41

at the slow pace of the procession, and arching 35 his stately neck, champed on the silver bit which restrained him, the foam flew from his mouth and 36 speckled his well-formed limbs as if with spots of snow. The rider 37 well became the high place which he held, and the proud animal which he bestrode; for no man in England, or perhaps in Europe, was more perfect than Dudley in horsemanship and other exercises belonging to quality. He was bare-headed, as were all the courtiers in the train, 38 and the red torch light 39 shone upon his long curled tresses 40 of dark hair, and on his noble features, to the beauty of which even the severest criticism could only object the lordly fault (as it may be termed) of 42 a forehead somewhat too high. On that proud 43 evening, those features wore all the grateful solicitude of a subject to show himself sensible 44 of the high honour which the Queen was conferring, and all the pride and satisfaction which became 45 so glorious a moment. Yet though neither eye nor feature betrayed aught but feelings which suited the occasion, some of the Earl's personal attendants remarked that he was unusually pale, and they expressed to each other 46 their fear that he was taking more fatigue than consisted with47 his health.

48

Varney followed close behind his master, as the principal esquire in waiting, and had charge of his lordship's black velvet bonnet, 4 garnished with a clasp of diamonds, and surmounted by a white plume. He kept his eye constantly on his master; and was, among Leicester's numerous attendants, he who was most anxious that his lord's strength and resolution should carry him successfully through a day so agitating.49 For although Varney was one of the few-the very few 50 moral monsters 51 who contrive to lull to sleep 52 the remorse of their own bosoms,53 and are drugged into 54 moral insensibility by atheism, as men 55 in extreme agony are lulled by opium, yet he knew that in the breast of his patron there was already

awakened the fire 56 that is never quenched, and that his lord felt, amid the pomp and magnificence we have described, the gnawing worm that dieth not. Still, however assured as Leicester 57 stood, by Varney's intelligence, that his countess laboured under an indisposition, though forged, which formed an unanswerable apology to the Queen for 58 her not appearing at Kenilworth, there was little danger, his wily retainer thought, 59 that a man so ambitious would betray himself by giving way to 60 external weakness.

The train, male and female,61 who attended immediately upon the Queen's person, were 62 of course, of the bravest and fairest, the highestborn nobles and the wisest counsellors of that distinguished_reign, to repeat whose names would only be to weary the reader. Behind came a long crowd of knights and gentlemen, whose rank and birth, however distinguished, were thrown into the shade,63 as their persons into the rear of a procession, whose front 64 was of such august majesty.

Thus marshalled, the cavalcade approached the gallery tower, which formed, as we have often observed, the extreme barrier of the castle.

Amidst the burst of music 65 which, as if the work of enchantment, seemed now close at hand, now softened by distant space, now wailing so low and sweet 66 as if that distance was gradually prolonged 67 until only the last lingering strains alone could reach the ear,68 Queen Elizabeth crossed the gallery tower, and came upon the long bridge which extended from thence to Mortimer's Tower, and which69 was already as light as day, so many torches had been fastened to the palisade on either side. Most of the nobles here alighted and sent their horses to the neighbouring village of Kenilworth, following 70 the Queen on foot, as did the gentlemen who had stood in ar

56 Il y avait encore cette flamme.

57 Turn: "Leicester was persuaded, according to what Varney had told him, that," &c.

58 Pour ne pas paraître devant la reine, &c.

59 Pensait le ruse, or, l'adroit écuyer, &c.

60 En laissant échapper quelque sentiment de faiblesse.

61 Turn: "Of both sexes." 62 Etait composé de tout ce que le royaume avait de plus remarquable, &c.

63 Eclipse dans un cortége.

64 Turn: "At the head of which was," &c.

65 Ce fut au son de cette musique ravissante, qui semblait tantôt tout près.

66 Tantôt s'adoucissant.

67 Se prolongeait graduellement. 68 Jusqu'à ce que les derniers sons pussent à peine être entendus.

69 Turn this sentence: "Innumerable torches fastened to the palisades, which spread a light as lively as daylight."

70 In order to follow the Queen."

ray 71 to receive her at the gallery tower.

The lower door of the hall opened,72 and Leicester, accompanied by several of his kinsmen,73 and of the nobles who had embraced his faction,74 re-entered the castle-hall.

