kenilworth-第126章

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We　will　now　hear　the　progress　of　this　affair。〃　　She　then　seated
herself　in　her　chair；　and　said；　〃You；　Tressilian；　step　forward；
and　say　what　you　know。〃

Tressilian　told　his　story　generously；　suppressing　as　much　as　he
could　what　affected　Leicester；　and　saying　nothing　of　their　having
twice　actually　fought　together。　　It　is　very　probable　that；　in
doing　so；　he　did　the　Earl　good　service；　for　had　the　Queen　at　that
instant　found　anything　on　account　of　which　she　could　vent　her
wrath　upon　him；　without　laying　open　sentiments　of　which　she　was
ashamed；　it　might　have　fared　hard　with　him。　　She　paused　when
Tressilian　had　finished　his　tale。

〃We　will　take　that　Wayland；〃　she　said；　〃into　our　own　service；　and
place　the　boy　in　our　Secretary　office　for　instruction；　that　he
may　in　future　use　discretion　towards　letters。　　For　you；
Tressilian；　you　did　wrong　in　not　communicating　the　whole　truth　to
us；　and　your　promise　not　to　do　so　was　both　imprudent　and
undutiful。　　Yet；　having　given　your　word　to　this　unhappy　lady；　it
was　the　part　of　a　man　and　a　gentleman　to　keep　it；　and　on　the
whole；　we　esteem　you　for　the　character　you　have　sustained　in　this
matter。My　Lord　of　Leicester；　it　is　now　your　turn　to　tell　us　the
truth；　an　exercise　to　which　you　seem　of　late　to　have　been　too
much　a　stranger。〃

Accordingly；　she　extorted；　by　successive　questions；　the　whole
history　of　his　first　acquaintance　with　Amy　Robsarttheir
marriagehis　jealousythe　causes　on　which　it　was　founded；　and
many　particulars　besides。　　Leicester's　confession；　for　such　it
might　be　called；　was　wrenched　from　him　piecemeal；　yet　was　upon
the　whole　accurate；　excepting　that　he　totally　omitted　to　mention
that　he　had；　by　implication　or　otherwise；　assented　to　Varney's
designs　upon　the　life　of　his　Countess。　　Yet　the　consciousness　of
this　was　what　at　that　moment　lay　nearest　to　his　heart；　and
although　he　trusted　in　great　measure　to　the　very　positive
counter…orders　which　he　had　sent　by　Lambourne；　it　was　his　purpose
to　set　out　for　Cumnor　Place　in　person　as　soon　as　he　should　be
dismissed　from　the　presence　of　the　Queen；　who；　he　concluded；
would　presently　leave　Kenilworth。

But　the　Earl　reckoned　without　his　host。　　It　is　true　his　presence
and　his　communications　were　gall　and　wormwood　to　his　once　partial
mistress。　　But　barred　from　every　other　and　more　direct　mode　of
revenge；　the　Queen　perceived　that　she　gave　her　false　suitor
torture　by　these　inquiries；　and　dwelt　on　them　for　that　reason；　no
more　regarding　the　pain　which　she　herself　experienced；　than　the
savage　cares　for　the　searing　of　his　own　hands　by　grasping　the　hot
pincers　with　which　he　tears　the　flesh　of　his　captive　enemy。

At　length；　however；　the　haughty　lord；　like　a　deer　that　turns　to
bay；　gave　intimation　that　his　patience　was　failing。　　〃Madam；〃　he
said；　〃I　have　been　much　to　blamemore　than　even　your　just
resentment　has　expressed。　　Yet；　madam；　let　me　say　that　my　guilt；
if　it　be　unpardonable；　was　not　unprovoked；　and　that　if　beauty　and
condescending　dignity　could　seduce　the　frail　heart　of　a　human
being；　I　might　plead　both　as　the　causes　of　my　concealing　this
secret　from　your　Majesty。〃

The　Queen　was　so　much　struck　with　this　reply；　which　Leicester
took　care　should　be　heard　by　no　one　but　herself；　that　she　was　for
the　moment　silenced；　and　the　Earl　had　the　temerity　to　pursue　his
advantage。　　〃Your　Grace；　who　has　pardoned　so　much；　will　excuse　my
throwing　myself　on　your　royal　mercy　for　those　expressions　which
were　yester…morning　accounted　but　a　light　offence。〃

The　Queen　fixed　her　eyes　on　him　while　she　replied；　〃Now；　by
Heaven；　my　lord；　thy　effrontery　passes　the　bounds　of　belief；　as
well　as　patience！　　But　it　shall　avail　thee　nothing。What　ho！　　my
lords；　come　all　and　hear　the　news…my　Lord　of　Leicester's　stolen
marriage　has　cost　me　a　husband；　and　England　a　king。　　His　lordship
is　patriarchal　in　his　tastesone　wife　at　a　time　was
insufficient；　and　he　designed　US　the　honour　of　his　left　hand。
Now；　is　not　this　too　insolentthat　I　could　not　grace　him　with　a
few　marks　of　court…favour；　but　he　must　presume　to　think　my　hand
and　crown　at　his　disposal？　　You；　however；　think　better　of　me；　and
I　can　pity　this　ambitious　man；　as　I　could　a　child；　whose　bubble
of　soap　has　burst　between　his　hands。　　We　go　to　the　presence…
chamber。My　Lord　of　Leicester；　we　command　your　close　attendance
on　us。〃

