kenilworth-第51章

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have　been　long　in　a　languishing　state。

But　whether　the　Queen　deemed　it　too　presumptuous　in　so　young　a
courtier　to　interpose　his　opinion　unasked；　or　whether　she　was
moved　by　a　recurrence　of　the　feeling　of　jealousy　which　had　been
instilled　into　her　by　reports　that　the　Earl　kept　armed　men　about
his　person；　she　desired　Raleigh；　sharply；　to　reserve　his　counsel
till　it　was　required　of　him；　and　repeated　her　former　orders　to　be
landed　at　Deptford；　adding；　〃We　will　ourselves　see　what　sort　of
household　my　Lord　of　Sussex　keeps　about　him。〃

〃Now　the　Lord　have　pity　on　us！〃　　said　the　young　courtier　to
himself。　　〃Good　hearts；　the　Earl　hath　many　a　one　round　him；　but
good　heads　are　scarce　with　usand　he　himself　is　too　ill　to　give
direction。　　And　Blount　will　be　at　his　morning　meal　of　Yarmouth
herrings　and　ale；　and　Tracy　will　have　his　beastly　black　puddings
and　Rhenish；　those　thorough…paced　Welshmen；　Thomas　ap　Rice　and
Evan　Evans；　will　be　at　work　on　their　leek　porridge　and　toasted
cheese；and　she　detests；　they　say；　all　coarse　meats；　evil
smells；　and　strong　wines。　　Could　they　but　think　of　burning　some
rosemary　in　the　great　hall！　　but　VOGUE　LA　GALERE；　all　must　now　be
trusted　to　chance。　　Luck　hath　done　indifferent　well　for　me　this
morning；　for　I　trust　I　have　spoiled　a　cloak；　and　made　a　court
fortune。　　May　she　do　as　much　for　my　gallant　patron！〃

The　royal　barge　soon　stopped　at　Deptford；　and；　amid　the　loud
shouts　of　the　populace；　which　her　presence　never　failed　to
excite；　the　Queen；　with　a　canopy　borne　over　her　head；　walked；
accompanied　by　her　retinue；　towards　Sayes　Court；　where　the
distant　acclamations　of　the　people　gave　the　first　notice　of　her
arrival。　　Sussex；　who　was　in　the　act　of　advising　with　Tressilian
how　he　should　make　up　the　supposed　breach　in　the　Queen's　favour；
was　infinitely　surprised　at　learning　her　immediate　approach。　　Not
that　the　Queen's　custom　of　visiting　her　more　distinguished
nobility；　whether　in　health　or　sickness；　could　be　unknown　to　him；
but　the　suddenness　of　the　communication　left　no　time　for　those
preparations　with　which　he　well　knew　Elizabeth　loved　to　be
greeted；　and　the　rudeness　and　confusion　of　his　military
household；　much　increased　by　his　late　illness；　rendered　him
altogether　unprepared　for　her　reception。

Cursing　internally　the　chance　which　thus　brought　her　gracious
visitation　on　him　unaware；　he　hastened　down　with　Tressilian；　to
whose　eventful　and　interesting　story　he　had　just　given　an
attentive　ear。

〃My　worthy　friend；〃　he　said；　〃such　support　as　I　can　give　your
accusation　of　Varney；　you　have　a　right　to　expect；　alike　from
justice　and　gratitude。　　Chance　will　presently　show　whether　I　can
do　aught　with　our　Sovereign；　or　whether；　in　very　deed；　my
meddling　in　your　affair　may　not　rather　prejudice　than　serve　you。〃

Thus　spoke　Sussex　while　hastily　casting　around　him　a　loose　robe
of　sables；　and　adjusting　his　person　in　the　best　manner　he　could
to　meet　the　eye　of　his　Sovereign。　　But　no　hurried　attention
bestowed　on　his　apparel　could　remove　the　ghastly　effects　of　long
illness　on　a　countenance　which　nature　had　marked　with　features
rather　strong　than　pleasing。　　Besides；　he　was　low　of　stature；
and；　though　broad…shouldered；　athletic；　and　fit　for　martial
achievements；　his　presence　in　a　peaceful　hall　was　not　such　as
ladies　love　to　look　upon；　a　personal　disadvantage；　which　was
supposed　to　give　Sussex；　though　esteemed　and　honoured　by　his
Sovereign；　considerable　disadvantage　when　compared　with
Leicester；　who　was　alike　remarkable　for　elegance　of　manners　and
for　beauty　of　person。

The　Earl's　utmost　dispatch　only　enabled　him　to　meet　the　Queen　as
she　entered　the　great　hall；　and　he　at　once　perceived　there　was　a
cloud　on　her　brow。　　Her　jealous　eye　had　noticed　the　martial　array
of　armed　gentlemen　and　retainers　with　which　the　mansion…house　was
filled；　and　her　first　words　expressed　her　disapprobation。　　〃Is
this　a　royal　garrison；　my　Lord　of　Sussex；　that　it　holds　so　many
pikes　and　calivers？　　or　have　we　by　accident　overshot　Sayes　Court；
and　landed　at　Our　Tower　of　London？〃

