第32章

Leicesterwassilent，butbenthisheadtowardstheCountess，asanintimationthatshewasatlibertytoproceed。

"Therehathbeenbutonecauseforalltheseevils，mylord，"sheproceeded，"anditresolvesitselfintothemysteriousduplicitywithwhichyou，havebeeninducedtosurroundyourself。

Extricateyourselfatonce，mylord，fromthetyrannyofthesedisgracefultrammels。BelikeatrueEnglishgentleman，knight，andearl，whoholdsthattruthisthefoundationofhonour，andthathonourisdeartohimasthebreathofhisnostrils。Takeyourill—fatedwifebythehand，leadhertothefootstoolofElizabeth\'sthrone——saythatinamomentofinfatuation，movedbysupposedbeauty，ofwhichnoneperhapscannowtraceeventheremains，IgavemyhandtothisAmyRobsart。Youwillthenhavedonejusticetome，mylord，andtoyourownhonourandshouldlaworpowerrequireyoutopartfromme，Iwillopposenoobjection，sinceImaythenwithhonourhideagrievedandbrokenheartinthoseshadesfromwhichyourlovewithdrewme。Then——

havebutalittlepatience，andAmy\'slifewillnotlongdarkenyourbrighterprospects。"

Therewassomuchofdignity，somuchoftenderness，intheCountess\'sremonstrance，thatitmovedallthatwasnobleandgenerousinthesoulofherhusband。Thescalesseemedtofallfromhiseyes，andtheduplicityandtergiversationofwhichhehadbeenguiltystunghimatoncewithremorseandshame。

"Iamnotworthyofyou，Amy，"hesaid，"thatcouldweighaughtwhichambitionhastogiveagainstsuchaheartasthine。Ihaveabitterpenancetoperform，indisentangling，beforesneeringfoesandastoundedfriends，allthemeshesofmyowndeceitfulpolicy。AndtheQueen——butlethertakemyhead，asshehasthreatened。"

"Takeyourhead，mylord！"saidtheCountess，"becauseyouusedthefreedomandlibertyofanEnglishsubjectinchoosingawife？

Forshame！itisthisdistrustoftheQueen\'sjustice，thisapprehensionofdanger，whichcannotbutbeimaginary，that，likescarecrows，haveinducedyoutoforsakethestraightforwardpath，which，asitisthebest，isalsothesafest。"

"Ah，Amy，thoulittleknowest！"saidDudleybutinstantlycheckinghimself，headded，"Yetsheshallnotfindinmeasafeoreasyvictimofarbitraryvengeance。Ihavefriends——Ihaveallies——Iwillnot，likeNorfolk，bedraggedtotheblockasavictimtosacrifice。Fearnot，Amy;thoushaltseeDudleybearhimselfworthyofhisname。ImustinstantlycommunicatewithsomeofthosefriendsonwhomIcanbestrely;for，asthingsstand，ImaybemadeprisonerinmyownCastle。"

"Oh，mygoodlord，"saidAmy，"makenofactioninapeacefulstate！Thereisnofriendcanhelpussowellasourowncandidtruthandhonour。Bringbutthesetoourassistance，andyouaresafeamidstawholearmyoftheenviousandmalignant。Leavethesebehindyou，andallotherdefencewillbefruitless。

Truth，mynoblelord，iswellpaintedunarmed。"

"ButWisdom，Amy，"answeredLeicester，isarrayedinpanoplyofproof。ArguenotwithmeonthemeansIshallusetorendermyconfession——sinceitmustbecalledso——assafeasmaybe;itwillbefraughtwithenoughofdanger，dowhatwewill。——Varney，wemusthence。——Farewell，Amy，whomIamtovindicateasmineown，atanexpenseandriskofwhichthoualonecouldstbeworthy。Youshallsoonhearfurtherfromme。"

Heembracedherfervently，muffledhimselfasbefore，andaccompaniedVarneyfromtheapartment。Thelatter，ashelefttheroom，bowedlow，andasheraisedhisbody，regardedAmywithapeculiarexpression，asifhedesiredtoknowhowfarhisownpardonwasincludedinthereconciliationwhichhadtakenplacebetwixtherandherlord。TheCountesslookeduponhimwithafixedeye，butseemednomoreconsciousofhispresencethaniftherehadbeennothingbutvacantaironthespotwherehestood。

"Shehasbroughtmetothecrisis，"hemuttered——"sheorIamlost。Therewassomething——Iwotnotifitwasfearorpity——

thatpromptedmetoavoidthisfatalcrisis。Itisnowdecided——sheorImustPERISH。"

Whilehethusspoke，heobserved，withsurprise，thataboy，repulsedbythesentinel，madeuptoLeicester，andspokewithhim。Varneywasoneofthosepoliticianswhomnottheslightestappearancesescapewithoutinquiry。Heaskedthesentinelwhattheladwantedwithhim，andreceivedforanswerthattheboyhadwishedhimtotransmitaparceltothemadlady;butthathecarednottotakechargeofit，suchcommunicationbeingbeyondhiscommission，Hiscuriositysatisfiedinthatparticular，heapproachedhispatron，andheardhimsay，"Well，boy，thepacketshallbedelivered。"

"Thanks，goodMasterServing—man，"saidtheboy，andwasoutofsightinaninstant。

LeicesterandVarneyreturnedwithhastystepstotheEarl\'sprivateapartment，bythesamepassagewhichhadconductedthemtoSaintlowe\'sTower。

