cannot prevent it。 And yet thou knowest it is impossible。〃
〃I know not that； my lord；〃 said Varney； 〃the Countess is
indisposed。〃
〃Villain！〃 said Leicester； starting up on his couch； and seizing
the sword which lay on the table beside him； 〃go thy thoughts
that way？thou wouldst not do murder？〃
〃For whom； or what； do you hold me； my lord？〃 said Varney；
assuming the superiority of an innocent man subjected to unjust
suspicion。 〃I said nothing to deserve such a horrid imputation
as your violence infers。 I said but that the Countess was ill。
And Countess though she belovely and beloved as she issurely
your lordship must hold her to be mortal？ She may die； and your
lordship's hand become once more your own。〃
〃Away！ away！〃 said Leicester； 〃let me have no more of this。〃
〃Good night； my lord；〃 said Varney； seeming to understand this as
a command to depart； but Leicester's voice interrupted his
purpose。
〃Thou 'scapest me not thus； Sir Fool；〃 said he； 〃I think thy
knighthood has addled thy brains。 Confess thou hast talked of
impossibilities as of things which may come to pass。〃
〃My lord； long live your fair Countess；〃 said Varney； 〃but
neither your love nor my good wishes can make her immortal。 But
God grant she live long to be happy herself； and to render you
so！ I see not but you may be King of England notwithstanding。〃
〃Nay； now； Varney； thou art stark mad；〃 said Leicester。
〃I would I were myself within the same nearness to a good estate
of freehold；〃 said Varney。 〃Have we not known in other countries
how a left…handed marriage might subsist betwixt persons of
differing degree？ay； and be no hindrance to prevent the husband
from conjoining himself afterwards with a more suitable partner？〃
〃I have heard of such things in Germany；〃 said Leicester。
〃Ay； and the most learned doctors in foreign universities justify
the practice from the Old Testament；〃 said Varney。 〃And after
all； where is the harm？ The beautiful partner whom you have
chosen for true love has your secret hours of relaxation and
affection。 Her fame is safe her conscience may slumber securely。
You have wealth to provide royally for your issue； should Heaven
bless you with offspring。 Meanwhile you may give to Elizabeth
ten times the leisure； and ten thousand times the affection； that
ever Don Philip of Spain spared to her sister Mary； yet you know
how she doted on him though so cold and neglectful。 It requires
but a close mouth and an open brow； and you keep your Eleanor and
your fair Rosamond far enough separate。 Leave me to build you a
bower to which no jealous Queen shall find a clew。〃
Leicester was silent for a moment； then sighed； and said； 〃It is
impossible。 Good night； Sir Richard Varneyyet stay。 Can you
guess what meant Tressilian by showing himself in such careless
guise before the Queen to…day？to strike her tender heart； I
should guess； with all the sympathies due to a lover abandoned by
his mistress and abandoning himself。〃
Varney； smothering a sneering laugh； answered； 〃He believed
Master Tressilian had no such matter in his head。〃
〃How！〃 said Leicester； 〃what meanest thou？ There is ever
knavery in that laugh of thine； Varney。〃
〃I only meant； my lord；〃 said Varney； 〃that Tressilian has taken
the sure way to avoid heart…breaking。 He hath had a companiona
female companiona mistressa sort of player's wife or sister；
as I believewith him in Mervyn's Bower； where I quartered him
for certain reasons of my own。〃
〃A mistress！meanest thou a paramour？〃
〃Ay； my lord； what female else waits for hours in a gentleman's
chamber？〃
〃By my faith； time and space fitting； this were a good tale to
tell；〃 said Leicester。 〃I ever distrusted those bookish；
hypocritical； seeming…virtuous scholars。 WellMaster Tressilian
makes somewhat familiar with my house； if I look it over； he is
indebted to it for certain recollections。 I would not harm him
more than I can help。 Keep eye on him； however； Varney。〃
〃I lodged him for that reason；〃 said Varney； 〃in Mervyn's Tower；
where he is under the eye of my very vigilant； if he were not
also my very drunken； servant； Michael Lambourne； whom I have
told your Grace of。〃
〃Grace！〃 said Leicester； 〃what meanest thou by that epithet？〃
〃It came unawares； my lord； and yet it sounds so very natural
that I cannot recall it。〃
〃It is thine own preferment that hath turned thy brain；〃 said
Leicester； laughing； 〃new honours are as heady as new wine。〃
〃May your lordship soon have cause to say so from experience；〃
said Varney； and wishing his patron good night； he withdrew。〃
