第28章

Thisunpremeditatedbuffooneryansweredthepurposeprobablybetterthanthesetspeechwouldhavedone。TheQueenlaughedheartily，andswore（inherturn）thathehadmadethebestspeechshehadheardthatday。Lambourne，whoinstantlysawhisjesthadsavedhisbones，jumpedonshore，gavehisdolphinakick，anddeclaredhewouldnevermeddlewithfishagain，exceptatdinner。

AtthesametimethattheQueenwasabouttoentertheCastle，thatmemorabledischargeoffireworksbywaterandlandtookplace，whichMasterLaneham，formerlyintroducedtothereader，hasstrainedallhiseloquencetodescribe。

"Such，"saystheClerkoftheCouncil—chamberdoor"wastheblazeofburningdarts，thegleamsofstarscoruscant，thestreamsandhailoffierysparks，lightningsofwildfire，andflight—shotofthunderbolts，withcontinuance，terror，andvehemency，thattheheavensthundered，thewaterssurged，andtheearthshook;andformypart，hardyasIam，itmademeveryvengeablyafraid。"

[SeeLaneham\'sAccountoftheQueen\'sEntertainmentatKillingworthCastle，in1575，averydivertingtract，writtenbyasgreatacoxcombaseverblottedpaper。[SeeNote6]Theoriginalisextremelyrare，butithasbeentwicereprinted;onceinMr。Nichols\'sverycuriousandinterestingcollectionoftheProgressesandPublicProcessionsofQueenElizabeth，vol。i。andmorelatelyinabeautifulantiquarianpublication，termedKENILWORTHILLUSTRATED，printedatChiswick，forMeridewofCoventryandRadcliffeofBirmingham。ItcontainsreprintsofLaneham\'sLetter，Gascoigne\'sPrinceIyProgress，andotherscarcepieces，annotatedwithaccuracyandability。Theauthortakesthelibertytorefertothisworkashisauthorityfortheaccountofthefestivities。

Iamindebtedforacuriousground—planoftheCastleofKenilworth，asitexistedinQueenElizabeth\'stime，tothevoluntarykindnessofRichardBadnallEsq。ofOlivebank，nearLiverpool。Fromhisobligingcommunication，IlearnthattheoriginalsketchwasfoundamongthemanuscriptsofthecelebratedJ。J。Rousseau，whenheleftEngland。ThesewereentrustedbythephilosophertothecareofhisfriendMr。Davenport，andpassedfromhislegateeintothepossessionofMr。Badnall。]

CHAPTERXXXI。

Nay，thisismatterforthemonthofMarch，Whenharesaremaddest。Eitherspeakinreason，Givingcoldargumentthewallofpassion，OrIbreakupthecourt。BEAUMONTANDFLETCHER。

ItisbynomeansourpurposetodetailminutelyalltheprincelyfestivitiesofKenilworth，afterthefashionofMasterRobertLaneham，whomwequotedintheconclusionofthelastchapter。

Itissufficienttosaythatunderdischargeofthesplendidfireworks，whichwehaveborrowedLaneham\'seloquencetodescribe，theQueenenteredthebase—courtofKenilworth，throughMortimer\'sTower，andmovingonthroughpageantsofheathengodsandheroesofantiquity，whoofferedgiftsandcomplimentsonthebendedknee，atlengthfoundherwaytotheGreatHalloftheCastle，gorgeouslyhungforherreceptionwiththerichestsilkentapestry，mistywithperfumes，andsoundingtostrainsofsoftanddeliciousmusic。Fromthehighly—carvedoakenroofhungasuperbchandelierofgiltbronze，formedlikeaspreadeagle，whoseoutstretchedwingssupportedthreemaleandthreefemalefigures，graspingapairofbranchesineachhand。TheHallwasthusilluminatedbytwenty—fourtorchesofwax。Attheupperendofthesplendidapartmentwasastatecanopy，overshadowingaroyalthrone，andbesideitwasadoor，whichopenedtoalongsuiteofapartments，decoratedwiththeutmostmagnificencefortheQueenandherladies，wheneveritshouldbeherpleasuretobeprivate。

TheEarlofLeicesterhavinghandedtheQueenuptoherthrone，andseatedherthere，kneltdownbeforeher，andkissingthehandwhichsheheldout，withanairinwhichromanticandrespectfulgallantrywashappilymingledwiththeairofloyaldevotion，hethankedher，intermsofthedeepestgratitude，forthehighesthonourwhichasovereigncouldrendertoasubject。Sohandsomedidhelookwhenkneelingbeforeher，thatElizabethwastemptedtoprolongthescenealittlelongerthantherewas，strictlyspeaking，necessityfor;anderesheraisedhim，shepassedherhandoverhishead，sonearasalmosttotouchhislong，curled，andperfumedhair，andwithamovementoffondnessthatseemedtointimateshewould，ifshedared，havemadethemotionaslightcaress。

[Tojustifywhatmaybeconsideredasahigh—colouredpicture，theauthorquotestheoriginalofthecourtlyandshrewdSirJamesMelville，beingthenQueenMary\'senvoyatthecourtofLondon。

"Iwasrequired，"saysSirJames，"tostaytillIhadseenhimmadeEarleofLeicester，andBaronofDenbigh，withgreatsolemnity;herself（Elizabeth）helpingtoputonhisceremonial，hesittingonhiskneesbeforeher，keepingagreatgravityandadiscreetbehaviour;butshecouldnotrefrainfromputtingherhandtohisnecktokittle（i。e。，tickle）him，smilingly，theFrenchAmbassadorandIstandingbesideher。"——MELVILLE\'S

