kenilworth-第63章

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aspire　to　become　her　husband。　　Her　favourite　you　are；　and　may
remain；　if　the　lady　at　Cumnor　place　continues　in　her　present
obscurity。〃

〃Poor　Amy！〃　　said　Leicester；　with　a　deep　sigh；　〃she　desires　so
earnestly　to　be　acknowledged　in　presence　of　God　and　man！〃

〃Ay；　but；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃is　her　desire　reasonable？　　That
is　the　question。　　Her　religious　scruples　are　solved；　she　is　an
honoured　and　beloved　wife；　enjoying　the　society　of　her　husband　at
such　times　as　his　weightier　duties　permit　him　to　afford　her　his
company。　　What　would　she　more？　　I　am　right　sure　that　a　lady　so
gentle　and　so　loving　would　consent　to　live　her　life　through　in　a
certain　obscuritywhich　is；　after　all；　not　dimmer　than　when　she
was　at　Lidcote　Hallrather　than　diminish　the　least　jot　of　her
lord's　honours　and　greatness　by　a　premature　attempt　to　share
them。〃

〃There　is　something　in　what　thou　sayest；〃　said　Leicester；　〃and
her　appearance　here　were　fatal。　　Yet　she　must　be　seen　at
Kenilworth；　Elizabeth　will　not　forget　that　she　has　so　appointed。〃

〃Let　me　sleep　on　that　hard　point；〃　said　Varney；　〃I　cannot　else
perfect　the　device　I　have　on　the　stithy；　which　I　trust　will
satisfy　the　Queen　and　please　my　honoured　lady；　yet　leave　this
fatal　secret　where　it　is　now　buried。　　Has　your　lordship　further
commands　for　the　night？〃

〃I　would　be　alone；〃　said　Leicester。　　〃Leave　me；　and　place　my
steel　casket　on　the　table。　　Be　within　summons。〃

Varney　retired；　and　the　Earl；　opening　the　window　of　his
apartment；　looked　out　long　and　anxiously　upon　the　brilliant　host
of　stars　which　glimmered　in　the　splendour　of　a　summer　firmament。
The　words　burst　from　him　as　at　unawares；　〃I　had　never　more　need
that　the　heavenly　bodies　should　befriend　me；　for　my　earthly　path
is　darkened　and　confused。〃

It　is　well　known　that　the　age　reposed　a　deep　confidence　in　the
vain　predictions　of　judicial　astrology；　and　Leicester；　though
exempt　from　the　general　control　of　superstition；　was　not　in　this
respect　superior　to　his　time；　but；　on　the　contrary；　was
remarkable　for　the　encouragement　which　he　gave　to　the　professors
of　this　pretended　science。　　Indeed；　the　wish　to　pry　into
futurity；　so　general　among　the　human　race；　is　peculiarly　to　be
found　amongst　those　who　trade　in　state　mysteries　and　the
dangerous　intrigues　and　cabals　of　courts。　　With　heedful
precaution　to　see　that　it　had　not　been　opened；　or　its　locks
tampered　with；　Leicester　applied　a　key　to　the　steel　casket；　and
drew　from　it；　first；　a　parcel　of　gold　pieces；　which　he　put　into　a
silk　purse；　then　a　parchment　inscribed　with　planetary　signs；　and
the　lines　and　calculations　used　in　framing　horoscopes；　on　which
he　gazed　intently　for　a　few　moments；　and；　lastly；　took　forth　a
large　key；　which；　lifting　aside　the　tapestry；　he　applied　to　a
little；　concealed　door　in　the　corner　of　the　apartment；　and
opening　it；　disclosed　a　stair　constructed　in　the　thickness　of　the
wall。

〃Alasco；〃　said　the　Earl；　with　a　voice　raised；　yet　no　higher
raised　than　to　be　heard　by　the　inhabitant　of　the　small　turret　to
which　the　stair　conducted〃Alasco；　I　say；　descend。〃

〃I　come；　my　lord；〃　answered　a　voice　from　above。　　The　foot　of　an
aged　man　was　heard　slowly　descending　the　narrow　stair；　and　Alasco
entered　the　Earl's　apartment。　　The　astrologer　was　a　little　man；
and　seemed　much　advanced　in　age；　for　his　heard　was　long　and
white；　and　reached　over　his　black　doublet　down　to　his　silken
girdle。　　His　hair　was　of　the　same　venerable　hue。　　But　his
eyebrows　were　as　dark　as　the　keen　and　piercing　black　eyes　which
they　shaded；　and　this　peculiarity　gave　a　wild　and　singular　cast
to　the　physiognomy　of　the　old　man。　　His　cheek　was　still　fresh　and
ruddy；　and　the　eyes　we　have　mentioned　resembled　those　of　a　rat　in
acuteness　and　even　fierceness　of　expression。　　His　manner　was　not
without　a　sort　of　dignity；　and　the　interpreter　of　the　stars；
though　respectful；　seemed　altogether　at　his　ease；　and　even
assumed　a　tone　of　instruction　and　command　in　conversing　with　the
prime　favourite　of　Elizabeth。

〃Your　prognostications　have　failed；　Alasco；〃　said　the　Earl；　when
they　had　exchanged　salutations〃he　is　recovering。〃

