kenilworth-第50章

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Nevertheless；　he　found　the　gate　of　Sayes　Court　defended　by　men
with　culverins；　as　if　it　had　been　on　the　borders　of　Scotland；　not
in　the　vicinity　of　our　court；　and　when　he　demanded　admittance　in
our　name；　it　was　stubbornly　refused。　　For　this　slight　of　a
kindness；　which　had　but　too　much　of　condescension　in　it；　we　will
receive；　at　present　at　least；　no　excuse；　and　some　such　we　suppose
to　have　been　the　purport　of　my　Lord　of　Sussex's　message。〃

This　was　uttered　in　a　tone　and　with　a　gesture　which　made　Lord
Sussex's　friends　who　were　within　hearing　tremble。　　He　to　whom　the
speech　was　addressed；　however；　trembled　not；　but　with　great
deference　and　humility；　as　soon　as　the　Queen's　passion　gave　him
an　opportunity；　he　replied；　〃So　please　your　most　gracious
Majesty；　I　was　charged　with　no　apology　from　the　Earl　of　Sussex。〃

〃With　what　were　you　then　charged；　sir？〃　　said　the　Queen；　with　the
impetuosity　which；　amid　nobler　qualities；　strongly　marked　her
character。　　〃Was　it　with　a　justification？or；　God's　death！　　with
a　defiance？〃

〃Madam；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃my　Lord　of　Sussex　knew　the　offence
approached　towards　treason；　and　could　think　of　nothing　save　of
securing　the　offender；　and　placing　him　in　your　Majesty's　hands；
and　at　your　mercy。　　The　noble　Earl　was　fast　asleep　when　your　most
gracious　message　reached　him；　a　potion　having　been　administered
to　that　purpose　by　his　physician；　and　his　Lordship　knew　not　of
the　ungracious　repulse　your　Majesty's　royal　and　most　comfortable
message　had　received；　until　after　he　awoke　this　morning。〃

〃And　which　of　his　domestics；　then；　in　the　name　of　Heaven；
presumed　to　reject　my　message；　without　even　admitting　my　own
physician　to　the　presence　of　him　whom　I　sent　him　to　attend？〃
said　the　Queen；　much　surprised。

〃The　offender；　madam；　is　before　you；〃　replied　Walter；　bowing　very
low；　〃the　full　and　sole　blame　is　mine；　and　my　lord　has　most
justly　sent　me　to　abye　the　consequences　of　a　fault；　of　which　he
is　as　innocent　as　a　sleeping　man's　dreams　can　be　of　a　waking
man's　actions。〃

〃What！　　was　it　thou？thou　thyself；　that　repelled　my　messenger
and　my　physician　from　Sayes　Court？〃　　said　the　Queen。　　〃What　could
occasion　such　boldness　in　one　who　seems　devotedthat　is；　whose
exterior　bearing　shows　devotionto　his　Sovereign？〃

〃Madam；〃　said　the　youthwho；　notwithstanding　an　assumed
appearance　of　severity；　thought　that　he　saw　something　in　the
Queen's　face　that　resembled　not　implacability〃we　say　in　our
country；　that　the　physician　is　for　the　time　the　liege　sovereign
of　his　patient。　　Now；　my　noble　master　was　then　under　dominion　of
a　leech；　by　whose　advice　he　hath　greatly　profited；　who　had　issued
his　commands　that　his　patient　should　not　that　night　be　disturbed；
on　the　very　peril　of　his　life。〃

〃Thy　master　hath　trusted　some　false　varlet　of　an　empiric；〃　said
the　Queen。

〃I　know　not；　madam；　but　by　the　fact　that　he　is　nowthis　very
morningawakened　much　refreshed　and　strengthened　from　the　only
sleep　he　hath　had　for　many　hours。〃

The　nobles　looked　at　each　other；　but　more　with　the　purpose　to　see
what　each　thought　of　this　news；　than　to　exchange　any　remarks　on
what　had　happened。　　The　Queen　answered　hastily；　and　without
affecting　to　disguise　her　satisfaction；　〃By　my　word；　I　am　glad　he
is　better。　　But　thou　wert　over…bold　to　deny　the　access　of　my
Doctor　Masters。　　Knowest　thou　not　the　Holy　Writ　saith；　'In　the
multitude　of　counsel　there　is　safety'？〃

〃Ay；　madam；〃　said　Walter；　〃but　I　have　heard　learned　men　say　that
the　safety　spoken　of　is　for　the　physicians；　not　for　the　patient。〃

〃By　my　faith；　child；　thou　hast　pushed　me　home；〃　said　the　Queen；
laughing；　〃for　my　Hebrew　learning　does　not　come　quite　at　a　call。
How　say　you；　my　Lord　of　Lincoln？　　Hath　the　lad　given　a　just
interpretation　of　the　text？〃

〃The　word　SAFETY；　most　gracious　madam；〃　said　the　Bishop　of
Lincoln；　〃for　so　hath　been　translated；　it　may　be　somewhat
hastily；　the　Hebrew　word；　being〃

〃My　lord；〃　said　the　Queen；　interrupting　him；　〃we　said　we　had
forgotten　our　Hebrew。But　for　thee；　young　man；　what　is　thy　name
and　birth？〃