CHAPTERXXXVI。

IhavesaidThisisanadulteress——Ihavesaidwithwhom:

More，she\'satraitor，andCamilloisAfederarywithher，andonethatknowsWhatsheshouldshametoknowherself。WINTER\'STALE。

TheywerenosoonerintheEarl\'scabinetthan，takinghistabletsfromhispocket，hebegantowrite，speakingpartlytoVarney，andpartlytohimself——"Therearemanyofthemcloseboundentome，andespeciallythoseingoodestateandhighoffice——manywho，iftheylookbacktowardsmybenefits，orforwardtowardstheperilswhichmaybefallthemselves，willnot，Ithink，bedisposedtoseemestaggerunsupported。Letmesee——Knollisissure，andthroughhismeansGuernseyandJersey。

HorseycommandsintheIsleofWight。Mybrother—in—law，Huntingdon，andPembroke，haveauthorityinWales。ThroughBedfordIleadthePuritans，withtheirinterest，sopowerfulinalltheboroughs。MybrotherofWarwickisequal，well—nigh，tomyself，inwealth，followers，anddependencies。SirOwenHoptonisatmydevotion;hecommandstheTowerofLondon，andthenationaltreasuredepositedthere。Myfatherandgrand—fatherneedednevertohavestoopedtheirheadstotheblockhadtheythusforecasttheirenterprises。——Whylookyousosad，Varney？I

tellthee，atreesodeep—rootedisnotsoeasilytobetornupbythetempest。"

"Alas！mylord，"saidVarney，withwell—actedpassion，andthenresumedthesamelookofdespondencywhichLeicesterhadbeforenoted。

"Alas！"repeatedLeicester;"andwhereforealas，SirRichard？

Dothyournewspiritofchivalrysupplynomorevigorousejaculationwhenanoblestruggleisimpending？Or，ifALAS

meansthouwiltflinchfromtheconflict，thoumayestleavetheCastle，orgojoinmineenemies，whicheverthouthinkestbest。"

"Notso，mylord，"answeredhisconfidant;"Varneywillbefoundfightingordyingbyyourside。Forgiveme，if，inlovetoyou，Iseemorefullythanyournobleheartpermitsyoutodo，theinextricabledifficultieswithwhichyouaresurrounded。Youarestrong，mylord，andpowerful;yet，letmesayitwithoutoffence，youaresoonlybythereflectedlightoftheQueen\'sfavour。WhileyouareElizabeth\'sfavourite，youareall，saveinname，likeanactualsovereign。Butlethercallbackthehonoursshehasbestowed，andtheprophet\'sgourddidnotwithermoresuddenly。DeclareagainsttheQueen，andIdonotsaythatinthewidenation，orinthisprovincealone，youwouldfindyourselfinstantlydesertedandoutnumbered;butIwillsay，thateveninthisveryCastle，andinthemidstofyourvassals，kinsmen，anddependants，youwouldbeacaptive，nay，asentencedcaptive，shouldshepleasetosaytheword。ThinkuponNorfolk，mylord——uponthepowerfulNorthumberland——thesplendidWestmoreland;——thinkonallwhohavemadeheadagainstthissagePrincess。Theyaredead，captive，orfugitive。Thisisnotlikeotherthrones，whichcanbeoverturnedbyacombinationofpowerfulnobles;thebroadfoundationswhichsupportitareintheextendedloveandaffectionsofthepeople。YoumightshareitwithElizabethifyouwould;butneitheryours，noranyotherpower，foreignordomestic，willavailtooverthrow，oreventoshakeit。"

Hepaused，andLeicesterthrewhistabletsfromhimwithanairofrecklessdespite。"Itmaybeasthousayest，"hesaid？"and，insooth，Icarenotwhethertruthorcowardicedictatethyforebodings。ButitshallnotbesaidIfellwithoutastruggle。

GiveordersthatthoseofmyretainerswhoservedundermeinIrelandbegraduallydrawnintothemainKeep，andletourgentlemenandfriendsstandontheirguard，andgoarmed，asiftheyexpectedarmonsetfromthefollowersofSussex。Possessthetownspeoplewithsomeapprehension;letthemtakearms，andbeready，atagivensignal，tooverpowerthePensionersandYeomenoftheGuard。"

"Letmeremindyou，mylord，"saidVarney，withthesameappearanceofdeepandmelancholyinterest，"thatyouhavegivenmeorderstopreparefordisarmingtheQueen\'sguard。Itisanactofhightreason，butyoushallneverthelessbeobeyed。"

"Icarenot，"saidLeicesterdesperately——"Icarenot。Shameisbehindme，ruinbeforeme;Imuston。"

Heretherewasanotherpause，whichVarneyatlengthbrokewiththefollowingwords:"ItiscometothepointIhavelongdreaded。Imusteitherwitness，likeanungratefulbeast，thedownfallofthebestandkindestofmasters，orImustspeakwhatIwouldhaveburiedinthedeepestoblivion，ortoldbyanyothermouththanmine。"

"Whatisthatthousayest，orwouldstsay？"repliedtheEarl;

"wehavenotimetowasteonwordswhenthetimescallustoaction。"

"Myspeechissoonmade，mylord—wouldtoGoditwereassoonans