kenilworth-第83部分

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knighthood　has　addled　thy　brains。　　Confess　thou　hast　talked　of
impossibilities　as　of　things　which　may　come　to　pass。〃

〃My　lord；　long　live　your　fair　Countess；〃　said　Varney；　〃but
neither　your　love　nor　my　good　wishes　can　make　her　immortal。　　But
God　grant　she　live　long　to　be　happy　herself；　and　to　render　you
so！　　I　see　not　but　you　may　be　King　of　England　notwithstanding。〃

〃Nay；　now；　Varney；　thou　art　stark　mad；〃　said　Leicester。

〃I　would　I　were　myself　within　the　same　nearness　to　a　good　estate
of　freehold；〃　said　Varney。　　〃Have　we　not　known　in　other　countries
how　a　left…handed　marriage　might　subsist　betwixt　persons　of
differing　degree？ay；　and　be　no　hindrance　to　prevent　the　husband
from　conjoining　himself　afterwards　with　a　more　suitable　partner？〃

〃I　have　heard　of　such　things　in　Germany；〃　said　Leicester。

〃Ay；　and　the　most　learned　doctors　in　foreign　universities　justify
the　practice　from　the　Old　Testament；〃　said　Varney。　　〃And　after
all；　where　is　the　harm？　　The　beautiful　partner　whom　you　have
chosen　for　true　love　has　your　secret　hours　of　relaxation　and
affection。　　Her　fame　is　safe　her　conscience　may　slumber　securely。
You　have　wealth　to　provide　royally　for　your　issue；　should　Heaven
bless　you　with　offspring。　　Meanwhile　you　may　give　to　Elizabeth
ten　times　the　leisure；　and　ten　thousand　times　the　affection；　that
ever　Don　Philip　of　Spain　spared　to　her　sister　Mary；　yet　you　know
how　she　doted　on　him　though　so　cold　and　neglectful。　　It　requires
but　a　close　mouth　and　an　open　brow；　and　you　keep　your　Eleanor　and
your　fair　Rosamond　far　enough　separate。　　Leave　me　to　build　you　a
bower　to　which　no　jealous　Queen　shall　find　a　clew。〃

Leicester　was　silent　for　a　moment；　then　sighed；　and　said；　〃It　is
impossible。　　Good　night；　Sir　Richard　Varneyyet　stay。　　Can　you
guess　what　meant　Tressilian　by　showing　himself　in　such　careless
guise　before　the　Queen　to…day？to　strike　her　tender　heart；　I
should　guess；　with　all　the　sympathies　due　to　a　lover　abandoned　by
his　mistress　and　abandoning　himself。〃

Varney；　smothering　a　sneering　laugh；　answered；　〃He　believed
Master　Tressilian　had　no　such　matter　in　his　head。〃

〃How！〃　　said　Leicester；　〃what　meanest　thou？　　There　is　ever
knavery　in　that　laugh　of　thine；　Varney。〃

〃I　only　meant；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃that　Tressilian　has　taken
the　sure　way　to　avoid　heart…breaking。　　He　hath　had　a　companiona
female　companiona　mistressa　sort　of　player's　wife　or　sister；
as　I　believewith　him　in　Mervyn's　Bower；　where　I　quartered　him
for　certain　reasons　of　my　own。〃

〃A　mistress！meanest　thou　a　paramour？〃

〃Ay；　my　lord；　what　female　else　waits　for　hours　in　a　gentleman's
chamber？〃

〃By　my　faith；　time　and　space　fitting；　this　were　a　good　tale　to
tell；〃　said　Leicester。　　〃I　ever　distrusted　those　bookish；
hypocritical；　seeming…virtuous　scholars。　　WellMaster　Tressilian
makes　somewhat　familiar　with　my　house；　if　I　look　it　over；　he　is
indebted　to　it　for　certain　recollections。　　I　would　not　harm　him
more　than　I　can　help。　　Keep　eye　on　him；　however；　Varney。〃

〃I　lodged　him　for　that　reason；〃　said　Varney；　〃in　Mervyn's　Tower；
where　he　is　under　the　eye　of　my　very　vigilant；　if　he　were　not
also　my　very　drunken；　servant；　Michael　Lambourne；　whom　I　have
told　your　Grace　of。〃

