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〃But　Wisdom；　Amy；〃　answered　Leicester；　is　arrayed　in　panoply　of
proof。　　Argue　not　with　me　on　the　means　I　shall　use　to　render　my
confessionsince　it　must　be　called　soas　safe　as　may　be；　it
will　be　fraught　with　enough　of　danger；　do　what　we　will。Varney；
we　must　hence。Farewell；　Amy；　whom　I　am　to　vindicate　as　mine
own；　at　an　expense　and　risk　of　which　thou　alone　couldst　be
worthy。　　You　shall　soon　hear　further　from　me。〃

He　embraced　her　fervently；　muffled　himself　as　before；　and
accompanied　Varney　from　the　apartment。　　The　latter；　as　he　left
the　room；　bowed　low；　and　as　he　raised　his　body；　regarded　Amy　with
a　peculiar　expression；　as　if　he　desired　to　know　how　far　his　own
pardon　was　included　in　the　reconciliation　which　had　taken　place
betwixt　her　and　her　lord。　　The　Countess　looked　upon　him　with　a
fixed　eye；　but　seemed　no　more　conscious　of　his　presence　than　if
there　had　been　nothing　but　vacant　air　on　the　spot　where　he　stood。

〃She　has　brought　me　to　the　crisis；〃　he　muttered〃she　or　I　am
lost。　　There　was　somethingI　wot　not　if　it　was　fear　or　pity
that　prompted　me　to　avoid　this　fatal　crisis。　　It　is　now　decided
she　or　I　must　PERISH。〃

While　he　thus　spoke；　he　observed；　with　surprise；　that　a　boy；
repulsed　by　the　sentinel；　made　up　to　Leicester；　and　spoke　with
him。　　Varney　was　one　of　those　politicians　whom　not　the　slightest
appearances　escape　without　inquiry。　　He　asked　the　sentinel　what
the　lad　wanted　with　him；　and　received　for　answer　that　the　boy　had
wished　him　to　transmit　a　parcel　to　the　mad　lady；　but　that　he
cared　not　to　take　charge　of　it；　such　communication　being　beyond
his　commission；　His　curiosity　satisfied　in　that　particular；　he
approached　his　patron；　and　heard　him　say；　〃Well；　boy；　the　packet
shall　be　delivered。〃

〃Thanks；　good　Master　Serving…man；〃　said　the　boy；　and　was　out　of
sight　in　an　instant。

Leicester　and　Varney　returned　with　hasty　steps　to　the　Earl's
private　apartment；　by　the　same　passage　which　had　conducted　them
to　Saintlowe's　Tower。



CHAPTER　XXXVI。

　　I　have　said
　　This　is　an　adulteressI　have　said　with　whom：
　　More；　she's　a　traitor；　and　Camillo　is
　　A　federary　with　her；　and　one　that　knows
　　What　she　should　shame　to　know　herself。　　　　　　WINTER'S　TALE。

They　were　no　sooner　in　the　Earl's　cabinet　than；　taking　his
tablets　from　his　pocket；　he　began　to　write；　speaking　partly　to
Varney；　and　partly　to　himself〃There　are　many　of　them　close
bounden　to　me；　and　especially　those　in　good　estate　and　high
officemany　who；　if　they　look　back　towards　my　benefits；　or
forward　towards　the　perils　which　may　befall　themselves；　will　not；
I　think；　be　disposed　to　see　me　stagger　unsupported。　　Let　me　see
Knollis　is　sure；　and　through　his　means　Guernsey　and　Jersey。
Horsey　commands　in　the　Isle　of　Wight。　　My　brother…in…law；
Huntingdon；　and　Pembroke；　have　authority　in　Wales。　　Through
Bedford　I　lead　the　Puritans；　with　their　interest；　so　powerful　in
all　the　boroughs。　　My　brother　of　Warwick　is　equal；　well…nigh；　to
myself；　in　wealth；　followers；　and　dependencies。　　Sir　Owen　Hopton
is　at　my　devotion；　he　commands　the　Tower　of　London；　and　the
national　treasure　deposited　there。　　My　father　and　grand…father
needed　never　to　have　stooped　their　heads　to　the　block　had　they
thus　forecast　their　enterprises。Why　look　you　so　sad；　Varney？　　I
tell　thee；　a　tree　so　deep…rooted　is　not　so　easily　to　be　torn　up
by　the　tempest。〃

