kenilworth-第59章

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been　so　ill…timed　in　his　courtesy　as　to　offer　to　relinquish　his
own　place　to　his　friend；　had　not　the　acute　glance　of　Raleigh
himself；　who　seemed　no　in　his　native　element；　made　him　sensible
that　so　ready　a　disclamation　of　the　royal　favour　might　be
misinterpreted。　　He　sat　silent；　therefore；　whilst　Raleigh；　with　a
profound　bow；　and　a　look　of　the　deepest　humiliation；　was　about　to
quit　his　place。

A　noble　courtier；　the　gallant　Lord　Willoughby；　read；　as　he
thought；　something　in　the　Queen's　face　which　seemed　to　pity
Raleigh's　real　or　assumed　semblance　of　mortification。

〃It　is　not　for　us　old　courtiers；〃　he　said；　〃to　hide　the　sunshine
from　the　young　ones。　　I　will；　with　her　Majesty's　leave；
relinquish　for　an　hour　that　which　her　subjects　hold　dearest；　the
delight　of　her　Highness's　presence；　and　mortify　myself　by　walking
in　starlight；　while　I　forsake　for　a　brief　season　the　glory　of
Diana's　own　beams。　　I　will　take　place　in　the　boat　which　the
ladies　occupy；　and　permit　this　young　cavalier　his　hour　of
promised　felicity。〃

The　Queen　replied；　with　an　expression　betwixt　mirth　and　earnest；
〃If　you　are　so　willing　to　leave　us；　my　lord；　we　cannot　help　the
mortification。　　But；　under　favour；　we　do　not　trust　youold　and
experienced　as　you　may　deem　yourselfwith　the　care　of　our　young
ladies　of　honour。　　Your　venerable　age；　my　lord；〃　she　continued；
smiling；　〃may　be　better　assorted　with　that　of　my　Lord　Treasurer；
who　follows　in　the　third　boat；　and　by　whose　experience　even　my
Lord　Willoughby's　may　be　improved。〃

Lord　Willoughby　hid　his　disappointment　under　a　smilelaughed；
was　confused；　bowed；　and　left　the　Queen's　barge　to　go　on　board　my
Lord　Burleigh's。　　Leicester；　who　endeavoured　to　divert　his
thoughts　from　all　internal　reflection；　by　fixing　them　on　what　was
passing　around；　watched　this　circumstance　among　others。　　But　when
the　boat　put　off　from　the　shorewhen　the　music　sounded　from　a
barge　which　accompanied　themwhen　the　shouts　of　the　populace
were　heard　from　the　shore；　and　all　reminded　him　of　the　situation
in　which　he　was　placed；　he　abstracted　his　thoughts　and　feelings
by　a　strong　effort　from　everything　but　the　necessity　of
maintaining　himself　in　the　favour　of　his　patroness；　and　exerted
his　talents　of　pleasing　captivation　with　such　success；　that　the
Queen；　alternately　delighted　with　his　conversation；　and　alarmed
for　his　health；　at　length　imposed　a　temporary　silence　on　him；
with　playful　yet　anxious　care；　lest　his　flow　of　spirits　should
exhaust　him。

〃My　lords；〃　she　said；　〃having　passed　for　a　time　our　edict　of
silence　upon　our　good　Leicester；　we　will　call　you　to　counsel　on　a
gamesome　matter；　more　fitted　to　be　now　treated　of；　amidst　mirth
and　music；　than　in　the　gravity　of　our　ordinary　deliberations。
Which　of　you；　my　lords；〃　said　she；　smiling；　〃know　aught　of　a
petition　from　Orson　Pinnit；　the　keeper；　as　he　qualifies　himself；
of　our　royal　bears？　　Who　stands　godfather　to　his　request？〃

〃Marry；　with　Your　Grace's　good　permission；　that　do　I；〃　said　the
Earl　of　Sussex。　　〃Orson　Pinnit　was　a　stout　soldier　before　he　was
so　mangled　by　the　skenes　of　the　Irish　clan　MacDonough；　and　I
trust　your　Grace　will　be；　as　you　always　have　been；　good　mistress
to　your　good　and　trusty　servants。〃

〃Surely；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃it　is　our　purpose　to　be　so；　and　in
especial　to　our　poor　soldiers　and　sailors；　who　hazard　their　lives
for　little　pay。　　We　would　give；〃　she　said；　with　her　eyes
sparkling；　〃yonder　royal　palace　of　ours　to　be　an　hospital　for
their　use；　rather　than　they　should　call　their　mistress
ungrateful。　　But　this　is　not　the　question；〃　she　said；　her　voice；
which　had　been　awakened　by　her　patriotic　feelings；　once　more
subsiding　into　the　tone　of　gay　and　easy　conversation；　〃for　this
Orson　Pinnit's　request　goes　something　further。　　He　complains
that；　amidst　the　extreme　delight　with　which　men　haunt　the　play…
houses；　and　in　especial　their　eager　desire　for　seeing　the
exhibitions　of　one　Will　Shakespeare　（whom　I　think；　my　lords；　we
have　all　heard　something　of）；　the　manly　amusement　of　bear…baiting
is　falling　into　comparative　neglect；　since　men　will　rather　throng
to　see　these　roguish　players　kill　each　other　in　jest；　than　to　see
our　royal　dogs　and　bears　worry　each　other　in　bloody　earnest。
What　say　you　to　this；　my　Lord　of　Sussex？〃

