kenilworth-第79章

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Naas；　who　demanded　the　right　eye　of　those　who　were　subjected　to
him？'　And　further　he　insisted〃

It　is　uncertain　how　long　the　fair　Puritan's　memory　might　have
supported　her　in　the　recapitulation　of　Master　Holdforth's
discourse；　but　the　Countess　now　interrupted　her；　and　assured　her
she　was　so　much　recovered　that　she　could　now　reach　the　postern
without　the　necessity　of　a　second　delay。

They　set　out　accordingly；　and　performed　the　second　part　of　their
journey　with　more　deliberation；　and　of　course　more　easily；　than
the　first　hasty　commencement。　　This　gave　them　leisure　for
reflection；　and　Janet　now；　for　the　first　time；　ventured　to　ask
her　lady　which　way　she　proposed　to　direct　her　flight。　　Receiving
no　immediate　answerfor；　perhaps；　in　the　confusion　of　her　mind
this　very　obvious　subject　of　deliberation　had　not　occurred　to　the
Countess…Janet　ventured　to　add；　〃Probably　to　your　father's
house；　where　you　are　sure　of　safety　and　protection？〃

〃No；　Janet；〃　said　the　lady　mournfully；　〃I　left　Lidcote　Hall　while
my　heart　was　light　and　my　name　was　honourable；　and　I　will　not
return　thither　till　my　lord's　permission　and　public
acknowledgment　of　our　marriage　restore　me　to　my　native　home　with
all　the　rank　and　honour　which　he　has　bestowed　on　me。〃

〃And　whither　will　you；　then；　madam？〃　　said　Janet。

〃To　Kenilworth；　girl；〃　said　the　Countess；　boldly　and　freely。　　〃I
will　see　these　revelsthese　princely　revelsthe　preparation　for
which　makes　the　land　ring　from　side　to　side。　　Methinks；　when　the
Queen　of　England　feasts　within　my　husband's　halls；　the　Countess
of　Leicester　should　be　no　unbeseeming　guest。〃

〃I　pray　God　you　may　be　a　welcome　one！〃　　said　Janet　hastily。

〃You　abuse　my　situation；　Janet；〃　said　the　Countess；　angrily；　〃and
you　forget　your　own。〃

〃I　do　neither；　dearest　madam；〃　said　the　sorrowful　maiden；　〃but
have　you　forgotten　that　the　noble　Earl　has　given　such　strict
charges　to　keep　your　marriage　secret；　that　he　may　preserve　his
court…favour？　　and　can　you　think　that　your　sudden　appearance　at
his　castle；　at　such　a　juncture；　and　in　such　a　presence；　will　be
acceptable　to　him？〃

〃Thou　thinkest　I　would　disgrace　him；〃　said　the　Countess；　〃nay；
let　go　my　arm；　I　can　walk　without　aid　and　work　without　counsel。〃

〃Be　not　angry　with　me；　lady；〃　said　Janet　meekly；　〃and　let　me
still　support　you；　the　road　is　rough；　and　you　are　little
accustomed　to　walk　in　darkness。〃

〃If　you　deem　me　not　so　mean　as　may　disgrace　my　husband；〃　said　the
Countess；　in　the　same　resentful　tone；　〃you　suppose　my　Lord　of
Leicester　capable　of　abetting；　perhaps　of　giving　aim　and
authority　to；　the　base　proceedings　of　your　father　and　Varney；
whose　errand　I　will　do　to　the　good　Earl。〃

〃For　God's　sake；　madam；　spare　my　father　in　your　report；〃　said
Janet；　〃let　my　services；　however　poor；　be　some　atonement　for　his
errors！〃

〃I　were　most　unjust；　dearest　Janet；　were　it　otherwise；〃　said　the
Countess；　resuming　at　once　the　fondness　and　confidence　of　her
manner　towards　her　faithful　attendant；　〃No；　Janet；　not　a　word　of
mine　shall　do　your　father　prejudice。　　But　thou　seest；　my　love；　I
have　no　desire　but　to　throw　my　self　on　my　husband's　protection。
I　have　left　the　abode　he　assigned　for　me；　because　of　the　villainy
of　the　persons　by　whom　I　was　surrounded；　but　I　will　disobey　his
commands　in　no　other　particular。　　I　will　appeal　to　him　aloneI
will　be　protected　by　him　alone；　to　no　other；　than　at　his
pleasure；　have　I　or　will　I　communicate　the　secret　union　which
combines　our　hearts　and　our　destinies。　　I　will　see　him；　and
receive　from　his　own　lips　the　directions　for　my　future　conduct。
Do　not　argue　against　my　resolution；　Janet；　you　will　only　confirm
me　in　it。　　And　to　own　the　truth；　I　am　resolved　to　know　my　fate　at
once；　and　from　my　husband's　own　mouth；　and　to　seek　him　at
Kenilworth　is　the　surest　way　to　attain　my　purpose。〃

