kenilworth-第58章

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〃what　wouldst　thou　have　with　me？〃

〃Simply；〃　answered　Laneham；　〃that　your　lordship　would　be；　as
heretofore；　my　good　lord；　and　procure　me　license　to　attend　the
Summer　Progress　unto　your　lordship's　most　beautiful　and　all…to…
be…unmatched　Castle　of　Kenilworth。〃

〃To　what　purpose；　good　Master　Laneham？〃　　replied　the　Earl；
〃bethink　you；　my　guests　must　needs　be　many。〃

〃Not　so　many；〃　replied　the　petitioner；　〃but　that　your　nobleness
will　willingly　spare　your　old　servitor　his　crib　and　his　mess。
Bethink　you；　my　lord；　how　necessary　is　this　rod　of　mine　to　fright
away　all　those　listeners；　who　else　would　play　at　bo…peep　with　the
honourable　council；　and　be　searching　for　keyholes　and　crannies　in
the　door　of　the　chamber；　so　as　to　render　my　staff　as　needful　as　a
fly…flap　in　a　butcher's　shop。〃

〃Methinks　you　have　found　out　a　fly…blown　comparison　for　the
honourable　council；　Master　Laneham；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃but　seek　not
about　to　justify　it。　　Come　to　Kenilworth；　if　you　list；　there　will
be　store　of　fools　there　besides；　and　so　you　will　be　fitted。〃

〃Nay；　an　there　be　fools；　my　lord；〃　replied　Laneham；　with　much
glee；　〃I　warrant　I　will　make　sport　among　them；　for　no　greyhound
loves　to　cote　a　hare　as　I　to　turn　and　course　a　fool。　　But　I　have
another　singular　favour　to　beseech　of　your　honour。〃

〃Speak　it；　and　let　me　go；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃I　think　the　Queen
comes　forth　instantly。〃

〃My　very　good　lord；　I　would　fain　bring　a　bed…fellow　with　me。〃

〃How；　you　irreverent　rascal！〃　　said　Leicester。

〃Nay；　my　lord；　my　meaning　is　within　the　canons；〃　answered　his
unblushing；　or　rather　his　ever…blushing　petitioner。　　〃I　have　a
wife　as　curious　as　her　grandmother　who　ate　the　apple。　　Now；　take
her　with　me　I　may　not；　her　Highness's　orders　being　so　strict
against　the　officers　bringing　with　them　their　wives　in　a
progress；　and　so　lumbering　the　court　with　womankind。　　But　what　I
would　crave　of　your　lordship　is　to　find　room　for　her　in　some
mummery；　or　pretty　pageant；　in　disguise；　as　it　were；　so　that；　not
being　known　for　my　wife；　there　may　be　no　offence。〃

〃The　foul　fiend　seize　ye　both！〃　　said　Leicester；　stung　into
uncontrollable　passion　by　the　recollections　which　this　speech
excited〃why　stop　you　me　with　such　follies？〃

The　terrified　clerk　of　the　chamber…door；　astonished　at　the　burst
of　resentment　he　had　so　unconsciously　produced；　dropped　his　staff
of　office　from　his　hand；　and　gazed　on　the　incensed　Earl　with　a
foolish　face　of　wonder　and　terror；　which　instantly　recalled
Leicester　to　himself。

〃I　meant　but　to　try　if　thou　hadst　the　audacity　which　befits　thine
office；〃　said　he　hastily。　　〃Come　to　Kenilworth；　and　bring　the
devil　with　thee；　if　thou　wilt。〃

〃My　wife；　sir；　hath　played　the　devil　ere　now；　in　a　Mystery；　in
Queen　Mary's　time；　but　me　shall　want　a　trifle　for　properties。〃

〃Here　is　a　crown　for　thee；〃　said　the　Earl；〃make　me　rid　of　thee
the　great　bell　rings。〃

Master　Robert　Laneham　stared　a　moment　at　the　agitation　which　he
had　excited；　and　then　said　to　himself；　as　he　stooped　to　pick　up
his　staff　of　office；　〃The　noble　Earl　runs　wild　humours　to…day。
But　they　who　give　crowns　expect　us　witty　fellows　to　wink　at　their
unsettled　starts；　and；　by　my　faith；　if　they　paid　not　for　mercy；
we　would　finger　them　tightly！〃　　＇See　Note　6。　　Robert　Laneham。＇

Leicester　moved　hastily　on；　neglecting　the　courtesies　he　had
hitherto　dispensed　so　liberally；　and　hurrying　through　the　courtly
crowd；　until　he　paused　in　a　small　withdrawing…room；　into　which　he
plunged　to　draw　a　moment's　breath　unobserved；　and　in　seclusion。

〃What　am　I　now；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃that　am　thus　jaded　by　the
words　of　a　mean；　weather…beaten；　goose…brained　gull！　　Conscience；
thou　art　a　bloodhound；　whose　growl　wakes　us　readily　at　the　paltry
stir　of　a　rat　or　mouse　as　at　the　step　of　a　lion。　　Can　I　not　quit
myself；　by　one　bold　stroke；　of　a　state　so　irksome；　so　unhonoured？
What　if　I　kneel　to　Elizabeth；　and；　owning　the　whole；　throw　myself
on　her　mercy？〃

As　he　pursued　this　train　of　thought；　the　door　of　the　apartment
opened；　and　Varney　rushed　in。