All　was　eager　expectation　in　the　hall；　and　what　was　the　universal
astonishment　when　the　Queen　said　to　those　next　her；　〃The　revels
of　Kenilworth　are　not　yet　exhausted；　my　lords　and　ladieswe　are
to　solemnize　the　noble　owner's　marriage。〃

There　was　an　universal　expression　of　surprise。

〃It　is　true；　on　our　royal　word；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃he　hath　kept
this　a　secret　even　from　us；　that　he　might　surprise　us　with　it　at
this　very　place　and　time。　　I　see　you　are　dying　of　curiosity　to
know　the　happy　bride。　　It　is　Amy　Robsart；　the　same　who；　to　make
up　the　May…game　yesterday；　figured　in　the　pageant　as　the　wife　of
his　servant　Varney。〃

〃For　God's　sake；　madam；〃　said　the　Earl；　approaching　her　with　a
mixture　of　humility；　vexation；　and　shame　in　his　countenance；　and
speaking　so　low　as　to　be　heard　by　no　one　else；　〃take　my　head；　as
you　threatened　in　your　anger；　and　spare　me　these　taunts！　　Urge
not　a　falling　mantread　not　on　a　crushed　worm。〃

〃A　worm；　my　lord？〃　　said　the　Queen；　in　the　same　tone；　〃nay；　a
snake　is　the　nobler　reptile；　and　the　more　exact　similitudethe
frozen　snake　you　wot　of；　which　was　warmed　in　a　certain　bosom〃

〃For　your　own　sakefor　mine；　madam；〃　said　the　Earl〃while　there
is　yet　some　reason　left　in　me〃

〃Speak　aloud；　my　lord；〃　said　Elizabeth；　〃and　at　farther　distance；
so　please　youyour　breath　thaws　our　ruff。　　What　have　you　to　ask
of　us？〃

〃Permission；〃　said　the　unfortunate　Earl　humbly；　〃to　travel　to
Cumnor　Place。〃

〃To　fetch　home　your　bride　belike？Why；　aythat　is　but　right；
for；　as　we　have　heard；　she　is　indifferently　cared　for　there。
But；　my　lord；　you　go　not　in　person；　we　have　counted　upon　passing
certain　days　in　this　Castle　of　Kenilworth；　and　it　were　slight
courtesy　to　leave　us　without　a　landlord　during　our　residence
here。　　Under　your　favour；　we　cannot　think　to　incur　such　disgrace
in　the　eyes　of　our　subjects。　　Tressilian　shall　go　to　Cumnor　Place
instead　of　you；　and　with　him　some　gentleman　who　hath　been　sworn
of　our　chamber；　lest　my　Lord　of　Leicester　should　be　again　jealous
of　his　old　rival。Whom　wouldst　thou　have　to　be　in　commission
with　thee；　Tressilian？〃

Tressilian；　with　humble　deference；　suggested　the　name　of　Raleigh。

〃Why；　ay；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃so　God　ha'　me；　thou　hast　made　a　good
choice。　　He　is　a　young　knight　besides；　and　to　deliver　a　lady　from
prison　is　an　appropriate　first　adventure。Cumnor　Place　is　little
better　than　a　prison；　you　are　to　know；　my　lords　and　ladies。
Besides；　there　are　certain　faitours　there　whom　we　would　willingly
have　in　safe　keeping。　　You　will　furnish　them；　Master　Secretary；
with　the　warrant　necessary　to　secure　the　bodies　of　Richard　Varney
and　the　foreign　Alasco；　dead　or　alive。　　Take　a　sufficient　force
with　you；　gentlemenbring　the　lady　here　in　all　honourlose　no
time；　and　God　be　with　you！〃

They　bowed；　and　left　the　presence；

Who　shall　describe　how　the　rest　of　that　day　was　spent　at
Kenilworth？　　The　Queen；　who　seemed　to　have　remained　there　for　the
sole　purpose　of　mortifying　and　taunting　the　Earl　of　Leicester；
showed　herself　as　skilful　in　that　female　art　of　vengeance；　as　she
was　in　the　science　of　wisely　governing　her　people。　　The　train　of
state　soon　caught　the　signal；　and　as　he　walked　among　his　own
splendid　preparations；　the　Lord　of　Kenilworth；　in　his　own　Castle；
already　experienced　the　lot　of　a　disgraced　courtier；　in　the
slight　regard　and　cold　manners　of　alienated　friends；　and　the　ill…
concealed　triumph　of　avowed　and　open　enemies。　　Sussex；　from　his
natural　military　frankness　of　disposition；　Burleigh　and
Walsingham；　from　their　penetrating　and　prospective　sagacity；　and
some　of　the　ladies；　from　the　compassion　of　their　sex；　were　the
only　persons　in　the　crowded　court　who　retained　towards　him　the
countenance　they　had　borne　in　the　morning。

So　much　had　Leicester　been　accustomed　to　consider　court　favour　as
the　principal　object　of　his　life；　that　all　other　sensations　we