〃Alas！　　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　with　well…acted　passion；　and　then
resumed　the　same　look　of　despondency　which　Leicester　had　before
noted。

〃Alas！〃　　repeated　Leicester；　〃and　wherefore　alas；　Sir　Richard？
Doth　your　new　spirit　of　chivalry　supply　no　more　vigorous
ejaculation　when　a　noble　struggle　is　impending？　　Or；　if　ALAS
means　thou　wilt　flinch　from　the　conflict；　thou　mayest　leave　the
Castle；　or　go　join　mine　enemies；　whichever　thou　thinkest　best。〃

〃Not　so；　my　lord；〃　answered　his　confidant；　〃Varney　will　be　found
fighting　or　dying　by　your　side。　　Forgive　me；　if；　in　love　to　you；
I　see　more　fully　than　your　noble　heart　permits　you　to　do；　the
inextricable　difficulties　with　which　you　are　surrounded。　　You　are
strong；　my　lord；　and　powerful；　yet；　let　me　say　it　without
offence；　you　are　so　only　by　the　reflected　light　of　the　Queen's
favour。　　While　you　are　Elizabeth's　favourite；　you　are　all；　save
in　name；　like　an　actual　sovereign。　　But　let　her　call　back　the
honours　she　has　bestowed；　and　the　prophet's　gourd　did　not　wither
more　suddenly。　　Declare　against　the　Queen；　and　I　do　not　say　that
in　the　wide　nation；　or　in　this　province　alone；　you　would　find
yourself　instantly　deserted　and　outnumbered；　but　I　will　say；　that
even　in　this　very　Castle；　and　in　the　midst　of　your　vassals；
kinsmen；　and　dependants；　you　would　be　a　captive；　nay；　a　sentenced
captive；　should　she　please　to　say　the　word。　　Think　upon　Norfolk；
my　lordupon　the　powerful　Northumberlandthe　splendid
Westmoreland；think　on　all　who　have　made　head　against　this　sage
Princess。　　They　are　dead；　captive；　or　fugitive。　　This　is　not　like
other　thrones；　which　can　be　overturned　by　a　combination　of
powerful　nobles；　the　broad　foundations　which　support　it　are　in
the　extended　love　and　affections　of　the　people。　　You　might　share
it　with　Elizabeth　if　you　would；　but　neither　yours；　nor　any　other
power；　foreign　or　domestic；　will　avail　to　overthrow；　or　even　to
shake　it。〃

He　paused；　and　Leicester　threw　his　tablets　from　him　with　an　air
of　reckless　despite。　　〃It　may　be　as　thou　sayest；〃　he　said？　　〃and；
in　sooth；　I　care　not　whether　truth　or　cowardice　dictate　thy
forebodings。　　But　it　shall　not　be　said　I　fell　without　a　struggle。

Give　orders　that　those　of　my　retainers　who　served　under　me　in
Ireland　be　gradually　drawn　into　the　main　Keep；　and　let　our
gentlemen　and　friends　stand　on　their　guard；　and　go　armed；　as　if
they　expected　arm　onset　from　the　followers　of　Sussex。　　Possess
the　townspeople　with　some　apprehension；　let　them　take　arms；　and
be　ready；　at　a　given　signal；　to　overpower　the　Pensioners　and
Yeomen　of　the　Guard。〃

〃Let　me　remind　you；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　with　the　same
appearance　of　deep　and　melancholy　interest；　〃that　you　have　given
me　orders　to　prepare　for　disarming　the　Queen's　guard。　　It　is　an
act　of　high　treason；　but　you　shall　nevertheless　be　obeyed。〃

