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andthewatchfulcirclearoundobservedwithastonishment，that，insteadofresentinghisrepeatednegligence，andwantofevenordinaryattention（althoughthesewerepointsonwhichshewasusuallyextremelypunctilious），theQueensought，onthecontrary，toaffordhimtimeandmeanstorecollecthimself，anddeignedtoassisthimindoingso，withanindulgencewhichseemedaltogetherinconsistentwithherusualcharacter。Itwasclear，however，thatthiscouldnotlastmuchlonger，andthatElizabethmustfinallyputanotherandmoresevereconstructiononLeicester\'suncourteousconduct，whentheEarlwassummonedbyVarneytospeakwithhiminadifferentapartment。
Afterhavinghadthemessagetwicedeliveredtohim，herose，andwasabouttowithdraw，asitwere，byinstinct;thenstopped，andturninground，entreatedpermissionoftheQueentoabsenthimselfforabriefspaceuponmattersofpressingimportance。
"Go，mylord，"saidtheQueen。"Weareawareourpresencemustoccasionsuddenandunexpectedoccurrences，whichrequiretobeprovidedforontheinstant。Yet，mylord，asyouwouldhaveusbelieveourselfyourwelcomeandhonouredguest，weentreatyoutothinklessofourgoodcheer，andfavouruswithmoreofyourgoodcountenancethanwehavethisdayenjoyed;forwhetherprinceorpeasantbetheguest，thewelcomeofthehostwillalwaysbethebetterpartoftheentertainment。Go，mylord;andwetrusttoseeyoureturnwithanunwrinkledbrow，andthosefreethoughtswhichyouarewonttohaveatthedisposalofyourfriends。"
Leicesteronlybowedlowinanswertothisrebuke，andretired。
AtthedooroftheapartmenthewasmetbyVarney，whoeagerlydrewhimapart，andwhisperedinhisear，"Alliswell！"
"HasMastersseenher？"saidtheEarl。
"Hehas，mylord;andasshewouldneitheranswerhisqueries，norallegeanyreasonforherrefusal，hewillgivefulltestimonythatshelaboursunderamentaldisorder，andmaybebestcommittedtothechargeofherfriends。Theopportunityisthereforefreetoremoveherasweproposed。"
"ButTressilian？"saidLeicester。
"Hewillnotknowofherdepartureforsometime，"repliedVarney;"itshalltakeplacethisveryevening，andto—morrowheshallbecaredfor。"
"No，bymysoul，"answeredLeicester;"Iwilltakevengeanceonhimwithmineownhand！"
"You，mylord，andonsoinconsiderableamanasTressilian！No，mylord，hehathlongwishedtovisitforeignparts。Trusthimtome——Iwilltakecarehereturnsnothithertotelltales。"
"Notso，byHeaven，Varney！"exclaimedLeicester。
"Inconsiderabledoyoucallanenemythathathhadpowertowoundmesodeeplythatmywholeafter—lifemustbeonesceneofremorseandmisery？——No;ratherthanforegotherightofdoingmyselfjusticewithmyownhandonthataccursedvillain，IwillunfoldthewholetruthatElizabeth\'sfootstool，andlethervengeancedescendatonceonthemandonmyself。"
Varneysawwithgreatalarmthathislordwaswroughtuptosuchapitchofagitation，thatifhegavenotwaytohimhewasperfectlycapableofadoptingthedesperateresolutionwhichhehadannounced，andwhichwasinstantruintoalltheschemesofambitionwhichVarneyhadformedforhispatronandforhimself。
ButtheEarl\'srageseemedatonceuncontrollableanddeeplyconcentrated，andwhilehespokehiseyesshotfire，hisvoicetrembledwithexcessofpassion，andthelightfoamstoodonhislip。
Hisconfidantmadeaboldandsuccessfulefforttoobtainthemasteryofhimeveninthishourofemotion。"Mylord，"hesaid，leadinghimtoamirror，"beholdyourreflectioninthatglass，andthinkiftheseagitatedfeaturesbelongtoonewho，inaconditionsoextreme，iscapableofformingaresolutionforhimself"
"What，then，wouldstthoumakeme？"saidLeicester，struckatthechangeinhisownphysiognomy，thoughoffendedatthefreedomwithwhichVarneymadetheappeal。"AmItobethyward，thyvassal，——thepropertyandsubjectofmyservant？"
"No，mylord，"saidVarneyfirmly，"butbemasterofyourself，andofyourownpassion。Mylord，I，yourbornservant，amashamedtoseehowpoorlyyoubearyourselfinthestormoffury。
GotoElizabeth\'sfeet，confessyourmarriage——impeachyourwifeandherparamourofadultery——andavowyourself，amongstallyourpeers，thewittolwhomarriedacountrygirl，andwascozenedbyherandherbook—learnedgallant。Go，mylord——butfirsttakefarewellofRichardVarney，withallthebenefitsyoueverconferredonhim。Heservedthenoble，thelofty，thehigh—
