下载辰思小说免费APP
Theserough，ruralgambolsmaynotaltogetheragreewiththereader\'spreconceivedideaofanentertainmentpresentedbeforeElizabeth，inwhosereignlettersrevivedwithsuchbrilliancy，andwhosecourt，governedbyafemalewhosesenseofproprietywasequaltoherstrengthofmind，wasnolessdistinguishedfordelicacyandrefinementthanhercouncilsforwisdomandfortitude。Butwhetherfromthepoliticalwishtoseeminterestedinpopularsports，orwhetherfromasparkofoldHenry\'srough，masculinespirit，whichElizabethsometimesdisplayed，itiscertaintheQueenlaughedheartilyattheimitation，orratherburlesque，ofchivalrywhichwaspresentedintheCoventryplay。ShecallednearherpersontheEarlofSussexandLordHunsdon，partlyperhapstomakeamendstotheformerforthelongandprivateaudienceswithwhichshehadindulgedtheEarlofLeicester，byengaginghiminconversationuponapastimewhichbettersuitedhistastethanthosepageantsthatwerefurnishedforthfromthestoresofantiquity。ThedispositionwhichtheQueenshowedtolaughandjestwithhermilitaryleadersgavetheEarlofLeicestertheopportunityhehadbeenwatchingforwithdrawingfromtheroyalpresence，whichtothecourtaround，sowellhadhechosenhistime，hadthegracefulappearanceofleavinghisrivalfreeaccesstotheQueen\'sperson，insteadofavailinghimselfofhisrightasherlandlordtostandperpetuallybetwixtothersandthelightofhercountenance。
Leicester\'sthoughts，however，hadafardifferentobjectfrommerecourtesy;fornosoonerdidheseetheQueenfairlyengagedinconversationwithSussexandHunsdon，behindwhosebackstoodSirNicholasBlount，grinningfromeartoearateachwordwhichwasspoken，than，makingasigntoTressilian，who，accordingtoappointment，watchedhismotionsatalittledistance，heextricatedhimselffromthepress，andwalkingtowardstheChase，madehiswaythroughthecrowdsofordinaryspectators，who，withopenmouth，stoodgazingonthebattleoftheEnglishandtheDanes。Whenhehadaccomplishedthis，whichwasaworkofsomedifficulty，heshotanotherglancebehindhimtoseethatTressilianhadbeenequallysuccessful;andassoonashesawhimalsofreefromthecrowd，heledthewaytoasmallthicket，behindwhichstoodalackey，withtwohorsesreadysaddled。Heflunghimselfontheone，andmadesignstoTressiliantomounttheother，whoobeyedwithoutspeakingasingleword。
Leicesterthenspurredhishorse，andgallopedwithoutstoppinguntilhereachedasequesteredspot，environedbyloftyoaks，aboutamile\'sdistancefromtheCastle，andinanoppositedirectionfromthescenetowhichcuriositywasdrawingeveryspectator。Hetheredismounted，boundhishorsetoatree，andonlypronouncingthewords，"Herethereisnoriskofinterruption，"laidhiscloakacrosshissaddle，anddrewhissword。
Tressilianimitatedhisexamplepunctually，yetcouldnotforbearsaying，ashedrewhisweapon，"Mylord，asIhavebeenknowntomanyasonewhodoesnotfeardeathwhenplacedinbalancewithhonour，methinksImay，withoutderogation，askwherefore，inthenameofallthatishonourable，yourlordshiphasdaredtooffermesuchamarkofdisgraceasplacesusonthesetermswithrespecttoeachother？"
"Ifyoulikenotsuchmarksofmyscorn，"repliedtheEarl，"betakeyourselfinstantlytoyourweapon，lestIrepeattheusageyoucomplainof。"
"Itshallnotneed，mylord，"saidTressilian。"Godjudgebetwixtus！andyourblood，ifyoufall，beonyourownhead。"
Hehadscarcecompletedthesentencewhentheyinstantlyclosedincombat。
ButLeicester，whowasaperfectmasterofdefenceamongallotherexterioraccomplishmentsofthetime，hadseenontheprecedingnightenoughofTressilian\'sstrengthandskilltomakehimfightwithmorecautionthanheretofore，andpreferasecurerevengetoahastyone。Forsomeminutestheyfoughtwithequalskillandfortune，till，inadesperatelungewhichLeicestersuccessfullyputaside，Tressilianexposedhimselfatdisadvantage;andinasubsequentattempttoclose，theEarlforcedhisswordfromhishand，andstretchedhimontheground。
Withagrimsmileheheldthepointofhisrapierwithintwoinchesofthethroatofhisfallenadversary，andplacinghisfootatthesametimeuponhisbreast，bidhimconfesshisvillainouswrongstowardshim，andpreparefordeath。
"Ihavenovillainynorwrongtowardstheetoconfess，"answeredTressilian，"andambetterpreparedfordeaththanthou。Usethineadvantageasthouwilt，andmayGodforgiveyou！Ihavegivenyounocauseforthis。"
"Nocause！"exclaimedtheEarl，"nocause！——butwhyparleywithsuchaslave？Diealiar，asthouhastlived！"
Hehadwithdrawnhisarmforthepurposeofstrikingthefatalblow，whenitwassuddenlyseizedfrombehind。
