kenilworth-第24章

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not　out　her　interview　with　Tressilian；　as　well　I　think　she　dare
not；　she　also　must　traffic　with　me　for　concealment　and　mutual
support；　in　spite　of　all　this　scorn。　　I　must　to　the　stables。
Well；　my　lord；　I　order　your　retinue　now；　the　time　may　soon　come
that　my　master　of　the　horse　shall　order　mine　own。　　What　was
Thomas　Cromwell　but　a　smith's　son？　　and　he　died　my　lordon　a
scaffold；　doubtless；　but　that；　too；　was　in　character。　　And　what
was　Ralph　Sadler　but　the　clerk　of　Cromwell？　　and　he　has　gazed
eighteen　fair　lordshipsVIA！　　I　know　my　steerage　as　well　as
they。〃

So　saying；　he　left　the　apartment。

In　the　meanwhile　the　Earl　had　re…entered　the　bedchamber；　bent　on
taking　a　hasty　farewell　of　the　lovely　Countess；　and　scarce　daring
to　trust　himself　in　private　with　her；　to　hear　requests　again
urged　which　he　found　it　difficult　to　parry；　yet　which　his　recent
conversation　with　his　master　of　horse　had　determined　him　not　to
grant。

He　found　her　in　a　white　cymar　of　silk　lined　with　furs；　her　little
feet　unstockinged　and　hastily　thrust　into　slippers；　her　unbraided
hair　escaping　from　under　her　midnight　coif；　with　little　array　but
her　own　loveliness；　rather　augmented　than　diminished　by　the　grief
which　she　felt　at　the　approaching　moment　of　separation。

〃Now；　God　be　with　thee；　my　dearest　and　loveliest！〃　　said　the
Earl；　scarce　tearing　himself　from　her　embrace；　yet　again
returning　to　fold　her　again　and　again　in　his　arms；　and　again
bidding　farewell；　and　again　returning　to　kiss　and　bid　adieu　once
more。　　〃The　sun　is　on　the　verge　of　the　blue　horizonI　dare　not
stay。　　Ere　this　I　should　have　been　ten　miles　from　hence。〃

Such　were　the　words　with　which　at　length　he　strove　to　cut　short
their　parting　interview。　　〃You　will　not　grant　my　request；　then？〃
said　the　Countess。　　〃Ah；　false　knight！　　did　ever　lady；　with　bare
foot　in　slipper；　seek　boon　of　a　brave　knight；　yet　return　with
denial？〃

〃Anything；　Amy；　anything　thou　canst　ask　I　will　grant；〃　answered
the　Earl〃always　excepting；〃　he　said；　〃that　which　might　ruin　us
both。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　the　Countess；　〃I　urge　not　my　wish　to　be　acknowledged
in　the　character　which　would　make　me　the　envy　of　Englandas　the
wife；　that　is；　of　my　brave　and　noble　lord；　the　first　as　the　most
fondly　beloved　of　English　nobles。　　Let　me　but　share　the　secret
with　my　dear　father！　　Let　me　but　end　his　misery　on　my　unworthy
accountthey　say　he　is　ill；　the　good　old　kind…hearted　man！〃

〃They　say？〃　　asked　the　Earl　hastily；　〃who　says？　　Did　not　Varney
convey　to　Sir　Hugh　all　we　dare　at　present　tell　him　concerning
your　happiness　and　welfare？　　and　has　he　not　told　you　that　the
good　old　knight　was　following；　with　good　heart　and　health；　his
favourite　and　wonted　exercise。　　Who　has　dared　put　other　thoughts
into　your　head？〃

〃Oh；　no　one；　my　lord；　no　one；〃　said　the　Countess；　something
alarmed　at　the　tone；　in　which　the　question　was　put；　〃but　yet；　my
lord；　I　would　fain　be　assured　by　mine　own　eyesight　that　my　father
is　well。〃

〃Be　contented；　Amy；　thou　canst　not　now　have　communication　with
thy　father　or　his　house。　　Were　it　not　a　deep　course　of　policy　to
commit　no　secret　unnecessarily　to　the　custody　of　more　than　must
needs　be；　it　were　sufficient　reason　for　secrecy　that　yonder
Cornish　man；　yonder　Trevanion；　or　Tressilian；　or　whatever　his
name　is；　haunts　the　old　knight's　house；　and　must　necessarily　know
whatever　is　communicated　there。〃

〃My　lord；〃　answered　the　Countess；　〃I　do　not　think　it　so。　　My
father　has　been　long　noted　a　worthy　and　honourable　man；　and　for
Tressilian；　if　we　can　pardon　ourselves　the　ill　we　have　wrought
him；　I　will　wager　the　coronet　I　am　to　share　with　you　one　day　that
he　is　incapable　of　returning　injury　for　injury。〃

〃I　will　not　trust　him；　however；　Amy；〃　said　her　husband〃by　my
honour；　I　will　not　trust　him；　I　would　rather　the　foul　fiend
intermingle　in　our　secret　than　this　Tressilian！〃

〃And　why；　my　lord？〃　　said　the　Countess；　though　she　shuddered
slightly　at　the　tone　of　determination　in　which　he　spoke；　〃let　me
but　know　why　you　think　thus　hardly　of　Tressilian？〃