〃My　son；〃　replied　the　astrologer；　〃let　me　remind　you　I　warranted
not　his　death；　nor　is　there　any　prognostication　that　can　be
derived　from　the　heavenly　bodies；　their　aspects　and　their
conjunctions；　which　is　not　liable　to　be　controlled　by　the　will　of
Heaven。　　ASTRA　REGUNT　HOMINES；　SED　REGIT　ASTRA　DEUS。〃

〃Of　what　avail；　then；　is　your　mystery？〃　　inquired　the　Earl。

〃Of　much；　my　son；〃　replied　the　old　man；　〃since　it　can　show　the
natural　and　probable　course　of　events；　although　that　course　moves
in　subordination　to　an　Higher　Power。　　Thus；　in　reviewing　the
horoscope　which　your　Lordship　subjected　to　my　skill；　you　will
observe　that　Saturn；　being　in　the　sixth　House　in　opposition　to
Mars；　retrograde　in　the　House　of　Life；　cannot　but　denote　long　and
dangerous　sickness；　the　issue　whereof　is　in　the　will　of　Heaven；
though　death　may　probably　be　inferred。　　Yet　if　I　knew　the　name　of
the　party　I　would　erect　another　scheme。〃

〃His　name　is　a　secret；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃yet；　I　must　own；　thy
prognostication　hath　not　been　unfaithful。　　He　has　been　sick；　and
dangerously　so；　not；　however；　to　death。　　But　hast　thou　again　cast
my　horoscope　as　Varney　directed　thee；　and　art　thou　prepared　to
say　what　the　stars　tell　of　my　present　fortune？〃

〃My　art　stands　at　your　command；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃and　here；　my
son；　is　the　map　of　thy　fortunes；　brilliant　in　aspect　as　ever
beamed　from　those　blessed　signs　whereby　our　life　is　influenced；
yet　not　unchequered　with　fears；　difficulties；　and　dangers。〃

〃My　lot　were　more　than　mortal　were　it　otherwise；〃　said　the　Earl。
〃Proceed；　father；　and　believe　you　speak　with　one　ready　to　undergo
his　destiny　in　action　and　in　passion　as　may　beseem　a　noble　of
England。〃

〃Thy　courage　to　do　and　to　suffer　must　be　wound　up　yet　a　strain
higher；〃　said　the　old　man。　　〃The　stars　intimate　yet　a　prouder
title；　yet　an　higher　rank。　　It　is　for　thee　to　guess　their
meaning；　not　for　me　to　name　it。〃

〃Name　it；　I　conjure　youname　it；　I　command　you！〃　　said　the　Earl；
his　eyes　brightening　as　he　spoke。

〃I　may　not；　and　I　will　not；〃　replied　the　old　man。　　〃The　ire　of
princes　Is　as　the　wrath　of　the　lion。　　But　mark；　and　judge　for
thyself。　　Here　Venus；　ascendant　in　the　House　of　Life；　and
conjoined　with　Sol；　showers　down　that　flood　of　silver　light；
blent　with　gold；　which　promises　power；　wealth；　dignity；　all　that
the　proud　heart　of　man　desires；　and　in　such　abundance　that　never
the　future　Augustus　of　that　old　and　mighty　Rome　heard　from　his
HARUSPICES　such　a　tale　of　glory；　as　from　this　rich　text　my　lore
might　read　to　my　favourite　son。〃

〃Thou　dost　but　jest　with　me；　father；〃　said　the　Earl；　astonished
at　the　strain　of　enthusiasm　in　which　the　astrologer　delivered　his
prediction。

〃Is　it　for　him　to　jest　who　hath　his　eye　on　heaven；　who　hath　his
foot　in　the　grave？〃　　returned　the　old　man　solemnly。

The　Earl　made　two　or　three　strides　through　the　apartment；　with
his　hand　outstretched；　as　one　who　follows　the　beckoning　signal　of
some　phantom；　waving　him　on　to　deeds　of　high　import。　　As　he
turned；　however；　he　caught　the　eye　of　the　astrologer　fixed　on
him；　while　an　observing　glance　of　the　most　shrewd　penetration
shot　from　under　the　penthouse　of　his　shaggy；　dark　eyebrows。
Leicester's　haughty　and　suspicious　soul　at　once　caught　fire。　　He
darted　towards　the　old　man　from　the　farther　end　of　the　lofty
apartment；　only　standing　still　when　his　extended　hand　was　within
a　foot　of　the　astrologer's　body。

〃Wretch！〃　　he　said；　〃if　you　dare　to　palter　with　me；　I　will　have
your　skin　stripped　from　your　living　flesh！　　Confess　thou　hast
been　hired　to　deceive　and　to　betray　methat　thou　art　a　cheat；
and　I　thy　silly　prey　and　booty！〃

The　old　man　exhibited　some　symptoms　of　emotion；　but　not　more　than
the　furious　deportment　of　his　patron　might　have　extorted　from
innocence　itself。

〃What　means　this　violence；　my　lord？〃　　he　answered；　〃or　in　what
can　I　have　deserved　it　at　your　hand？〃

〃Give　me　proof；〃　said　the　Earl　vehemently；　〃that　you　have　not
tampered　with　mine　enemies。〃

〃My　lord；〃　replied　the　old　man；　with　dignity；　〃you　can　have　no
better　proof　than　that　which　you　y