Lord　Sussex　hastened　to　offer　some　apology。

〃It　needs　not；〃　she　said。　　〃My　lord；　we　intend　speedily　to　take
up　a　certain　quarrel　between　your　lordship　and　another　great　lord
of　our　household；　and　at　the　same　time　to　reprehend　this
uncivilized　and　dangerous　practice　of　surrounding　yourselves　with
armed；　and　even　with　ruffianly　followers；　as　if；　in　the
neighbourhood　of　our　capital；　nay　in　the　very　verge　of　our　royal
residence；　you　were　preparing　to　wage　civil　war　with　each　other。
We　are　glad　to　see　you　so　well　recovered；　my　lord；　though
without　the　assistance　of　the　learned　physician　whom　we　sent　to
you。　　Urge　no　excuse；　we　know　how　that　matter　fell　out；　and　we
have　corrected　for　it　the　wild　slip；　young　Raleigh。　　By　the　way；
my　lord；　we　will　speedily　relieve　your　household　of　him；　and　take
him　into　our　own。　　Something　there　is　about　him　which　merits　to
be　better　nurtured　than　he　is　like　to　be　amongst　your　very
military　followers。〃

To　this　proposal　Sussex；　though　scarce　understanding　how　the
Queen　came　to　make　it　could　only　bow　and　express　his
acquiescence。　　He　then　entreated　her　to　remain　till　refreshment
could　be　offered；　but　in　this　he　could　not　prevail。　　And　after　a
few　compliments　of　a　much　colder　and　more　commonplace　character
than　might　have　been　expected　from　a　step　so　decidedly　favourable
as　a　personal　visit；　the　Queen　took　her　leave　of　Sayes　Court；
having　brought　confusion　thither　along　with　her；　and　leaving
doubt　and　apprehension　behind。



CHAPTER　XVI。

　　Then　call　them　to　our　presence。　　Face　to　face；
　　And　frowning　brow　to　brow；　ourselves　will　hear
　　The　accuser　and　accused　freely　speak；
　　High…stomach'd　are　they　both；　and　full　of　ire；
　　In　rage　deaf　as　the　sea；　hasty　as　fire。　　　　　　　　　RICHARD　II。

〃I　am　ordered　to　attend　court　to…morrow；〃　said　Leicester；
speaking　to　Varney；　〃to　meet；　as　they　surmise；　my　Lord　of　Sussex。
The　Queen　intends　to　take　up　matters　betwixt　us。　　This　comes　of
her　visit　to　Sayes　Court；　of　which　you　must　needs　speak　so
lightly。〃

〃I　maintain　it　was　nothing；〃　said　Varney；　〃nay；　I　know　from　a
sure　intelligencer；　who　was　within　earshot　of　much　that　was　said；
that　Sussex　has　lost　rather　than　gained　by　that　visit。　　The　Queen
said；　when　she　stepped　into　the　boat；　that　Sayes　Court　looked
like　a　guard…house；　and　smelt　like　an　hospital。　　'Like　a　cook's
shop　in　Ram's　Alley；　rather；'　said　the　Countess　of　Rutland；　who
is　ever　your　lordship's　good　friend。　　And　then　my　Lord　of　Lincoln
must　needs　put　in　his　holy　oar；　and　say　that　my　Lord　of　Sussex
must　be　excused　for　his　rude　and　old…world　housekeeping；　since　he
had　as　yet　no　wife。〃

〃And　what　said　the　Queen？〃　　asked　Leicester　hastily。

〃She　took　him　up　roundly；〃　said　Varney；　〃and　asked　what　my　Lord
Sussex　had　to　do　with　a　wife；　or　my　Lord　Bishop　to　speak　on　such
a　subject。　　'If　marriage　is　permitted；'　she　said；　'I　nowhere　read
that　it　is　enjoined。'〃

〃She　likes　not　marriages；　or　speech　of　marriage；　among
churchmen；〃　said　Leicester。

〃Nor　among　courtiers　neither；〃　said　Varney；　but；　observing　that
Leicester　changed　countenance；　he　instantly　added；　〃that　all　the
ladies　who　were　present　had　joined　in　ridiculing　Lord　Sussex's
housekeeping；　and　in　contrasting　it　with　the　reception　her　Grace
would　have　assuredly　received　at　my　Lord　of　Leicester's。〃

〃You　have　gathered　much　tidings；〃　said　Leicester；　〃but　you　have
forgotten　or　omitted　the　most　important　of　all。　　She　hath　added
another　to　those　dangling　satellites　whom　it　is　her　pleasure　to
keep　revolving　around　her。〃

〃Your　lordship　meaneth　that　Raleigh；　the　Devonshire　youth；〃　said
Varney〃the　Knight　of　the　Cloak；　as　they　call　him　at　court？〃

〃He　may　be　Knight　of　the　Garter　one　day；　for　aught　I　know；〃　said
Leicester；　〃for　he　advances　rapidlyshe　hath　capped　verses　with
him；　and　such　fooleries。　　I　would　gladly　abandon；　of　my　own　free
will；　the　partI　have　in　her　fickle　favour；　but　I　will　not　be
elbowed　out　of　it　by　the　clown　Sussex；　or　this　new　upstart。　　I
hear　Tressilian　is　with　Sussex　also；　and　high　in　his　favour。　　I
would　spare　him　for　considerations；　but　he　will　thrust　himself　on
his　fate。　　Sussex；　too；　is　almost　as　well　as　e