kenilworth-第124章

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when　he　had　perused　it。　　〃Take　my　sword；〃　he　said；　〃Tressilian；
and　pierce　my　heart；　as　I　would　but　now　have　pierced　yours！〃

〃My　lord；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃you　have　done　me　great　wrong；　but
something　within　my　breast　ever　whispered　that　it　was　by
egregious　error。〃

〃Error；　indeed！〃　　said　Leicester；　and　handed　him　the　letter；　〃I
have　been　made　to　believe　a　man　of　honour　a　villain；　and　the　best
and　purest　of　creatures　a　false　profligate。Wretched　boy；　why
comes　this　letter　now；　and　where　has　the　bearer　lingered？〃

〃I　dare　not　tell　you；　my　lord；〃　said　the　boy；　withdrawing；　as　if
to　keep　beyond　his　reach；　〃but　here　comes　one　who　was　the
messenger。〃

Wayland　at　the　same　moment　came　up；　and　interrogated　by
Leicester；　hastily　detailed　all　the　circumstances　of　his　escape
with　Amy；　the　fatal　practices　which　had　driven　her　to　flight；　and
her　anxious　desire　to　throw　herself　under　the　instant　protection
of　her　husbandpointing　out　the　evidence　of　the　domestics　of
Kenilworth；　〃who　could　not；〃　he　observed；　〃but　remember　her　eager
inquiries　after　the　Earl　of　Leicester　on　her　first　arrival。〃

〃The　villains！〃　　exclaimed　Leicester；　〃but　oh；　that　worst　of
villains；　Varney！and　she　is　even　now　in　his　power！〃

〃But　not；　I　trust　in　God；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃with　any　commands　of
fatal　import？〃

〃No；　no；　no！〃　　exclaimed　the　Earl　hastily。　　〃I　said　something　in
madness；　but　it　was　recalled；　fully　recalled；　by　a　hasty
messenger；　and　she　is　nowshe　must　now　be　safe。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Tressilian；〃　she　MUST　be　safe；　and　I　MUST　be　assured
of　her　safety。　　My　own　quarrel　with　you　is　ended；　my　lord；　but
there　is　another　to　begin　with　the　seducer　of　Amy　Robsart；　who
has　screened　his　guilt　under　the　cloak　of　the　infamous　Varney。〃

〃The　SEDUCER　of　Amy！〃　　replied　Leicester；　with　a　voice　like
thunder；　〃say　her　husband！her　misguided；　blinded；　most　unworthy
husband！　　She　is　as　surely　Countess　of　Leicester　as　I　am　belted
Earl。　　Nor　can　you；　sir；　point　out　that　manner　of　justice　which　I
will　not　render　her　at　my　own　free　will。　　I　need　scarce　say　I
fear　not　your　compulsion。〃

The　generous　nature　of　Tressilian　was　instantly　turned　from
consideration　of　anything　personal　to　himself；　and　centred　at
once　upon　Amy's　welfare。　　He　had　by　no　means　undoubting
confidence　in　the　fluctuating　resolutions　of　Leicester；　whose
mind　seemed　to　him　agitated　beyond　the　government　of　calm　reason；
neither　did　he；　notwithstanding　the　assurances　he　had　received；
think　Amy　safe　in　the　hands　of　his　dependants。　　〃My　lord；〃　he
said　calmly；　〃I　mean　you　no　offence；　and　am　far　from　seeking　a
quarrel。　　But　my　duty　to　Sir　Hugh　Robsart　compels　me　to　carry
this　matter　instantly　to　the　Queen；　that　the　Countess's　rank　may
be　acknowledged　in　her　person。〃

〃You　shall　not　need；　sir；〃　replied　the　Earl　haughtily；　〃do　not
dare　to　interfere。　　No　voice　but　Dudley's　shall　proclaim　Dudley's
infamy。　　To　Elizabeth　herself　will　I　tell　it；　and　then　for　Cumnor
Place　with　the　speed　of　life　and　death！〃

So　saying；　he　unbound　his　horse　from　the　tree；　threw　himself　into
the　saddle；　and　rode　at　full　gallop　towards　the　Castle。

〃Take　me　before　you；　Master　Tressilian；〃　said　the　boy；　seeing
Tressilian　mount　in　the　same　haste；　〃my　tale　is　not　all　told　out；
and　I　need　your　protection。〃

