kenilworth-第57章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


which　he　would　necessarily　be　exposed　to　in　preserving　a　secret
which　seemed　now　equally　essential　to　his　safety；　to　his　power；
and　to　his　honour。　　He　was　situated　like　one　who　walks　upon　ice
ready　to　give　way　around　him；　and　whose　only　safety　consists　in
moving　onwards；　by　firm　and　unvacillating　steps。　　The　Queen's
favour；　to　preserve　which　he　had　made　such　sacrifices；　must　now
be　secured　by　all　means　and　at　all　hazards；　it　was　the　only　plank
which　he　could　cling　to　in　the　tempest。　　He　must　settle　himself；
therefore；　to　the　task　of　not　only　preserving；　but　augmenting　the
Queen's　partialityhe　must　be　the　favourite　of　Elizabeth；　or　a
man　utterly　shipwrecked　in　fortune　and　in　honour。　　All　other
considerations　must　be　laid　aside　for　the　moment；　and　he　repelled
the　intrusive　thoughts　which　forced　on　his　mind　the　image　of；
Amy；　by　saying　to　himself　there　would　be　time　to　think　hereafter
how　he　was　to　escape　from　the　labyrinth　ultimately；　since　the
pilot　who　sees　a　Scylla　under　his　bows　must　not　for　the　time
think　of　the　more　distant　dangers　of　Charybdis。

In　this　mood　the　Earl　of　Leicester　that　day　assumed　his　chair　at
the　council　table　of　Elizabeth；　and　when　the　hours　of　business
were　over；　in　this　same　mood　did　he　occupy　an　honoured　place　near
her　during　her　pleasure　excursion　on　the　Thames。　　And　never　did
he　display　to　more　advantage　his　powers　as　a　politician　of　the
first　rank；　or　his　parts　as　an　accomplished　courtier。

It　chanced　that　in　that　day's　council　matters　were　agitated
touching　the　affairs　of　the　unfortunate　Mary；　the　seventh　year　of
whose　captivity　in　England　was　now　in　doleful　currency。　　There
had　been　opinions　in　favour　of　this　unhappy　princess　laid　before
Elizabeth's　council；　and　supported　with　much　strength　of　argument
by　Sussex　and　others；　who　dwelt　more　upon　the　law　of　nations　and
the　breach　of　hospitality　than；　however　softened　or　qualified；
was　agreeable　to　the　Queen's　ear。　　Leicester　adopted　the　contrary
opinion　with　great　animation　and　eloquence；　and　described　the
necessity　of　continuing　the　severe　restraint　of　the　Queen　of
Scots；　as　a　measure　essential　to　the　safety　of　the　kingdom；　and
particularly　of　Elizabeth's　sacred　person；　the　lightest　hair　of
whose　head；　he　maintained；　ought；　in　their　lordships'　estimation；
to　be　matter　of　more　deep　and　anxious　concern　than　the　life　and
fortunes　of　a　rival；　who；　after　setting　up　a　vain　and　unjust
pretence　to　the　throne　of　England；　was　now；　even　while　in　the
bosom　of　her　country；　the　constant　hope　and　theme　of
encouragement　to　all　enemies　to　Elizabeth；　whether　at　home　or
abroad。　　He　ended　by　craving　pardon　of　their　lordships；　if　in　the
zeal　of　speech　he　had　given　any　offence；　but　the　Queen's　safety
was　a　theme　which　hurried　him　beyond　his　usual　moderation　of
debate。

Elizabeth　chid　him；　but　not　severely；　for　the　weight　which　he
attached　unduly　to　her　personal　interests；　yet　she　owned　that；
since　it　had　been　the　pleasure　of　Heaven　to　combine　those
interests　with　the　weal　of　her　subjects；　she　did　only　her　duty
when　she　adopted　such　measures　of　self…preservation　as
circumstances　forced　upon　her；　and　if　the　council　in　their　wisdom
should　be　of　opinion　that　it　was　needful　to　continue　some
restraint　on　the　person　of　her　unhappy　sister　of　Scotland；　she
trusted　they　would　not　blame　her　if　she　requested　of　the　Countess
of　Shrewsbury　to　use　her　with　as　much　kindness　as　might　be
consistent　with　her　safe　keeping。　　And　with　this　intimation　of
her　pleasure　the　council　was　dismissed。

Never　was　more　anxious　and　ready　way　made　for　〃my　Lord　of
Leicester；〃　than　as　he　passed　through　the　crowded　anterooms　to　go
towards　the　river…side；　in　order　to　attend　her　Majesty　to　her
bargenever　was　the　voice　of　the　ushers　louder；　to　〃make　room；
make　room　for　the　noble　Earl〃never　were　these　signals　more
promptly　and　reverently　obeyednever　were　more　anxious　eyes
turned　on　him　to　obtain　a　glance　of　favour；　or　even　of　mere
recognition；　while　the　heart　of　many　a　humble　follower　throbbed
betwixt　the　desire　to　offer　his　congratulations；　and　the　fear　of
intruding　himself　on　the　notice　of　one　so　infinitely　above　him。
The　whole　court　considered　the　issue　of　this　day's　audience；
expected　with　so　much　doubt　and　anxiety；　as　a　decisive　triumph　on
the　part　of　Leicester；　and　felt　assured　that　the　orb　of　his　rival
satellite；　if　not　altogether　obscured　by　his　lustre；　must　revolve
hereafter　in　a　dimmer　and　more　distant　sphere。　　So　thought　the
court　and　courtiers；　from　high　to　low；　and　they　acted
accordingly。

