This was uttered in a tone and with a gesture which made Lord Sussex's

friends who were within hearing tremble. He to whom the speech was

addressed, however, trembled not; but with great deference and humility,

as soon as the Queen's passion gave him an opportunity, he replied, "So

please your most gracious Majesty, I was charged with no apology from

the Earl of Sussex."

"With what were you then charged, sir?" said the Queen, with the

impetuosity which, amid nobler qualities, strongly marked her character.

"Was it with a justification?--or, God's death! with a defiance?"

"Madam," said the young man, "my Lord of Sussex knew the offence

approached towards treason, and could think of nothing save of securing

the offender, and placing him in your Majesty's hands, and at your

mercy. The noble Earl was fast asleep when your most gracious message

reached him, a potion having been administered to that purpose by his

physician; and his Lordship knew not of the ungracious repulse your

Majesty's royal and most comfortable message had received, until after

he awoke this morning."

"And which of his domestics, then, in the name of Heaven, presumed

to reject my message, without even admitting my own physician to

the presence of him whom I sent him to attend?" said the Queen, much

surprised.

"The offender, madam, is before you," replied Walter, bowing very low;

"the full and sole blame is mine; and my lord has most justly sent me

to abye the consequences of a fault, of which he is as innocent as a

sleeping man's dreams can be of a waking man's actions."

"What! was it thou?--thou thyself, that repelled my messenger and my

physician from Sayes Court?" said the Queen. "What could occasion such

boldness in one who seems devoted--that is, whose exterior bearing shows

devotion--to his Sovereign?"

"Madam," said the youth--who, notwithstanding an assumed appearance

of severity, thought that he saw something in the Queen's face that

resembled not implacability--"we say in our country, that the physician

is for the time the liege sovereign of his patient. Now, my noble master

was then under dominion of a leech, by whose advice he hath greatly

profited, who had issued his commands that his patient should not that

night be disturbed, on the very peril of his life."

"Thy master hath trusted some false varlet of an empiric," said the

Queen.

"I know not, madam, but by the fact that he is now--this very

morning--awakened much refreshed and strengthened from the only sleep he

hath had for many hours."




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024