〃I　care　not；〃　said　Leicester　desperately〃I　care　not。　　Shame　is
behind　me；　ruin　before　me；　I　must　on。〃

Here　there　was　another　pause；　which　Varney　at　length　broke　with
the　following　words：　　〃It　is　come　to　the　point　I　have　long
dreaded。　　I　must　either　witness；　like　an　ungrateful　beast；　the
downfall　of　the　best　and　kindest　of　masters；　or　I　must　speak　what
I　would　have　buried　in　the　deepest　oblivion；　or　told　by　any　other
mouth　than　mine。〃

〃What　is　that　thou　sayest；　or　wouldst　say？〃　　replied　the　Earl；
〃we　have　no　time　to　waste　on　words　when　the　times　call　us　to
action。〃

〃My　speech　is　soon　made；　my　lord…would　to　God　it　were　as　soon
answered！　　Your　marriage　is　the　sole　cause　of　the　threatened
breach　with　your　Sovereign；　my　lord；　is　it　not？〃

〃Thou　knowest　it　is！〃　　replied　Leicester。　　〃What　needs　so
fruitless　a　question？〃

〃Pardon　me；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃the　use　lies　here。　　Men　will
wager　their　lands　and　lives　in　defence　of　a　rich　diamond；　my
lord；　but　were　it　not　first　prudent　to　look　if　there　is　no　flaw
in　it？〃

〃What　means　this？〃　　said　Leicester；　with　eyes　sternly　fixed　on
his　dependant；　〃of　whom　dost　thou　dare　to　speak？〃

〃It　isof　the　Countess　Amy；　my　lord；　of　whom　I　am　unhappily
bound　to　speak；　and　of　whom　I　WILL　speak；　were　your　lordship　to
kill　me　for　my　zeal。〃

〃Thou　mayest　happen　to　deserve　it　at　my　hand；〃　said　the　Earl；
〃but　speak　on；　I　will　hear　thee。〃

〃Nay；　then；　my　lord；　I　will　be　bold。　　I　speak　for　my　own　life　as
well　as　for　your　lordship's。　　I　like　not　this　lady's　tampering
and　trickstering　with　this　same　Edmund　Tressilian。　　You　know　him；
my　lord。　　You　know　he　had　formerly　an　interest　in　her；　which　it
cost　your　lordship　some　pains　to　supersede。　　You　know　the
eagerness　with　which　he　has　pressed　on　the　suit　against　me　in
behalf　of　this　lady；　the　open　object　of　which　is　to　drive　your
lordship　to　an　avowal　of　what　I　must　ever　call　your　most　unhappy
marriage；　the　point　to　which　my　lady　also　is　willing；　at　any
risk；　to　urge　you。〃

Leicester　smiled　constrainedly。　　〃Thou　meanest　well；　good　Sir
Richard；　and　wouldst；　I　think；　sacrifice　thine　own　honour；　as
well　as　that　of　any　other　person；　to　save　me　from　what　thou
thinkest　a　step　so　terrible。　　But　remember〃he　spoke　these　words
with　the　most　stern　decision〃you　speak　of　the　Countess　of
Leicester。〃

〃I　do；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃but　it　is　for　the　welfare　of　the
Earl　of　Leicester。　　My　tale　is　but　begun。　　I　do　most　strongly
believe　that　this　Tressilian　has；　from　the　beginning　of　his
moving　in　her　cause；　been　in　connivance　with　her　ladyship　the
Countess。〃

〃Thou　speakest　wild　madness；　Varney；　with　the　sober　face　of　a
preacher。　　Where；　or　how；　could　they　communicate　together？〃

〃My　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃unfortunately　I　can　show　that　but　too
well。　　It　was　just　before　the　supplication　was　presented　to　the
Queen；　in　Tressilian's　name；　that　I　met　him；　to　my　utter
astonishment；　at　the　postern　gate　which　leads　from　the　demesne　at
Cumnor　Place。〃

〃Thou　met'st　him；　villain！　　and　why　didst　thou　not　stri