kenilworth-第18节

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odious　than　to　Tressilian。〃

〃I　crave　your　pardon；　madam；〃　said　Varney；　〃I　meant　the　gentleman
no　injusticeI　knew　not　how　nearly　his　cause　affected　you。　　A
man　may；　in　some　circumstances；　disguise　the　truth　for　fair　and
honest　purpose；　for　were　it　to　be　always　spoken；　and　upon　all
occasions；　this　were　no　world　to　live　in。〃

〃You　have　a　courtly　conscience；　Master　Varney；〃　said　the
Countess；　〃and　your　veracity　will　not；　I　think；　interrupt　your
preferment　in　the　world；　such　as　it　is。　　But　touching　Tressilian
I　must　do　him　justice；　for　I　have　done　him　wrong；　as　none　knows
better　than　thou。　　Tressilian's　conscience　is　of　other　mouldthe
world　thou　speakest　of　has　not　that　which　could　bribe　him　from
the　way　of　truth　and　honour；　and　for　living　in　it　with　a　soiled
fame；　the　ermine　would　as　soon　seek　to　lodge　in　the　den　of　the
foul　polecat。　　For　this　my　father　loved　him；　for　this　I　would
have　loved　himif　I　could。　　And　yet　in　this　case　he　had　what
seemed　to　him；　unknowing　alike　of　my　marriage　and　to　whom　I　was
united；　such　powerful　reasons　to　withdraw　me　from　this　place；
that　I　well　trust　he　exaggerated　much　of　my　father's
indisposition；　and　that　thy　better　news　may　be　the　truer。〃

〃Believe　me　they　are；　madam；〃　answered　Varney。　　〃I　pretend　not　to
be　a　champion　of　that　same　naked　virtue　called　truth；　to　the　very
outrance。　　I　can　consent　that　her　charms　be　hidden　with　a　veil；
were　it　but　for　decency's　sake。　　But　you　must　think　lower　of　my
head　and　heart　than　is　due　to　one　whom　my　noble　lord　deigns　to
call　his　friend；　if　you　suppose　I　could　wilfully　and
unnecessarily　palm　upon　your　ladyship　a　falsehood；　so　soon　to　be
detected；　in　a　matter　which　concerns　your　happiness。〃

〃Master　Varney；〃　said　the　Countess；　〃I　know　that　my　lord　esteems
you；　and　holds　you　a　faithful　and　a　good　pilot　in　those　seas　in
which　he　has　spread　so　high　and　so　venturous　a　sail。　　Do　not
suppose；　therefore；　I　meant　hardly　by　you；　when　I　spoke　the　truth
in　Tressilian's　vindication。　　I　am　as　you　well　know；　country…
bred；　and　like　plain　rustic　truth　better　than　courtly　compliment；
but　I　must　change　my　fashions　with　my　sphere；　I　presume。〃

〃True；　madam；〃　said　Varney；　smiling；　〃and　though　you　speak　now　in
jest；　it　will　not　be　amiss　that　in　earnest　your　present　speech
had　some　connection　with　your　real　purpose。　　A　court…dametake
the　most　noble；　the　most　virtuous；　the　most　unimpeachable　that
stands　around　our　Queen's　thronewould；　for　example；　have
shunned　to　speak　the　truth；　or　what　she　thought　such；　in　praise
of　a　discarded　suitor；　before　the　dependant　and　confidant　of　her
noble　husband。〃

〃And　wherefore；〃　said　the　Countess；　colouring　impatiently；
〃should　I　not　do　justice　to　Tressilian's　worth；　before　my
husband's　friendbefore　my　husband　himselfbefore　the　whole
world？〃

〃And　with　the　same　openness；〃　said　Varney；　〃your　ladyship　will
this　night　tell　my　noble　lord　your　husband　that　Tressilian　has
discovered　your　place　of　residence；　so　anxiously　concealed　from
the　world；　and　that　he　has　had　an　interview　with　you？〃

