kenilworth- 第65部分

Leicester　remained　like　one　stupefied；　till　he　heard　the
trampling　of　the　horses；　as　Varney；　who　took　no　time　even　to
change　his　dress；　threw　himself　into　the　saddle；　and；　followed　by
a　single　servant；　set　off　for　Berkshire。　　At　the　sound　the　Earl
started　from　his　seat；　and　ran　to　the　window；　with　the　momentary
purpose　of　recalling　the　unworthy　commission　with　which　he　had
entrusted　one　of　whom　he　used　to　say　he　knew　no　virtuous　property
save　affection　to　his　patron。　　But　Varney　was　already　beyond
call；　and　the　bright；　starry　firmament；　which　the　age　considered
as　the　Book　of　Fate；　lying　spread　before　Leicester　when　he　opened
the　casement；　diverted　him　from　his　better　and　more　manly
purpose。

〃There　they　roll；　on　their　silent　but　potential　course；〃　said　the
Earl；　looking　around　him；　〃without　a　voice　which　speaks　to　our
ear；　but　not　without　influences　which　affect；　at　every　change；
the　indwellers　of　this　vile；　earthly　planet。　　This；　if
astrologers　fable　not；　is　the　very　crisis　of　my　fate！　　The　hour
approaches　of　which　I　was　taught　to　bewarethe　hour；　too；　which
I　was　encouraged　to　hope　for。　　A　King　was　the　wordbut　how？the
crown　matrimonial。　　All　hopes　of　that　are　gonelet　them　go。　　The
rich　Netherlands　have　demanded　me　for　their　leader；　and；　would
Elizabeth　consent；　would　yield　to　me　THEIR　crown。　　And　have　I　not
such　a　claim　even　in　this　kingdom？　　That　of　York；　descending　from
George　of　Clarence　to　the　House　of　Huntingdon；　which；　this　lady
failing；　may　have　a　fair　chanceHuntingdon　is　of　my　house。But
I　will　plunge　no　deeper　in　these　high　mysteries。　　Let　me　hold　my
course　in　silence　for　a　while；　and　in　obscurity；　like　a
subterranean　river；　the　time　shall　come　that　I　will　burst　forth
in　my　strength；　and　bear　all　opposition　before　me。〃

While　Leicester　was　thus　stupefying　the　remonstrances　of　his　own
conscience；　by　appealing　to　political　necessity　for　his　apology；
or　losing　himself　amidst　the　wild　dreams　of　ambition；　his　agent
left　town　and　tower　behind　him　on　his　hasty　journey　to　Berkshire。
HE　also　nourished　high　hope。　　He　had　brought　Lord　Leicester　to
the　point　which　he　had　desired；　of　committing　to　him　the　most
intimate　recesses　of　his　breast；　and　of　using　him　as　the　channel
of　his　most　confidential　intercourse　with　his　lady。　　Henceforward
it　would；　he　foresaw；　be　difficult　for　his　patron　either　to
dispense　with　his　services；　or　refuse　his　requests；　however
unreasonable。　　And　if　this　disdainful　dame；　as　he　termed　the
Countess；　should　comply　with　the　request　of　her　husband；　Varney；
her　pretended　husband；　must　needs　become　so　situated　with　respect
to　her；　that　there　was　no　knowing　where　his　audacity　might　be
bounded　perhaps　not　till　circumstances　enabled　him　to　obtain　a
triumph；　which　he　thought　of　with　a　mixture　of　fiendish　feelings；
in　which　revenge　for　her　previous　scorn　was　foremost　and
predominant。　　Again　he　contemplated　the　possibility　of　her　being
totally　intractable；　and　refusing　obstinately　to　play　the　part
assigned　to　her　in　the　drama　at　Kenilworth。

〃Alasco　must　then　do　his　part；〃　he　said。　　〃Sickness　must　serve
her　Majesty　as　an　excuse　for　not　receiving　the　homage　of　Mrs。
Varneyay；　and　a　sore　and　wasting　sickness　it　may　prove；　should
Elizabeth　continue　to　cast　so　favourable　an　eye　on　my　Lord　of
Leicester。　　I　will　not　forego　the　chance　of　being　favourite　of　a
monarch　for　want　of　determined　measures；　should　these　be
necessary。　　Forward；　good　horse；　forwardambition　and　haughty
hope　of　power；　pleasure；　and　revenge　strike　their　stings　as　deep
through　my　bosom　as　I　plunge　the　rowels　in　thy　flanks。　　On；　good
horse；　onthe　devil　urges　us　both　forward！〃



CHAPTER　XXII。

　　Say　that　my　beauty　was　but　small；
　　　Among　court　ladies　all　despised；
　　Why　didst　thou　rend　it　from　that　hall
　　　Where；　scornful　Earl；　'twas　dearly　prized？

　　No　more　thou　com'st　with　wonted　speed；
　　　Thy　once　beloved　bride　to　see；
　　But　be　she　alive；　or　be　she　dead；
　　　I　fear；　stern　Earl；　's　the　same　to　thee。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CUMNOR　HALL；　by　WILLIAM　JULIUS　MICKLE。

The　ladies　of　fashion　of　the　present；　or　of　any　other　period；
must　have　allowed　that　the　young　and　lovely　Countess　of　Leicester
had；　besides　her　youth　and　beauty；　two　qualities　which　entitled
her　to　a　place　amongst　women　of　rank　and　distinction。　　She
displayed；　as　we　have　seen　in　her　interview　with　the　pedlar；　a
liberal　promptitude　to　make　unnecessary　purchases；　solely　for　the
pleasure　of　acquiring　useless　and　showy　trifles　which　ceased　to
please　as　soon　as　they　were　possessed；　and　she　was；　besides；　apt
to　spend　a　considerable　space　of　time　every　day　in　adorning　her
person；　although　the　varied　splendour　of　her　attire　could　only
attract　the　half　satirical　praise　of　the　precise　Janet；　or　an
approving　glance　from　the　bright　eyes　which　witnessed　their　own
beams　of　triumph　reflected　from　the　mirror。

