kenilworth-第55章

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abstracted　him　from　the　cares　of　the　household　which　he　was　wont
to　govern　with　such　religious　strictness；　and　hath　left　us
opportunities　to　do　follies；　of　which　the　shame；　as　in　this　case；
partly　falls　upon　our　patron。　　Without　this；　I　had　not　had　means
or　leisure　to　commit　the　folly　which　has　drawn　on　me　his
displeasurethe　heaviest　to　endure　by　me　which　I　could　by　any
means　incur；　saving　always　the　yet　more　dreaded　resentment　of
your　Grace。〃

〃And　in　this　sense；　and　no　other；　hath　he　been　accessory　to　thy
fault？〃　　said　Elizabeth。

〃Surely；　madam；　in　no　other；〃　replied　Varney；　〃but　since　somewhat
hath　chanced　to　him；　he　can　scarce　be　called　his　own　man。　　Look
at　him；　madam；　how　pale　and　trembling　he　stands！　　how　unlike　his
usual　majesty　of　manner！yet　what　has　he　to　fear　from　aught　I
can　say　to　your　Highness？　　Ah！　　madam；　since　he　received　that
fatal　packet！〃

〃What　packet；　and　from　whence？〃　　said　the　Queen　eagerly。

〃From　whence；　madam；　I　cannot　guess；　but　I　am　so　near　to　his
person　that　I　know　he　has　ever　since　worn；　suspended　around　his
neck　and　next　to　his　heart；　that　lock　of　hair　which　sustains　a
small　golden　jewel　shaped　like　a　heart。　　He　speaks　to　it　when
alonehe　parts　not　from　it　when　he　sleepsno　heathen　ever
worshipped　an　idol　with　such　devotion。〃

〃Thou　art　a　prying　knave　to　watch　thy　master　so　closely；〃　said
Elizabeth；　blushing；　but　not　with　anger；　〃and　a　tattling　knave　to
tell　over　again　his　fooleries。What　colour　might　the　braid　of
hair　be　that　thou　pratest　of？〃

Varney　replied；　〃A　poet；　madam；　might　call　it　a　thread　from　the
golden　web　wrought　by　Minerva；　but　to　my　thinking　it　was　paler
than　even　the　purest　goldmore　like　the　last　parting　sunbeam　of
the　softest　day　of　spring。〃

〃Why；　you　are　a　poet　yourself；　Master　Varney；〃　said　the　Queen；
smiling。　　〃But　I　have　not　genius　quick　enough　to　follow　your　rare
metaphors。　　Look　round　these　ladiesis　there〃（she　hesitated；
and　endeavoured　to　assume　an　air　of　great　indifference）〃is
there　here；　in　this　presence；　any　lady；　the　colour　of　whose　hair
reminds　thee　of　that　braid？　　Methinks；　without　prying　into　my
Lord　of　Leicester's　amorous　secrets；　I　would　fain　know　what　kind
of　locks　are　like　the　thread　of　Minerva's　web；　or　thewhat　was
it？the　last　rays　of　the　May…day　sun。〃

Varney　looked　round　the　presence…chamber；　his　eye　travelling　from
one　lady　to　another；　until　at　length　it　rested　upon　the　Queen
herself；　but　with　an　aspect　of　the　deepest　veneration。　　〃I　see　no
tresses；〃　he　said；　〃in　this　presence；　worthy　of　such　similies；
unless　where　I　dare　not　look　on　them。〃

〃How；　sir　knave？〃　　said　the　Queen；　〃dare　you　intimate〃

〃Nay；　madam；〃　replied　Varney；　shading　his　eyes　with　his　hand；　〃it
was　the　beams　of　the　May…day　sun　that　dazzled　my　weak　eyes。〃

〃Go　togo　to；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃thou　art　a　foolish　fellow〃and
turning　quickly　from　him　she　walked　up　to　Leicester。

Intense　curiosity；　mingled　with　all　the　various　hopes；　fears；　and
passions　which　influence　court　faction；　had　occupied　the
presence…chamber　during　the　Queen's　conference　with　Varney；　as　if
with　the　strength　of　an　Eastern　talisman。　　Men　suspended　every；
even　the　slightest　external　motion；　and　would　have　ceased　to
breathe；　had　Nature　permitted　such　an　intermission　of　her
functions。　　The　atmosphere　was　contagious；　and　Leicester；　who　saw
all　around　wishing　or　fearing　his　advancement　or　his　fall　forgot
all　that　love　had　previously　dictated；　and　saw　nothing　for　the
instant　but　the　favour　or　disgrace　which　depended　on　the　nod　of
Elizabeth　and　the　fidelity　of　Varney。　　He　summoned　himself
hastily；　and　prepared　to　play　his　part　in　the　scene　which　was
like　to　ensue；　when；　as　he　judged　from　the　glances　which　the
Queen　threw　towards　him；　Varney's　communications；　be　they　what
they　might；　were　operating　in　his　favour。　　Elizabeth　did　not　long
leave　him　in　doubt；　for　the　more　than　favour　with　which　she
accosted　him　decided　his　triumph　in　the　eyes　of　his　rival；　and　of
the　assembled　court　of　England。　　〃Thou　hast　a　prating　servant　of
this　same　Varney；　my　lord；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　lucky　you　trust　him
with　nothing　that　can　hurt　you　in　our　opinion；　for　believe　me；　he
would　keep　no　counsel。〃

