himself for a brief space upon matters of pressing importance。
〃Go； my lord；〃 said the Queen。 〃We are aware our presence must
occasion sudden and unexpected occurrences； which require to be
provided for on the instant。 Yet； my lord； as you would have us
believe ourself your welcome and honoured guest； we entreat you
to think less of our good cheer； and favour us with more of your
good countenance than we have this day enjoyed； for whether
prince or peasant be the guest； the welcome of the host will
always be the better part of the entertainment。 Go； my lord； and
we trust to see you return with an unwrinkled brow； and those
free thoughts which you are wont to have at the disposal of your
friends。〃
Leicester only bowed low in answer to this rebuke； and retired。
At the door of the apartment he was met by Varney； who eagerly
drew him apart； and whispered in his ear； 〃All is well！〃
〃Has Masters seen her？〃 said the Earl。
〃He has； my lord； and as she would neither answer his queries；
nor allege any reason for her refusal； he will give full
testimony that she labours under a mental disorder； and may be
best committed to the charge of her friends。 The opportunity is
therefore free to remove her as we proposed。〃
〃But Tressilian？〃 said Leicester。
〃He will not know of her departure for some time；〃 replied
Varney； 〃it shall take place this very evening； and to…morrow he
shall be cared for。〃
〃No； by my soul；〃 answered Leicester； 〃I will take vengeance on
him with mine own hand！〃
〃You； my lord； and on so inconsiderable a man as Tressilian！ No；
my lord； he hath long wished to visit foreign parts。 Trust him
to meI will take care he returns not hither to tell tales。〃
〃Not so； by Heaven； Varney！〃 exclaimed Leicester。
〃Inconsiderable do you call an enemy that hath had power to wound
me so deeply that my whole after…life must be one scene of
remorse and misery？No； rather than forego the right of doing
myself justice with my own hand on that accursed villain； I will
unfold the whole truth at Elizabeth's footstool； and let her
vengeance descend at once on them and on myself。〃
Varney saw with great alarm that his lord was wrought up to such
a pitch of agitation； that if he gave not way to him he was
perfectly capable of adopting the desperate resolution which he
had announced； and which was instant ruin to all the schemes of
ambition which Varney had formed for his patron and for himself。
But the Earl's rage seemed at once uncontrollable and deeply
concentrated； and while he spoke his eyes shot fire； his voice
trembled with excess of passion； and the light foam stood on his
lip。
His confidant made a bold and successful effort to obtain the
mastery of him even in this hour of emotion。 〃My lord；〃 he said；
leading him to a mirror； 〃behold your reflection in that glass；
and think if these agitated features belong to one who； in a
condition so extreme； is capable of forming a resolution for
himself〃
〃What； then； wouldst thou make me？〃 said Leicester； struck at
the change in his own physiognomy； though offended at the freedom
with which Varney made the appeal。 〃Am I to be thy ward； thy
vassal；the property and subject of my servant？〃
〃No； my lord；〃 said Varney firmly； 〃but be master of yourself；
and of your own passion。 My lord； I； your born servant； am
ashamed to see how poorly you bear yourself in the storm of fury。
Go to Elizabeth's feet； confess your marriageimpeach your wife
and her paramour of adulteryand avow yourself； amongst all your
peers； the wittol who married a country girl； and was cozened by
her and her book…learned gallant。 Go； my lordbut first take
farewell of Richard Varney； with all the benefits you ever
conferred on him。 He served the noble； the lofty； the high…
minded Leicester； and was more proud of depending on him than he
would be of commanding thousands。 But the abject lord who stoops
to every adverse circumstance； whose judicious resolves are
scattered like chaff before every wind of passion； him Richard
Varney serves not。 He is as much above him in constancy of mind
as beneath him in rank and fortune。〃
Varney spoke thus without hypocrisy； for though the firmness of
mind which he boasted was hardness and impenetrability； yet he
really felt the ascendency which he vaunted； while the interest
which he actually felt in the fortunes of Leicester gave unusual
emotion to his voice and manner。
Leicester was overpowered by his assumed superiority it seemed to
the unfortunate Earl as if his last friend was about to abandon
him。 He stretched his hand towards Varney as he uttered the
