kenilworth-第48章

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〃Nor　the　means　of　making　fortunes　for　his　followers；〃　said　the
young　gallant；　smiling　contemptuously；〃there　lies　the　sore
point　that　will　brook　no　handling。　　My　good　sirs；　I　sounded　my
lamentations　over　my　lord　somewhat　less　loudly　than　some　of　you；
but　when　the　point　comes　of　doing　him　service；　I　will　yield　to
none　of　you。　　Had　this　learned　leech　entered；　think'st　thou　not
there　had　been　such　a　coil　betwixt　him　and　Tressilian's
mediciner；　that　not　the　sleeper　only；　but　the　very　dead　might
have　awakened？　　I　know　what　larurm　belongs　to　the　discord　of
doctors。〃

〃And　who　is　to　take　the　blame　of　opposing　the　Queen's　orders？〃
said　Tracy；　〃for；　undeniably；　Doctor　Masters　came　with　her
Grace's　positive　commands　to　cure　the　Earl。〃

〃I；　who　have　done　the　wrong；　will　bear　the　blame；〃　said　Walter。

〃Thus；　then；　off　fly　the　dreams　of　court　favour　thou　hast
nourished；〃　said　Blount；　〃and　despite　all　thy　boasted　art　and
ambition；　Devonshire　will　see　thee　shine　a　true　younger　brother；
fit　to　sit　low　at　the　board；　carve　turn　about　with　the　chaplain；
look　that　the　hounds　be　fed；　and　see　the　squire's　girths　drawn
when　he　goes　a…hunting。〃

〃Not　so；〃　said　the　young　man；　colouring；　〃not　while　Ireland　and
the　Netherlands　have　wars；　and　not　while　the　sea　hath　pathless
waves。　　The　rich　West　hath　lands　undreamed　of；　and　Britain
contains　bold　hearts　to　venture　on　the　quest　of　them。　　Adieu　for
a　space；　my　masters。　　I　go　to　walk　in　the　court　and　look　to　the
sentinels。〃

〃The　lad　hath　quicksilver　in　his　veins；　that　is　certain；〃　said
Blount；　looking　at　Markham。

〃He　hath　that　both　in　brain　and　blood；〃　said　Markham；　〃which　may
either　make　or　mar　him。　　But　in　closing　the　door　against　Masters；
he　hath　done　a　daring　and　loving　piece　of　service；　for
Tressilian's　fellow　hath　ever　averred　that　to　wake　the　Earl　were
death；　and　Masters　would　wake　the　Seven　Sleepers　themselves；　if
he　thought　they　slept　not　by　the　regular　ordinance　of　medicine。〃

Morning　was　well　advanced　when　Tressilian；　fatigued　and　over…
watched；　came　down　to　the　hall　with　the　joyful　intelligence　that
the　Earl　had　awakened　of　himself；　that　he　found　his　internal
complaints　much　mitigated；　and　spoke　with　a　cheerfulness；　and
looked　round　with　a　vivacity；　which　of　themselves　showed　a
material　and　favourable　change　had　taken　place。　　Tressilian　at
the　same　time　commanded　the　attendance　of　one　or　two　of　his
followers；　to　report　what　had　passed　during　the　night；　and　to
relieve　the　watchers　in　the　Earl's　chamber。

When　the　message　of　the　Queen　was　communicated　to　the　Earl　of
Sussex；　he　at　first　smiled　at　the　repulse　which　the　physician　had
received　from　his　zealous　young　follower；　but　instantly
recollecting　himself；　he　commanded　Blount；　his　master　of　the
horse；　instantly　to　take　boat；　and　go　down　the　river　to　the
Palace　of　Greenwich；　taking　young　Walter　and　Tracy　with　him；　and
make　a　suitable　compliment；　expressing　his　grateful　thanks　to　his
Sovereign；　and　mentioning　the　cause　why　he　had　not　been　enabled
to　profit　by　the　assistance　of　the　wise　and　learned　Doctor
Masters。

〃A　plague　on　it！〃　　said　Blount；　as　he　descended　the　stairs；　〃had
he　sent　me　with　a　cartel　to　Leicester　I　think　I　should　have　done
his　errand　indifferently　well。　　But　to　go　to　our　gracious
Sovereign；　before　whom　all　words　must　be　lacquered　over　either
with　gilding　or　with　sugar；　is　such　a　confectionary　matter　as
clean　baffles　my　poor　old　English　brain。Come　with　me；　Tracy；
and　come　you　too；　Master　Walter　Wittypate；　that　art　the　cause　of
our　having　all　this　ado。　　Let　us　see　if　thy　neat　brain；　that
frames　so　many　flashy　fireworks；　can　help　out　a　plain　fellow　at
need　with　some　of　thy　shrewd　devices。〃

〃Never　fear；　never　fear；〃　exclaimed　the　youth；　〃it　is　I　will　help
you　through；　let　me　but　fetch　my　cloak。〃

〃Why；　thou　hast　it　on　thy　shoulders；〃　said　Blount；〃the　lad　is
mazed；〃

〃No；　No；　this　is　Tracy's　old　mantle；〃　answered　Walter。　　〃I　go　not
with　thee　to　court　unless　as　a　gentleman　should。〃

〃Why；〃　Said　Blount；　〃thy　braveries　are　like　to　dazzle　the　eyes　of
none　but　some　poor　groom　or　porter。〃

