kenilworth-第95部分

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Merlin　answered　with　readiness　that　it　did　indeed　require　that　so
many　choice　qualities　should　meet　in　the　English；　as　might　render
them　in　some　measure　the　muster　of　the　perfections　of　other
nations；　since　that　alone　could　render　them　in　some　degree
deserving　of　the　blessings　they　enjoyed　under　the　reign　of
England's　Elizabeth。

The　music　then　sounded；　and　the　quadrilles；　together　with　Merlin
and　his　assistants；　had　begun　to　remove　from　the　crowded　hall；
when　Leicester；　who　was；　as　we　have　mentioned；　stationed　for　the
moment　near　the　bottom　of　the　hall；　and　consequently　engaged　in
some　degree　in　the　crowd；　felt　himself　pulled　by　the　cloak；　while
a　voice　whispered　in　his　ear；　〃My　Lord；　I　do　desire　some　instant
conference　with　you。〃



CHAPTER　XXXVIII。

　　How　is't　with　me；　when　every　noise　appals　me？　　　　　MACBETH。

〃I　desire　some　conference　with　you。〃　　The　words　were　simple　in
themselves；　but　Lord　Leicester　was　in　that　alarmed　and　feverish
state　of　mind　when　the　most　ordinary　occurrences　seem　fraught
with　alarming　import；　and　he　turned　hastily　round　to　survey　the
person　by　whom　they　had　been　spoken。　　There　was　nothing
remarkable　in　the　speaker's　appearance；　which　consisted　of　a
black　silk　doublet　and　short　mantle；　with　a　black　vizard　on　his
face；　for　it　appeared　he　had　been　among　the　crowd　of　masks　who
had　thronged　into　the　hall　in　the　retinue　of　Merlin；　though　he
did　not　wear　any　of　the　extravagant　disguises　by　which　most　of
them　were　distinguished。

〃Who　are　you；　or　what　do　you　want　with　me？〃　　said　Leicester；　not
without　betraying；　by　his　accents；　the　hurried　state　of　his
spirits。

〃No　evil；　my　lord；〃　answered　the　mask；　〃but　much　good　and　honour；
if　you　will　rightly　understand　my　purpose。　　But　I　must　speak　with
you　more　privately。〃

〃I　can　speak　with　no　nameless　stranger；〃　answered　Leicester；
dreading　he　knew　not　precisely　what　from　the　request　of　the
stranger；　〃and　those　who　are　known　to　me　must　seek　another　and　a
fitter　time　to　ask　an　interview。〃

He　would　have　hurried　away；　but　the　mask　still　detained　him。

〃Those　who　talk　to　your　lordship　of　what　your　own　honour　demands
have　a　right　over　your　time；　whatever　occupations　you　may　lay
aside　in　order　to　indulge　them。〃

〃How！　　my　honour？　　Who　dare　impeach　it？〃　　said　Leicester。

〃Your　own　conduct　alone　can　furnish　grounds　for　accusing　it；　my
lord；　and　it　is　that　topic　on　which　I　would　speak　with　you。〃

〃You　are　insolent；〃　said　Leicester；　〃and　abuse　the　hospitable
license　of　the　time；　which　prevents　me　from　having　you　punished。
I　demand　your　name！〃

〃Edmund　Tressilian　of　Cornwall；〃　answered　the　mask。　　〃My　tongue
has　been　bound　by　a　promise　for　four…and…twenty　hours。　　The　space
is　passed；I　now　speak；　and　do　your　lordship　the　justice　to
address　myself　first　to　you。〃

The　thrill　of　astonishment　which　had　penetrated　to　Leicester's
very　heart　at　hearing　that　name　pronounced　by　the　voice　of　the
man　he　most　detested；　and　by　whom　he　conceived　himself　so　deeply
injured；　at　first　rendered　him　immovable；　but　instantly　gave　way
to　such　a　thirst　for　revenge　as　the　pilgrim　in　the　desert　feels
for　the　water…brooks。　　He　had　but　sense　and　self…government
enough　left　to　prevent　his　stabbing　to　the　heart　the　audacious
villain；　who；　after　the　ruin　he　had　brought　upon　him；　dared；　with
such　unmoved　assurance；　thus　to　practise　upon　him　further。
Determined　to　suppress　for　the　moment　every　symptom　of　agitation；
in　order　to　perceive　the　full　scope　of　Tressilian's　purpose；　as
well　as　to　secure　his　own　vengeance；　he　answered　in　a　tone　so
altered　by　restrained　passion　as　scarce　to　be　intelligible；　〃And
what　does　Master　Edmund　Tressilian　require　at　my　hand？〃