TheEarlturnedinwrathtoshakeofftheunexpectedobstacle，butwassurprisedtofindthatastrange—lookingboyhadholdofhissword—arm，andclungtoitwithsuchtenacityofgraspthathecouldnotshakehimofwithoutaconsiderablestruggle，inthecourseofwhichTressilianhadopportunitytoriseandpossesshimselfoncemoreofhisweapon。Leicesteragainturnedtowardshimwithlooksofunabatedferocity，andthecombatwouldhaverecommencedwithstillmoredesperationonbothsides，hadnottheboyclungtoLordLeicester\'sknees，andinashrilltoneimploredhimtolistenonemomentereheprosecutedthisquarrel。
"Standup，andletmego，"saidLeicester，"or，byHeaven，Iwillpiercetheewithmyrapier！Whathastthoutodotobarmywaytorevenge？"
"Much——much！"exclaimedtheundauntedboy，"sincemyfollyhasbeenthecauseofthesebloodyquarrelsbetweenyou，andperchanceofworseevils。Oh，ifyouwouldeveragainenjoythepeaceofaninnocentmind，ifyouhopeagaintosleepinpeaceandunhauntedbyremorse，takesomuchleisureastoperusethisletter，andthendoasyoulist。"
Whilehespokeinthiseagerandearnestmanner，towhichhissingularfeaturesandvoicegaveagoblin—likeeffect，hehelduptoLeicesterapacket，securedwithalongtressofwoman\'shairofabeautifullight—browncolour。Enragedashewas，nay，almostblindedwithfurytoseehisdestinedrevengesostrangelyfrustrated，theEarlofLeicestercouldnotresistthisextraordinarysupplicant。Hesnatchedtheletterfromhishand——
changedcolourashelookedonthesuperscription——undidwithfalteringhandtheknotwhichsecuredit——glancedoverthecontents，andstaggeringback，wouldhavefallen，hadhenotrestedagainstthetrunkofatree，wherehestoodforaninstant，hiseyesbentontheletter，andhissword—pointturnedtotheground，withoutseemingtobeconsciousofthepresenceofanantagonisttowardswhomhehadshownlittlemercy，andwhomightinturnhavetakenhimatadvantage。ButforsuchrevengeTressilianwastoonoble—minded。Healsostoodstillinsurprise，waitingtheissueofthisstrangefitofpassion，butholdinghisweaponreadytodefendhimselfincaseofneedagainstsomenewandsuddenattackonthepartofLeicester，whomheagainsuspectedtobeundertheinfluenceofactualfrenzy。
Theboy，indeed，heeasilyrecognizedashisoldacquaintanceDickon，whoseface，onceseen，wasscarcelytobeforgotten;buthowhecamehitheratsocriticalamoment，whyhisinterferencewassoenergetic，and，aboveall，howitcametoproducesopowerfulaneffectuponLeicester，werequestionswhichhecouldnotsolve。
Buttheletterwasofitselfpowerfulenoughtoworkeffectsyetmorewonderful。ItwasthatwhichtheunfortunateAmyhadwrittentoherhusband，inwhichsheallegedthereasonsandmannerofherflightfromCumnorPlace，informedhimofherhavingmadeherwaytoKenilworthtoenjoyhisprotection，andmentionedthecircumstanceswhichhadcompelledhertotakerefugeinTressilian\'sapartment，earnestlyrequestinghewould，withoutdelay，assignheramoresuitableasylum。Theletterconcludedwiththemostearnestexpressionsofdevotedattachmentandsubmissiontohiswillinallthings，andparticularlyrespectinghersituationandplaceofresidence，conjuringhimonlythatshemightnotbeplacedundertheguardianshiporrestraintofVarney。TheletterdroppedfromLeicester\'shandwhenhehadperusedit。"Takemysword，"hesaid，"Tressilian，andpiercemyheart，asIwouldbutnowhavepiercedyours！"
"Mylord，"saidTressilian，"youhavedonemegreatwrong，butsomethingwithinmybreasteverwhisperedthatitwasbyegregiouserror。"
"Error，indeed！"saidLeicester，andhandedhimtheletter;"I
havebeenmadetobelieveamanofhonouravillain，andthebestandpurestofcreaturesafalseprofligate。——Wretchedboy，whycomesthisletternow，andwherehasthebearerlingered？"
"Idarenottellyou，mylord，"saidtheboy，withdrawing，asiftokeepbeyondhisreach;"butherecomesonewhowasthemessenger。"
Waylandatthesamemomentcameup;andinterrogatedbyLeicester，hastilydetailedallthecircumstancesofhisescapewithAmy，thefatalpracticeswhichhaddrivenhertoflight，andheranxiousdesiretothrowherselfundertheinstantprotectionofherhusband——pointingouttheevidenceofthedomesticsofKenilworth，"whocouldnot，"heobserved，"butrememberhereagerinquiriesaftertheEarlofLeicesteronherfirstarrival。"
"Thevillains！"exclaimedLeicester;"butoh，thatworstofvillains，Varney！——andsheisevennowinhispower！"
"Butnot，ItrustinGod，"saidTressilian，"withanycommandsoffatalimport？"
"No，no，no！"exclaimedtheEarlhastily。"Isaidsomethinginmadness;butitwasrecalled，fullyrecalled，byahastymessenger，andsheisnow——shemustnowbesafe。"
"Y
