We　will　think；　Amy；　of　some　other　retreat；〃　said　Leicester；　〃and
you　shall　go　to　one　of　my　northern　castles；　under　the　personage
it　will　be　but　needful；　I　trust；　for　a　very　few　daysof　Varney's
wife。〃

〃How；　my　Lord　of　Leicester！〃　　said　the　lady；　disengaging　herself
from　his　embraces；　〃is　it　to　your　wife　you　give　the　dishonourable
counsel　to　acknowledge　herself　the　bride　of　anotherand　of　all
men；　the　bride　of　that　Varney？〃

〃Madam；　I　speak　it　in　earnestVarney　is　my　true　and　faithful
servant；　trusted　in　my　deepest　secrets。　　I　had　better　lose　my
right　hand　than　his　service　at　this　moment。　　You　have　no　cause　to
scorn　him　as　you　do。〃

〃I　could　assign　one；　my　lord；〃　replied　the　Countess；　〃and　I　see
he　shakes　even　under　that　assured　look　of　his。　　But　he　that　is
necessary　as　your　right　hand　to　your　safety　is　free　from　any
accusation　of　mine。　　May　he　be　true　to　you；　and　that　he　may　be
true；　trust　him　not　too　much　or　too　far。　　But　it　is　enough　to　say
that　I　will　not　go　with　him　unless　by　violence；　nor　would　I
acknowledge　him　as　my　husband　were　all〃

〃It　is　a　temporary　deception；　madam；〃　said　Leicester；　irritated
by　her　opposition；　〃necessary　for　both　our　safeties；　endangered
by　you　through　female　caprice；　or　the　premature　desire　to　seize
on　a　rank　to　which　I　gave　you　title　only　under　condition　that　our
marriage；　for　a　time；　should　continue　secret。　　If　my　proposal
disgust　you；　it　is　yourself　has　brought　it　on　both　of　us。　　There
is　no　other　remedyyou　must　do　what　your　own　impatient　folly
hath　rendered　necessaryI　command　you。〃

〃I　cannot　put　your　commands；　my　lord；〃　said　Amy；　〃in　balance　with
those　of　honour　and　conscience。　　I　will　NOT；　in　this　instance；
obey　you。　　You　may　achieve　your　own　dishonour；　to　which　these
crooked　policies　naturally　tend；　but　I　will　do　nought　that　can
blemish　mine。　　How　could　you　again；　my　lord；　acknowledge　me　as　a
pure　and　chaste　matron；　worthy　to　share　your　fortunes；　when；
holding　that　high　character；　I　had　strolled　the　country　the
acknowledged　wife　of　such　a　profligate　fellow　as　your　servant
Varney？〃

〃My　lord；〃　said　Varney　interposing；　〃my　lady　is　too　much
prejudiced　against　me；　unhappily；　to　listen　to　what　I　can　offer；
yet　it　may　please　her　better　than　what　she　proposes。　　She　has
good　interest　with　Master　Edmund　Tressilian；　and　could　doubtless
prevail　on　him　to　consent　to　be　her　companion　to　Lidcote　Hall；
and　there　she　might　remain　in　safety　until　time　permitted　the
development　of　this　mystery。〃

Leicester　was　silent；　but　stood　looking　eagerly　on　Amy；　with　eyes
which　seemed　suddenly　to　glow　as　much　with　suspicion　as
displeasure。

The　Countess　only　said；　〃Would　to　God　I　were　in　my　father's
house！　　When　I　left　it；　I　little　thought　I　was　leaving　peace　of
mind　and　honour　behind　me。〃

Varney　proceeded　with　a　tone　of　deliberation。　　〃Doubtless　this
will　make　it　necessary　to　take　strangers　into　my　lord's　counsels；
but　surely　the　Countess　will　be　warrant　for　the　honour　of　Master
Tressilian；　and　such　of　her　father's　family〃

〃Peace；　Varney；〃　said　Leicester；　〃by　Heaven　I　will　strike　my
dagger　into　thee　if　again　thou　namest　Tressilian　as　a　partner　of
my　counsels！〃

〃And　wherefore　not！〃　　said　the　Countess；　〃unless　they　be　counsels
fitter　for　such　as　Varney；　than　for　a　man　of　stainless　honour　and
integrity。　　My　lord；　my　lord；　bend　no　angry　brows　on　me；　it　is
the　truth；　and　it　is　I　who　speak　it。　　I　once　did　Tressilian　wrong
for　your　sake；　I　will　not　do　him　the　further　injustice　of　being
silent　when　his　honour　is　brought　in　question。　　I　can　forbear；〃
she　said；　looking　at　Varney；　〃to　pull　the　mask　off　hypocrisy；　but
I　will　not　permit　virtue　to　be　slandered　in　my　hearing。〃

There　was　a　dead　pause。　　Leicester　stood　displeased；　yet
undetermined；　and　too　conscious　of　the　weakness　of　his　cause；
while　Varney；　with　a　deep　and　hypocritical　affectation　of　sorrow；
mingled　with　humility；　bent　his　eyes　on　the　ground。

It　was　then　that　the　Countess　Amy　displayed；　in　the　midst　of
distress　and　difficulty；　the　natural　energy　of　character　which
would　have　rendered　her；　had　fate　allowed；　a　distinguished
ornament　of　the　rank　which　she　held。　　She　walked　up　to　Leicester
with　a　composed　step；　a　dignified　air；　and　looks　in　which　strong
affection　essayed　in　vain　to　shake　the　firmness　of　conscious；
truth　and　rectitude　of　principle。　　〃You　have　spoken　your　mind；　my
lord；〃　she　said；　〃in　these　difficulties；　with　which；　unhappily；　I
have　found　myself　unable　to　comply。　　This　gentlemanthis　person
I　would　sayhas　hinted　at　another　scheme；　to　which　I　object　not
but　as　it　displeases　you。　　Will　your　lordship　be　pleased　to　hear
what　a　young　and　timid　woman；　but　your　most　affectionate　wife；
can　suggest　in　the　present　extremity？〃

Leicester　was　silent；　but　bent　his　head　towards　the　Countess；　as
an　intimation　that　she　was　at　liberty　to　proc