〃Justice；　my　lord；〃　answered　Tressilian；　calmly　but　firmly。

〃Justice；〃　said　Leicester；　〃all　men　are　entitled　to。　　YOU；　Master
Tressilian；　are　peculiarly　so；　and　be　assured　you　shall　have　it。〃

〃I　expect　nothing　less　from　your　nobleness；〃　answered　Tressilian；
〃but　time　presses；　and　I　must　speak　with　you　to…night。　　May　I
wait　on　you　in　your　chamber？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Leicester　sternly；　〃not　under　a　roof；　and　that
roof　mine　own。　　We　will　meet　under　the　free　cope　of　heaven。〃

〃You　are　discomposed　or　displeased；　my　lord；〃　replied　Tressilian；
〃yet　there　is　no　occasion　for　distemperature。　　The　place　is　equal
to　me；　so　you　allow　me　one　half…hour　of　your　time　uninterrupted。〃

〃A　shorter　time　will；　I　trust；　suffice；〃　answered　Leicester。
〃Meet　me　in　the　Pleasance　when　the　Queen　has　retired　to　her
chamber。〃

〃Enough；〃　said　Tressilian；　and　withdrew；　while　a　sort　of　rapture
seemed　for　the　moment　to　occupy　the　mind　of　Leicester。

〃Heaven；〃　he　said；　〃is　at　last　favourable　to　me；　and　has　put
within　my　reach　the　wretch　who　has　branded　me　with　this　deep
ignominywho　has　inflicted　on　me　this　cruel　agony。　　I　will　blame
fate　no　more；　since　I　am　afforded　the　means　of　tracing　the　wiles
by　which　he　means　still　further　to　practise　on　me；　and　then　of　at
once　convicting　and　punishing　his　villainy。　　To　my　taskto　my
task！　　I　will　not　sink　under　it　now；　since　midnight；　at　farthest；
will　bring　me　vengeance。〃

While　these　reflections　thronged　through　Leicester's　mind；　he
again　made　his　way　amid　the　obsequious　crowd；　which　divided　to
give　him　passage；　and　resumed　his　place；　envied　and　admired；
beside　the　person　of　his　Sovereign。　　But　could　the　bosom　of　him
thus　admired　and　envied　have　been　laid　open　before　the
inhabitants　of　that　crowded　hall；　with　all　its　dark　thoughts　of
guilty　ambition；　blighted　affection；　deep　vengeance；　and
conscious　sense　of　meditated　cruelty；　crossing　each　other　like
spectres　in　the　circle　of　some　foul　enchantress；　which　of　them；
from　the　most　ambitious　noble　in　the　courtly　circle　down　to　the
most　wretched　menial　who　lived　by　shifting　of　trenchers；　would
have　desired　to　change　characters　with　the　favourite　of
Elizabeth；　and　the　Lord　of　Kenilworth？

New　tortures　awaited　him　as　soon　as　he　had　rejoined　Elizabeth。

〃You　come　in　time；　my　lord；〃　she　said；　〃to　decide　a　dispute
between　us　ladies。　　Here　has　Sir　Richard　Varney　asked　our
permission　to　depart　from　the　Castle　with　his　infirm　lady；
having；　as　he　tells　us；　your　lordship's　consent　to　his　absence；
so　he　can　obtain　ours。　　Certes；　we　have　no　will　to　withhold　him
from　the　affectionate　charge　of　this　poor　young　person；　but　you
are　to　know　that　Sir　Richard　Varney　hath　this　day　shown　himself
so　much　captivated　with　these　ladies　of　ours；　that　here　is　our
Duchess　of　Rutland　says　he　will　carry　his　poor　insane　wife　no
farther　than　the　lake；　plunge　her　in　to　tenant　the　crystal
palaces　that　the　enchanted　nymph　told　us　of；　and　return　a　jolly
widower；　to　dry　his　tears　and　to　make　up　the　loss　among　our
train。　　How　say　you；　my　lord？　　We　have　seen　Varney　under　two　or
three　different　guisesyou　know　what　are　his　proper　attributes
think　you　he　is　capable　of　playing　his　lady　such　a　knave's
trick？〃

