kenilworth-第113章

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the　extended　love　and　affections　of　the　people。　　You　might　share
it　with　Elizabeth　if　you　would；　but　neither　yours；　nor　any　other
power；　foreign　or　domestic；　will　avail　to　overthrow；　or　even　to
shake　it。〃

He　paused；　and　Leicester　threw　his　tablets　from　him　with　an　air
of　reckless　despite。　　〃It　may　be　as　thou　sayest；〃　he　said？　　〃and；
in　sooth；　I　care　not　whether　truth　or　cowardice　dictate　thy
forebodings。　　But　it　shall　not　be　said　I　fell　without　a　struggle。

Give　orders　that　those　of　my　retainers　who　served　under　me　in
Ireland　be　gradually　drawn　into　the　main　Keep；　and　let　our
gentlemen　and　friends　stand　on　their　guard；　and　go　armed；　as　if
they　expected　arm　onset　from　the　followers　of　Sussex。　　Possess
the　townspeople　with　some　apprehension；　let　them　take　arms；　and
be　ready；　at　a　given　signal；　to　overpower　the　Pensioners　and
Yeomen　of　the　Guard。〃

〃Let　me　remind　you；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　with　the　same
appearance　of　deep　and　melancholy　interest；　〃that　you　have　given
me　orders　to　prepare　for　disarming　the　Queen's　guard。　　It　is　an
act　of　high　treason；　but　you　shall　nevertheless　be　obeyed。〃

〃I　care　not；〃　said　Leicester　desperately〃I　care　not。　　Shame　is
behind　me；　ruin　before　me；　I　must　on。〃

Here　there　was　another　pause；　which　Varney　at　length　broke　with
the　following　words：　　〃It　is　come　to　the　point　I　have　long
dreaded。　　I　must　either　witness；　like　an　ungrateful　beast；　the
downfall　of　the　best　and　kindest　of　masters；　or　I　must　speak　what
I　would　have　buried　in　the　deepest　oblivion；　or　told　by　any　other
mouth　than　mine。〃

〃What　is　that　thou　sayest；　or　wouldst　say？〃　　replied　the　Earl；
〃we　have　no　time　to　waste　on　words　when　the　times　call　us　to
action。〃

〃My　speech　is　soon　made；　my　lord…would　to　God　it　were　as　soon
answered！　　Your　marriage　is　the　sole　cause　of　the　threatened
breach　with　your　Sovereign；　my　lord；　is　it　not？〃

〃Thou　knowest　it　is！〃　　replied　Leicester。　　〃What　needs　so
fruitless　a　question？〃

〃Pardon　me；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃the　use　lies　here。　　Men　will
wager　their　lands　and　lives　in　defence　of　a　rich　diamond；　my
lord；　but　were　it　not　first　prudent　to　look　if　there　is　no　flaw
in　it？〃

〃What　means　this？〃　　said　Leicester；　with　eyes　sternly　fixed　on
his　dependant；　〃of　whom　dost　thou　dare　to　speak？〃

〃It　isof　the　Countess　Amy；　my　lord；　of　whom　I　am　unhappily
bound　to　speak；　and　of　whom　I　WILL　speak；　were　your　lordship　to
kill　me　for　my　zeal。〃

〃Thou　mayest　happen　to　deserve　it　at　my　hand；〃　said　the　Earl；
〃but　speak　on；　I　will　hear　thee。〃

〃Nay；　then；　my　lord；　I　will　be　bold。　　I　speak　for　my　own　life　as
well　as　for　your　lordship's。　　I　like　not　this　lady's　tampering
and　trickstering　with　this　same　Edmund　Tressilian。　　You　know　him；
my　lord。　　You　know　he　had　formerly　an　interest　in　her；　which　it
cost　your　lordship　some　pains　to　supersede。　　You　know　the
eagerness　with　which　he　has　pressed　on　the　suit　against　me　in
behalf　of　this　lady；　the　open　object　of　which　is　to　drive　your
lordship　to　an　avowal　of　what　I　must　ever　call　your　most　unhappy
marriage；　the　point　to　which　my　lady　also　is　willing；　at　any
risk；　to　urge　you。〃

Leicester　smiled　constrainedly。　　〃Thou　meanest　well；　good　Sir
Richard；　and　wouldst；　I　think；　sacrifice　thine　own　honour；　as
well　as　that　of　any　other　person；　to　save　me　from　what　thou
thinkest　a　step　so　terrible。　　But　remember〃he　spoke　these　words
with　the　most　stern　decision〃you　speak　of　the　Countess　of
Leicester。〃

〃I　do；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃but　it　is　for　the　welfare　of　the
Earl　of　Leicester。　　My　tale　is　but　begun。　　I　do　most　strongly
believe　that　this　Tressilian　has；　from　the　beginning　of　his
moving　in　her　cause；　been　in　connivance　with　her　ladyship　the
Countess。〃

〃Thou　speakest　wild　madness；　Varney；　with　the　sober　face　of　a
preacher。　　Where；　or　how；　could　they　communicate　together？〃

〃My　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃unfortunately　I　can　show　that　but　too
well。　　It　was　just　before　the　supplication　was　presented　to　the
Queen；　in　Tressilian's　name；　that　I　met　him；　to　my　utter
astonishment；　at　the　postern　gate　which　leads　from　the　demesne　at
Cumnor　Place。〃

