unwilling to make the first advance to execute the Queen's will。
〃Sussex；〃 said Elizabeth；〃I entreatLeicester； I command you。〃
Yet； so were her words accented； that the entreaty sounded like
command； and the command like entreaty。 They remained still and
stubborn； until she raised her voice to a height which argued at
once impatience and absolute command。
〃Sir Henry Lee；〃 she said； to an officer in attendance； 〃have a
guard in present readiness； and man a barge instantly。My Lords
of Sussex and Leicester； I bid you once more to join hands； and；
God's death！ he that refuses shall taste of our Tower fare ere
he sees our face again。 I will lower your proud hearts ere we
part； and that I promise； on the word of a Queen！〃
〃The prison？〃 said Leicester； 〃might be borne； but to lose your
Grace's presence were to lose light and life at once。Here；
Sussex； is my hand。〃
〃And here；〃 said Sussex； 〃is mine in truth and honesty； but〃
〃Nay； under favour； you shall add no more；〃 said the Queen。
〃Why； this is as it should be；〃 she added； looking on them more
favourably； 〃and when you the shepherds of the people； unite to
protect them； it shall be well with the flock we rule over。 For；
my lords； I tell you plainly； your follies and your brawls lead
to strange disorders among your servants。My Lord of Leicester；
you have a gentleman in your household called Varney？〃
〃Yes； gracious madam；〃 replied Leicester； 〃I presented him to
kiss your royal hand when you were last at Nonsuch。〃
〃His outside was well enough；〃 said the Queen； 〃but scarce so
fair； I should have thought； as to have caused a maiden of
honourable birth and hopes to barter her fame for his good looks；
and become his paramour。 Yet so it is； this fellow of yours hath
seduced the daughter of a good old Devonshire knight； Sir Hugh
Robsart of Lidcote Hall； and she hath fled with him from her
father's house like a castaway。My Lord of Leicester； are you
ill； that you look so deadly pale？〃
〃No； gracious madam；〃 said Leicester； and it required every
effort he could make to bring forth these few words。
〃You are surely ill； my lord？〃 said Elizabeth； going towards him
with hasty speech and hurried step； which indicated the deepest
concern。 〃Call Masterscall our surgeon in ordinary。Where be
these loitering fools？we lose the pride of our court through
their negligence。Or is it possible； Leicester；〃 she continued；
looking on him with a very gentle aspect； 〃can fear of my
displeasure have wrought so deeply on thee？ Doubt not for a
moment； noble Dudley； that we could blame THEE for the folly of
thy retainerthee； whose thoughts we know to be far otherwise
employed。 He that would climb the eagle's nest； my lord； cares
not who are catching linnets at the foot of the precipice。〃
〃Mark you that？〃 said Sussex aside to Raleigh。 〃The devil aids
him surely； for all that would sink another ten fathom deep seems
but to make him float the more easily。 Had a follower of mine
acted thus〃
〃Peace； my good lord；〃 said Raleigh； 〃for God's sake； peace！
Wait the change of the tide； it is even now on the turn。〃
The acute observation of Raleigh； perhaps； did not deceive him；
for Leicester's confusion was so great； and； indeed； for the
moment； so irresistibly overwhelming； that Elizabeth； after
looking at him with a wondering eye； and receiving no
intelligible answer to the unusual expressions of grace and
affection which had escaped from her； shot her quick glance
around the circle of courtiers； and reading； perhaps； in their
faces something that accorded with her own awakened suspicions；
she said suddenly； 〃Or is there more in this than we seeor than
you； my lord； wish that we should see？ Where is this Varney？
Who saw him？〃
〃An it please your Grace；〃 said Bowyer； 〃it is the same against
whom I this instant closed the door of the presence…room。〃
〃An it please me？〃 repeated Elizabeth sharply； not at that
moment in the humour of being pleased with anything。〃It does
NOT please me that he should pass saucily into my presence； or
that you should exclude from it one who came to justify himself
from an accusation。〃
〃May it please you；〃 answered the perplexed usher； 〃if I knew； in
such case； how to bear myself； I would take heed〃
〃You should have reported the fellow's desire to us； Master
Usher； and taken our directions。 You think yourself a great man；
because but now we chid a nobleman on your account； yet； after
all； we hold you but as the lead…weight that keeps the door fast。
Call this Varney hither instantly。 There is one Tressilian also
