overmatch for his gigantic faculties。 Now this same pithy
oration had been indited； like sundry others； by my learned
magister； Erasmus Holiday； so I had heard it often enough to
remember every line。 As soon as I heard him blundering and
floundering like a fish upon dry land； through the first verse；
and perceived him at a stand； I knew where the shoe pinched； and
helped him to the next word； when he caught me up in an ecstasy；
even as you saw but now。 I promised； as the price of your
admission； to hide me under his bearish gaberdine； and prompt him
in the hour of need。 I have just now been getting some food in
the Castle； and am about to return to him。〃
〃That's rightthat's right； my dear Dickie；〃 replied Wayland；
〃haste thee； for Heaven's sake！ else the poor giant will be
utterly disconsolate for want of his dwarfish auxiliary。 Away
with thee； Dickie！〃
〃Ay； ay！〃 answered the boy〃away with Dickie； when we have got
what good of him we can。 You will not let me know the story of
this lady； then； who is as much sister of thine as I am？〃
〃Why； what good would it do thee； thou silly elf？〃 said Wayland。
〃Oh； stand ye on these terms？〃 said the boy。 〃Well； I care not
greatly about the matteronly； I never smell out a secret but I
try to be either at the right or the wrong end of it； and so good
evening to ye。〃
〃Nay； but； Dickie；〃 said Wayland； who knew the boy's restless and
intriguing disposition too well not to fear his enmity〃stay； my
dear Dickiepart not with old friends so shortly！ Thou shalt
know all I know of the lady one day。〃
〃Ay！〃 said Dickie； 〃and that day may prove a nigh one。 Fare
thee well； WaylandI will to my large…limbed friend； who； if he
have not so sharp a wit as some folk； is at least more grateful
for the service which other folk render him。 And so again； good
evening to ye。〃
So saying； he cast a somerset through the gateway； and lighting
on the bridge； ran with the extraordinary agility which was one
of his distinguishing attributes towards the Gallery…tower； and
was out of sight in an instant。
〃I would to God I were safe out of this Castle again！〃 prayed
Wayland internally； 〃for now that this mischievous imp has put
his finger in the pie； it cannot but prove a mess fit for the
devil's eating。 I would to Heaven Master Tressilian would
appear！〃
Tressilian； whom he was thus anxiously expecting in one
direction； had returned to Kenilworth by another access。 It was
indeed true； as Wayland had conjectured； that in the earlier part
of the day he had accompanied the Earls on their cavalcade
towards Warwick； not without hope that he might in that town hear
some tidings of his emissary。 Being disappointed in this
expectation； and observing Varney amongst Leicester's attendants；
seeming as if he had some purpose of advancing to and addressing
him； he conceived； in the present circumstances； it was wisest to
avoid the interview。 He； therefore； left the presence…chamber
when the High…Sheriff of the county was in the very midst of his
dutiful address to her Majesty； and mounting his horse； rode back
to Kenilworth by a remote and circuitous road； and entered the
Castle by a small sallyport in the western wall； at which he was
readily admitted as one of the followers of the Earl of Sussex；
towards whom Leicester had commanded the utmost courtesy to be
exercised。 It was thus that he met not Wayland； who was
impatiently watching his arrival； and whom he himself would have
been at least equally desirous to see。
Having delivered his horse to the charge of his attendant； he
walked for a space in the Pleasance and in the garden； rather to
indulge in comparative solitude his own reflections； than to
admire those singular beauties of nature and art which the
magnificence of Leicester had there assembled。 The greater part
of the persons of condition had left the Castle for the present；
to form part of the Earl's cavalcade； others； who remained
behind； were on the battlements； outer walls； and towers； eager
to view the splendid spectacle of the royal entry。 The garden；
therefore； while every other part of the Castle resounded with
the human voice； was silent but for the whispering of the leaves；
the emulous warbling of the tenants of a large aviary with their
happier companions who remained denizens of the free air； and the
plashing of the fountains； which； forced into the air from
sculptures of fatastic and grotesque forms； fell down with
ceaseless sound into the great basins of Italian marble。
The melancholy thoughts of Tressilian cast a gloomy shade on all
