kenilworth-第53章

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announced　in　a　whisper　that　the　Queen　was　in　her　presence…
chamber；　to　which　these　gave　access。　　Both　Earls　moved　slowly　and
stately　towards　the　entranceSussex　followed　by　Tressilian；
Blount；　and　Raleigh；　and　Leicester　by　Varney。　　The　pride　of
Leicester　was　obliged　to　give　way　to　court…forms；　and　with　a
grave　and　formal　inclination　of　the　head；　he　paused　until　his
rival；　a　peer　of　older　creation　than　his　own；　passed　before　him。
Sussex　returned　the　reverence　with　the　same　formal　civility；　and
entered　the　presence…room。　　Tressilian　and　Blount　offered　to
follow　him；　but　were　not　permitted；　the　Usher　of　the　Black　Rod
alleging　in　excuse　that　he　had　precise　orders　to　look　to　all
admissions　that　day。　　To　Raleigh；　who　stood　back　on　the　repulse
of　his　companions；　he　said；　〃You；　sir；　may　enter；〃　and　he　entered
accordingly。

〃Follow　me　close；　Varney；〃　said　the　Earl　of　Leicester；　who　had
stood　aloof　for　a　moment　to　mark　the　reception　of　Sussex；　and
advancing　to　the　entrance；　he　was　about　to　pass　on；　when　Varney；
who　was　close　behind　him；　dressed　out　in　the　utmost　bravery　of
the　day；　was　stopped　by　the　usher；　as　Tressilian　and　Blount　had
been　before　him；　〃How　is　this；　Master　Bowyer？〃　　said　the　Earl　of
Leicester。　　〃Know　you　who　I　am；　and　that　this　is　my　friend　and
follower？〃

〃Your　lordship　will　pardon　me；〃　replied　Bowyer　stoutly；　〃my
orders　are　precise；　and　limit　me　to　a　strict　discharge　of　my
duty。〃

〃Thou　art　a　partial　knave；〃　said　Leicester；　the　blood　mounting　to
his　face；　〃to　do　me　this　dishonour；　when　you　but　now　admitted　a
follower　of　my　Lord　of　Sussex。〃

〃My　lord；〃　said　Bowyer；　〃Master　Raleigh　is　newly　admitted　a　sworn
servant　of　her　Grace；　and　to　him　my　orders　did　not　apply。〃

〃Thou　art　a　knavean　ungrateful　knave；〃　said　Leicester；　〃but　he
that　hath　done　can　undothou　shalt　not　prank　thee　in　thy
authority　long！〃

This　threat　he　uttered　aloud；　with　less　than　his　usual　policy　and
discretion；　and　having　done　so；　he　entered　the　presence…chamber；
and　made　his　reverence　to　the　Queen；　who；　attired　with　even　more
than　her　usual　splendour；　and　surrounded　by　those　nobles　and
statesmen　whose　courage　and　wisdom　have　rendered　her　reign
immortal；　stood　ready　to　receive　the　hommage　of　her　subjects。
She　graciously　returned　the　obeisance　of　the　favourite　Earl；　and
looked　alternately　at　him　and　at　Sussex；　as　if　about　to　speak；
when　Bowyer；　a　man　whose　spirit　could　not　brook　the　insult　he　had
so　openly　received　from　Leicester；　in　the　discharge　of　his
office；　advanced　with　his　black　rad　in　his　hand；　and　knelt　down
before　her。

〃Why；　how　now；　Bowyer？〃　　said　Elizabeth；　〃thy　courtesy　seems
strangely　timed！〃

〃My　Liege　Sovereign；〃　he　said；　while　every　courtier　around
trembled　at　his　audacity；　〃I　come　but　to　ask　whether；　in　the
discharge　of　mine　office；　I　am　to　obey　your　Highness's　commands；
or　those　of　the　Earl　of　Leicester；　who　has　publicly　menaced　me
with　his　displeasure；　and　treated　me　with　disparaging　terms；
because　I　denied　entry　to　one　of　his　followers；　in　obedience　to
your　Grace's　precise　orders？〃

The　spirit　of　Henry　VIII。　　was　instantly　aroused　in　the　bosom　of
his　daughter；　and　she　turned　on　Leicester　with　a　severity　which
appalled　him；　as　well　as　all　his　followers。

〃God's　death！　　my　lord。〃　　such　was　her　emphatic　phrase；　〃what
means　this？　　We　have　thought　well　of　you；　and　brought　you　near　to
our　person；　but　it　was　not　that　you　might　hide　the　sun　from　our
other　faithful　subjects。　　Who　gave　you　license　to　contradict　our
orders；　or　control　our　officers？　　I　will　have　in　this　court；　ay；
and　in　this　realm；　but　one　mistress；　and　no　master。　　Look　to　it
that　Master　Bowyer　sustains　no　harm　for　his　duty　to　me　faithfully
discharged；　for；　as　I　am　Christian　woman　and　crowned　Queen；　I
will　hold　you　dearly　answerable。Go；　Bowyer；　you　have　done　the
part　of　an　honest　man　and　a　true　subject。　　We　will　brook　no　mayor
of　the　palace　here。

Bowyer　kissed　the　hand　which　she　extended　towards　him；　and
withdrew　to　his　post！　　astonished　at　the　success　of　his　own
audacity。　　A　smile　of　triumph　pervaded　the　faction　of　Sussex；
that　of　Leicester　seemed　proportionally　dismayed；　and　the
favourite　himself；　assuming　an　aspect　of　the　deepest　humility；
did　not　even　attempt　a　word　in　his　own　esculpation。