〃Raleigh　is　my　name；　most　gracious　Queen；　the　youngest　son　of　a
large　but　honourable　family　of　Devonshire。〃

〃Raleigh？〃　　said　Elizabeth；　after　a　moment's　recollection。　　〃Have
we　not　heard　of　your　service　in　Ireland？〃

〃I　have　been　so　fortunate　as　to　do　some　service　there；　madam；〃
replied　Raleigh；　〃scarce；　however；　of　consequence　sufficient　to
reach　your　Grace's　ears。〃

〃They　hear　farther　than　you　think　of；〃　said　the　Queen　graciously；
〃and　have　heard　of　a　youth　who　defended　a　ford　in　Shannon　against
a　whole　band　of　wild　Irish　rebels；　until　the　stream　ran　purple
with　their　blood　and　his　own。〃

〃Some　blood　I　may　have　lost；〃　said　the　youth；　looking　down；　〃but
it　was　where　my　best　is　due；　and　that　is　in　your　Majesty's
service。〃

The　Queen　paused；　and　then　said　hastily；　〃You　are　very　young　to
have　fought　so　well；　and　to　speak　so　well。　　But　you　must　not
escape　your　penance　for　turning　back　Masters。　　The　poor　man　hath
caught　cold　on　the　river　for　our　order　reached　him　when　he　was
just　returned　from　certain　visits　in　London；　and　he　held　it
matter　of　loyalty　and　conscience　instantly　to　set　forth　again。
So　hark　ye；　Master　Raleigh；　see　thou　fail　not　to　wear　thy　muddy
cloak；　in　token　of　penitence；　till　our　pleasure　be　further　known。
And　here；〃　she　added；　giving　him　a　jewel　of　gold；　in　the　form　of
a　chess…man；　〃I　give　thee　this　to　wear　at　the　collar。〃

Raleigh；　to　whom　nature　had　taught　intuitively；　as　it　were；　those
courtly　arts　which　many　scarce　acquire　from　long　experience；
knelt；　and；　as　he　took　from　her　hand　the　jewel；　kissed　the
fingers　which　gave　it。　　He　knew；　perhaps；　better　than　almost　any
of　the　courtiers　who　surrounded　her；　how　to　mingle　the　devotion
claimed　by　the　Queen　with　the　gallantry　due　to　her　personal
beauty；　and　in　this；　his　first　attempt　to　unite　them；　he
succeeded　so　well　as　at　once　to　gratify　Elizabeth's　personal
vanity　and　her　love　of　power。　　＇See　Note　5。　Court　favour　of　Sir
Walter　Raleigh。＇

His　master；　the　Earl　of　Sussex；　had　the　full　advantage　of　the
satisfaction　which　Raleigh　had　afforded　Elizabeth；　on　their　first
interview。

〃My　lords　and　ladies；〃　said　the　Queen；　looking　around　to　the
retinue　by　whom　she　was　attended；　〃methinks；　since　we　are　upon
the　river；　it　were　well　to　renounce　our　present　purpose　of　going
to　the　city；　and　surprise　this　poor　Earl　of　Sussex　with　a　visit。
He　is　ill；　and　suffering　doubtless　under　the　fear　of　our
displeasure；　from　which　he　hath　been　honestly　cleared　by　the
frank　avowal　of　this　malapert　boy。　　What　think　ye？　　were　it　not
an　act　of　charity　to　give　him　such　consolation　as　the　thanks　of　a
Queen；　much　bound　to　him　for　his　loyal　service；　may　perchance
best　minister？〃

It　may　be　readily　supposed　that　none　to　whom　this　speech　was
addressed　ventured　to　oppose　its　purport。

〃Your　Grace；〃　said　the　Bishop　of　Lincoln；　〃is　the　breath　of　our
nostrils。〃　　The　men　of　war　averred　that　the　face　of　the　Sovereign
was　a　whetstone　to　the　soldier's　sword；　while　the　men　of　state
were　not　less　of　opinion　that　the　light　of　the　Queen's
countenance　was　a　lamp　to　the　paths　of　her　councillors；　and　the
ladies　agreed；　with　one　voice；　that　no　noble　in　England　so　well
deserved　the　regard　of　England's　Royal　Mistress　as　the　Earl　of
Sussexthe　Earl　of　Leicester's　right　being　reserved　entire；　so
some　of　the　more　politic　worded　their　assent；　an　exception　to
which　Elizabeth　paid　no　apparent　attention。　　The　barge　had；
therefore；　orders　to　deposit　its　royal　freight　at　Deptford；　at
the　nearest　and　most　convenient　point　of　communication　with　Sayes
Court；　in　order　that　the　Queen　might　satisfy　her　royal　and
maternal　solicitude；　by　making　personal　inquiries　after　the
health　of　the　Earl　of　Sussex。

Raleigh；　whose　acute　spirit　foresaw　and　anticipated　important
consequences　from　the　most　trifling　events；　hastened　to　ask　the
Queen's　permission　to　go　in　the　skiff；　and　announce　the　royal
visit　to　his　master；　ingeniously　suggesting　that　the　joyful
surprise　might　prove　prejudicial　to　his　health；　since　the　richest
and　most　generous　cordials　may　sometimes　be　fatal　to　those　who
have　been　long　in　a　languishing　state。

But　whether　the　Queen　dee