〃Unquestionably；〃　said　the　Countess。　　〃It　will　be　the　first　thing
I　tell　him；　together　with　every　word　that　Tressilian　said　and
that　I　answered。　　I　shall　speak　my　own　shame　in　this；　for
Tressilian's　reproaches；　less　just　than　he　esteemed　them；　were
not　altogether　unmerited。　　I　will　speak；　therefore；　with　pain；
but　I　will　speak；　and　speak　all。〃

〃Your　ladyship　will　do　your　pleasure；〃　answered　Varney；　〃but
methinks　it　were　as　well；　since　nothing　calls　for　so　frank　a
disclosure；　to　spare　yourself　this　pain；　and　my　noble　lord　the
disquiet；　and　Master　Tressilian；　since　belike　he　must　be　thought
of　in　the　matter；　the　danger　which　is　like　to　ensue。〃

〃I　can　see　nought　of　all　these　terrible　consequences；〃　said　the
lady　composedly；　〃unless　by　imputing　to　my　noble　lord　unworthy
thoughts；　which　I　am　sure　never　harboured　in　his　generous　heart。〃

〃Far　be　it　from　me　to　do　so；〃　said　Varney。　　And　then；　after　a
moment's　silence；　he　added；　with　a　real　or　affected　plainness　of
manner；　very　different　from　his　usual　smooth　courtesy；　〃Come；
madam；　I　will　show　you　that　a　courtier　dare　speak　truth　as　well
as　another；　when　it　concerns　the　weal　of　those　whom　he　honours
and　regards；　ay；　and　although　it　may　infer　his　own　danger。〃　　He
waited　as　if　to　receive　commands；　or　at　least　permission；　to　go
on；　but　as　the　lady　remained　silent；　he　proceeded；　but　obviously
with　caution。　　〃Look　around　you；〃　he　said；　〃noble　lady；　and
observe　the　barriers　with　which　this　place　is　surrounded；　the
studious　mystery　with　which　the　brightest　jewel　that　England
possesses　is　secluded　from　the　admiring　gaze。　　See　with　what
rigour　your　walks　are　circumscribed。　　and　your　movement
restrained　at　the　beck　of　yonder　churlish　Foster。　　Consider　all
this；　and　judge　for　yourself　what　can　be　the　cause。

〃My　lord's　pleasure；〃　answered　the　Countess；　〃and　I　am　bound　to
seek　no　other　motive。〃

〃His　pleasure　it　is　indeed；〃　said　Varney；　〃and　his　pleasure
arises　out　of　a　love　worthy　of　the　object　which　inspires　it。　　But
he　who　possesses　a　treasure；　and　who　values　it；　is　oft　anxious；
in　proportion　to　the　value　he　puts　upon　it；　to　secure　it　from　the
depredations　of　others。〃

〃What　needs　all　this　talk；　Master　Varney？〃　　said　the　lady；　in
reply。　　〃You　would　have　me　believe　that　my　noble　lord　is
jealous。　　Suppose　it　true；　I　know　a　cure　for　jealousy。〃

〃Indeed；　madam？〃　　said　Varney。

〃It　is；〃　replied　the　lady；　〃to　speak　the　truth　to　my　lord　at　all
timesto　hold　up　my　mind　and　my　thoughts　before　him　as　pure　as
that　polished　mirrorso　that　when　he　looks　into　my　heart；　he
shall　only　see　his　own　features　reflected　there。〃

〃I　am　mute；　madam　answered　Varney；　〃and　as　I　have　no　reason　to
grieve　for　Tressilian；　who　would　have　my　heart's　blood　were　he
able；　I　shall　reconcile　myself　easily　to　what　may　befall　the
gentleman　in　consequence　of　your　frank　disclosure　of　his　having
presumed　to　intrude　upon　your　solitude。　　You；　who　know　my　lord　so
much　better　than　I；　will　judge　if　he　be　likely　to　bear　the　insult
unavenged。〃

