Cumnor Place。〃
〃Thou met'st him； villain！ and why didst thou not strike him
dead？〃 exclaimed Leicester。
〃I drew on him； my lord； and he on me； and had not my foot
slipped； he would not； perhaps； have been again a stumbling…block
in your lordship's path。〃
Leicester seemed struck dumb with surprise。 At length he
answered； 〃What other evidence hast thou of this； Varney； save
thine own assertion？for； as I will punish deeply； I will
examine coolly and warily。 Sacred Heaven！but noI will
examine coldly and warily…coldly and warily。〃 He repeated these
words more than once to himself； as if in the very sound there
was a sedative quality； and again compressing his lips； as if he
feared some violent expression might escape from them； he asked
again； 〃What further proof？〃
〃Enough； my lord；〃 said Varney； 〃and to spare。 I would it rested
with me alone； for with me it might have been silenced for ever。
But my servant； Michael Lambourne； witnessed the whole； and was；
indeed； the means of first introducing Tressilian into Cumnor
Place； and therefore I took him into my service； and retained him
in it； though something of a debauched fellow； that I might have
his tongue always under my own command。〃 He then acquainted Lord
Leicester how easy it was to prove the circumstance of their
interview true； by evidence of Anthony Foster； with the
corroborative testimonies of the various persons at Cumnor； who
had heard the wager laid； and had seen Lambourne and Tressilian
set off together。 In the whole narrative； Varney hazarded
nothing fabulous； excepting that； not indeed by direct assertion；
but by inference； he led his patron to suppose that the interview
betwixt Amy and Tressilian at Cumnor Place had been longer than
the few minutes to which it was in reality limited。
〃And wherefore was I not told of all this？〃 said Leicester
sternly。 〃Why did all of yeand in particular thou； Varney
keep back from me such material information？〃
〃Because； my lord；〃 replied Varney； 〃the Countess pretended to
Foster and to me that Tressilian had intruded himself upon her；
and I concluded their interview had been in all honour； and that
she would at her own time tell it to your lordship。 Your
lordship knows with what unwilling ears we listen to evil
surmises against those whom we love； and I thank Heaven I am no
makebate or informer； to be the first to sow them。〃
〃You are but too ready to receive them； however； Sir Richard；〃
replied his patron。 〃How knowest thou that this interview was
not in all honour； as thou hast said？ Methinks the wife of the
Earl of Leicester might speak for a short time with such a person
as Tressilian without injury to me or suspicion to herself。〃
〃Questionless； my lord；〃 answered Varney； 〃Had I thought
otherwise； I had been no keeper of the secret。 But here lies the
rubTressilian leaves not the place without establishing a
correspondence with a poor man； the landlord of an inn in Cumnor；
for the purpose of carrying off the lady。 He sent down an
emissary of his； whom I trust soon to have in right sure keeping
under Mervyn's TowerKilligrew and Lambsbey are scouring the
country in quest of him。 The host is rewarded with a ring for
keeping counselyour lordship may have noted it on Tressilian's
handhere it is。 This fellow； this agent； makes his way to the
place as a pedlar； holds conferences with the lady； and they make
their escape together by night； rob a poor fellow of a horse by
the way； such was their guilty haste； and at length reach this
Castle； where the Countess of Leicester finds refugeI dare not
say in what place。〃
〃Speak； I command thee；〃 said Leicester〃speak； while I retain
sense enough to hear thee。〃
〃Since it must be so；〃 answered Varney； 〃the lady resorted
immediately to the apartment of Tressilian； where she remained
many hours； partly in company with him； and partly alone。 I told
you Tressilian had a paramour in his chamber； I little dreamed
that paramour was〃
〃Amy； thou wouldst say；〃 answered Leicester； 〃but it is false；
false as the smoke of hell！ Ambitious she may befickle and
impatient'tis a woman's fault； but false to me！never； never。
The proofthe proof of this！〃 he exclaimed hastily。
〃Carrol； the Deputy Marshal； ushered her thither by her own
desire； on yesterday afternoon； Lambourne and the Warder both
found her there at an early hour this morning；〃
〃Was Tressilian there with her？〃 said Leicester； in the same
hurried tone。
〃No； my lord。 You may remember；〃 answered Varney； 〃that he was
that night placed with Sir Nicholas Blount； under a species of
