kenilworth-第54章

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〃Why；　this　is　as　it　should　be；〃　she　added；　looking　on　them　more
favourably；　〃and　when　you　the　shepherds　of　the　people；　unite　to
protect　them；　it　shall　be　well　with　the　flock　we　rule　over。　　For；
my　lords；　I　tell　you　plainly；　your　follies　and　your　brawls　lead
to　strange　disorders　among　your　servants。My　Lord　of　Leicester；
you　have　a　gentleman　in　your　household　called　Varney？〃

〃Yes；　gracious　madam；〃　replied　Leicester；　〃I　presented　him　to
kiss　your　royal　hand　when　you　were　last　at　Nonsuch。〃

〃His　outside　was　well　enough；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃but　scarce　so
fair；　I　should　have　thought；　as　to　have　caused　a　maiden　of
honourable　birth　and　hopes　to　barter　her　fame　for　his　good　looks；
and　become　his　paramour。　　Yet　so　it　is；　this　fellow　of　yours　hath
seduced　the　daughter　of　a　good　old　Devonshire　knight；　Sir　Hugh
Robsart　of　Lidcote　Hall；　and　she　hath　fled　with　him　from　her
father's　house　like　a　castaway。My　Lord　of　Leicester；　are　you
ill；　that　you　look　so　deadly　pale？〃

〃No；　gracious　madam；〃　said　Leicester；　and　it　required　every
effort　he　could　make　to　bring　forth　these　few　words。

〃You　are　surely　ill；　my　lord？〃　　said　Elizabeth；　going　towards　him
with　hasty　speech　and　hurried　step；　which　indicated　the　deepest
concern。　　〃Call　Masterscall　our　surgeon　in　ordinary。Where　be
these　loitering　fools？we　lose　the　pride　of　our　court　through
their　negligence。Or　is　it　possible；　Leicester；〃　she　continued；
looking　on　him　with　a　very　gentle　aspect；　〃can　fear　of　my
displeasure　have　wrought　so　deeply　on　thee？　　Doubt　not　for　a
moment；　noble　Dudley；　that　we　could　blame　THEE　for　the　folly　of
thy　retainerthee；　whose　thoughts　we　know　to　be　far　otherwise
employed。　　He　that　would　climb　the　eagle's　nest；　my　lord；　cares
not　who　are　catching　linnets　at　the　foot　of　the　precipice。〃

〃Mark　you　that？〃　　said　Sussex　aside　to　Raleigh。　　〃The　devil　aids
him　surely；　for　all　that　would　sink　another　ten　fathom　deep　seems
but　to　make　him　float　the　more　easily。　　Had　a　follower　of　mine
acted　thus〃

〃Peace；　my　good　lord；〃　said　Raleigh；　〃for　God's　sake；　peace！
Wait　the　change　of　the　tide；　it　is　even　now　on　the　turn。〃

The　acute　observation　of　Raleigh；　perhaps；　did　not　deceive　him；
for　Leicester's　confusion　was　so　great；　and；　indeed；　for　the
moment；　so　irresistibly　overwhelming；　that　Elizabeth；　after
looking　at　him　with　a　wondering　eye；　and　receiving　no
intelligible　answer　to　the　unusual　expressions　of　grace　and
affection　which　had　escaped　from　her；　shot　her　quick　glance
around　the　circle　of　courtiers；　and　reading；　perhaps；　in　their
faces　something　that　accorded　with　her　own　awakened　suspicions；
she　said　suddenly；　〃Or　is　there　more　in　this　than　we　seeor　than
you；　my　lord；　wish　that　we　should　see？　　Where　is　this　Varney？
Who　saw　him？〃

〃An　it　please　your　Grace；〃　said　Bowyer；　〃it　is　the　same　against
whom　I　this　instant　closed　the　door　of　the　presence…room。〃

〃An　it　please　me？〃　　repeated　Elizabeth　sharply；　not　at　that
moment　in　the　humour　of　being　pleased　with　anything。〃It　does
NOT　please　me　that　he　should　pass　saucily　into　my　presence；　or
that　you　should　exclude　from　it　one　who　came　to　justify　himself
from　an　accusation。〃

〃May　it　please　you；〃　answered　the　perplexed　usher；　〃if　I　knew；　in
such　case；　how　to　bear　myself；　I　would　take　heed〃

〃You　should　have　reported　the　fellow's　desire　to　us；　Master
Usher；　and　taken　our　directions。　　You　think　yourself　a　great　man；
because　but　now　we　chid　a　nobleman　on　your　account；　yet；　after
all；　we　hold　you　but　as　the　lead…weight　that　keeps　the　door　fast。
Call　this　Varney　hither　instantly。　　There　is　one　Tressilian　also
mentioned　in　this　petition。　　Let　them　both　come　before　us。〃

She　was　obeyed；　and　Tressilian　and　Varney　appeared　accordingly。
Varney's　first　glance　was　at　Leicester；　his　second　at　the　Queen。
In　the　looks　of　the　latter　there　appeared　an　approaching　storm；
and　in　the　downcast　countenance　of　his　patron　he　could　read　no
directions　in　what　way　he　was　to　trim　his　vessel　for　the
encounter。　　He　then　saw　Tressilian；　and　at　once　perceived　the
peril　of　the　situation　in　which　he　was　placed。　　But　Varney　was　as
bold…faced　and　ready…witted　as　he　was　cunning　and　unscrupulousa
skilful　pilot　in　extremity；　and　fully　conscious　of　the　advantages
which　he　would　obtain　could　he　extricate　Leicester　from　his
present　peril；　and　of　the　ruin　that　yawned　for　himself　should　he
fail　in　doing　so。

