kenilworth-第116章

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unfold　the　whole　truth　at　Elizabeth's　footstool；　and　let　her
vengeance　descend　at　once　on　them　and　on　myself。〃

Varney　saw　with　great　alarm　that　his　lord　was　wrought　up　to　such
a　pitch　of　agitation；　that　if　he　gave　not　way　to　him　he　was
perfectly　capable　of　adopting　the　desperate　resolution　which　he
had　announced；　and　which　was　instant　ruin　to　all　the　schemes　of
ambition　which　Varney　had　formed　for　his　patron　and　for　himself。
But　the　Earl's　rage　seemed　at　once　uncontrollable　and　deeply
concentrated；　and　while　he　spoke　his　eyes　shot　fire；　his　voice
trembled　with　excess　of　passion；　and　the　light　foam　stood　on　his
lip。

His　confidant　made　a　bold　and　successful　effort　to　obtain　the
mastery　of　him　even　in　this　hour　of　emotion。　　〃My　lord；〃　he　said；
leading　him　to　a　mirror；　〃behold　your　reflection　in　that　glass；
and　think　if　these　agitated　features　belong　to　one　who；　in　a
condition　so　extreme；　is　capable　of　forming　a　resolution　for
himself〃

〃What；　then；　wouldst　thou　make　me？〃　　said　Leicester；　struck　at
the　change　in　his　own　physiognomy；　though　offended　at　the　freedom
with　which　Varney　made　the　appeal。　　〃Am　I　to　be　thy　ward；　thy
vassal；the　property　and　subject　of　my　servant？〃

〃No；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney　firmly；　〃but　be　master　of　yourself；
and　of　your　own　passion。　　My　lord；　I；　your　born　servant；　am
ashamed　to　see　how　poorly　you　bear　yourself　in　the　storm　of　fury。
Go　to　Elizabeth's　feet；　confess　your　marriageimpeach　your　wife
and　her　paramour　of　adulteryand　avow　yourself；　amongst　all　your
peers；　the　wittol　who　married　a　country　girl；　and　was　cozened　by
her　and　her　book…learned　gallant。　　Go；　my　lordbut　first　take
farewell　of　Richard　Varney；　with　all　the　benefits　you　ever
conferred　on　him。　　He　served　the　noble；　the　lofty；　the　high…
minded　Leicester；　and　was　more　proud　of　depending　on　him　than　he
would　be　of　commanding　thousands。　　But　the　abject　lord　who　stoops
to　every　adverse　circumstance；　whose　judicious　resolves　are
scattered　like　chaff　before　every　wind　of　passion；　him　Richard
Varney　serves　not。　　He　is　as　much　above　him　in　constancy　of　mind
as　beneath　him　in　rank　and　fortune。〃

Varney　spoke　thus　without　hypocrisy；　for　though　the　firmness　of
mind　which　he　boasted　was　hardness　and　impenetrability；　yet　he
really　felt　the　ascendency　which　he　vaunted；　while　the　interest
which　he　actually　felt　in　the　fortunes　of　Leicester　gave　unusual
emotion　to　his　voice　and　manner。

Leicester　was　overpowered　by　his　assumed　superiority　it　seemed　to
the　unfortunate　Earl　as　if　his　last　friend　was　about　to　abandon
him。　　He　stretched　his　hand　towards　Varney　as　he　uttered　the
words；　〃Do　not　leave　me。　　What　wouldst　thou　have　me　do？〃

〃Be　thyself；　my　noble　master；〃　said　Varney；　touching　the　Earl's
hand　with　his　lips；　after　having　respectfully　grasped　it　in　his
own；　〃be　yourself；　superior　to　those　storms　of　passion　which
wreck　inferior　minds。　　Are　you　the　first　who　has　been　cozened　in
lovethe　first　whom　a　vain　and　licentious　woman　has　cheated　into
an　affection；　which　she　has　afterwards　scorned　and　misused？　　And
will　you　suffer　yourself　to　be　driven　frantic　because　you　have
not　been　wiser　than　the　wisest　men　whom　the　world　has　seen？　　Let
her　be　as　if　she　had　not　beenlet　her　pass　from　your　memory；　as
unworthy　of　ever　having　held　a　place　there。　　Let　your　strong
resolve　of　this　morning；　which　I　have　both　courage；　zeal；　and
means　enough　to　execute；　be　like　the　fiat　of　a　superior　being；　a
passionless　act　of　justice。　　She　hath　deserved　deathlet　her
die！〃

While　he　was　speaking；　the　Earl　held　his　hand　fast；　compressed
his　lips　hard；　and　frowned；　as　if　he　laboured　to　catch　from
Varney　a　portion　of　the　cold；　ruthless；　and　dispassionate
firmness　which　he　recommended。　　When　he　was　silent；　the　Earl
still　continued　to　rasp　his　hand；　until；　with　an　effort　at　calm
decision；　he　was　able　to　articulate；　〃Be　it　soshe　dies！　　But
one　tear　might　be　permitted。〃

〃Not　one；　my　lord；〃　interrupted　Varney；　who　saw　by　the　quivering
eye　and　convulsed　cheek　of　his　patron　that　he　was　about　to　give
way　to　a　burst　of　emotion〃not　a　tearthe　time　permits　it　not。
Tressilian　must　be　thought　of〃