Tressilian　complied；　and　followed　the　Earl；　though　at　a　less
furious　rate。　　By　the　way　the　boy　confessed；　with　much
contrition；　that　in　resentment　at　Wayland's　evading　all　his
inquiries　concerning　the　lady；　after　Dickon　conceived　he　had　in
various　ways　merited　his　confidence；　he　had　purloined　from　him　in
revenge　the　letter　with　which　Amy　had　entrusted　him　for　the　Earl
of　Leicester。　　His　purpose　was　to　have　restored　it　to　him　that
evening；　as　he　reckoned　himself　sure　of　meeting　with　him；　in
consequence　of　Wayland's　having　to　perform　the　part　of　Arion　in
the　pageant。　　He　was　indeed　something　alarmed　when　he　saw　to　whom
the　letter　was　addressed；　but　he　argued　that；　as　Leicester　did
not　return　to　Kenilworth　until　that　evening；　it　would　be　again　in
the　possession　of　the　proper　messenger　as　soon　as；　in　the　nature
of　things；　it　could　possibly　be　delivered。　　But　Wayland　came　not
to　the　pageant；　having　been　in　the　interim　expelled　by　Lambourne
from　the　Castle；　and　the　boy；　not　being　able　to　find　him；　or　to
get　speech　of　Tressilian；　and　finding　himself　in　possession　of　a
letter　addressed　to　no　less　a　person　than　the　Earl　of　Leicester；
became　much　afraid　of　the　consequences　of　his　frolic。　　The
caution；　and　indeed　the　alarm；　which　Wayland　had　expressed
respecting　Varney　and　Lambourne；　led　him　to　judge　that　the　letter
must　be　designed　for　the　Earl's　own　hand；　and　that　he　might
prejudice　the　lady　by　giving　it　to　any　of　the　domestics。　　He　made
an　attempt　or　two　to　obtain　an　audience　of　Leicester；　but　the
singularity　of　his　features　and　the　meanness　of　his　appearance
occasioned　his　being　always　repulsed　by　the　insolent　menials　whom
he　applied　to　for　that　purpose。　　Once；　indeed；　he　had　nearly
succeeded；　when；　in　prowling　about；　he　found　in　the　grotto　the
casket；　which　he　knew　to　belong　to　the　unlucky　Countess；　having
seen　it　on　her　journey；　for　nothing　escaped　his　prying　eye。
Having　striven　in　vain　to　restore　it　either　to　Tressilian　or　the
Countess；　he　put　it　into　the　hands；　as　we　have　seen；　of　Leicester
himself；　but　unfortunately　he　did　not　recognize　him　in　his
disguise。

At　length　the　boy　thought　he　was　on　the　point　of　succeeding　when
the　Earl　came　down　to　the　lower　part　of　the　hall；　but　just　as　he
was　about　to　accost　him；　he　was　prevented　by　Tressilian。　　As
sharp　in　ear　as　in　wit；　the　boy　heard　the　appointment　settled
betwixt　them；　to　take　place　in　the　Pleasance；　and　resolved　to　add
a　third　to　the　party；　in　hope　that；　either　in　coming　or
returning；　he　might　find　an　opportunity　of　delivering　the　letter
to　Leicester；　for　strange　stories　began　to　flit　among　the
domestics；　which　alarmed　him　for　the　lady's　safety。　　Accident；
however；　detained　Dickon　a　little　behind　the　Earl；　and　as　he
reached　the　arcade　he　saw　them　engaged　in　combat；　in　consequence
of　which　he　hastened　to　alarm　the　guard；　having　little　doubt　that
what　bloodshed　took　place　betwixt　them　might　arise　out　of　his　own
frolic。　　Continuing　to　lurk　in　the　portico；　he　heard　the　second
appointment　which　Leicester　at　parting　assigned　to　Tressilian；
and　was　keeping　them　in　view　during　the　encounter　of　the　Coventry
men；　when；　to　his　surprise；　he　recognized　Wayland　in　the　crowd；
much　disguised；　indeed；　but　not　sufficiently　so　to　escape　the
prying　glance　of　his　old　comrade。　　They　drew　aside　out　of　the
crowd　to　explain　their　situation　to　each　other。　　The　boy
confessed　to　Wayland　what　we　have　above　told；　and　the　artist；　in
return；　informed　him　that　his　deep　anxiety　for　the　fate　of　the
unfortunate　lady　had　brought　him　back　to　the　neighbourhood　of　the
Castle；　upon　his　learning　that　morning；　at　a　village　about　ten
miles　distant；　that　Varney　and　Lambourne；　whose　violence　he
dreaded；　had　both　left　Kenilworth　over…night。

While　they　spoke；　they　saw　Leicester　and　Tressilian　separate
themselves　from　the　crowd；　dogged　them　until　they　mounted　their
horses；　when　the　boy；　whose　speed　of　foot　has　been　before
mentioned；　though　he　could　not　possibly　keep　up　with　them；　yet
arrived；　as　we　have　seen；　soon　enough　to　save　Tressilian's　life。
The　boy　had　just　finished　his　tale　when　they　arrived　at　the
Gallery…tower。



CHAPTER　XL。

　　High　o'er　the　eastern　steep　the　sun　is　beaming；
　　And　darkness　flies　with　her　deceitful　shadows；
　　So　truth　prevails　o'er　falsehood。　　　　　　　OLD　PLAY。

As　Tressilian　rode　along　the　bridge；　lately　the　scene　of　so　much
riotous　sport；　he　could　not　but　observe　that　men's　countenances
had　singularly　changed　during　the　space　of　his　brief　absence。
The　mock　fight　was　over；　but　the　men；　still　habited　in　their
masking　suits；　stood　together　in　groups；　like　the　inhabitants　of
a　city　who　have　been　just　startled　by　some　strange　and　alarming
news。

When　he　reached　the　base…court；　appearances　were　the　same
domestics；　retainers；　and　under…officers　stood　together　and
whispered；　bending　their　eyes　towards　the　windows　of　the　Great
Hall；　with　looks　which　seemed　at　once　alarmed　and　mysterious。