〃Is　it　true；　sirrah；〃　said　the　Queen；　with　one　of　those　searching
looks　which　few　had　the　audacity　to　resist；　〃that　you　have
seduced　to　infamy　a　young　lady　of　birth　and　breeding；　the
daughter　of　Sir　Hugh　Robsart　of　Lidcote　Hall？〃

Varney　kneeled　down；　and　replied；　with　a　look　of　the　most
profound　contrition；　〃There　had　been　some　love　passages　betwixt
him　and　Mistress　Amy　Robsart。〃

Leicester's　flesh　quivered　with　indignation　as　he　heard　his
dependant　make　this　avowal；　and　for　one　moment　he　manned　himself
to　step　forward；　and；　bidding　farewell　to　the　court　and　the　royal
favour；　confess　the　whole　mystery　of　the　secret　marriage。　　But　he
looked　at　Sussex；　and　the　idea　of　the　triumphant　smile　which
would　clothe　his　cheek　upon　hearing　the　avowal　sealed　his　lips。
〃Not　now；　at　least；〃　he　thought；　〃or　in　this　presence；　will　I
afford　him　so　rich　a　triumph。〃　　And　pressing　his　lips　close
together；　he　stood　firm　and　collected；　attentive　to　each　word
which　Varney　uttered；　and　determined　to　hide　to　the　last　the
secret　on　which　his　court…favour　seemed　to　depend。　　Meanwhile；
the　Queen　proceeded　in　her　examination　of　Varney。

〃Love　passages！〃　　said　she；　echoing　his　last　words；　〃what
passages；　thou　knave？　　and　why　not　ask　the　wench's　hand　from　her
father；　if　thou　hadst　any　honesty　in　thy　love　for　her？〃

〃An　it　please　your　Grace；〃　said　Varney；　still　on　his　knees；　〃I
dared　not　do　so；　for　her　father　had　promised　her　hand　to　a
gentleman　of　birth　and　honourI　will　do　him　justice；　though　I
know　he　bears　me　ill…willone　Master　Edmund　Tressilian；　whom　I
now　see　in　the　presence。〃

〃Soh！〃　　replied　the　Queen。　　〃And　what　was　your　right　to　make　the
simple　fool　break　her　worthy　father's　contract；　through　your　love
PASSAGES；　as　your　conceit　and　assurance　terms　them？〃

〃Madam；〃　replied　Varney；　〃it　is　in　vain　to　plead　the　cause　of
human　frailty　before　a　judge　to　whom　it　is　unknown；　or　that　of
love　to　one　who　never　yields　to　the　passion〃he　paused　an
instant；　and　then　added；　in　a　very　low　and　timid　tone〃which　she
inflicts　upon　all　others。〃

Elizabeth　tried　to　frown；　but　smiled　in　her　own　despite；　as　she
answered；　〃Thou　art　a　marvellously　impudent　knave。　　Art　thou
married　to　the　girl？〃

Leicester's　feelings　became　so　complicated　and　so　painfully
intense；　that　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　his　life　was　to　depend　on
the　answer　made　by　Varney；　who；　after　a　moment's　real　hesitation；
answered；　〃Yes。〃

〃Thou　false　villain！〃　　said　Leicester；　bursting　forth　into　rage；
yet　unable　to　add　another　word　to　the　sentence　which　he　had　begun
with　such　emphatic　passion。

〃Nay；　my　lord；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃we　will；　by　your　leave；　stand
between　this　fellow　and　your　anger。　　We　have　not　yet　done　with
him。Knew　your　master；　my　Lord　of　Leicester；　of　this　fair　work
of　yours？　　Speak　truth；　I　command　thee；　and　I　will　be　thy　warrant
from　danger　on　every　quarter。〃

〃Gracious　madam；〃　said　Varney；　〃to　speak　Heaven's　truth；　my　lord
was　the　cause　of　the　whole　matter。〃

〃Thou　villain；　wouldst　thou　betray　me？〃　　said　Leicester。

〃Speak　on；〃　said　the　Queen　hastily；　her　cheek　colouring；　and　her
eyes　sparkling；　as　she　addressed　Varney〃speak　on。　　Here　no
commands　are　heard　but　mine。〃

〃They　are　omnipotent；　gracious　madam；〃　replied　Varney；　〃and　to
you　there　can　be　no　secrets。Yet　I　would　not；〃　he　added；　looking
around　him；　〃speak　of　my　master's　concerns　to　other　ears。〃

〃Fall　back；　my　lords；〃　said　the　Queen　to　those　who　surrounded
her；　〃and　do　you　speak　on。　　What　hath　the　Earl　to　do　with　this
guilty　intrigue　of　thine？　　See；　fellow；　that　thou　beliest　him
not！〃

〃Far　be　it　from　me　to　traduce　my　noble　patron；〃　replied　Varney；
〃yet　I　am　compelled　to　own　that　some　deep；　overwhelming；　yet
secret　feeling　hath　of　late　dwelt　in　my　lord's　mind；　hath
abstracted　him　from　the　cares　of　the　household　which　he　was　wont
to　govern　with