The　Countess　Amy　had；　indeed；　to　plead　for　indulgence　in　those
frivolous　tastes；　that　the　education　of　the　times　had　done　little
or　nothing　for　a　mind　naturally　gay　and　averse　to　study。　　If　she
had　not　loved　to　collect　finery　and　to　wear　it；　she　might　have
woven　tapestry　or　sewed　embroidery；　till　her　labours　spread　in
gay　profusion　all　over　the　walls　and　seats　at　Lidcote　Hall；　or
she　might　have　varied　Minerva's　labours　with　the　task　of
preparing　a　mighty　pudding　against　the　time　that　Sir　Hugh　Robsart
returned　from　the　greenwood。　　But　Amy　had　no　natural　genius
either　for　the　loom；　the　needle；　or　the　receipt…book。　　Her　mother
had　died　in　infancy；　her　father　contradicted　her　in　nothing；　and
Tressilian；　the　only　one　that　approached　her　who　was　able　or
desirous　to　attend　to　the　cultivation　of　her　mind；　had　much　hurt
his　interest　with　her　by　assuming　too　eagerly　the　task　of　a
preceptor；　so　that　he　was　regarded　by　the　lively；　indulged；　and
idle　girl　with　some　fear　and　much　respect；　but　with　little　or
nothing　of　that　softer　emotion　which　it　had　been　his　hope　and　his
ambition　to　inspire。　　And　thus　her　heart　lay　readily　open；　and
her　fancy　became　easily　captivated　by　the　noble　exterior　and
graceful　deportment　and　complacent　flattery　of　Leicester；　even
before　he　was　known　to　her　as　the　dazzling　minion　of　wealth　and
power。

The　frequent　visits　of　Leicester　at　Cumnor；　during　the　earlier
part　of　their　union；　had　reconciled　the　Countess　to　the　solitude
and　privacy　to　which　she　was　condemned；　but　when　these　visits
became　rarer　and　more　rare；　and　when　the　void　was　filled　up　with
letters　of　excuse；　not　always　very　warmly　expressed；　and
generally　extremely　brief；　discontent　and　suspicion　began　to
haunt　those　splendid　apartments　which　love　had　fitted　up　for
beauty。　　Her　answers　to　Leicester　conveyed　these　feelings　too
bluntly；　and　pressed　more　naturally　than　prudently　that　she　might
be　relieved　from　this　obscure　and　secluded　residence；　by　the
Earl's　acknowledgment　of　their　marriage；　and　in　arranging　her
arguments　with　all　the　skill　she　was　mistress　of；　she　trusted
chiefly　to　the　warmth　of　the　entreaties　with　which　she　urged
them。　　Sometimes　she　even　ventured　to　mingle　reproaches；　of　which
Leicester　conceived　he　had　good　reason　to　complain。

〃I　have　made　her　Countess；〃　he　said　to　Varney；　〃surely　she　might
wait　till　it　consisted　with　my　pleasure　that　she　should　put　on
the　coronet？〃

The　Countess　Amy　viewed　the　subject　in　directly　an　opposite
light。

〃What　signifies；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　have　rank　and　honour　in
reality；　if　I　am　to　live　an　obscure　prisoner；　without　either
society　or　observance；　and　suffering　in　my　character；　as　one　of
dubious　or　disgraced　reputation？　　I　care　not　for　all　those
strings　of　pearl；　which　you　fret　me　by　warping　into　my　tresses；
Janet。　　I　tell　you　that　at　Lidcote　Hall；　if　I　put　but　a　fresh
rosebud　among　my　hair；　my　good　father　would　call　me　to　him；　that
he　might　see　it　more　closely；　and　the　kind　old　curate　would
smile；　and　Master　Mumblazen　would　say　something　about　roses
gules。　　And　now　I　sit　here；　decked　out　like　an　image　with　gold
and　gems；　and　no　one　to　see　my　finery　but　you；　Janet。　　There　was
the　poor　Tressilian；　toobut　it　avails　not　speaking　of　him。〃

〃It　doth　not　indeed；　madam；〃　said　her　prudent　attendant；　〃and
verily　you　make　me　sometimes　wish　you　would　not　speak　of　him　so
often；　or　so　rashly。〃

〃It　signifies　nothing　to　warn　me；　Janet；〃　said　the　impatient　and
incorrigible　Countess；　〃I　was　born　free；　though　I　am　now　mewed　up
like　some　fine　foreign　slave；　rather　than　the　wife　of　an　English
noble。　　I　bore　it　all　with　pleasure　while　I　was　sure　he　loved　me；
but　now　my　tongue　and　heart　shall　be　free；　let　them　fetter　these
limbs　as　they　will。　　I　tell　thee；　Janet；　I　love　my　husbandI
will　love　him　till　my　latest　breathI　cannot　cease　to　love　him；
even　if　I　would；　or　if　hewhich；　God　knows；　may　chanceshould
cease　to　love　me。　　But　I　will　say；　and　loudly；　I　would　have　been
happier　than　I　now　am　to　have　remained　in　Lidcote　Hall；　even
although　I　must　have　married　poor　Tressilian；　with　his　melancholy
look　and　his　head　full　of　learning；　which　I　cared　not　for。　　He
said；　if　I　would　read　his　favourite　volumes；　there　would　come　a
time　that　I　should　be　glad　of　having　done　so。　　I　think　it　is　come
now。〃

〃I　bought　you　some　books；　madam；〃　said　Janet；　〃from　a　lame