〃Grace！〃　　said　Leicester；　〃what　meanest　thou　by　that　epithet？〃

〃It　came　unawares；　my　lord；　and　yet　it　sounds　so　very　natural
that　I　cannot　recall　it。〃

〃It　is　thine　own　preferment　that　hath　turned　thy　brain；〃　said
Leicester；　laughing；　〃new　honours　are　as　heady　as　new　wine。〃

〃May　your　lordship　soon　have　cause　to　say　so　from　experience；〃
said　Varney；　and　wishing　his　patron　good　night；　he　withdrew。〃
＇See　Note　8。　Furniture　of　Kenilworth。＇



CHAPTER　XXXIII。

　　Here　stands　the　victimthere　the　proud　betrayer；
　　E'en　as　the　hind　pull'd　down　by　strangling　dogs
　　Lies　at　the　hunter's　feetwho　courteous　proffers
　　To　some　high　dame；　the　Dian　of　the　chase；
　　To　whom　he　looks　for　guerdon；　his　sharp　blade；
　　To　gash　the　sobbing　throat。　　　　　　　　　　　THE　WOODSMAN。

We　are　now　to　return　to　Mervyn's　Bower；　the　apartment；　or　rather
the　prison；　of　the　unfortunate　Countess　of　Leicester；　who　for
some　time　kept　within　bounds　her　uncertainty　and　her　impatience。
She　was　aware　that；　in　the　tumult　of　the　day；　there　might　be　some
delay　ere　her　letter　could　be　safely　conveyed　to　the　hands　of
Leicester；　and　that　some　time　more　might　elapse　ere　he　could
extricate　himself　from　the　necessary　attendance　on　Elizabeth；　to
come　and　visit　her　in　her　secret　bower。　　〃I　will　not　expect　him；〃
she　said；　〃till　night；　he　cannot　be　absent　from　his　royal　guest；
even　to　see　me。　　He　will；　I　know；　come　earlier　if　it　be　possible；
but　I　will　not　expect　him　before　night。〃　　And　yet　all　the　while
she　did　expect　him；　and　while　she　tried　to　argue　herself　into　a
contrary　belief；　each　hasty　noise　of　the　hundred　which　she　heard
sounded　like　the　hurried　step　of　Leicester　on　the　staircase；
hasting　to　fold　her　in　his　arms。

The　fatigue　of　body　which　Amy　had　lately　undergone；　with　the
agitation　of　mind　natural　to　so　cruel　a　state　of　uncertainty；
began　by　degrees　strongly　to　affect　her　nerves；　and　she　almost
feared　her　total　inability　to　maintain　the　necessary　self…command
through　the　scenes　which　might　lie　before　her。　　But　although
spoiled　by　an　over…indulgent　system　of　education；　Amy　had
naturally　a　mind　of　great　power；　united　with　a　frame　which　her
share　in　her　father's　woodland　exercises　had　rendered　uncommonly
healthy。　　She　summoned　to　her　aid　such　mental　and　bodily
resources；　and　not　unconscious　how　much　the　issue　of　her　fate
might　depend　on　her　own　self…possession；　she　prayed　internally
for　strength　of　body　and　for　mental　fortitude；　and　resolved　at
the　same　time　to　yield　to　no　nervous　impulse　which　might　weaken
either。

Yet　when　the　great　bell　of　the　Castle；　which　was　placed　in
Caesar's　Tower；　at　no　great　distance　from　that　called　Mervyn's；
began　to　send　its　pealing　clamour　abroad；　in　signal　of　the
arrival　of　the　royal　procession；　the　din　was　so　painfully　acute
to　ears　rendered　nervously　sensitive　by　anxiety；　that　she　could
hardly　forbear　shrieking　with　anguish；　in　answer　to　every
stunning　clash　of　the　relentless　peal。