mindedLeicester，andwasmoreproudofdependingonhimthanhewouldbeofcommandingthousands。Buttheabjectlordwhostoopstoeveryadversecircumstance，whosejudiciousresolvesarescatteredlikechaffbeforeeverywindofpassion，himRichardVarneyservesnot。Heisasmuchabovehiminconstancyofmindasbeneathhiminrankandfortune。"
Varneyspokethuswithouthypocrisy，forthoughthefirmnessofmindwhichheboastedwashardnessandimpenetrability，yethereallyfelttheascendencywhichhevaunted;whiletheinterestwhichheactuallyfeltinthefortunesofLeicestergaveunusualemotiontohisvoiceandmanner。
LeicesterwasoverpoweredbyhisassumedsuperiorityitseemedtotheunfortunateEarlasifhislastfriendwasabouttoabandonhim。HestretchedhishandtowardsVarneyasheutteredthewords，"Donotleaveme。Whatwouldstthouhavemedo？"
"Bethyself，mynoblemaster，"saidVarney，touchingtheEarl\'shandwithhislips，afterhavingrespectfullygraspeditinhisown;"beyourself，superiortothosestormsofpassionwhichwreckinferiorminds。Areyouthefirstwhohasbeencozenedinlove——thefirstwhomavainandlicentiouswomanhascheatedintoanaffection，whichshehasafterwardsscornedandmisused？Andwillyousufferyourselftobedrivenfranticbecauseyouhavenotbeenwiserthanthewisestmenwhomtheworldhasseen？Letherbeasifshehadnotbeen——letherpassfromyourmemory，asunworthyofeverhavingheldaplacethere。Letyourstrongresolveofthismorning，whichIhavebothcourage，zeal，andmeansenoughtoexecute，belikethefiatofasuperiorbeing，apassionlessactofjustice。Shehathdeserveddeath——letherdie！"
Whilehewasspeaking，theEarlheldhishandfast，compressedhislipshard，andfrowned，asifhelabouredtocatchfromVarneyaportionofthecold，ruthless，anddispassionatefirmnesswhichherecommended。Whenhewassilent，theEarlstillcontinuedtorasphishand，until，withaneffortatcalmdecision，hewasabletoarticulate，"Beitso——shedies！Butonetearmightbepermitted。"
"Notone，mylord，"interruptedVarney，whosawbythequiveringeyeandconvulsedcheekofhispatronthathewasabouttogivewaytoaburstofemotion——"notatear——thetimepermitsitnot。
Tressilianmustbethoughtof——"
"Thatindeedisaname，"saidtheEarl，"toconverttearsintoblood。Varney，Ihavethoughtonthis，andIhavedetermined——
neitherentreatynorargumentshallmoveme——Tressilianshallbemyownvictim。"
"Itismadness，mylord;butyouaretoomightyformetobaryourwaytoyourrevenge。Yetresolveatleasttochoosefittingtimeandopportunity，andtoforbearhimuntiltheseshallbefound。"
"Thoushaltordermeinwhatthouwilt，"saidLeicester，"onlythwartmenotinthis。"
"Then，mylord，"saidVarney，"Ifirstrequestofyoutolayasidethewild，suspected，andhalf—frenzieddemeanourwhichhaththisdaydrawntheeyesofallthecourtuponyou，andwhich，butfortheQueen\'spartialindulgence，whichshehathextendedtowardsyouinadegreefarbeyondhernature，shehadnevergivenyoutheopportunitytoatonefor。"
"HaveIindeedbeensonegligent？"saidLeicester，asonewhoawakesfromadream。"IthoughtIhadcoloureditwell。Butfearnothing，mymindisnoweased——Iamcalm。Myhoroscopeshallbefulfilled;andthatitmaybefulfilled，Iwilltaxtothehighesteveryfacultyofmymind。Fearmenot，Isay。I
willtotheQueeninstantly——notthineownlooksandlanguageshallbemoreimpenetrablethanmine。Hastthouaughtelsetosay？"
"Imustcraveyoursignet—ring，"saidVarneygravely，"intokentothoseofyourservantswhomImustemploy，thatIpossessyourfullauthorityincommandingtheiraid。"
Leicesterdrewoffthesignet—ringwhichhecommonlyused，andgaveittoVarney，withahaggardandsternexpressionofcountenance，addingonly，inalow，half—whisperedtone，butwithterrificemphasis，thewords，"Whatthoudost，doquickly。"
Someanxietyandwondertookplace，meanwhile，inthepresence—
hall，attheprolongedabsenceofthenobleLordoftheCastle，andgreatwasthedelightofhisfriendswhentheysawhimenterasamanfromwhosebosom，toallhumanseeming，aweightofcarehadbeenjustremoved。AmplydidLeicesterthatdayredeemthepledgehehadgiventoVarney，whosoonsawhimselfnolongerunderthenecessityofmaintainingacharactersodifferentfromhisownasthatwhichhehadassumedintheearlierpartoftheday，andgraduallyrelapsedintothesamegrave，shrewd，causticobserverofconversationandincidentwhichconstitutedhisusualpartinsociety。
WithElizabeth，Leicesterplayedhisgameasonetowhomhernaturalstrengthoftalentandherweaknessinoneortwoparticularpointswerewellknown。HewastoowarytoexchangeonasuddenthesullenpersonagewhichhehadplayedbeforeheretiredwithVarney;butonapproachingheritseeme
