第23章

"Benotangrywithme，lady，"saidJanetmeekly，"andletmestillsupportyou;theroadisrough，andyouarelittleaccustomedtowalkindarkness。"

"Ifyoudeemmenotsomeanasmaydisgracemyhusband，"saidtheCountess，inthesameresentfultone，"yousupposemyLordofLeicestercapableofabetting，perhapsofgivingaimandauthorityto，thebaseproceedingsofyourfatherandVarney，whoseerrandIwilldotothegoodEarl。"

"ForGod\'ssake，madam，sparemyfatherinyourreport，"saidJanet;"letmyservices，howeverpoor，besomeatonementforhiserrors！"

"Iweremostunjust，dearestJanet，wereitotherwise，"saidtheCountess，resumingatoncethefondnessandconfidenceofhermannertowardsherfaithfulattendant，"No，Janet，notawordofmineshalldoyourfatherprejudice。Butthouseest，mylove，I

havenodesirebuttothrowmyselfonmyhusband\'sprotection。

Ihavelefttheabodeheassignedforme，becauseofthevillainyofthepersonsbywhomIwassurrounded;butIwilldisobeyhiscommandsinnootherparticular。Iwillappealtohimalone——I

willbeprotectedbyhimalone;tonoother，thanathispleasure，haveIorwillIcommunicatethesecretunionwhichcombinesourheartsandourdestinies。Iwillseehim，andreceivefromhisownlipsthedirectionsformyfutureconduct。

Donotargueagainstmyresolution，Janet;youwillonlyconfirmmeinit。Andtoownthetruth，Iamresolvedtoknowmyfateatonce，andfrommyhusband\'sownmouth;andtoseekhimatKenilworthisthesurestwaytoattainmypurpose。"

WhileJanethastilyrevolvedinhermindthedifficultiesanduncertaintiesattendantontheunfortunatelady\'ssituation，shewasinclinedtoalterherfirstopinion，andtothink，uponthewhole，thatsincetheCountesshadwithdrawnherselffromtheretreatinwhichshehadbeenplacedbyherhusband，itwasherfirstdutytorepairtohispresence，andpossesshimwiththereasonsforsuchconduct。SheknewwhatimportancetheEarlattachedtotheconcealmentoftheirmarriage，andcouldnotbutown，thatbytakinganysteptomakeitpublicwithouthispermission，theCountesswouldincur，inahighdegree，theindignationofherhusband。Ifsheretiredtoherfather\'shousewithoutanexplicitavowalofherrank，hersituationwaslikelygreatlytoprejudicehercharacter;andifshemadesuchanavowal，itmightoccasionanirreconcilablebreachwithherhusband。AtKenilworth，again，shemightpleadhercausewithherhusbandhimself，whomJanet，thoughdistrustinghimmorethantheCountessdid，believedincapableofbeingaccessorytothebaseanddesperatemeanswhichhisdependants，fromwhosepowertheladywasnowescaping，mightresortto，inordertostiflehercomplaintsofthetreatmentshehadreceivedattheirhands。

Butattheworst，andweretheEarlhimselftodenyherjusticeandprotection，stillatKenilworth，ifshechosetomakeherwrongspublic，theCountessmighthaveTressilianforheradvocate，andtheQueenforherjudge;forsomuchJanethadlearnedinhershortconferencewithWayland。Shewas，therefore，onthewhole，reconciledtoherlady\'sproposalofgoingtowardsKenilworth，andsoexpressedherself;recommending，however，totheCountesstheutmostcautioninmakingherarrivalknowntoherhusband，"Hastthouthyselfbeencautious，Janet？"saidtheCountess;

"thisguide，inwhomImustputmyconfidence，hastthounotentrustedtohimthesecretofmycondition？"

"Frommehehaslearnednothing，"saidJanet;"nordoIthinkthatheknowsmorethanwhatthepublicingeneralbelieveofyoursituation。"

"Andwhatisthat？"saidthelady。

"Thatyouleftyourfather\'shouse——butIshalloffendyouagainifIgoon，"saidJanet，interruptingherself。

"Nay，goon，"saidtheCountess;"Imustlearntoenduretheevilreportwhichmyfollyhasbroughtuponme。Theythink，I

suppose，thatIhaveleftmyfather\'shousetofollowlawlesspleasure。Itisanerrorwhichwillsoonberemoved——indeeditshall，forIwilllivewithspotlessfame，orIshallceasetolive。——Iamaccounted，then，theparamourofmyLeicester？"

"MostmensayofVarney，"saidJanet;"yetsomecallhimonlytheconvenientcloakofhismaster\'spleasures;forreportsoftheprofuseexpenseingarnishingyonderapartmentshavesecretlygoneabroad，andsuchdoingsfarsurpassthemeansofVarney。

Butthislatteropinionislittleprevalent;formendarehardlyevenhintsuspicionwhensohighanameisconcerned，lesttheStarChambershouldpunishthemforscandalofthenobility。"