＇See Note 8。 Furniture of Kenilworth。＇
CHAPTER XXXIII。
Here stands the victimthere the proud betrayer；
E'en as the hind pull'd down by strangling dogs
Lies at the hunter's feetwho courteous proffers
To some high dame； the Dian of the chase；
To whom he looks for guerdon； his sharp blade；
To gash the sobbing throat。 THE WOODSMAN。
We are now to return to Mervyn's Bower； the apartment； or rather
the prison； of the unfortunate Countess of Leicester； who for
some time kept within bounds her uncertainty and her impatience。
She was aware that； in the tumult of the day； there might be some
delay ere her letter could be safely conveyed to the hands of
Leicester； and that some time more might elapse ere he could
extricate himself from the necessary attendance on Elizabeth； to
come and visit her in her secret bower。 〃I will not expect him；〃
she said； 〃till night； he cannot be absent from his royal guest；
even to see me。 He will； I know； come earlier if it be possible；
but I will not expect him before night。〃 And yet all the while
she did expect him； and while she tried to argue herself into a
contrary belief； each hasty noise of the hundred which she heard
sounded like the hurried step of Leicester on the staircase；
hasting to fold her in his arms。
The fatigue of body which Amy had lately undergone； with the
agitation of mind natural to so cruel a state of uncertainty；
began by degrees strongly to affect her nerves； and she almost
feared her total inability to maintain the necessary self…command
through the scenes which might lie before her。 But although
spoiled by an over…indulgent system of education； Amy had
naturally a mind of great power； united with a frame which her
share in her father's woodland exercises had rendered uncommonly
healthy。 She summoned to her aid such mental and bodily
resources； and not unconscious how much the issue of her fate
might depend on her own self…possession； she prayed internally
for strength of body and for mental fortitude； and resolved at
the same time to yield to no nervous impulse which might weaken
either。
Yet when the great bell of the Castle； which was placed in
Caesar's Tower； at no great distance from that called Mervyn's；
began to send its pealing clamour abroad； in signal of the
arrival of the royal procession； the din was so painfully acute
to ears rendered nervously sensitive by anxiety； that she could
hardly forbear shrieking with anguish； in answer to every
stunning clash of the relentless peal。
Shortly afterwards； when the small apartment was at once
enlightened by the shower of artificial fires with which the air
was suddenly filled； and which crossed each other like fiery
spirits； each bent on his own separate mission； or like
salamanders executing a frolic dance in the region of the Sylphs；
the Countess felt at first as if each rocket shot close by her
eyes； and discharged its sparks and flashes so nigh that she
could feel a sense of the heat。 But she struggled against these
fantastic terrors； and compelled herself to arise； stand by the
window； look out； and gaze upon a sight which at another time
would have appeared to her at once captivating and fearful。 The
magnificent towers of the Castle were enveloped in garlands of
artificial fire； or shrouded with tiaras of pale smoke。 The
surface of the lake glowed like molten iron； while many fireworks
（then thought extremely wonderful； though now common）； whose
flame continued to exist in the opposing element； dived and rose；
hissed and roared； and spouted fire； like so many dragons of
enchantment sporting upon a burning lake。
Even Amy was for a moment interested by what was to her so new a
scene。 〃I had thought it magical art；〃 she said； 〃but poor
Tressilian taught me to judge of such things as they are。 Great
God！ and may not these idle splendours resemble my own hoped…for
happinessa single spark； which is instantly swallowed up by
surrounding darknessa precarious glow； which rises but for a
brief space into the air； that its fall may be the lower？ O
Leicester！ after allall that thou hast saidhast swornthat
Amy was thy love； thy life； can it be that thou art the magician
at whose nod these enchantments arise； and that she sees them as
an outcast； if not a captive？〃
The sustained； prolonged； and repeated bursts of music； from so
many different quarters； and at so many varying points of
distance； which sounded as if not the Castle of Kenilworth only；
but the whole country around； had been at once the scene of
solemnizing some high national fe