the objects with which he was surrounded。 He compared the
magnificent scenes which he here traversed with the deep woodland
and wild moorland which surrounded Lidcote Hall； and the image of
Amy Robsart glided like a phantom through every landscape which
his imagination summoned up。 Nothing is perhaps more dangerous
to the future happiness of men of deep thought and retired habits
than the entertaining an early； long； and unfortunate attachment。
It frequently sinks so deep into the mind that it becomes their
dream by night and their vision by daymixes itself with every
source of interest and enjoyment； and when blighted and withered
by final disappointment； it seems as if the springs of the heart
were dried up along with it。 This aching of the heart； this
languishing after a shadow which has lost all the gaiety of its
colouring； this dwelling on the remembrance of a dream from which
we have been long roughly awakened； is the weakness of a gentle
and generous heart； and it was that of Tressilian。
He himself at length became sensible of the necessity of forcing
other objects upon his mind； and for this purpose he left the
Pleasance； in order to mingle with the noisy crowd upon the
walls； and view the preparation for the pageants。 But as he left
the garden； and heard the busy hum； mixed with music and
laughter； which floated around him； he felt an uncontrollable
reluctance to mix with society whose feelings were in a tone so
different from his own； and resolved； instead of doing so； to
retire to the chamber assigned him； and employ himself in study
until the tolling of the great Castle bell should announce the
arrival of Elizabeth。
Tressilian crossed accordingly by the passage betwixt the immense
range of kitchens and the great hall； and ascended to the third
story of Mervyn's Tower； and applying himself to the door of the
small apartment which had been allotted to him； was surprised to
find it was locked。 He then recollected that the deputy…
chamberlain had given him a master…key； advising him； in the
present confused state of the Castle； to keep his door as much
shut as possible。 He applied this key to the lock； the bolt
revolved； he entered； and in the same instant saw a female form
seated in the apartment； and recognized that form to be； Amy
Robsart。 His first idea was that a heated imagination had raised
the image on which it doted into visible existence； his second；
that he beheld an apparition； the third and abiding conviction；
that it was Amy herself； paler； indeed； and thinner； than in the
days of heedless happiness； when she possessed the form and hue
of a wood…nymph； with the beauty of a sylphbut still Amy；
unequalled in loveliness by aught which had ever visited his
eyes。
The astonishment of the Countess was scarce less than that of
Tressilian； although it was of shorter duration； because she had
heard from Wayland that he was in the Castle。 She had started up
at his first entrance； and now stood facing him； the paleness of
her cheeks having given way to a deep blush。
〃Tressilian；〃 she said； at length； 〃why come you here？〃
〃Nay； why come you here； Amy；〃 returned Tressilian； 〃unless it be
at length to claim that aid； which； as far as one man's heart and
arm can extend； shall instantly be rendered to you？〃
She was silent a moment； and then answered in a sorrowful rather
than an angry tone； 〃I require no aid； Tressilian； and would
rather be injured than benefited by any which your kindness can
offer me。 Believe me； I am near one whom law and love oblige to
protect me。〃
〃The villain； then； hath done you the poor justice which remained
in his power；〃 said Tressilian； 〃and I behold before me the wife
of Varney！〃
〃The wife of Varney！〃 she replied； with all the emphasis of
scorn。 〃With what base name； sir； does your boldness stigmatize
thethethe〃 She hesitated； dropped her tone of scorn； looked
down； and was confused and silent； for she recollected what fatal
consequences might attend her completing the sentence with 〃the
Countess of Leicester；〃 which were the words that had naturally
suggested themselves。 It would have been a betrayal of the
secret； on which her husband had assured her that his fortunes
depended； to Tressilian； to Sussex； to the Queen； and to the
whole assembled court。 〃Never；〃 she thought； 〃will I break my
promised silence。 I will submit to every suspicion rather than
that。〃
The tears rose to her eyes； as she stood silent before
Tressilian； while； looking on her with mingled grief and pity； he
said； 〃Alas！ Amy； your eyes contradict your tongue。 That