Kenilworth
Page 149This 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
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;
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
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."