kenilworth-第56章

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been；　it　seems；　but　ill　requited；　but　you　have　scholarship；　and
you　know　there　have　been　false　Cressidas　to　be　found；　from　the
Trojan　war　downwards。　　Forget；　good　sir；　this　Lady　Light　o'　Love
teach　your　affection　to　see　with　a　wiser　eye。　　This　we　say　to
you；　more　from　the　writings　of　learned　men　than　our　own
knowledge；　being；　as　we　are；　far　removed　by　station　and　will　from
the　enlargement　of　experience　in　such　idle　toys　of　humorous
passion。　　For　this　dame's　father；　we　can　make　his　grief　the　less
by　advancing　his　son…in…law　to　such　station　as　may　enable　him　to
give　an　honourable　support　to　his　bride。　　Thou　shalt　not　be
forgotten　thyself；　Tressilianfollow　our　court；　and　thou　shalt
see　that　a　true　Troilus　hath　some　claim　on　our　grace。　　Think　of
what　that　arch…knave　Shakespeare　saysa　plague　on　him；　his　toys
come　into　my　head　when　I　should　think　of　other　matters。　　Stay；
how　goes　it？

　'Cressid　was　yours；　tied　with　the　bonds　of　heaven　；
　　These　bonds　of　heaven　are　slipt；　dissolved；　and　loosed；
　　And　with　another　knot　five　fingers　tied；
　　The　fragments　of　her　faith　are　bound　to　Diomed。'

You　smile；　my　Lord　of　Southamptonperchance　I　make　your　player's
verse　halt　through　my　bad　memory。　　But　let　it　suffice　let　there
be　no　more　of　this　mad　matter。〃

And　as　Tressilian　kept　the　posture　of　one　who　would　willingly　be
heard；　though；　at　the　same　time；　expressive　of　the　deepest
reverence；　the　Queen　added　with　some　impatience；　〃What　would　the
man　have？　　The　wench　cannot　wed　both　of　you？　　She　has　made　her
electionnot　a　wise　one　perchancebut　she　is　Varney's　wedded
wife。〃

〃My　suit　should　sleep　there；　most　gracious　Sovereign；〃　said
Tressilian；　〃and　with　my　suit　my　revenge。　　But　I　hold　this
Varney's　word　no　good　warrant　for　the　truth。〃

〃Had　that　doubt　been　elsewhere　urged；〃　answered　Varney；　〃my
sword〃

〃THY　sword！〃　　interrupted　Tressilian　scornfully；　〃with　her
Grace's　leave；　my　sword　shall　show〃

〃Peace；　you　knaves；　both！〃　　said　the　Queen；　〃know　you　where　you
are？This　comes　of　your　feuds；　my　lords；〃　she　added；　looking
towards　Leicester　and　Sussex；　〃your　followers　catch　your　own
humour；　and　must　bandy　and　brawl　in　my　court　and　in　my　very
presence；　like　so　many　Matamoros。Look　you；　sirs；　he　that　speaks
of　drawing　swords　in　any　other　quarrel　than　mine　or　England's；　by
mine　honour；　I'll　bracelet　him　with　iron　both　on　wrist　and
ankle！〃　　She　then　paused　a　minute；　and　resumed　in　a　milder　tone；
〃I　must　do　justice　betwixt　the　bold　and　mutinous　knaves
notwithstanding。My　Lord　of　Leicester；　will　you　warrant　with
your　honourthat　is；　to　the　best　of　your　beliefthat　your
servant　speaks　truth　in　saying　he　hath　married　this　Amy　Robsart？〃

This　was　a　home…thrust；　and　had　nearly　staggered　Leicester。　　But
he　had　now　gone　too　far　to　recede；　and　answered；　after　a　moment's
hesitation；　〃To　the　best　of　my　beliefindeed　on　my　certain
knowledgeshe　is　a　wedded　wife。〃

〃Gracious　madam；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃may　I　yet　request　to　know；
when　and　under　what　circumstances　this　alleged　marriage〃

〃Out；　sirrah；〃　answered　the　Queen；　〃ALLEGED　marriage！　　Have　you
not　the　word　of　this　illustrious　Earl　to　warrant　the　truth　of
what　his　servant　says？　　But　thou　art　a　loserthinkest　thyself
such　at　leastand　thou　shalt　have　indulgence；　we　will　look　into
the　matter　ourself　more　at　leisure。My　Lord　of　Leicester；　I
trust　you　remember　we　mean　to　taste　the　good　cheer　of　your　Castle
of　Kenilworth　on　this　week　ensuing。　　We　will　pray　you　to　bid　our
good　and　valued　friend；　the　Earl　of　Sussex；　to　hold　company　with
us　there。〃

〃If　the　noble　Earl　of　Sussex；〃　said　Leicester；　bowing　to　his
rival　with　the　easiest　and　with　the　most　graceful　courtesy；　〃will
so　far　honour　my　poor　house；　I　will　hold　it　an　additional　proof
of　the　amicable　regard　it　is　your　Grace's　desire　we　should
entertain　towards　each　other。〃

Sussex　was　more　embarrassed。　　〃I　should；〃　said　he；　〃madam；　be　but
a　clog　on　your　gayer　hours；　since　my　late　severe　illness。〃

