下载辰思小说免费APP
ThemelancholythoughtsofTressiliancastagloomyshadeonalltheobjectswithwhichhewassurrounded。HecomparedthemagnificentsceneswhichheheretraversedwiththedeepwoodlandandwildmoorlandwhichsurroundedLidcoteHall，andtheimageofAmyRobsartglidedlikeaphantomthrougheverylandscapewhichhisimaginationsummonedup。Nothingisperhapsmoredangeroustothefuturehappinessofmenofdeepthoughtandretiredhabitsthantheentertaininganearly，long，andunfortunateattachment。
Itfrequentlysinkssodeepintothemindthatitbecomestheirdreambynightandtheirvisionbyday——mixesitselfwitheverysourceofinterestandenjoyment;andwhenblightedandwitheredbyfinaldisappointment，itseemsasifthespringsoftheheartweredriedupalongwithit。Thisachingoftheheart，thislanguishingafterashadowwhichhaslostallthegaietyofitscolouring，thisdwellingontheremembranceofadreamfromwhichwehavebeenlongroughlyawakened，istheweaknessofagentleandgenerousheart，anditwasthatofTressilian。
Hehimselfatlengthbecamesensibleofthenecessityofforcingotherobjectsuponhismind;andforthispurposeheleftthePleasance，inordertominglewiththenoisycrowduponthewalls，andviewthepreparationforthepageants。Butasheleftthegarden，andheardthebusyhum，mixedwithmusicandlaughter，whichfloatedaroundhim，hefeltanuncontrollablereluctancetomixwithsocietywhosefeelingswereinatonesodifferentfromhisown，andresolved，insteadofdoingso，toretiretothechamberassignedhim，andemployhimselfinstudyuntilthetollingofthegreatCastlebellshouldannouncethearrivalofElizabeth。
Tressiliancrossedaccordinglybythepassagebetwixttheimmenserangeofkitchensandthegreathall，andascendedtothethirdstoryofMervyn\'sTower，andapplyinghimselftothedoorofthesmallapartmentwhichhadbeenallottedtohim，wassurprisedtofinditwaslocked。Hethenrecollectedthatthedeputy—
chamberlainhadgivenhimamaster—key，advisinghim，inthepresentconfusedstateoftheCastle，tokeephisdoorasmuchshutaspossible。Heappliedthiskeytothelock，theboltrevolved，heentered，andinthesameinstantsawafemaleformseatedintheapartment，andrecognizedthatformtobe，AmyRobsart。Hisfirstideawasthataheatedimaginationhadraisedtheimageonwhichitdotedintovisibleexistence;hissecond，thathebeheldanapparition;thethirdandabidingconviction，thatitwasAmyherself，paler，indeed，andthinner，thaninthedaysofheedlesshappiness，whenshepossessedtheformandhueofawood—nymph，withthebeautyofasylph——butstillAmy，unequalledinlovelinessbyaughtwhichhadevervisitedhiseyes。
TheastonishmentoftheCountesswasscarcelessthanthatofTressilian，althoughitwasofshorterduration，becauseshehadheardfromWaylandthathewasintheCastle。Shehadstartedupathisfirstentrance，andnowstoodfacinghim，thepalenessofhercheekshavinggivenwaytoadeepblush。
"Tressilian，"shesaid，atlength，"whycomeyouhere？"
"Nay，whycomeyouhere，Amy，"returnedTressilian，"unlessitbeatlengthtoclaimthataid，which，asfarasoneman\'sheartandarmcanextend，shallinstantlyberenderedtoyou？"
Shewassilentamoment，andthenansweredinasorrowfulratherthananangrytone，"Irequirenoaid，Tressilian，andwouldratherbeinjuredthanbenefitedbyanywhichyourkindnesscanofferme。Believeme，Iamnearonewhomlawandloveobligetoprotectme。"
"Thevillain，then，hathdoneyouthepoorjusticewhichremainedinhispower，"saidTressilian，"andIbeholdbeforemethewifeofVarney！"
"ThewifeofVarney！"shereplied，withalltheemphasisofscorn。"Withwhatbasename，sir，doesyourboldnessstigmatizethe——the——the——"Shehesitated，droppedhertoneofscorn，lookeddown，andwasconfusedandsilent;forsherecollectedwhatfatalconsequencesmightattendhercompletingthesentencewith"theCountessofLeicester，"whichwerethewordsthathadnaturallysuggestedthemselves。Itwouldhavebeenabetrayalofthesecret，onwhichherhusbandhadassuredherthathisfortunesdepended，toTressilian，toSussex，totheQueen，andtothewholeassembledcourt。"Never，"shethought，"willIbreakmypromisedsilence。Iwillsubmittoeverysuspicionratherthanthat。"
Thetearsrosetohereyes，asshestoodsilentbeforeTressilian;while，lookingonherwithmingledgriefandpity，hesaid，"Alas！Amy，youreyescontradictyourtongue。Thatspeaksofaprotector，willingandabletowatchoveryou;butthesetellmeyouareruined，anddesertedbythewretchtowhomyouhaveattachedyourself。"