〃Thank　God；　my　lord；　that　I　have　found　you！〃　　was　his
exclamation。

〃Thank　the　devil；　whose　agent　thou　art；〃　was　the　Earl's　reply。

〃Thank　whom　you　will；　my　lord；〃　replied　Varney；　〃but　hasten　to
the　water…side。　　The　Queen　is　on　board；　and　asks　for　you。〃

〃Go；　say　I　am　taken　suddenly　ill；〃　replied　Leicester；　〃for；　by
Heaven；　my　brain　can　sustain　this　no　longer！〃

〃I　may　well　say　so；〃　said　Varney；　with　bitterness　of　expression；
〃for　your　place；　ay；　and　mine；　who；　as　your　master　of　the　horse；
was　to　have　attended　your　lordship；　is　already　filled　up　in　the
Queen's　barge。　　The　new　minion；　Walter　Raleigh；　and　our　old
acquaintance　Tressilian　were　called　for　to　fill　our　places　just
as　I　hastened　away　to　seek　you。〃

〃Thou　art　a　devil；　Varney；〃　said　Leicester　hastily；　〃but　thou
hast　the　mastery　for　the　presentI　follow　thee。〃

Varney　replied　not；　but　led　the　way　out　of　the　palace；　and
towards　the　river；　while　his　master　followed　him；　as　if
mechanically；　until；　looking　back；　he　said　in　a　tone　which
savoured　of　familiarity　at　least；　if　not　of　authority；　〃How　is
this；　my　lord？　　Your　cloak　hangs　on　one　sideyour　hose　are
unbracedpermit　me〃

〃Thou　art　a　fool；　Varney；　as　well　as　a　knave；〃　said　Leicester；
shaking　him　off；　and　rejecting　his　officious　assistance。　　〃We　are
best　thus；　sir；　when　we　require　you　to　order　our　person；　it　is
well；　but　now　we　want　you　not。〃

So　saying；　the　Earl　resumed　at　once　his　air　of　command；　and　with
it　his　self…possessionshook　his　dress　into　yet　wilder　disorder
passed　before　Varney　with　the　air　of　a　superior　and　master；　and
in　his　turn　led　the　way　to　the　river…side。

The　Queen's　barge　was　on　the　very　point　of　putting　off；　the　seat
allotted　to　Leicester　in　the　stern；　and　that　to　his　master　of　the
horse　on　the　bow　of　the　boat；　being　already　filled　up。　　But　on
Leicester's　approach　there　was　a　pause；　as　if　the　bargemen
anticipated　some　alteration　in　their　company。　　The　angry　spot
was；　however；　on　the　Queen's　cheek；　as；　in　that　cold　tone　with
which　superiors　endeavour　to　veil　their　internal　agitation；　while
speaking　to　those　before　whom　it　would　be　derogation　to　express
it；　she　pronounced　the　chilling　words；　〃We　have　waited；　my　Lord
of　Leicester。〃

〃Madam；　and　most　gracious　Princess；〃　said　Leicester；　〃you；　who
can　pardon　so　many　weaknesses　which　your　own　heart　never　knows；
can　best　bestow　your　commiseration　on　the　agitations　of　the
bosom；　which；　for　a　moment；　affect　both　head　and　limbs。　　I　came
to　your　presence　a　doubting　and　an　accused　subject；　your　goodness
penetrated　the　clouds　of　defamation；　and　restored　me　to　my
honour；　and；　what　is　yet　dearer；　to　your　favouris　it　wonderful；
though　for　me　it　is　most　unhappy；　that　my　master　of　the　horse
should　have　found　me　in　a　state　which　scarce　permitted　me　to　make
the　exertion　necessary　to　follow　him　to　this　place；　when　one
glance　of　your　Highness；　although；　alas！　　an　angry　one；　has　had
power　to　do　that　for　me　in　which　Esculapius　might　have　failed？〃

〃How　is　this？〃　　said　Elizabeth　hastily；　looking　at　Varney；　〃hath
your　lord　been　ill？〃

〃Something　of　a　fainting　fit；〃　answered　the　ready…witted　Varney；
〃as　your　Grace　may　observe　from　his　present　condition。　　My　lord's
haste　would　not　permit　me　leisure　even　to　bring　his　dress　into
order。〃

〃It　matters　not；〃　said　Elizabeth；　as　she　gazed　on　the　noble　face
and　form　of　Leicester；　to　which　even　the　strange　mixture　of
passions　by　which　he　had　been　so　lately　agitated　gave　additional
interest；　〃make　room　for　my　noble　lord。　　Your　place；　Master
Varney；　has　been　filled　up；　you　must　find　a　seat　in　another
barge。〃

Varney　bowed；　and　withdrew。

〃And　you；　too；　our　young　Squire　of　the　Cloak；〃　added　she；　looking
at　Raleigh；　〃must；　for　the　time；　go　to　the　barge　of　our　ladies　of
honour。　　As　for　Tressilian；　he　hath　already　suffered　too　much　by
the　caprice　of　women　that　I　should　aggrieve　him　by　my　change　of
plan；　so　far　as　he　is　concerned。〃

Leicester　seated　himself　in　his　place　in　the　barge；　and　close　to
the　Sovereign。　　Raleigh　rose　to　retire；　and　Tressilian　would　have
been　so　ill…timed　in　his　courtesy　as　to　offer　to　relinquish　his
own　place　to　his　friend；　had　not　the　a