The favourite earl was appareled all in white; his shoes 75 being of white velvet, his stockings of knit silk, his upper stocks76 of white velvet, lined with 77 cloth of silver, which was shown 78 at the slashed part 79 of the middle thigh; his doublet 80 of cloth of silver; the close jerkins of white velvet, embroidered with silver and seedpearl; his girdle, 82 and scabbard of his sword, of white velvet with golden buckles; his poniard and sword hilted and mounted with gold; and over all a rich loose robe of white satin, with a border of golden embroidery a foot in breadth. The collar of the Garter, and the azure Garter itself, around his knee, completed the appointments of the Earl of Leicester; which were so well matched by his fair stature, graceful gesture, fine proportion of body, and handsome countenance, that, at that moment, he was admitted by all who saw him as the goodliest person they had ever looked upon. Sussex and the other nobles were also richly attired, but, in point of splendour and gracefulness, Leicester far exceeded them all.

84

Elizabeth received him with great complacency. "We have a piece of royal justice,” she said, “to attend to. It is a piece of justice which 86 interests us as a woman, as well as in the character of 87 mother and guardian of the English people."

An involuntary shudder came over Leicester as 88 he bowed low,89 expressive 90 of his readiness to receive her royal commands; and a similar cold fit came over 91 Varney, whose eyes (seldom that evening removed from his patron) instantly perceived, from the change in his looks, 92 slight as that was, of what the Queen was speaking. But Leicester had wrought his resolution up to the point 3 which, in his

crooked policy he judged necessary; and when Elizabeth added, "It is of the matter of Varney and Tressilian we speak-is the lady here my lord?" his answer was ready: "Gracious madam, she is

not.

"Our

Elizabeth bent 96 her brows and compressed 97 her lips. orders were strict and positive, my lord," was 98 her answer-" And should have been obeyed,99 good my liege," answered Leicester, "had they been expressed in the form of a slight wish. But-Varney, step forward-this gentleman will inform your Grace 100 why the lady (he could not force his tongue to utter the words his wife) cannot attend on 101 your royal presence."

Varney advanced, and pleaded with readiness 102-what indeed he firmly believed the absolute incapacity of the party (for neither did he dare, in Leicester's presence, term her his wife) to wait on her Grace.

"Here," said he, "are the attestations from a most learned physician, whose skill and honour are well known to my Lord of Leicester, and from an honest and devout Protestant, a man of credit and substance, 103 one Anthony Foster, the gentleman in whose house she is at present bestowed, that 104 she now labours under an illness 105 which altogether unfits her for such a journey as 106 betwixt this castle and the neighbourhood of Oxford."

"This alters the matter," said the Queen, taking the certificate in her hand, and glancing at their contents. "Let Tressilian come forward: Master Tressilian, we have much sympathy for 107 your situation, the rather that you seem to have set your heart on this Amy Robsart or Varney. Our power, thanks to God and the willing obedience of a loving people, is worth something,108 but there are some things which it cannot compass.109 We cannot, for instance, command the affection of a giddy young girl, and make her love sense and learning 110 better than a courtier's fine doublet; and we cannot control sickness, with which this lady seems afflicted, who may not, by reason of

such infirmity,112 attend our court here, as we had required her to do. Here are the testimonials of the physician who has her under his charge,113 and the gentleman in whose house she resides, so setting forth."

"114

"Under 115 your Majesty's favour," said Tressilian hastily, and in his alarm for 116 the consequences of the imposition practised on the Queen, forgetting, in part at least, his own promise to Amy, "these certificates speak not the truth."

66

How, sir," said the Queen, "impeach 117 my Lord of Leicester's veracity? But you shall have a a fair hearing.118 In 119 our presence the meanest 120 of our subjects shall be heard against the proudest,121 and the least known against the most favoured; therefore you shall be heard fairly; 122 but beware you do not 123 speak without a warrant.124 Look at these certificates, and say manfully if you impugn the truth of them,125 and upon what evidence."

As the Queen spoke, his promise and all the consequences rushed on 126 the mind of the unfortunate Tressilian: and while it controlled 127 the natural inclination to pronounce 123 that which 129 he knew from the evidence of his senses to be untrue,130 131 gave an indecision and irresolution to his appearance and utterance, which made strongly against him in the mind of Elizabeth, as well as of all those who beheld him. He turned the papers over and over, 132 as if he had been an idiot, incapable of comprehending their contents. The Queen's impatience began to become visible.

"You are a scholar,133 sir," she said, "and of some note, as I have heard, yet you seem wonderous slow in reading text hand 134 How say you, are these certificates true or no?"

126 Vinrent

s'offrir à, &c.

se présenter, or

127 Combattit, or réprima. 128" To pronounce to be untrue." Donner un démenti formel à.

129 Translate" that which" by des pièces (papers).

130 Dont la faussete lui était démontrée.

131 In French there must be another nominative to " gave;" therefore, turn the sentence thus: Son 'air d'indécision prévint contre lui Elisabeth, et, &c.

132 Il tournait et retournait. 133 Ecolier signifies "a schoolboy;" therefore use savant.

134 Cette grosse écriture, or, cette écriture en gros.