〃Madam；〃　replied　the　Earl；　〃my　will　ought　to　be　a　sufficient
reason。　　If　you　desire　more；　consider　how　this　Tressilian　is
leagued；　and　with　whom。　　He　stands　high　in　the　opinion　of　this
Radcliffe；　this　Sussex；　against　whom　I　am　barely　able　to　maintain
my　ground　in　the　opinion　of　our　suspicious　mistress；　and　if　he
had　me　at　such　advantage；　Amy；　as　to　become　acquainted　with　the
tale　of　our　marriage；　before　Elizabeth　were　fitly　prepared；　I
were　an　outcast　from　her　grace　for　evera　bankrupt　at　once　in
favour　and　in　fortune；　perhaps；　for　she　hath　in　her　a　touch　of
her　father　Henrya　victim；　and　it　may　be　a　bloody　one；　to　her
offended　and　jealous　resentment。〃

〃But　why；　my　lord；〃　again　urged　his　lady；　〃should　you　deem　thus
injuriously　of　a　man　of　whom　you　know　so　little？　　What　you　do
know　of　Tressilian　is　through　me；　and　it　is　I　who　assure　you　that
in　no　circumstances　will　be　betray　your　secret。　　If　I　did　him
wrong　in　your　behalf；　my　lord；　I　am　now　the　more　concerned　you
should　do　him　justice。　　You　are　offended　at　my　speaking　of　him；
what　would　you　say　had　I　actually　myself　seen　him？〃

〃If　you　had；〃　replied　the　Earl；　〃you　would　do　well　to　keep　that
interview　as　secret　as　that　which　is　spoken　in　a　confessional。　　I
seek　no　one's　ruin；　but　he　who　thrusts　himself　on　my　secret
privacy　were　better　look　well　to　his　future　walk。　　The　bear　＇The
Leicester　cognizance　was　the　ancient　device　　adopted　by　his
father；　when　Earl　of　Warwick；　the　bear　and　ragged　staff。＇　　brooks
no　one　to　cross　his　awful　path。〃

〃Awful；　indeed！〃　　said　the　Countess；　turning　very　pale。

〃You　are　ill；　my　love；〃　said　the　Earl；　supporting　her　in　his
arms。　　〃Stretch　yourself　on　your　couch　again；　it　is　but　an　early
day　for　you　to　leave　it。　　Have　you　aught　else；　involving　less
than　my　fame；　my　fortune；　and　my　life；　to　ask　of　me？〃

〃Nothing；　my　lord　and　love；〃　answered　the　Countess　faintly；
〃something　there　was　that　I　would　have　told　you；　but　your　anger
has　driven　it　from　my　recollection。〃

〃Reserve　it　till　our　next　meeting；　my　love；〃　said　the　Earl
fondly；　and　again　embracing　her；　〃and　barring　only　those　requests
which　I　cannot　and　dare　not　grant；　thy　wish　must　be　more　than
England　and　all　its　dependencies　can　fulfil；　if　it　is　not
gratified　to　the　letter。〃

Thus　saying；　he　at　length　took　farewell。　　At　the　bottom　of　the
staircase　he　received　from　Varney　an　ample　livery　cloak　and
slouched　hat；　in　which　he　wrapped　himself　so　as　to　disguise　his
person　and　completely　conceal　his　features。　　Horses　were　ready　in
the　courtyard　for　himself　and　Varney；　for　one　or　two　of　his
train；　intrusted　with　the　secret　so　far　as　to　know　or　guess　that
the　Earl　intrigued　with　a　beautiful　lady　at　that　mansion；　though
her　name　and　duality　were　unknown　to　them；　had　already　been
dismissed　over…night。

Anthony　Foster　himself　had　in　hand　the　rein　of　the　Earl's
palfrey；　a　stout　and　able　nag　for　the　road；　while　his　old
serving…man　held　the　bridle　of　the　more　showy　and　gallant　steed
which　Richard　Varney　was　to　occupy　in　the　character　of　master。

As　the　Earl　approached；　however；　Varney　advanced　to　hold　his
master's　bridle；　and　to　prevent　Foster　from　paying　that　duty　to
the　Earl　which　he　probably　considered　as　belonging　to　his　own
office。　　Foster　scowled　at　an　interference　which　seemed　intended
to　prevent　his　paying　his　court　to　his　patron；　but　gave　place　to
Varney；　and　the　Earl；　mounting　without　further　observation；　and
forgetting　that　his　assumed　character　of　a　domestic　threw　him
into　the　rear　of　his　supposed　master；　rode　pensively　out　of　the
quadrangle；　not　without　waving　his　hand　repeatedly　in　answer　to
the　signals　which　were　made　by　the　Countess　with　her　kerchief
from　the　windows　of　her　apartment。

While　his　stately　form　vanished　under　the　dark　archway　which　led
out　of　the　quadrangle；　Varney　muttered；　〃There　goes　fine　policy
the　servant　before　the　master！〃　　then　as　he　disappeared；　seized
the　moment　to　speak　a　word　with　Foster。　　〃Thou　look'st　dark　on
me；　Anthony；〃　he　said；　〃as　if　I　had　deprived　thee　of　a　parting
nod　of　my　lord；　but　I　have　moved　him　to　leave　thee　a　better
remembrance　for　thy　faithful　service。　　See　here！　　a　purse　of　as
good　go