Shortly　afterwards；　when　the　small　apartment　was　at　once
enlightened　by　the　shower　of　artificial　fires　with　which　the　air
was　suddenly　filled；　and　which　crossed　each　other　like　fiery
spirits；　each　bent　on　his　own　separate　mission；　or　like
salamanders　executing　a　frolic　dance　in　the　region　of　the　Sylphs；
the　Countess　felt　at　first　as　if　each　rocket　shot　close　by　her
eyes；　and　discharged　its　sparks　and　flashes　so　nigh　that　she
could　feel　a　sense　of　the　heat。　　But　she　struggled　against　these
fantastic　terrors；　and　compelled　herself　to　arise；　stand　by　the
window；　look　out；　and　gaze　upon　a　sight　which　at　another　time
would　have　appeared　to　her　at　once　captivating　and　fearful。　　The
magnificent　towers　of　the　Castle　were　enveloped　in　garlands　of
artificial　fire；　or　shrouded　with　tiaras　of　pale　smoke。　　The
surface　of　the　lake　glowed　like　molten　iron；　while　many　fireworks
（then　thought　extremely　wonderful；　though　now　common）；　whose
flame　continued　to　exist　in　the　opposing　element；　dived　and　rose；
hissed　and　roared；　and　spouted　fire；　like　so　many　dragons　of
enchantment　sporting　upon　a　burning　lake。

Even　Amy　was　for　a　moment　interested　by　what　was　to　her　so　new　a
scene。　　〃I　had　thought　it　magical　art；〃　she　said；　〃but　poor
Tressilian　taught　me　to　judge　of　such　things　as　they　are。　　Great
God！　　and　may　not　these　idle　splendours　resemble　my　own　hoped…for
happinessa　single　spark；　which　is　instantly　swallowed　up　by
surrounding　darknessa　precarious　glow；　which　rises　but　for　a
brief　space　into　the　air；　that　its　fall　may　be　the　lower？　　O
Leicester！　　after　allall　that　thou　hast　saidhast　swornthat
Amy　was　thy　love；　thy　life；　can　it　be　that　thou　art　the　magician
at　whose　nod　these　enchantments　arise；　and　that　she　sees　them　as
an　outcast；　if　not　a　captive？〃

The　sustained；　prolonged；　and　repeated　bursts　of　music；　from　so
many　different　quarters；　and　at　so　many　varying　points　of
distance；　which　sounded　as　if　not　the　Castle　of　Kenilworth　only；
but　the　whole　country　around；　had　been　at　once　the　scene　of
solemnizing　some　high　national　festival；　carried　the　same
oppressive　thought　still　closer　to　her　heart；　while　some　notes
would　melt　in　distant　and　falling　tones；　as　if　in　compassion　for
her　sorrows；　and　some　burst　close　and　near　upon　her；　as　if
mocking　her　misery；　with　all　the　insolence　of　unlimited　mirth。
〃These　sounds；〃　she　said；　〃are　minemine；　because　they　are　HIS；
but　I　cannot　say；　Be　still；　these　loud　strains　suit　me　not；　and
the　voice　of　the　meanest　peasant　that　mingles　in　the　dance　would
have　more　power　to　modulate　the　music　than　the　command　of　her　who
is　mistress　of　all。〃

By　degrees　the　sounds　of　revelry　died　away；　and　the　Countess
withdrew　from　the　window　at　which　she　had　sat　listening　to　them。
It　was　night；　but　the　moon　afforded　considerable　light　in　the
room；　so　that　Amy　was　able　to　make　the　arrangement　which　she
judged　necessary。　　There　was　hope　that　Leicester　might　come　to
her　apartment　as　soon　as　the　revel　in　the　Castle　had　subsided；
but　there　was　also　risk　she　might　be　disturbed　by　some
unauthorized　intruder。　　She　had　lost　confidence　in　the　key　since
Tressilian　had　entered　so　easily；　though　the　door　was　locked　on
the　inside；　yet　all　the　additional　security　she　could　think　of
was　to　place　the　table　across　the　door；　that　she　might　be　warned
by　the　noise　should　any　one　attempt　to　enter。　　Having　taken　these
necessary　precautions；　the　unfortunate　lady　withdrew　to　her
couch；　stretched　herself　down　on　it；　mused　in　anxious
expectation；　and　counted　more　than　one　hour　after　midnight；　till
exhausted　nature　proved　too　strong　for　love；　for　grief；　for　fear；
nay；　even　for　uncertainty；　and　she　slept。

Yes；　she　slept。　　The　Indian　sleeps　at　the　stake　in　the　intervals
between　his　tortures；　and　mental　torments；　in　like　manner；
exhaust　by　long　continuance　the　sensibility　of　the　sufferer；　so
that　an　interval　of　lethargic　repose　must　necessarily　ensue；　ere
the　pangs　which　they　inflict　can　again　be　renewed。

The　Countess　slept；　then；　for　several　hours；　and　dreamed　that　she
was　in　the　ancient　house　at