〃Thou　met'st　him；　villain！　　and　why　didst　thou　not　strike　him
dead？〃　　exclaimed　Leicester。

〃I　drew　on　him；　my　lord；　and　he　on　me；　and　had　not　my　foot
slipped；　he　would　not；　perhaps；　have　been　again　a　stumbling…block
in　your　lordship's　path。〃

Leicester　seemed　struck　dumb　with　surprise。　　At　length　he
answered；　〃What　other　evidence　hast　thou　of　this；　Varney；　save
thine　own　assertion？for；　as　I　will　punish　deeply；　I　will
examine　coolly　and　warily。　　Sacred　Heaven！but　noI　will
examine　coldly　and　warily…coldly　and　warily。〃　　He　repeated　these
words　more　than　once　to　himself；　as　if　in　the　very　sound　there
was　a　sedative　quality；　and　again　compressing　his　lips；　as　if　he
feared　some　violent　expression　might　escape　from　them；　he　asked
again；　〃What　further　proof？〃

〃Enough；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃and　to　spare。　　I　would　it　rested
with　me　alone；　for　with　me　it　might　have　been　silenced　for　ever。
But　my　servant；　Michael　Lambourne；　witnessed　the　whole；　and　was；
indeed；　the　means　of　first　introducing　Tressilian　into　Cumnor
Place；　and　therefore　I　took　him　into　my　service；　and　retained　him
in　it；　though　something　of　a　debauched　fellow；　that　I　might　have
his　tongue　always　under　my　own　command。〃　　He　then　acquainted　Lord
Leicester　how　easy　it　was　to　prove　the　circumstance　of　their
interview　true；　by　evidence　of　Anthony　Foster；　with　the
corroborative　testimonies　of　the　various　persons　at　Cumnor；　who
had　heard　the　wager　laid；　and　had　seen　Lambourne　and　Tressilian
set　off　together。　　In　the　whole　narrative；　Varney　hazarded
nothing　fabulous；　excepting　that；　not　indeed　by　direct　assertion；
but　by　inference；　he　led　his　patron　to　suppose　that　the　interview
betwixt　Amy　and　Tressilian　at　Cumnor　Place　had　been　longer　than
the　few　minutes　to　which　it　was　in　reality　limited。

〃And　wherefore　was　I　not　told　of　all　this？〃　　said　Leicester
sternly。　　〃Why　did　all　of　yeand　in　particular　thou；　Varney
keep　back　from　me　such　material　information？〃

〃Because；　my　lord；〃　replied　Varney；　〃the　Countess　pretended　to
Foster　and　to　me　that　Tressilian　had　intruded　himself　upon　her；
and　I　concluded　their　interview　had　been　in　all　honour；　and　that
she　would　at　her　own　time　tell　it　to　your　lordship。　　Your
lordship　knows　with　what　unwilling　ears　we　listen　to　evil
surmises　against　those　whom　we　love；　and　I　thank　Heaven　I　am　no
makebate　or　informer；　to　be　the　first　to　sow　them。〃

〃You　are　but　too　ready　to　receive　them；　however；　Sir　Richard；〃
replied　his　patron。　　〃How　knowest　thou　that　this　interview　was
not　in　all　honour；　as　thou　hast　said？　　Methinks　the　wife　of　the
Earl　of　Leicester　might　speak　for　a　short　time　with　such　a　person
as　Tressilian　without　injury　to　me　or　suspicion　to　herself。〃

〃Questionless；　my　lord；〃　answered　Varney；　〃Had　I　thought
otherwise；　I　had　been　no　keeper　of　the　secret。　　But　here　lies　the
rubTressilian　leaves　not　the　place　without　establishing　a
correspondence　with　a　poor　man；　the　landlord　of　an　inn　in　Cumnor；
for　the　purpose　of　carrying　off　the　lady。　　He　sent　down　an
emissary　of　his；　whom　I　trust　soon　to　have　in　right　sure　keeping
under　Mervyn's　TowerKilligrew　and　Lambsbey　are　scouring　the
country　in　quest　of　him。　　The　host　is　rewarded　with　a　ring　for
keeping　counselyour　lordship　may　have　noted　it　on　Tressilian's
handhere　it　is。　　This　fellow；　this　agent；　makes　his　way　to　the
place　as　a　pedlar；　holds　conferences　with　the　lady；　and　they　make
their　escape　together　by　night；　rob　a　poor　fellow　of　a　horse　by
the　way；　such　was　their　guilty　haste；　and　at　length　reach　this
Castle；　where　the　Countess　of　Leicester　finds　refugeI　dare　not
say　in　what　place。〃

〃Speak；　I　command　thee；〃　said　Leicester〃speak；　while　I　retain
sense　enough　to　hear　thee。〃

〃Since　it　must　be　so；〃　answered　Varney；　〃the　lady　resorted
immediately　to　the　apartment　of　Tressilian；　where　she　remained
many　hours；　partly　in　company　with　him；　and　partly　alone。　　I　told
you　Tressilian　had　a　paramour　in　his　chamber；　I　little　dreamed
that　paramour　was〃

〃Amy；　thou　wouldst　say；〃　answered　Leicester；　〃but　it　is　false；
false　as　the　smoke　of　hell！　　Ambitious　she　may　befickle　and
impatient't