〃I　know　that；〃　said　the　youth；　〃but　I　am　resolved　I　will　have　my
own　cloak；　ay；　and　brush　my　doublet　to　boot；　ere　I　stir　forth
with　you。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　Blount；　〃here　is　a　coil　about　a　doublet　and　a
cloak。　　Get　thyself　ready；　a　God's　name！〃

They　were　soon　launched　on　the　princely　bosom　of　the　broad
Thames；　upon　which　the　sun　now　shone　forth　in　all　its　splendour。

〃There　are　two　things　scarce　matched　in　the　universe；〃　said
Walter　to　Blount〃the　sun　in　heaven；　and　the　Thames　on　the
earth。〃

〃The　one　will　light　us　to　Greenwich　well　enough；〃　said　Blount；
〃and　the　other　would　take　us　there　a　little　faster　if　it　were
ebb…tide。〃

〃And　this　is　all　thou　thinkestall　thou　carestall　thou　deemest
the　use　of　the　King　of　Elements　and　the　King　of　Riversto　guide
three　such　poor　caitiffs　as　thyself；　and　me；　and　Tracy；　upon　an
idle　journey　of　courtly　ceremony！〃

〃It　is　no　errand　of　my　seeking；　faith；〃　replied　Blount；　〃and　I
could　excuse　both　the　sun　and　the　Thames　the　trouble　of　carrying
me　where　I　have　no　great　mind　to　go；　and　where　I　expect　but　dog's
wages　for　my　troubleand　by　my　honour；〃　he　added；　looking　out
from　the　head　of　the　boat；　〃it　seems　to　me　as　if　our　message　were
a　sort　of　labour　in　vain；　for；　see；　the　Queen's　barge　lies　at　the
stairs　as　if　her　Majesty　were　about　to　take　water。〃

It　was　even　so。　　The　royal　barge；　manned　with　the　Queen's
watermen　richly　attired　in　the　regal　liveries；　and　having　the
Banner　of　England　displayed；　did　indeed　lie　at　the　great　stairs
which　ascended　from　the　river；　and　along　with　it　two　or　three
other　boats　for　transporting　such　part　of　her　retinue　as　were　not
in　immediate　attendance　on　the　royal　person。　　The　yeomen　of　the
guard；　the　tallest　and　most　handsome　men　whom　England　could
produce；　guarded　with　their　halberds　the　passage　from　the　palace…
gate　to　the　river　side；　and　all　seemed　in　readiness　for　the
Queen's　coming　forth；　although　the　day　was　yet　so　early。

〃By　my　faith；　this　bodes　us　no　good；〃　said　Blount；　〃it　must　be
some　perilous　cause　puts　her　Grace　in　motion　thus　untimeously；　By
my　counsel；　we　were　best　put　back　again；　and　tell　the　Earl　what
we　have　seen。〃

〃Tell　the　Earl　what　we　have　seen！〃　　said　Walter；　〃why　what　have
we　seen　but　a　boat；　and　men　with　scarlet　jerkins；　and　halberds　in
their　hands？　　Let　us　do　his　errand；　and　tell　him　what　the　Queen
says　in　reply。〃

So　saying；　he　caused　the　boat　to　be　pulled　towards　a　landing…
place　at　some　distance　from　the　principal　one；　which　it　would
not；　at　that　moment；　have　been　thought　respectful　to　approach；
and　jumped　on　shore；　followed；　though　with　reluctance；　by　his
cautious　and　timid　companions。　　As　they　approached　the　gate　of
the　palace；　one　of　the　sergeant　porters　told　them　they　could　not
at　present　enter；　as　her　Majesty　was　in　the　act　of　coming　forth。
The　gentlemen　used　the　name　of　the　Earl　of　Sussex；　but　it　proved
no　charm　to　subdue　the　officer；　who　alleged；　in　reply；　that　it
was　as　much　as　his　post　was　worth　to　disobey　in　the　least　tittle
the　commands　which　he　had　received。

〃Nay；　I　told　you　as　much　before；〃　said　Blount；　〃do；　I　pray　you；
my　dear　Walter；　let　us　take　boat　and　return。〃

〃Not　till　I　see　the　Queen　come　forth；〃　returned　the　youth
composedly。

〃Thou　art　mad；　stark　mad；　by　the　Mass！〃　　answered　Blount。

〃And　thou；〃　said　Walter；　〃art　turned　coward　of　the　sudden。　　I
have　seen　thee　face　half　a　score　of　shag…headed　Irish　kerns　to
thy　own　share　of　them；　and　now　thou　wouldst　blink　and　go　back　to
shun　the　frown　of　a　fair　lady！〃

At　this　moment　the　gates　opened；　and　ushers　began　to　issue　forth
in　array；　preceded　and　flanked　by　the　band　of　Gentlemen
Pensioners。　　After　this；　amid　a　crowd　of　lords　and　ladies；　yet　so
disposed　around　her　that　she　could　see　and　be　seen　on　all　sides；
came　Elizabeth　herself；　then　in　the　prime　of　womanhood；　and　in
the　full　glow　of　what　in　a　Sovereign　was　called　beauty；　and　who
would　in　the　lowest　rank　of　life　have　been　truly　judged　a　noble
figure；　joined　to　a　striking　and　commanding　physiognomy。　　She
leant　on　the　arm　of　Lord　Hunsdon；　whose　relation　to　her　by　her
mother's　side　often　pr