〃And　have　you　been　indeed　so　very　ill？〃　　said　Elizabeth；　looking
on　him　with　more　attention　than　before；　〃you　are；　in　faith；
strangely　altered；　and　deeply　am　I　grieved　to　see　it。　　But　be　of
good　cheerwe　will　ourselves　look　after　the　health　of　so　valued
a　servant；　and　to　whom　we　owe　so　much。　　Masters　shall　order　your
diet；　and　that　we　ourselves　may　see　that　he　is　obeyed；　you　must
attend　us　in　this　progress　to　Kenilworth。〃

This　was　said　so　peremptorily；　and　at　the　same　time　with　so　much
kindness；　that　Sussex；　however　unwilling　to　become　the　guest　of
his　rival；　had　no　resource　but　to　bow　low　to　the　Queen　in
obedience　to　her　commands；　and　to　express　to　Leicester；　with
blunt　courtesy；　though　mingled　with　embarrassment；　his　acceptance
of　his　invitation。　　As　the　Earls　exchanged　compliments　on　the
occasion；　the　Queen　said　to　her　High　Treasurer；　〃Methinks；　my
lord；　the　countenances　of　these　our　two　noble　peers　resemble
those　of　the　two　famed　classic　streams；　the　one　so　dark　and　sad；
the　other　so　fair　and　noble。　　My　old　Master　Ascham　would　have
chid　me　for　forgetting　the　author。　　It　is　Caesar；　as　I　think。
See　what　majestic　calmness　sits　on　the　brow　of　the　noble
Leicester；　while　Sussex　seems　to　greet　him　as　if　he　did　our　will
indeed；　but　not　willingly。〃

〃The　doubt　of　your　Majesty's　favour；〃　answered　the　Lord
Treasurer；　〃may　perchance　occasion　the　difference；　which　does
notas　what　does？escape　your　Grace's　eye。〃

〃Such　doubt　were　injurious　to　us；　my　lord；〃　replied　the　Queen。
〃We　hold　both　to　be　near　and　dear　to　us；　and　will　with
impartiality　employ　both　in　honourable　service　for　the　weal　of
our　kingdom。　　But　we　will　break　their　further　conference　at
present。My　Lords　of　Sussex　and　Leicester；　we　have　a　word　more
with　you。　　'Tressilian　and　Varney　are　near　your　personsyou　will
see　that　they　attend　you　at　Kenilworth。　　And　as　we　shall　then
have　both　Paris　and　Menelaus　within　our　call；　so　we　will　have　the
same　fair　Helen　also；　whose　fickleness　has　caused　this　broil。
Varney；　thy　wife　must　be　at　Kenilworth；　and　forthcoming　at　my
order。My　Lord　of　Leicester；　we　expect　you　will　look　to　this。〃

The　Earl　and　his　follower　bowed　low　and　raised　their　heads；
without　daring　to　look　at　the　Queen；　or　at　each　other；　for　both
felt　at　the　instant　as　if　the　nets　and　toils　which　their　own
falsehood　had　woven　were　in　the　act　of　closing　around　them。　　The
Queen；　however；　observed　not　their　confusion；　but　proceeded　to
say；　〃My　Lords　of　Sussex　and　Leicester；　we　require　your　presence
at　the　privy…council　to　be　presently　held；　where　matters　of
importance　are　to　be　debated。　　We　will　then　take　the　water　for
our　divertisement；　and　you；　my　lords；　will　attend　us。And　that
reminds　us　of　a　circumstance。Do　you；　Sir　Squire　of　the　Soiled
Cassock〃　（distinguishing　Raleigh　by　a　smile）；　〃fail　not　to
observe　that　you　are　to　attend　us　on　our　progress。　　You　shall　be
supplied　with　suitable　means　to　reform　your　wardrobe。〃

And　so　terminated　this　celebrated　audience；　in　which；　as
throughout　her　life；　Elizabeth　united　the　occasional　caprice　of
her　sex　with　that　sense　and　sound　policy　in　which　neither　man　nor
woman　ever　excelled　her。



CHAPTER　XVII。

　　Well；　thenour　course　is　chosenspread　the　sail
　　Heave　oft　the　lead；　and　mark　the　soundings　well
　　Look　to　the　helm；　good　mastermany　a　shoal
　　Marks　this　stern　coast；　and　rocks；　where　sits　the　Siren；
　　Who；　like　ambition；　lures　men　to　their　ruin。　　　　　THE　SHIPWRECK。

During　the　brief　interval　that　took　place　betwixt　the　dismissal
of　the　audience　and　the　sitting　of　the　privy…council；　Leicester
had　time　to　reflect　that　he　had　that　morning　sealed　his　own　fate。
〃It　was　impossible　for　him　now；〃　he　thought；　〃after　having；　in
the　face　of　all　that　was　honourable　in　England；　pledged　his　truth
（though　in　an　ambiguous　phrase）　for　the　statement　of　Varney；　to
contradict　or　disavow　it；　without　exposing　himself；　not　merely　to
the　loss　of　court…favour；　but　to　the　highest　displeasure　of　the
Queen；　his　deceived　mistress；　and　to　the　scorn　and　contempt　at
once　of　his　rival　and　of　all　his　compeers。〃　　This　certainty
rushed　at　once　on　his　mind；　together　with　all　the　difficulties
which　he　would　necessarily　be　exposed　to　in　preserving　a　secret
which　seemed　now　equally　essential　to