kenilworth-第72章

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this　matter　with　the　glee　of　a　mother　hearing　of　the　happy
marriage　of　a　hopeful　son！　　She；　the　daughter　of　Henry；　who
spared　neither　man　in　his　anger　nor　woman　in　his　desireshe　to
find　herself　tricked；　drawn　on　with　toys　of　passion　to　the　verge
of　acknowledging　her　love　to　a　subject；　and　he　discovered　to　be　a
married　man！Elizabeth　to　learn　that　she　had　been　dallied　with
in　such　fashion；　as　a　gay　courtier　might　trifle　with　a　country
wenchwe　should　then　see；　to　our　ruin；　FURENS　QUID　FAEMINA！〃

He　would　then　pause；　and　call　for　Varney；　whose　advice　was　now
more　frequently　resorted　to　than　ever；　because　the　Earl
remembered　the　remonstrances　which　he　had　made　against　his　secret
contract。　　And　their　consultation　usually　terminated　in　anxious
deliberation　how；　or　in　what　manner；　the　Countess　was　to　be
produced　at　Kenilworth。　　These　communings　had　for　some　time　ended
always　in　a　resolution　to　delay　the　Progress　from　day　to　day。
But　at　length　a　peremptory　decision　became　necessary。

〃Elizabeth　will　not　be　satisfied　without　her　presence；〃　said　the
Earl。　　〃Whether　any　suspicion　hath　entered　her　mind；　as　my　own
apprehensions　suggest；　or　whether　the　petition　of　Tressilian　is
kept　in　her　memory　by　Sussex　or　some　other　secret　enemy；　I　know
not；　but　amongst　all　the　favourable　expressions　which　she　uses　to
me；　she　often　recurs　to　the　story　of　Amy　Robsart。　　I　think　that
Amy　is　the　slave　in　the　chariot；　who　is　placed　there　by　my　evil
fortune　to　dash　and　to　confound　my　triumph；　even　when　at　the
highest。　　Show　me　thy　device；　Varney；　for　solving　the
inextricable　difficulty。　　I　have　thrown　every　such　impediment　in
the　way　of　these　accursed　revels　as　I　could　propound　even　with　a
shade　of　decency；　but　to…day's　interview　has　put　all　to　a　hazard。
She　said　to　me　kindly；　but　peremptorily；　'We　will　give　you　no
further　time　for　preparations；　my　lord；　lest　you　should
altogether　ruin　yourself。　　On　Saturday；　the　9th　of　July；　we　will
be　with　you　at　Kenilworth。　　We　pray　you　to　forget　none　of　our
appointed　guests　and　suitors；　and　in　especial　this　light…o'…love；
Amy　Robsart。　　We　would　wish　to　see　the　woman　who　could　postpone
yonder　poetical　gentleman；　Master　Tressilian；　to　your　man；
Richard　Varney。'Now；　Varney；　ply　thine　invention；　whose　forge
hath　availed　us　so　often　for　sure　as　my　name　is　Dudley；　the
danger　menaced　by　my　horoscope　is　now　darkening　around　me。〃

〃Can　my　lady　be　by　no　means　persuaded　to　bear　for　a　brief　space
the　obscure　character　which　circumstances　impose　on　her？〃　　Said
Varney　after　some　hesitation。

〃How；　sirrah？　　my　Countess　term　herself　thy　wife！that　may
neither　stand　with　my　honour　nor　with　hers。〃

〃Alas！　　my　lord；〃　answered　Varney；　〃and　yet　such　is　the　quality
in　which　Elizabeth　now　holds　her；　and　to　contradict　this　opinion
is　to　discover　all。〃

〃Think　of　something　else；　Varney；〃　said　the　Earl；　in　great
agitation；　〃this　invention　is　nought。　　If　I　could　give　way　to　it；
she　would　not；　for　I　tell　thee；　Varney；　if　thou　knowest　it　not；
that　not　Elizabeth　on　the　throne　has　more　pride　than　the　daughter
of　this　obscure　gentleman　of　Devon。　　She　is　flexible　in　many
things；　but　where　she　holds　her　honour　brought　in　question　she
hath　a　spirit　and　temper　as　apprehensive　as　lightning；　and　as
swift　in　execution。〃

〃We　have　experienced　that；　my　lord；　else　had　we　not　been　thus
circumstanced；〃　said　Varney。　　〃But　what　else　to　suggest　I　know
not。　　Methinks　she　whose　good　fortune　in　becoming　your　lordship's
bride；　and　who　gives　rise　to　the　danger；　should　do　somewhat
towards　parrying　it。〃

〃It　is　impossible；〃　said　the　Earl；　waving　his　hand；　〃I　know
neither　authority　nor　entreaties　would　make　her　endure　thy　name
for　an　hour。

〃It　is　somewhat　hard；　though；〃　said　Varney；　in　a　dry　tone；　and；
without　pausing　on　that　topic；　he　added；　〃Suppose　some　one　were
found　to　represent　her？　　Such　feats　have　been　performed　in　the
courts　of　as　sharp…eyed　monarchs　as　Queen　Elizabeth。〃

〃Utter　madness；　Varney；〃　answered　the　Earl；　〃the　counterfeit
would　be　confronted　with　Tressilian；　and　discovery　become
inevitable；〃