mentioned in this petition。 Let them both come before us。〃
She was obeyed； and Tressilian and Varney appeared accordingly。
Varney's first glance was at Leicester； his second at the Queen。
In the looks of the latter there appeared an approaching storm；
and in the downcast countenance of his patron he could read no
directions in what way he was to trim his vessel for the
encounter。 He then saw Tressilian； and at once perceived the
peril of the situation in which he was placed。 But Varney was as
bold…faced and ready…witted as he was cunning and unscrupulousa
skilful pilot in extremity； and fully conscious of the advantages
which he would obtain could he extricate Leicester from his
present peril； and of the ruin that yawned for himself should he
fail in doing so。
〃Is it true； sirrah；〃 said the Queen； with one of those searching
looks which few had the audacity to resist； 〃that you have
seduced to infamy a young lady of birth and breeding； the
daughter of Sir Hugh Robsart of Lidcote Hall？〃
Varney kneeled down； and replied； with a look of the most
profound contrition； 〃There had been some love passages betwixt
him and Mistress Amy Robsart。〃
Leicester's flesh quivered with indignation as he heard his
dependant make this avowal； and for one moment he manned himself
to step forward； and； bidding farewell to the court and the royal
favour； confess the whole mystery of the secret marriage。 But he
looked at Sussex； and the idea of the triumphant smile which
would clothe his cheek upon hearing the avowal sealed his lips。
〃Not now； at least；〃 he thought； 〃or in this presence； will I
afford him so rich a triumph。〃 And pressing his lips close
together； he stood firm and collected； attentive to each word
which Varney uttered； and determined to hide to the last the
secret on which his court…favour seemed to depend。 Meanwhile；
the Queen proceeded in her examination of Varney。
〃Love passages！〃 said she； echoing his last words； 〃what
passages； thou knave？ and why not ask the wench's hand from her
father； if thou hadst any honesty in thy love for her？〃
〃An it please your Grace；〃 said Varney； still on his knees； 〃I
dared not do so； for her father had promised her hand to a
gentleman of birth and honourI will do him justice； though I
know he bears me ill…willone Master Edmund Tressilian； whom I
now see in the presence。〃
〃Soh！〃 replied the Queen。 〃And what was your right to make the
simple fool break her worthy father's contract； through your love
PASSAGES； as your conceit and assurance terms them？〃
〃Madam；〃 replied Varney； 〃it is in vain to plead the cause of
human frailty before a judge to whom it is unknown； or that of
love to one who never yields to the passion〃he paused an
instant； and then added； in a very low and timid tone〃which she
inflicts upon all others。〃
Elizabeth tried to frown； but smiled in her own despite； as she
answered； 〃Thou art a marvellously impudent knave。 Art thou
married to the girl？〃
Leicester's feelings became so complicated and so painfully
intense； that it seemed to him as if his life was to depend on
the answer made by Varney； who； after a moment's real hesitation；
answered； 〃Yes。〃
〃Thou false villain！〃 said Leicester； bursting forth into rage；
yet unable to add another word to the sentence which he had begun
with such emphatic passion。
〃Nay； my lord；〃 said the Queen； 〃we will； by your leave； stand
between this fellow and your anger。 We have not yet done with
him。Knew your master； my Lord of Leicester； of this fair work
of yours？ Speak truth； I command thee； and I will be thy warrant
from danger on every quarter。〃
〃Gracious madam；〃 said Varney； 〃to speak Heaven's truth； my lord
was the cause of the whole matter。〃
〃Thou villain； wouldst thou betray me？〃 said Leicester。
〃Speak on；〃 said the Queen hastily； her cheek colouring； and her
eyes sparkling； as she addressed Varney〃speak on。 Here no
commands are heard but mine。〃
〃They are omnipotent； gracious madam；〃 replied Varney； 〃and to
you there can be no secrets。Yet I would not；〃 he added； looking
around him； 〃speak of my master's concerns to other ears。〃
〃Fall back； my lords；〃 said the Queen to those who surrounded
her； 〃and do you speak on。 What hath the Earl to do with this
guilty intrigue of thine？ See； fellow； that thou beliest him
not！〃
〃Far be it from me to traduce my noble patron；〃 replied Varney；
〃yet I am compelled to own that some deep； overwhelming； yet
secret feeling hath of late dwelt in my lord's mind； hath
abstracted him from the cares of the household which he was wont
to govern with