words； 〃Do not leave me。 What wouldst thou have me do？〃
〃Be thyself； my noble master；〃 said Varney； touching the Earl's
hand with his lips； after having respectfully grasped it in his
own； 〃be yourself； superior to those storms of passion which
wreck inferior minds。 Are you the first who has been cozened in
lovethe first whom a vain and licentious woman has cheated into
an affection； which she has afterwards scorned and misused？ And
will you suffer yourself to be driven frantic because you have
not been wiser than the wisest men whom the world has seen？ Let
her be as if she had not beenlet her pass from your memory； as
unworthy of ever having held a place there。 Let your strong
resolve of this morning； which I have both courage； zeal； and
means enough to execute； be like the fiat of a superior being； a
passionless act of justice。 She hath deserved deathlet her
die！〃
While he was speaking； the Earl held his hand fast； compressed
his lips hard； and frowned； as if he laboured to catch from
Varney a portion of the cold； ruthless； and dispassionate
firmness which he recommended。 When he was silent； the Earl
still continued to rasp his hand； until； with an effort at calm
decision； he was able to articulate； 〃Be it soshe dies！ But
one tear might be permitted。〃
〃Not one； my lord；〃 interrupted Varney； who saw by the quivering
eye and convulsed cheek of his patron that he was about to give
way to a burst of emotion〃not a tearthe time permits it not。
Tressilian must be thought of〃
〃That indeed is a name；〃 said the Earl； 〃to convert tears into
blood。 Varney； I have thought on this； and I have determined
neither entreaty nor argument shall move meTressilian shall be
my own victim。〃
〃It is madness； my lord； but you are too mighty for me to bar
your way to your revenge。 Yet resolve at least to choose fitting
time and opportunity； and to forbear him until these shall be
found。〃
〃Thou shalt order me in what thou wilt；〃 said Leicester； 〃only
thwart me not in this。〃
〃Then； my lord；〃 said Varney； 〃I first request of you to lay
aside the wild； suspected； and half…frenzied demeanour which hath
this day drawn the eyes of all the court upon you； and which； but
for the Queen's partial indulgence； which she hath extended
towards you in a degree far beyond her nature； she had never
given you the opportunity to atone for。〃
〃Have I indeed been so negligent？〃 said Leicester； as one who
awakes from a dream。 〃I thought I had coloured it well。 But
fear nothing； my mind is now easedI am calm。 My horoscope
shall be fulfilled； and that it may be fulfilled； I will tax to
the highest every faculty of my mind。 Fear me not； I say。 I
will to the Queen instantlynot thine own looks and language
shall be more impenetrable than mine。 Hast thou aught else to
say？〃
〃I must crave your signet…ring；〃 said Varney gravely； 〃in token
to those of your servants whom I must employ； that I possess your
full authority in commanding their aid。〃
Leicester drew off the signet…ring which he commonly used； and
gave it to Varney； with a haggard and stern expression of
countenance； adding only； in a low； half…whispered tone； but with
terrific emphasis； the words； 〃What thou dost； do quickly。〃
Some anxiety and wonder took place； meanwhile； in the presence…
hall； at the prolonged absence of the noble Lord of the Castle；
and great was the delight of his friends when they saw him enter
as a man from whose bosom； to all human seeming； a weight of care
had been just removed。 Amply did Leicester that day redeem the
pledge he had given to Varney； who soon saw himself no longer
under the necessity of maintaining a character so different from
his own as that which he had assumed in the earlier part of the
day； and gradually relapsed into the same grave； shrewd； caustic
observer of conversation and incident which constituted his usual
part in society。
With Elizabeth； Leicester played his game as one to whom her
natural strength of talent and her weakness in one or two
particular points were well known。 He was too wary to exchange
on a sudden the sullen personage which he had played before he
retired with Varney； but on approaching her it seemed softened
into a melancholy； which had a touch of tenderness in it； and
which； in the course of conversing with Elizabeth； and as she
dropped in compassion one mark of favour after another to console
him； passed into a flow of affectionate gallantry； the most
assiduous； the most delicate； the most insinuating； yet at the
same time the most respectful； with which a Qu