arrest。〃
〃Did Carrol； or the other fellows； know who she was？〃 demanded
Leicester。
〃No； my lord；〃 replied Varney； 〃Carrol and the Warder had never
seen the Countess； and Lambourne knew her not in her disguise。
But in seeking to prevent her leaving the cell； he obtained
possession of one of her gloves； which； I think； your lordship
may know。〃
He gave the glove； which had the Bear and Ragged Staff； the
Earl's impress； embroidered upon it in seed…pearls。
〃I doI do recognize it；〃 said Leicester。 〃They were my own
gift。 The fellow of it was on the arm which she threw this very
day around my neck！〃 He spoke this with violent agitation。
〃Your lordship；〃 said Varney； 〃might yet further inquire of the
lady herself respecting the truth of these passages。〃
〃It needs notit needs not；〃 said the tortured Earl； 〃it is
written in characters of burning light； as if they were branded
on my very eyeballs！ I see her infamy…I can see nought else；
andgracious Heaven！for this vile woman was I about to commit
to danger the lives of so many noble friends； shake the
foundation of a lawful throne； carry the sword and torch through
the bosom of a peaceful land； wrong the kind mistress who made me
what I am； and would； but for that hell…framed marriage； have
made me all that man can be！ All this I was ready to do for a
woman who trinkets and traffics with my worst foes！And thou；
villain； why didst thou not speak sooner？〃
〃My lord；〃 said Varney； 〃a tear from my lady would have blotted
out all I could have said。 Besides； I had not these proofs until
this very morning； when Anthony Foster's sudden arrival with the
examinations and declarations； which he had extorted from the
innkeeper Gosling and others； explained the manner of her flight
from Cumnor Place； and my own researches discovered the steps
which she had taken here。〃
〃Now； may God be praised for the light He has given！ so full； so
satisfactory； that there breathes not a man in England who shall
call my proceeding rash； or my revenge unjust。And yet； Varney；
so young； so fair； so fawning； and so false！ Hence； then； her
hatred to thee； my trusty； my well…beloved servant； because you
withstood her plots； and endangered her paramour's life！〃
〃I never gave her any other cause of dislike； my lord；〃 replied
Varney。 〃But she knew that my counsels went directly to diminish
her influence with your lordship； and that I was； and have been；
ever ready to peril my life against your enemies。〃
〃It is too； too apparent；〃 replied Leicester 〃yet with what an
air of magnanimity she exhorted me to commit my head to the
Queen's mercy； rather than wear the veil of falsehood a moment
longer！ Methinks the angel of truth himself can have no such
tones of high…souled impulse。 Can it be so； Varney？can
falsehood use thus boldly the language of truth？can infamy thus
assume the guise of purity？ Varney； thou hast been my servant
from a child。 I have raised thee highcan raise thee higher。
Think； think for me！thy brain was ever shrewd and piercing
may she not be innocent？ Prove her so； and all I have yet done
for thee shall be as nothingnothing； in comparison of thy
recompense！〃
The agony with which his master spoke had some effect even on the
hardened Varney； who； in the midst of his own wicked and
ambitious designs； really loved his patron as well as such a
wretch was capable of loving anything。 But he comforted himself；
and subdued his self…reproaches； with the reflection that if he
inflicted upon the Earl some immediate and transitory pain； it
was in order to pave his way to the throne； which； were this
marriage dissolved by death or otherwise； he deemed Elizabeth
would willingly share with his benefactor。 He therefore
persevered in his diabolical policy； and after a moment's
consideration； answered the anxious queries of the Earl with a
melancholy look； as if he had in vain sought some exculpation for
the Countess； then suddenly raising his head； he said； with an
expression of hope； which instantly communicated itself to the
countenance of his patron〃Yet wherefore； if guilty； should she
have perilled herself by coming hither？ Why not rather have fled
to her father's； or elsewhere？though that； indeed； might have
interfered with her desire to be acknowledged as Countess of
Leicester。〃
〃True； true； true！〃 exclaimed Leicester； his transient gleam of
hope giving way to the utmost bitterness of feeling and
expression； 〃thou art not fit to fathom a woman's depth of wit；
Varney。 I see it all。 She would not quit the estate and title
of the wittol who had wedd