He　acted　wisely；　for　it　was　the　policy　of　Elizabeth　to　humble；
not　to　disgrace　him；　and　it　was　prudent　to　suffer　her；　without
opposition　or　reply；　to　glory　in　the　exertion　of　her　authority。
The　dignity　of　the　Queen　was　gratified；　and　the　woman　began　soon
to　feel　for　the　mortification　which　she　had　imposed　on　her
favourite。　　Her　keen　eye　also　observed　the　secret　looks　of
congratulation　exchanged　amongst　those　who　favoured　Sussex；　and
it　was　no　part　of　her　policy　to　give　either　party　a　decisive
triumph。

〃What　I　say　to　my　Lord　of　Leicester；〃　she　said；　after　a　moment's
pause；　〃I　say　also　to　you；　my　Lord　of　Sussex。　　You　also　must
needs　ruffle　in　the　court　of　England；　at　the　head　of　a　faction　of
your　own？〃

〃My　followers；　gracious　Princess；〃　said　Sussex；　〃have　indeed
ruffled　in　your　cause　in　Ireland；　in　Scotland；　and　against　yonder
rebellious　Earls　in　the　north。　　I　am　ignorant　that〃

〃Do　you　bandy　looks　and　words　with　me；　my　lord？〃　　said　the　Queen；
interrupting　him；　〃methinks　you　might　learn　of　my　Lord　of
Leicester　the　modesty　to　be　silent；　at　least；　under　our　censure。
I　say；　my　lord；　that　my　grandfather　and　my　father；　in　their
wisdom；　debarred　the　nobles　of　this　civilized　land　from
travelling　with　such　disorderly　retinues；　and　think　you；　that
because　I　wear　a　coif；　their　sceptre　has　in　my　hand　been　changed
into　a　distaff？　　I　tell　you；　no　king　in　Christendom　will　less
brook　his　court　to　be　cumbered；　his　people　oppressed；　and　his
kingdom's　peace　disturbed；　by　the　arrogance　of　overgrown　power；
than　she　who　now　speaks　with　you。My　Lord　of　Leicester；　and　you；
my　Lord　of　Sussex；　I　command　you　both　to　be　friends　with　each
other；　or　by　the　crown　I　wear；　you　shall　find　an　enemy　who　will
be　too　strong　for　both　of　you！〃

〃Madam；〃　said　the　Earl　of　Leicester；　〃you　who　are　yourself　the
fountain　of　honour　know　best　what　is　due　to　mine。　　I　place　it　at
your　disposal；　and　only　say　that　the　terms　on　which　I　have　stood
with　my　Lord　of　Sussex　have　not　been　of　my　seeking；　nor　had　he
cause　to　think　me　his　enemy；　until　he　had　done　me　gross　wrong。〃

〃For　me；　madam；〃　said　the　Earl　of　Sussex；　〃I　cannot　appeal　from
your　sovereign　pleasure；　but　I　were　well　content　my　Lord　of
Leicester　should　say　in　what　I　have；　as　he　terms　it；　wronged　him；
since　my　tongue　never　spoke　the　word　that　I　would　not　willingly
justify　either　on　foot　or　horseback。

〃And　for　me；〃　said　Leicester；　〃always　under　my　gracious
Sovereign's　pleasure；　my　hand　shall　be　as　ready　to　make　good　my
words　as　that　of　any　man　who　ever　wrote　himself　Ratcliffe。〃

〃My　lords；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃these　are　no　terms　for　this
presence；　and　if　you　cannot　keep　your　temper；　we　will　find　means
to　keep　both　that　and　you　close　enough。　　Let　me　see　you　join
hands；　my　lords；　and　forget　your　idle　animosities。〃

The　two　rivals　looked　at　each　other　with　reluctant　eyes；　each
unwilling　to　make　the　first　advance　to　execute　the　Queen's　will。

〃Sussex；〃　said　Elizabeth；〃I　entreatLeicester；　I　command　you。〃

Yet；　so　were　her　words　accented；　that　the　entreaty　sounded　like
command；　and　the　command　like　entreaty。　　They　remained　still　and
stubborn；　until　she　raised　her　voice　to　a　height　which　argued　at
once　impatience　and　absolute　command。

〃Sir　Henry　Lee；〃　she　said；　to　an　officer　in　attendance；　〃have　a
guard　in　present　readiness；　and　man　a　barge　instantly。My　Lords
of　Sussex　and　Leicester；　I　bid　you　once　more　to　join　hands；　and；
God's　death！　　he　that　refuses　shall　taste　of　our　Tower　fare　ere
he　sees　our　face　again。　　I　will　lower　your　proud　hearts　ere　we
part；　and　that　I　promise；　on　the　word　of　a　Queen！〃

〃The　prison？〃　　said　Leicester；　〃might　be　borne；　but　to　lose　your
Grace's　presence　were　to　lose　light　and　life　at　once。Here；
Sussex；　is　my　hand。〃

〃And　here；〃　said　Sussex；　〃is　mine　in　truth　and　honesty；　but〃

〃Nay；　under　favour；　you　shall　add　no　more；〃　said　the　Queen。
〃Why；　this　is　as　it　should　be；〃　she　added；　looking　on　them　more
favourably；