〃Nay；　if　I　could　think　myself　the　cause　of　Tressilian's　ruin；〃
said　the　Countess；　〃I　who　have　already　occasioned　him　so　much
distress；　I　might　be　brought　to　be　silent。　　And　yet　what　will　it
avail；　since　he　was　seen　by　Foster；　and　I　think　by　some　one　else？
No；　no；　Varney；　urge　it　no　more。　　I　will　tell　the　whole　matter　to
my　lord；　and　with　such　pleading　for　Tressilian's　folly；　as　shall
dispose　my　lord's　generous　heart　rather　to　serve　than　to　punish
him。〃

〃Your　judgment；　madam；〃　said　Varney；　〃is　far　superior　to　mine；
especially　as　you　may；　if　you　will；　prove　the　ice　before　you　step
on　it；　by　mentioning　Tressilian's　name　to　my　lord；　and　observing
how　he　endures　it。　　For　Foster　and　his　attendant；　they　know　not
Tressilian　by　sight；　and　I　can　easily　give　them　some　reasonable
excuse　for　the　appearance　of　an　unknown　stranger。〃

The　lady　paused　for　an　instant；　and　then　replied；　〃If；　Varney；　it
be　indeed　true　that　Foster　knows　not　as　yet　that　the　man　he　saw
was　Tressilian；　I　own　I　were　unwilling　he　should　learn　what
nowise　concerns　him。　　He　bears　himself　already　with　austerity
enough；　and　I　wish　him　not　to　be　judge　or　privy…councillor　in　my
affairs。〃

〃Tush；〃　said　Varney；　〃what　has　the　surly　groom　to　do　with　your
ladyship's　concerns？no　more；　surely；　than　the　ban…dog　which
watches　his　courtyard。　　If　he　is　in　aught　distasteful　to　your
ladyship；　I　have　interest　enough　to　have　him　exchanged　for　a
seneschal　that　shall　be　more　agreeable　to　you。〃

〃Master　Varney；〃　said　the　Countess；　〃let　us　drop　this　theme。
When　I　complain　of　the　attendants　whom　my　lord　has　placed　around
me；　it　must　be　to　my　lord　himself。Hark！　　I　hear　the　trampling
of　horse。　　He　comes！　　he　comes！〃　　she　exclaimed；　jumping　up　in
ecstasy。

〃I　cannot　think　it　is　he；〃　said　Varney；　〃or　that　you　can　hear　the
tread　of　his　horse　through　the　closely…mantled　casements。〃

〃Stop　me　not；　Varneymy　ears　are　keener　than　thine。　　It　is　he！〃

〃But；　madam！but；　madam！〃　　exclaimed　Varney　anxiously；　and　still
placing　himself　in　her　way；　〃I　trust　that　what　I　have　spoken　in
humble　duty　and　service　will　not　be　turned　to　my　ruin？　　I　hope
that　my　faithful　advice　will　not　be　bewrayed　to　my　prejudice？　　I
implore　that〃

〃Content　thee；　mancontent　thee！〃　　said　the　Countess；　〃and　quit
my　skirtyou　are　too　bold　to　detain　me。　　Content　thyself；　I
think　not　of　thee。〃

At　this　moment　the　folding…doors　flew　wide　open；　and　a　man　of
majestic　mien；　muffled　in　the　folds　of　a　long　dark　riding…cloak；
entered　the　apartment。



CHAPTER　VII。

　　　　　　　This　is　he
　　Who　rides　on　the　court…gale；　controls　its　tides；
　　Knows　all　their　secret　shoals　and　fatal　eddies；
　　Whose　frown　abases；　and　whose　smile　exalts。
　　He　shines　like　any　rainbowand；　perchance；
　　His　colours　are　as　transient。〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　OLD　PLAY。

There　was　some　little　displeasure　and　confusion　on　the　Countess's
brow；　owing　to　her　struggle　with　Varney's　pertinacity；　but　it　was
exchanged　for　an　expression　of　the　purest　joy　and　affection；　as
she　threw　herself　into　the　arms　of　the　noble　stranger　who
entered；　and　clasping　him　to　her　bosom；　exclaimed；　〃At　lengthat
length　thou　art　come！〃

Varney　discreetly　withdrew