〃Tressilian　might　be　removed　from　court；〃　said　the　unhesitating
Varney。

〃And　by　what　means？〃

〃There　are　many；〃　said　Varney；　〃by　which　a　statesman　in　your
situation；　my　lord；　may　remove　from　the　scene　one　who　pries　into
your　affairs；　and　places　himself　in　perilous　opposition　to　you。〃

〃Speak　not　to　me　of　such　policy；　Varney；〃　said　the　Earl　hastily；
〃which；　besides；　would　avail　nothing　in　the　present　case。　　Many
others　there　be　at　court　to　whom　Amy　may　be　known；　and　besides；
on　the　absence　of　Tressilian；　her　father　or　some　of　her　friends
would　be　instantly　summoned　hither。　　Urge　thine　invention　once
more。〃

〃My　lord；　I　know　not　what　to　say；〃　answered　Varney；　〃but　were　I
myself　in　such　perplexity；　I　would　ride　post　down　to　Cumnor
Place；　and　compel　my　wife　to　give　her　consent　to　such　measures　as
her　safety　and　mine　required。〃

〃Varney；〃　said　Leicester；　〃I　cannot　urge　her　to　aught　so
repugnant　to　her　noble　nature　as　a　share　in　this　stratagem；　it
would　be　a　base　requital　to　the　love　she　bears　me。〃

〃Well；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃your　lordship　is　a　wise　and　an
honourable　man；　and　skilled　in　those　high　points　of　romantic
scruple　which　are　current　in　Arcadia　perhaps；　as　your　nephew；
Philip　Sidney；　writes。　　I　am　your　humble　servitora　man　of　this
world；　and　only　happy　that　my　knowledge　of　it；　and　its　ways；　is
such　as　your　lordship　has　not　scorned　to　avail　yourself　of。　　Now
I　would　fain　know　whether　the　obligation　lies　on　my　lady　or　on
you　in　this　fortunate　union；　and　which　has　most　reason　to　show
complaisance　to　the　other；　and　to　consider　that　other's　wishes；
conveniences；　and　safety？〃

〃I　tell　thee；　Varney；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃that　all　it　was　in　my
power　to　bestow　upon　her　was　not　merely　deserved；　but　a　thousand
times　overpaid；　by　her　own　virtue　and　beauty；　for　never　did
greatness　descend　upon　a　creature　so　formed　by　nature　to　grace
and　adorn　it。〃

〃It　is　well；　my　lord；　you　are　so　satisfied；〃　answered　Varney；
with　his　usual　sardonic　smile；　which　even　respect　to　his　patron
could　not　at　all　times　subdue；　〃you　will　have　time　enough　to
enjoy　undisturbed　the　society　of　one　so　gracious　and　beautiful
that　is；　so　soon　as　such　confinement　in　the　Tower　be　over　as　may
correspond　to　the　crime　of　deceiving　the　affections　of　Elizabeth
Tudor。　　A　cheaper　penalty；　I　presume；　you　do　not　expect。〃

〃Malicious　fiend！〃　　answered　Leicester；　〃do　you　mock　me　in　my
misfortune？Manage　it　as　thou　wilt。〃

〃If　you　are　serious；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃you　must　set　forth
instantly　and　post　for　Cumnor　Place。〃

〃Do　thou　go　thyself；　Varney；　the　devil　has　given　thee　that　sort
of　eloquence　which　is　most　powerful　in　the　worst　cause。　　I　should
stand　self…convicted　of　villainy；　were　I　to　urge　such　a　deceit。
Begone；　I　tell　thee；　must　I　entreat　thee　to　mine　own　dishonour？〃

〃No；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃but　if　you　are　serious　in　entrusting
me　with　the　task　of　urging　this　most　necessary　measure；　you　must
give　me　a　letter　to　my　lady；　as　my　credentials；　and　trust　to　me
for　backing　the　advice　it　contains　with　all　the　force　in　my
power。　　And　such　is　my　opinion　of　my　lady's　love　for　your
lordship；　and　of　her　willingness　to　do　that　which　is　at　once　to
contribute　to　your　pleasure　and　your　safety；　that　I　am　sure　she
will　condescend　to　bear　for　a　few　brief　days　the　name　of　so
humble　a　man　as　myself；　especially　since　it　is　not　inferior　in
antiquity　to　that　of　her　own　paternal　house。〃

Leicester　seized　on　writing　materials；　and　twice　or　thrice
commenced　a　letter　to　the　Countess；　which　he　afterwards　tore　into
fragments。　　At　length　he　finished　a　few　distracted　lines；　in
which　he　conjured　her；　for　reasons　nearly　concerning　his　life　and
honour；　to　consent　to　bear　the　name　of　Varney　for　a　few　days；
during　the　revels　at　Kenilworth。　　He　added　that　Varney　would
communicate　all　the　reasons　which　rendered　this　deception
indispensable；　and　having　signed　and　sealed　these　credentials；　he
flung　them　over　the　table　to　Varney　with　a　motion　that　he　should
depart；　which　his　adviser　was　not　slow　to　comprehend　and　to　obey。

Leicester　remained　like　one　stupefied；　till　he　heard　the
trampling　of　the　horse