While　Janet　hastily　revolved　in　her　mind　the　difficulties　and
uncertainties　attendant　on　the　unfortunate　lady's　situation；　she
was　inclined　to　alter　her　first　opinion；　and　to　think；　upon　the
whole；　that　since　the　Countess　had　withdrawn　herself　from　the
retreat　in　which　she　had　been　placed　by　her　husband；　it　was　her
first　duty　to　repair　to　his　presence；　and　possess　him　with　the
reasons　for　such　conduct。　　She　knew　what　importance　the　Earl
attached　to　the　concealment　of　their　marriage；　and　could　not　but
own；　that　by　taking　any　step　to　make　it　public　without　his
permission；　the　Countess　would　incur；　in　a　high　degree；　the
indignation　of　her　husband。　　If　she　retired　to　her　father's　house
without　an　explicit　avowal　of　her　rank；　her　situation　was　likely
greatly　to　prejudice　her　character；　and　if　she　made　such　an
avowal；　it　might　occasion　an　irreconcilable　breach　with　her
husband。　　At　Kenilworth；　again；　she　might　plead　her　cause　with
her　husband　himself；　whom　Janet；　though　distrusting　him　more　than
the　Countess　did；　believed　incapable　of　being　accessory　to　the
base　and　desperate　means　which　his　dependants；　from　whose　power
the　lady　was　now　escaping；　might　resort　to；　in　order　to　stifle
her　complaints　of　the　treatment　she　had　received　at　their　hands。
But　at　the　worst；　and　were　the　Earl　himself　to　deny　her　justice
and　protection；　still　at　Kenilworth；　if　she　chose　to　make　her
wrongs　public；　the　Countess　might　have　Tressilian　for　her
advocate；　and　the　Queen　for　her　judge；　for　so　much　Janet　had
learned　in　her　short　conference　with　Wayland。　　She　was；
therefore；　on　the　whole；　reconciled　to　her　lady's　proposal　of
going　towards　Kenilworth；　and　so　expressed　herself；　recommending；
however；　to　the　Countess　the　utmost　caution　in　making　her　arrival
known　to　her　husband；

〃Hast　thou　thyself　been　cautious；　Janet？〃　　said　the　Countess；
〃this　guide；　in　whom　I　must　put　my　confidence；　hast　thou　not
entrusted　to　him　the　secret　of　my　condition？〃

〃From　me　he　has　learned　nothing；〃　said　Janet；　〃nor　do　I　think
that　he　knows　more　than　what　the　public　in　general　believe　of
your　situation。〃

〃And　what　is　that？〃　　said　the　lady。

〃That　you　left　your　father's　housebut　I　shall　offend　you　again
if　I　go　on；〃　said　Janet；　interrupting　herself。

〃Nay；　go　on；〃　said　the　Countess；　〃I　must　learn　to　endure　the　evil
report　which　my　folly　has　brought　upon　me。　　They　think；　I
suppose；　that　I　have　left　my　father's　house　to　follow　lawless
pleasure。　　It　is　an　error　which　will　soon　be　removedindeed　it
shall；　for　I　will　live　with　spotless　fame；　or　I　shall　cease　to
live。I　am　accounted；　then；　the　paramour　of　my　Leicester？〃

〃Most　men　say　of　Varney；〃　said　Janet；　〃yet　some　call　him　only　the
convenient　cloak　of　his　master's　pleasures；　for　reports　of　the
profuse　expense　in　garnishing　yonder　apartments　have　secretly
gone　abroad；　and　such　doings　far　surpass　the　means　of　Varney。
But　this　latter　opinion　is　little　prevalent；　for　men　dare　hardly
even　hint　suspicion　when　so　high　a　name　is　concerned；　lest　the
Star　Chamber　should　punish　them　for　scandal　of　the　nobility。〃

〃They　do　well　to　speak　low；〃　said　the　Countess；　〃who　would
mention　the　illustrious　Dudley　as　the　accomplice　of　such　a　wretch
as　Varney。We　have　reached　the　postern。　　Ah！　　Janet；　I　must　bid
thee　farewell！　　Weep　not；　my　good　girl；〃　said　she；　endeavouring
to　cover　her　own　reluctance　to　part　with　her　faithful　attendant
under　an　attempt　at　playfulness；　〃and　against　we　meet　again；
reform　me；　Janet；　that　precise　ruff　of　thine　for　an　open　rabatine
of　lace　and　cut　work；　that　will　let　men　see　thou　hast　a　fair
neck；　and　that　kirtle　of　Philippine　chency；　with　that　bugle　lace
which　befits　only　a　chambermaid；　into　three…piled　velvet　and
cloth　of　goldthou　wilt　find　plenty　of　stuffs　in　my　chamber；　and
I　freely　bestow　them　on　you。　　Thou　must　be　brave；　Janet；　for
though　thou　art　now　but　the　attendant　of　a　distressed　and　errant
lady；　who　is　both　nameless　and　fameless；　yet；　when　we　meet　again；
thou　must　be　dressed　as　becomes　the　gentlewoman　nearest　in　love
and　in　service　to　the　first　Countess　in　England。〃

〃Now；　may　God　grant　it；　dear　lady！〃　　said　Janet〃not　that　I　may
go　with　gayer　apparel；　but　that　we　may　both　wear　our　kirtles　over
lighter　hearts。〃

By　this　time　the　lock　of　the　postern　door　had；　after　some　hard
wrenching；　yielded　to　the　master…key；　and　the　Countess；　not
without　internal　shud