On　the　other　hand；　never　did　Leicester　return　the　general
greeting　with　such　ready　and　condescending　courtesy；　or　endeavour
more　successfully　to　gather　（in　the　words　of　one　who　at　that
moment　stood　at　no　great　distance　from　him）　〃golden　opinions　from
all　sorts　of　men。〃

For　all　the　favourite　Earl　had　a　bow　a　smile　at　least；　and　often
a　kind　word。　　Most　of　these　were　addressed　to　courtiers；　whose
names　have　long　gone　down　the　tide　of　oblivion；　but　some；　to　such
as　sound　strangely　in　our　ears；　when　connected　with　the　ordinary
matters　of　human　life；　above　which　the　gratitude　of　posterity　has
long　elevated　them。　　A　few　of　Leicester's　interlocutory　sentences
ran　as　follows：

〃Poynings；　good　morrow；　and　how　does　your　wife　and　fair　daughter？
Why　come　they　not　to　court？Adams；　your　suit　is　naught；　the
Queen　will　grant　no　more　monopolies。　　But　I　may　serve　you　in
another　matter。My　good　Alderman　Aylford；　the　suit　of　the　City；
affecting　Queenhithe；　shall　be　forwarded　as　far　as　my　poor
interest　can　serve。Master　Edmund　Spenser；　touching　your　Irish
petition；　I　would　willingly　aid　you；　from　my　love　to　the　Muses；
but　thou　hast　nettled　the　Lord　Treasurer。〃

〃My　lord；　〃　said　the　poet；　〃were　I　permitted　to　explain〃

〃Come　to　my　lodging；　Edmund；〃　answered　the　Earl　〃not　to…morrow；
or　next　day；　but　soon。Ha；　Will　Shakespearewild　Will！thou
hast　given　my　nephew　Philip　Sidney；　love…powder；　he　cannot　sleep
without　thy　Venus　and　Adonis　under　his　pillow！　　We　will　have　thee
hanged　for　the　veriest　wizard　in　Europe。　　Hark　thee；　mad　wag；　I
have　not　forgotten　thy　matter　of　the　patent；　and　of　the　bears。〃

The　PLAYER　bowed；　and　the　Earl　nodded　and　passed　onso　that　age
would　have　told　the　tale；　in　ours；　perhaps；　we　might　say　the
immortal　had　done　homage　to　the　mortal。　　The　next　whom　the
favourite　accosted　was　one　of　his　own　zealous　dependants。

〃How　now；　Sir　Francis　Denning；〃　he　whispered；　in　answer　to　his
exulting　salutation；　〃that　smile　hath　made　thy　face　shorter　by
one…third　than　when　I　first　saw　it　this　morning。What；　Master
Bowyer；　stand　you　back；　and　think　you　I　bear　malice？　　You　did　but
your　duty　this　morning；　and　if　I　remember　aught　of　the　passage
betwixt　us；　it　shall　be　in　thy　favour。〃

Then　the　Earl　was　approached；　with　several　fantastic　congees；　by
a　person　quaintly　dressed　in　a　doublet　of　black　velvet；　curiously
slashed　and　pinked　with　crimson　satin。　　A　long　cock's　feather　in
the　velvet　bonnet；　which　he　held　in　his　hand；　and　an　enormous
ruff；　stiffened　to　the　extremity　of　the　absurd　taste　of　the
times；　joined　with　a　sharp；　lively；　conceited　expression　of
countenance；　seemed　to　body　forth　a　vain；　harebrained　coxcomb；
and　small　wit；　while　the　rod　he　held；　and　an　assumption　of　formal
authority；　appeared　to　express　some　sense　of　official
consequence；　which　qualified　the　natural　pertness　of　his　manner。
A　perpetual　blush；　which　occupied　rather　the　sharp　nose　than　the
thin　cheek　of　this　personage；　seemed　to　speak　more　of　〃good
life；〃　as　it　was　called；　than　of　modesty；　and　the　manner　in　which
he　approached　to　the　Earl　confirmed　that　suspicion。

〃Good　even　to　you；　Master　Robert　Laneham；〃　said　Leicester；　and
seemed　desirous　to　pass　forward；　without　further　speech。

〃I　have　a　suit　to　your　noble　lordship；〃　said　the　figure；　boldly
following　him。

〃And　what　is　it；　good　master　keeper　of　the　council…chamber　door？〃

〃CLERK　of　the　council…chamber　door；〃　said　Master　Robert　Laneham；
with　emphasis；　by　way　of　reply；　and　of　correction。

〃Well；　qualify　thine　office　as　thou　wilt；　man；〃　replied　the　Earl；
〃what　wouldst　thou　have　with　me？〃

〃Simply；〃　answered　Laneham；　〃that　your　lordship　would　be；　as
heretofore；　my　good　lord；