Leicester　was　confounded；　but　the　danger　was　urgent；　and　a　reply
absolutely　necessary。　　〃The　ladies；〃　he　said；　〃think　too　lightly
of　one　of　their　own　sex；　in　supposing　she　could　deserve　such　a
fate；　or　too　ill　of　ours；　to　think　it　could　be　inflicted　upon　an
innocent　female。〃

〃Hear　him；　my　ladies；〃　said　Elizabeth；　〃like　all　his　sex；　he
would　excuse　their　cruelty　by　imputing　fickleness　to　us。〃

〃Say　not　US；　madam；〃　replied　the　Earl。　　〃We　say　that　meaner
women；　like　the　lesser　lights　of　heaven；　have　revolutions　and
phases；　but　who　shall　impute　mutability　to　the　sun；　or　to
Elizabeth？〃

The　discourse　presently　afterwards　assumed　a　less　perilous
tendency；　and　Leicester　continued　to　support　his　part　in　it　with
spirit；　at　whatever　expense　of　mental　agony。　　So　pleasing　did　it
seem　to　Elizabeth；　that　the　Castle　bell　had　sounded　midnight　ere
she　retired　from　the　company；　a　circumstance　unusual　in　her　quiet
and　regular　habits　of　disposing　of　time。　　Her　departure　was；　of
course；　the　signal　for　breaking　up　the　company；　who　dispersed　to
their　several　places　of　repose；　to　dream　over　the　pastimes　of　the
day；　or　to　anticipate　those　of　the　morrow。

The　unfortunate　Lord　of　the　Castle；　and　founder　of　the　proud
festival；　retired　to　far　different　thoughts。　　His　direction　to
the　valet　who　attended　him　was　to　send　Varney　instantly　to　his
apartment。　　The　messenger　returned　after　some　delay；　and　informed
him　that　an　hour　had　elapsed　since　Sir　Richard　Varney　had　left
the　Castle　by　the　postern　gate　with　three　other　persons；　one　of
whom　was　transported　in　a　horse…litter。

〃How　came　he　to　leave　the　Castle　after　the　watch　was　set？〃　　said
Leicester。　　〃I　thought　he　went　not　till　daybreak。〃

〃He　gave　satisfactory　reasons；　as　I　understand；〃　said　the
domestic；　〃to　the　guard；　and；　as　I　hear；　showed　your　lordship's
signet〃

〃Truetrue；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃yet　he　has　been　hasty。　　Do　any　of
his　attendants　remain　behind？〃

〃Michael　Lambourne；　my　lord；〃　said　the　valet；　〃was　not　to　be
found　when　Sir　Richard　Varney　departed；　and　his　master　was　much
incensed　at　his　absence。　　I　saw　him　but　now　saddling　his　horse　to
gallop　after　his　master。〃

〃Bid　him　come　hither　instantly；〃　said　Leicester；　〃I　have　a
message　to　his　master。〃

The　servant　left　the　apartment；　and　Leicester　traversed　it　for
some　time　in　deep　meditation。　　〃Varney　is　over…zealous；〃　he　said；
〃over…pressing。　　He　loves　me；　I　think；　but　he　hath　his　own　ends
to　serve；　and　he　is　inexorable　in　pursuit　of　them。　　If　I　rise；　he
rises；　and　he　hath　shown　himself　already　but　too；　eager　to　rid　me
of　this　obstacle　which　seems　to　stand　betwixt　me　and　sovereignty。
Yet　I　will　not　stoop　to　bear　this　disgrace。　　She　shall　be
punished；　but　it　shall　be　more　advisedly。　　I　already　feel；　even
in　anticipation；　that　over…haste　would　light　the　flames　of　hell
in　my　bosom。　　Noone　victim　is　enough　at　once；　and　that　victim
already　waits　me。〃

He　seized　upon　writing　materials；　and　hastily　traced　these
words：
〃Sir　Richard　Varney；　we　have　resolved　to　defer　the　matter
entrusted　to　your　care；　and　strictly　command　you　to　proceed　no
further　in　relation　to　our　Countess　until　our　further　order。　　We
also　command　your　instant　return　to　Kenilworth　as　soon　as　you
have　safely　bestowed　that　with　which　you　are　entrusted。　　But　if
the　safe…placing　of　your　present　charge　shall　detain　y