"Theydowelltospeaklow，"saidtheCountess，"whowouldmentiontheillustriousDudleyastheaccompliceofsuchawretchasVarney。——Wehavereachedthepostern。Ah！Janet，Imustbidtheefarewell！Weepnot，mygoodgirl，"saidshe，endeavouringtocoverherownreluctancetopartwithherfaithfulattendantunderanattemptatplayfulness;"andagainstwemeetagain，reformme，Janet，thatpreciseruffofthineforanopenrabatineoflaceandcutwork，thatwillletmenseethouhastafairneck;andthatkirtleofPhilippinechency，withthatbuglelacewhichbefitsonlyachambermaid，intothree—piledvelvetandclothofgold——thouwiltfindplentyofstuffsinmychamber，andIfreelybestowthemonyou。Thoumustbebrave，Janet;forthoughthouartnowbuttheattendantofadistressedanderrantlady，whoisbothnamelessandfameless，yet，whenwemeetagain，thoumustbedressedasbecomesthegentlewomannearestinloveandinservicetothefirstCountessinEngland。"

"Now，mayGodgrantit，dearlady！"saidJanet——"notthatImaygowithgayerapparel，butthatwemaybothwearourkirtlesoverlighterhearts。"

Bythistimethelockoftheposterndoorhad，aftersomehardwrenching，yieldedtothemaster—key;andtheCountess，notwithoutinternalshuddering，sawherselfbeyondthewallswhichherhusband\'sstrictcommandshadassignedtoherastheboundaryofherwalks。Waitingwithmuchanxietyfortheirappearance，WaylandSmithstoodatsomedistance，shroudinghimselfbehindahedgewhichborderedthehigh—road。

"Isallsafe？"saidJanettohimanxiously，asheapproachedthemwithcaution。

"All，"hereplied;"butIhavebeenunabletoprocureahorseforthelady。GilesGosling，thecowardlyhilding，refusedmeoneonanytermswhatever，lest，forsooth，heshouldsuffer。Butnomatter;shemustrideonmypalfrey，andImustwalkbyhersideuntilIcomebyanotherhorse。Therewillbenopursuit，ifyou，prettyMistressJanet，forgetnotthylesson。"

"NomorethanthewisewidowofTekoaforgotthewordswhichJoabputintohermouth，"answeredJanet。"Tomorrow，Isaythatmyladyisunabletorise。"

"Ay;andthatshehathachingandheavinessoftheheadathrobbingattheheart，andlistsnottobedisturbed。Fearnot;

theywilltakethehint，andtroubletheewithfewquestions——

theyunderstandthedisease，"

"But，"saidthelady，"Myabsencemustbesoondiscovered，andtheywillmurderherinrevenge。Iwillratherreturnthanexposehertosuchdanger。"

"Beateaseonmyaccount，madam，"saidJanet;"Iwouldyouwereassureofreceivingthefavouryoudesirefromthosetowhomyoumustmakeappeal，asIamthatmyfather，howeverangry，willsuffernoharmtobefallme。"

TheCountesswasnowplacedbyWaylanduponhishorse，aroundthesaddleofwhichhehadplacedhiscloak，sofoldedastomakeheracommodiousseat。

"Adieu，andmaytheblessingofGodwendwithyou！"saidJanet，againkissinghermistress\'shand，whoreturnedherbenedictionwithamutecaress。Theythentorethemselvesasunder，andJanet，addressingWayland，exclaimed，"MayHeavendealwithyouatyourneed，asyouaretrueorfalsetothismostinjuredandmosthelplesslady！"

"Amen！dearestJanet，"repliedWay]and;"andbelieveme，Iwillsoacquitmyselfofmytrustasmaytemptevenyourprettyeyes，saintlikeastheyare，tolooklessscornfullyonmewhenwenextmeet。"

ThelatterpartofthisadieuwaswhisperedintoJanet\'searandalthoughshemadenoreplytoitdirectly，yethermanner，influenced，nodoubt，byherdesiretoleaveeverymotiveinforcewhichcouldoperatetowardshermistress\'ssafety，didnotdiscouragethehopewhichWayland\'swordsexpressed。Shere—enteredtheposterndoor，andlockeditbehindher;while，Waylandtakingthehorse\'sbridleinhishand，andwalkingclosebyitshead，theybeganinsilencetheirdubiousandmoonlightjourney。

AlthoughWaylandSmithusedtheutmostdispatchwhichhecouldmake，yetthismodeoftravellingwassoslow，thatwhenmorningbegantodawnthroughtheeasternmist，hefoundhimselfnofartherthanabouttenmilesdistantfromCumnor。"Now，aplagueuponallsmooth—spokenhosts！"saidWayland，unablelongertosuppresshismortificationanduneasiness。"Hadthefalseloon，GilesGosling，buttoldmeplainlytwodayssincethatIwastoreckonnoughtuponhim，Ihadshiftedbetterformyself。Butyourhostshavesuchacustomofpromisingwhateveriscalledforthatitisnottillthesteedistobeshodyoufindtheyareoutofiron。HadIbutknown，Icouldhavemadetwentyshifts;nay，forthatmatter，andinsogoodacause，Iwouldhavethoughtlittletohavepriggedaprancerfromthenextcommon——ithadbutbeensendingbackthebrutetotheheadborough。ThefarcyandthefoundersconfoundeveryhorseinthestablesoftheBlackBear！"

Theladyendeavouredtocomfortherguide，observingthatthedawnwouldenablehimtomakemorespeed。

"True，madam，"hereplied;"butthenitwillenableotherfolktotakenoteofus，andthatmayproveanillbeginningofourjourney。Ihadnotcaredasparkfromanvilabou