〃That　indeed　is　a　name；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃to　convert　tears　into
blood。　　Varney；　I　have　thought　on　this；　and　I　have　determined
neither　entreaty　nor　argument　shall　move　meTressilian　shall　be
my　own　victim。〃

〃It　is　madness；　my　lord；　but　you　are　too　mighty　for　me　to　bar
your　way　to　your　revenge。　　Yet　resolve　at　least　to　choose　fitting
time　and　opportunity；　and　to　forbear　him　until　these　shall　be
found。〃

〃Thou　shalt　order　me　in　what　thou　wilt；〃　said　Leicester；　〃only
thwart　me　not　in　this。〃

〃Then；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃I　first　request　of　you　to　lay
aside　the　wild；　suspected；　and　half…frenzied　demeanour　which　hath
this　day　drawn　the　eyes　of　all　the　court　upon　you；　and　which；　but
for　the　Queen's　partial　indulgence；　which　she　hath　extended
towards　you　in　a　degree　far　beyond　her　nature；　she　had　never
given　you　the　opportunity　to　atone　for。〃

〃Have　I　indeed　been　so　negligent？〃　　said　Leicester；　as　one　who
awakes　from　a　dream。　　〃I　thought　I　had　coloured　it　well。　　But
fear　nothing；　my　mind　is　now　easedI　am　calm。　　My　horoscope
shall　be　fulfilled；　and　that　it　may　be　fulfilled；　I　will　tax　to
the　highest　every　faculty　of　my　mind。　　Fear　me　not；　I　say。　　I
will　to　the　Queen　instantlynot　thine　own　looks　and　language
shall　be　more　impenetrable　than　mine。　　Hast　thou　aught　else　to
say？〃

〃I　must　crave　your　signet…ring；〃　said　Varney　gravely；　〃in　token
to　those　of　your　servants　whom　I　must　employ；　that　I　possess　your
full　authority　in　commanding　their　aid。〃

Leicester　drew　off　the　signet…ring　which　he　commonly　used；　and
gave　it　to　Varney；　with　a　haggard　and　stern　expression　of
countenance；　adding　only；　in　a　low；　half…whispered　tone；　but　with
terrific　emphasis；　the　words；　〃What　thou　dost；　do　quickly。〃

Some　anxiety　and　wonder　took　place；　meanwhile；　in　the　presence…
hall；　at　the　prolonged　absence　of　the　noble　Lord　of　the　Castle；
and　great　was　the　delight　of　his　friends　when　they　saw　him　enter
as　a　man　from　whose　bosom；　to　all　human　seeming；　a　weight　of　care
had　been　just　removed。　　Amply　did　Leicester　that　day　redeem　the
pledge　he　had　given　to　Varney；　who　soon　saw　himself　no　longer
under　the　necessity　of　maintaining　a　character　so　different　from
his　own　as　that　which　he　had　assumed　in　the　earlier　part　of　the
day；　and　gradually　relapsed　into　the　same　grave；　shrewd；　caustic
observer　of　conversation　and　incident　which　constituted　his　usual
part　in　society。

With　Elizabeth；　Leicester　played　his　game　as　one　to　whom　her
natural　strength　of　talent　and　her　weakness　in　one　or　two
particular　points　were　well　known。　　He　was　too　wary　to　exchange
on　a　sudden　the　sullen　personage　which　he　had　played　before　he
retired　with　Varney；　but　on　approaching　her　it　seemed　softened
into　a　melancholy；　which　had　a　touch　of　tenderness　in　it；　and
which；　in　the　course　of　conversing　with　Elizabeth；　and　as　she
dropped　in　compassion　one　mark　of　favour　after　another　to　console
him；　passed　into　a　flow　of　affectionate　gallantry；　the　most
assiduous；　the　most　delicate；　the　most　insinuating；　yet　at　the
same　time　the　most　respectful；　with　which　a　Queen　was　ever
addressed　by　a　subject。　　Elizabeth　listened　as　in　a　sort　of
enchantment。　　Her　jealousy　of　power　was　lulled　asleep；　her
resolution　to　forsake　all　social　or　domestic　ties；　and　dedicate
herself　exclusively　to　the　care　of　her　people；　began　to　be
shaken；　and　once　more　the　star　of　Dudley　culminated　in　the　court
horizon。

But　Leicester　did　not　enjoy　this　triumph　over　nature；　and　over
conscience；　without　its　being　embittered　to　him；　not　only　by　the
internal　rebellion　of　his　feelings　against　the　violence　which　he
exercised　over　them；　but　by　many　accidental　circumstances；　which；
in　the　course　of　the　banquet；　and　during　the　subsequent
amusements　of　the　evening；　jarred　upon　that　nerve；　the　least
vibration　of　which　was　agony。

The　courtiers　were；　for　example；　in　the　Great　Hall；　after　having
left　the　banqueting…room；　awaiting　the　appearance　of　a　splendid
masque；　which　was　the　expected　entertainment　of　this　evening；
when　the　Queen　interrupted　a　wild　career　of　wit　which　the　Earl　of
Lei