〃Why；　truly；　gracious　madam；〃　said　Sussex；　〃you　must　expect
little　from　an　old　soldier　like　me　in　favour　of　battles　in　sport；
when　they　are　compared　with　battles　in　earnest；　and　yet；　by　my
faith；　I　wish　Will　Shakespeare　no　harm。　　He　is　a　stout　man　at
quarter…staff；　and　single　falchion；　though；　as　I　am　told；　a
halting　fellow；　and　he　stood；　they　say；　a　tough　fight　with　the
rangers　of　old　Sir　Thomas　Lucy　of　Charlecot；　when　he　broke　his
deer…park　and　kissed　his　keeper's　daughter。〃

〃I　cry　you　mercy；　my　Lord　of　Sussex；〃　said　Queen　Elizabeth；
interrupting　him；　〃that　matter　was　heard　in　council；　and　we　will
not　have　this　fellow's　offence　exaggeratedthere　was　no　kissing
in　the　matter；　and　the　defendant　hath　put　the　denial　on　record。
But　what　say　you　to　his　present　practice；　my　lord；　on　the　stage？
for　there　lies　the　point；　and　not　in　any　ways　touching　his　former
errors；　in　breaking　parks；　or　the　other　follies　you　speak　of。〃

〃Why；　truly；　madam；〃　replied　Sussex；　〃as　I　said　before；　I　wish
the　gamesome　mad　fellow　no　injury。　　Some　of　his　whoreson　poetry
（I　crave　your　Grace's　pardon　for　such　a　phrase）　has　rung　in　mine
ears　as　if　the　lines　sounded　to　boot　and　saddle。　　But　then　it　is
all　froth　and　follyno　substance　or　seriousness　in　it；　as　your
Grace　has　already　well　touched。　　What　are　half　a　dozen　knaves；
with　rusty　foils　and　tattered　targets；　making　but　a　mere　mockery
of　a　stout　fight；　to　compare　to　the　royal　game　of　bear…baiting；
which　hath　been　graced　by　your　Highness's　countenance；　and　that
of　your　royal　predecessors；　in　this　your　princely　kingdom；　famous
for　matchless　mastiffs　and　bold　bearwards　over　all　Christendom？
Greatly　is　it　to　be　doubted　that　the　race　of　both　will　decay；　if
men　should　throng　to　hear　the　lungs　of　an　idle　player　belch　forth
nonsensical　bombast；　instead　of　bestowing　their　pence　in
encouraging　the　bravest　image　of　war　that　can　be　shown　in　peace；
and　that　is　the　sports　of　the　Bear…garden。　　There　you　may　see　the
bear　lying　at　guard；　with　his　red；　pinky　eyes　watching　the　onset
of　the　mastiff；　like　a　wily　captain　who　maintains　his　defence
that　an　assailant　may　be　tempted　to　venture　within　his　danger。
And　then　comes　Sir　Mastiff；　like　a　worthy　champion；　in　full
career　at　the　throat　of　his　adversary；　and　then　shall　Sir　Bruin
teach　him　the　reward　for　those　who；　in　their　over…courage；
neglect　the　policies　of　war；　and；　catching　him　in　his　arms；
strain　him　to　his　breast　like　a　lusty　wrestler；　until　rib　after
rib　crack　like　the　shot　of　a　pistolet。　　And　then　another　mastiff；
as　bold；　but　with　better　aim　and　sounder　judgment；　catches　Sir
Bruin　by　the　nether　lip；　and　hangs　fast；　while　he　tosses　about
his　blood　and　slaver；　and　tries　in　vain　to　shake　Sir　Talbot　from
his　hold。　　And　then〃

〃Nay；　by　my　honour；　my　lord；〃　said　the　Queen；　laughing；　〃you　have
described　the　whole　so　admirably　that；　had　we　never　seen　a　bear…
baiting；　as　we　have　beheld　many；　and　hope；　with　Heaven's
allowance；　to　see　many　more；　your　words　were　sufficient　to　put
the　whole　Bear…garden　before　our　eyes。But　come；　who　speaks　next
in　this　case？My　Lord　of　Leicester；　what　say　you？〃

〃Am　I　then　to　consider　myself　as　unmuzzled；　please　your　Grace？〃
replied　Leicester。

〃Surely；　my　lordthat　is；　if　you　feel　hearty　enough　to　take　part
in　our　game；〃　answered　Elizabeth；　〃and　yet；　when　I　think　of　your
cognizance　of　the　bear　and　ragged　staff；　methinks　we　had　better
hear　some　less　partial　orator。〃

〃Nay；　on　my　word；　gracious　Princess；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃though　my
brother　Ambrose　of　Warwick　and　I　do　carry　the　ancient　cognizance
your　Highness　deigns　to　remember；　I　nevertheless　desire　nothing
but　fair　play　on　all　sides；　or；　as　they　say；　'fight　dog；　fight
bear。'　　And　in　behalf　of　the　players；　I　must　needs　say　that　they
are　witty　knaves；　whose　rants　and　jests　keep　the　minds　of　the
commons　from　busying　themselves　with　state　affairs；　and　listening
to　traitorous　speeches；　idle　rumours；　and　disloyal　insinu