kenilworth-第47部分

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〃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　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　t