Shelookedonhimwitheyesinwhichangersparkledthroughhertears，butonlyrepeatedtheword"wretch！"withascornfulemphasis。
"Yes，WRETCH！"saidTressilian;"forwereheaughtbetter，whyareyouhere，andalone，inmyapartment？whywasnotfittingprovisionmadeforyourhonourablereception？"
"Inyourapartment？"repeatedAmy——"inYOURapartment？Itshallinstantlyberelievedofmypresence。"Shehastenedtowardsthedoor;butthesadrecollectionofherdesertedstateatoncepressedonhermind，andpausingonthethreshold，sheadded，inatoneunutterablypathetic，"Alas！Ihadforgot——Iknownotwheretogo——"
"Isee——Iseeitall，"saidTressilian，springingtoherside，andleadingherbacktotheseat，onwhichshesunkdown。"YouDOneedaid——youdoneedprotection，thoughyouwillnotownit;
andyoushallnotneeditlong。Leaningonmyarm，astherepresentativeofyourexcellentandbroken—heartedfather，ontheverythresholdoftheCastlegate，youshallmeetElizabeth;
andthefirstdeedsheshalldointhehallsofKenilworthshallbeanactofjusticetohersexandhersubjects。Stronginmygoodcause，andintheQueen\'sjustice，thepowerofherminionshallnotshakemyresolution。IwillinstantlyseekSussex。"
"Notforallthatisunderheaven！"saidtheCountess，muchalarmed，andfeelingtheabsolutenecessityofobtainingtime，atleast，forconsideration。"Tressilian，youwerewonttobegenerous。Grantmeonerequest，andbelieve，ifitbeyourwishtosavemefrommiseryandfrommadness，youwilldomorebymakingmethepromiseIaskofyou，thanElizabethcandoformewithallherpower。"
"Askmeanythingforwhichyoucanallegereason，"saidTressilian;"butdemandnotofme——"
"Oh，limitnotyourboon，dearEdmund！"exclaimedtheCountess——"youoncelovedthatIshouldcallyouso——limitnotyourboontoreason;formycaseisallmadness，andfrenzymustguidethecounselswhichalonecanaidme。"
"Ifyouspeakthuswildly，"saidTressilian，astonishmentagainoverpoweringbothhisgriefandhisresolution，"Imustbelieveyouindeedincapableofthinkingoractingforyourself。"
"Oh，no！"sheexclaimed，sinkingononekneebeforehim，"Iamnotmad——Iambutacreatureunutterablymiserable，and，fromcircumstancesthemostsingular，draggedontoaprecipicebythearmofhimwhothinksheiskeepingmefromit——evenbyyours，Tressilian——byyours，whomIhavehonoured，respected——allbutloved——andyetloved，too——loved，too，Tressilian——thoughnotasyouwishedtobe。"
Therewasanenergy，aself—possession，anabandonmentinhervoiceandmanner，atotalresignationofherselftohisgenerosity，which，togetherwiththekindnessofherexpressionstohimself，movedhimdeeply。Heraisedher，and，inbrokenaccents，entreatedhertobecomforted。
"Icannot，"shesaid，"Iwillnotbecomforted，tillyougrantmemyrequest！IwillspeakasplainlyasIdare。Iamnowawaitingthecommandsofonewhohasarighttoissuethem。Theinterferenceofathirdperson——ofyouinespecial，Tressilian——
willberuin——utterruintome。Waitbutfour—and—twentyhours，anditmaybethatthepoorAmymayhavethemeanstoshowthatshevalues，andcanreward，yourdisinterestedfriendship——thatsheishappyherself，andhasthemeanstomakeyouso。Itissurelyworthyourpatience，forsoshortaspace？"
Tressilianpaused，andweighinginhismindthevariousprobabilitieswhichmightrenderaviolentinterferenceonhispartmoreprejudicialthanadvantageous，bothtothehappinessandreputationofAmy;consideringalsothatshewaswithinthewallsofKenilworth，andcouldsuffernoinjuryinacastlehonouredwiththeQueen\'sresidence，andfilledwithherguardsandattendants——heconceived，uponthewhole，thathemightrenderhermoreevilthangoodservicebyintrudinguponherhisappealtoElizabethinherbehalf。Heexpressedhisresolutioncautiously，however，doubtingnaturallywhetherAmy\'shopesofextricatingherselffromherdifficultiesrestedonanythingstrongerthanablindedattachmenttoVarney，whomhesupposedtobeherseducer。
"Amy，"hesaid，whilehefixedhissadandexpressiveeyesonhers，which，inherecstasyofdoubt，terror，andperplexity，shecastuptowardshim，"Ihaveeverremarkedthatwhenotherscalledtheegirlishandwilful，therelayunderthatexternalsemblanceofyouthfulandself—willedfollydeepfeelingandstrongsense。InthisIwillconfide，trustingyourownfateinyourownhandsforthespaceoftwenty—fourhours，withoutmyinterferencebywordoract。"
"Doyoupromisemethis，Tressilian？"saidtheCountess。"Isitpossibleyoucanyetreposesomuchconfidenceinme？Doyoupromise，asyouareagentlemanandamanofhonour，tointrudeinmymattersneitherbyspeechnoraction，whateveryoumayseeor