MEMOIRS，BANNATYNEEDITION，p。120。]

Sheatlengthraisedhim，andstandingbesidethethrone，heexplainedtoherthevariouspreparationswhichhadbeenmadeforheramusementandaccommodation，allofwhichreceivedherpromptandgraciousapprobation。TheEarlthenprayedherMajestyforpermissionthathehimself，andthenobleswhohadbeeninattendanceuponherduringthejourney，mightretireforafewminutes，andputthemselvesintoaguisemorefittingfordutifulattendance，duringwhichspacethosegentlemenofworship（pointingtoVarney，Blount，Tressilian，andothers），whohadalreadyputthemselvesintofreshattire，wouldhavethehonourofkeepingherpresence—chamber。

"Beitso，mylord，"answeredtheQueen;"youcouldmanageatheatrewell，whocanthuscommandadoublesetofactors。Forourselves，wewillreceiveyourcourtesiesthiseveningbutclownishly，sinceitisnotourpurposetochangeourridingattire，beingineffectsomethingfatiguedwithajourneywhichtheconcourseofourgoodpeoplehathrenderedslow，thoughthelovetheyhaveshownourpersonhath，atthesametime，madeitdelightful。"

Leicester，havingreceivedthispermission，retiredaccordingly，andwasfollowedbythosenobleswhohadattendedtheQueentoKenilworthinperson。Thegentlemenwhohadprecededthem，andwere，ofcourse，dressedforthesolemnity，remainedinattendance。Butbeingmostofthemofratherinferiorrank，theyremainedatanawfuldistancefromthethronewhichElizabethoccupied。TheQueen\'ssharpeyesoondistinguishedRaleighamongstthem，withoneortwootherswhowerepersonallyknowntoher，andsheinstantlymadethemasigntoapproach，andaccostedthemverygraciously。Raleigh，inparticular，theadventureofwhosecloak，aswellastheincidentoftheverses，remainedonhermind，wasverygraciouslyreceived;andtohimshemostfrequentlyappliedforinformationconcerningthenamesandrankofthosewhowereinpresence。Thesehecommunicatedconcisely，andnotwithoutsometraitsofhumoroussatire，bywhichElizabethseemedmuchamused。"Andwhoisyonderclownishfellow？"shesaid，lookingatTressilian，whosesoileddressonthisoccasiongreatlyobscuredhisgoodmien。

"Apoet，ifitpleaseyourGrace，"repliedRaleigh。

"Imighthaveguessedthatfromhiscarelessgarb，"saidElizabeth。"Ihaveknownsomepoetssothoughtlessastothrowtheircloaksintogutters。"

"Itmusthavebeenwhenthesundazzledboththeireyesandtheirjudgment，"answeredRaleigh。

Elizabethsmiled，andproceeded，"Iaskedthatslovenlyfellow\'sname，andyouonlytoldmehisprofession。"

"Tressilianishisname，"saidRaleigh，withinternalreluctance，forheforesawnothingfavourabletohisfriendfromthemannerinwhichshetooknoticeofhim。

"Tressilian！"answeredElizabeth。"Oh，theMenelausofourromance。Why，hehasdressedhimselfinaguisethatwillgofartoexculpatehisfairandfalseHelen。AndwhereisFarnham，orwhateverhisnameis——myLordofLeicester\'sman，Imean——theParisofthisDevonshiretale？"

WithstillgreaterreluctanceRaleighnamedandpointedouttoherVarney，forwhomthetailorhaddoneallthatartcouldperforminmakinghisexterioragreeable;andwho，ifhehadnotgrace，hadasortoftactandhabitualknowledgeofbreeding，whichcameinplaceofit。

TheQueenturnedhereyesfromtheonetotheother。"Idoubt，"

shesaid，"thissamepoeticalMasterTressilian，whoistoolearned，Iwarrantme，torememberwhosepresencehewastoappearin，maybeoneofthoseofwhomGeoffreyChaucersayswittily，thewisestclerksarenotthewisestmen。IrememberthatVarneyisasmooth—tonguedvarlet。Idoubtthisfairrunawayhathhadreasonsforbreakingherfaith。"

TothisRaleighdurstmakenoanswer，awarehowlittleheshouldbenefitTressilianbycontradictingtheQueen\'ssentiments，andnotatallcertain，onthewhole，whetherthebestthingthatcouldbefallhimwouldnotbethatsheshouldputanendatoncebyherauthoritytothisaffair，uponwhichitseemedtohimTressilian\'sthoughtswerefixedwithunavailinganddistressingpertinacity。Asthesereflectionspassedthroughhisactivebrain，thelowerdoorofthehallopened，andLeicester，accompaniedbyseveralofhiskinsmen，andofthenobleswhohadembracedhisfaction，re—enteredtheCastleHall。

ThefavouriteEarlwasnowapparelledallinwhite，hisshoesbeingofwhitevelvet;hisunder—stocks（orstockings）ofknitsilk;hisupperstocksofwhitevelvet，linedwithclothofsilver，whichwasshownattheslashedpartofthemiddlethigh;

hisdoubletofclothofsilver，theclosejerkinofwhitevelvet，embroideredwithsilverandseed—pe