〃From　your　Highness；〃　said　Leicester；　dropping　gracefully　on　one
knee；　〃it　were　treason　he　should。　　I　would　that　my　heart　itself
lay　before　you；　barer　than　the　tongue　of　any　servant　could　strip
it。〃

〃What；　my　lord；〃　said　Elizabeth；　looking　kindly　upon　him；　〃is
there　no　one　little　corner　over　which　you　would　wish　to　spread　a
veil？　　Ah！　　I　see　you　are　confused　at　the　question；　and　your
Queen　knows　she　should　not　look　too　deeply　into　her　servants'
motives　for　their　faithful　duty；　lest　she　see　what　might；　or　at
least　ought　to；　displease　her。〃

Relieved　by　these　last　words；　Leicester　broke　out　into　a　torrent
of　expressions　of　deep　and　passionate　attachment；　which　perhaps；
at　that　moment；　were　not　altogether　fictitious。　　The　mingled
emotions　which　had　at　first　overcome　him　had　now　given　way　to　the
energetic　vigour　with　which　he　had　determined　to　support　his
place　in　the　Queen's　favour；　and　never　did　he　seem　to　Elizabeth
more　eloquent；　more　handsome；　more　interesting；　than　while；
kneeling　at　her　feet；　he　conjured　her　to　strip　him　of　all　his
dower；　but　to　leave　him　the　name　of　her　servant。〃Take　from　the
poor　Dudley；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃all　that　your　bounty　has　made　him；
and　bid　him　be　the　poor　gentleman　he　was　when　your　Grace　first
shone　on　him；　leave　him　no　more　than　his　cloak　and　his　sword；　but
let　him　still　boast　he　haswhat　in　word　or　deed　he　never
forfeitedthe　regard　of　his　adored　Queen　and　mistress！〃

〃No；　Dudley！〃　　said　Elizabeth；　raising　him　with　one　hand；　while
she　extended　the　other　that　he　might　kiss　it。　　〃Elizabeth　hath
not　forgotten　that；　whilst　you　were　a　poor　gentleman；　despoiled
of　your　hereditary　rank；　she　was　as　poor　a　princess；　and　that　in
her　cause　you　then　ventured　all　that　oppression　had　left　you
your　life　and　honour。　　Rise；　my　lord；　and　let　my　hand　gorise；
and　be　what　you　have　ever　been；　the　grace　of　our　court　and　the
support　of　our　throne！　　Your　mistress　may　be　forced　to　chide　your
misdemeanours；　but　never　without　owning　your　merits。And　so　help
me　God；〃　she　added；　turning　to　the　audience；　who；　with　various
feelings；　witnessed　this　interesting　scene〃so　help　me　God；
gentlemen；　as　I　think　never　sovereign　had　a　truer　servant　than　I
have　in　this　noble　Earl！〃

A　murmur　of　assent　rose　from　the　Leicestrian　faction；　which　the
friends　of　Sussex　dared　not　oppose。　　They　remained　with　their
eyes　fixed　on　the　ground；　dismayed　as　well　as　mortified　by　the
public　and　absolute　triumph　of　their　opponents。　　Leicester's
first　use　of　the　familiarity　to　which　the　Queen　had　so　publicly
restored　him　was　to　ask　her　commands　concerning　Varney's　offence。
〃although；〃　he　said；　〃the　fellow　deserves　nothing　from　me　but
displeasure；　yet；　might　I　presume　to　intercede〃

〃In　truth；　we　had　forgotten　his　matter；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃and　it
was　ill　done　of　us；　who　owe　justice　to　our　meanest　as　well　as　to
our　highest　subject。　　We　are　pleased；　my　lord；　that　you　were　the
first　to　recall　the　matter　to　our　memory。Where　is　Tressilian；
the　accuser？let　him　come　before　us。〃

Tressilian　appeared；　and　made　a　low　and　beseeming　reference。　　His
person；　as　we　have　elsewhere　observed；　had　an　air　of　grace　and
even　of　nobleness；　which　did　not　escape　Queen　Elizabeth's
critical　observation。　　She　looked　at　him　with；　attention　as　he
stood　before　her　unabashed；　but　with　an　air　of　the　deepest
dejection。

〃I　cannot　but　grieve　for　this　gentleman；〃　she　said　to　Leicester。
〃I　have　inquired　concerning　him；　and　his　presence　confirms　what　I
heard；　that　he　is　a　scholar　and　a　soldier；　well　accomplished　both
in　arts　and　arms。　　We　women；　my　lord；　are　fanciful　in　our　choice
I　had　said　now；　to　judge　by　the　eye；　there　was　no　comparison　to
be　held　betwixt　your　follower　and　this　gentleman。　　But　Varney　is
a　well…spoken　fellow；　and；　to　say　truth；　that　goes　far　with　us　of
the　weaker　sex。look　you；　Master　Tressilian；　a　bolt　lost　is　not
a　bow　broken。　　Your　true　affection；　as　I　will　hold　it　to　be；　hath
been；　it　seems；　but　ill　requited；　but　you　have　scholarship；　and
you　know　there　have　been　fals