"Better she died CAELEBS and SINE PROLE," said Mumblazen, with more

animation than he usually expressed, "than part, PER PALE, the noble

coat of Robsart with that of such a miscreant!"

"If it be your object, as I cannot question," said the clergyman, "to

save, as much as is yet possible, the credit of this unhappy young

woman, I repeat, you should apply, in the first instance, to the Earl

of Leicester. He is as absolute in his household as the Queen in her

kingdom, and if he expresses to Varney that such is his pleasure, her

honour will not stand so publicly committed."

"You are right, you are right!" said Tressilian eagerly, "and I thank

you for pointing out what I overlooked in my haste. I little thought

ever to have besought grace of Leicester; but I could kneel to the proud

Dudley, if doing so could remove one shade of shame from this unhappy

damsel. You will assist me then to procure the necessary powers from Sir

Hugh Robsart?"

The curate assured him of his assistance, and the herald nodded assent.

"You must hold yourselves also in readiness to testify, in case you are

called upon, the openhearted hospitality which our good patron exercised

towards this deceitful traitor, and the solicitude with which he

laboured to seduce his unhappy daughter."

"At first," said the clergyman, "she did not, as it seemed to me, much

affect his company; but latterly I saw them often together."

"SEIANT in the parlour," said Michael Mumblazen, "and PASSANT in the

garden."

"I once came on them by chance," said the priest, "in the South wood,

in a spring evening. Varney was muffled in a russet cloak, so that I saw

not his face. They separated hastily, as they heard me rustle amongst

the leaves; and I observed she turned her head and looked long after

him."

"With neck REGUARDANT," said the herald. "And on the day of her flight,

and that was on Saint Austen's Eve, I saw Varney's groom, attired in his

liveries, hold his master's horse and Mistress Amy's palfrey, bridled

and saddled PROPER, behind the wall of the churchyard."

"And now is she found mewed up in his secret place of retirement," said

Tressilian. "The villain is taken in the manner, and I well wish he may

deny his crime, that I may thrust conviction down his false throat! But

I must prepare for my journey. Do you, gentlemen, dispose my patron to

grant me such powers as are needful to act in his name."




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