The nobles and courtiers who had attended the Queen on her pleasure

expedition were invited, with royal hospitality, to a splendid banquet

in the hall of the Palace. The table was not, indeed, graced by the

presence of the Sovereign; for, agreeable to her idea of what was at

once modest and dignified, the Maiden Queen on such occasions was wont

to take in private, or with one or two favourite ladies, her light and

temperate meal. After a moderate interval, the court again met in the

splendid gardens of the Palace; and it was while thus engaged that

the Queen suddenly asked a lady, who was near to her both in place and

favour, what had become of the young Squire Lack-Cloak.

The Lady Paget answered, "She had seen Master Raleigh but two or

three minutes since standing at the window of a small pavilion or

pleasure-house, which looked out on the Thames, and writing on the glass

with a diamond ring."

"That ring," said the Queen, "was a small token I gave him to make

amends for his spoiled mantle. Come, Paget, let us see what use he has

made of it, for I can see through him already. He is a marvellously

sharp-witted spirit." They went to the spot, within sight of which,

but at some distance, the young cavalier still lingered, as the fowler

watches the net which he has set. The Queen approached the window, on

which Raleigh had used her gift to inscribe the following line:-"Fain would I climb, but that I fear to fall."

The Queen smiled, read it twice over, once with deliberation to Lady

Paget, and once again to herself. "It is a pretty beginning," she said,

after the consideration of a moment or two; "but methinks the muse

hath deserted the young wit at the very outset of his task. It were

good-natured--were it not, Lady Paget?--to complete it for him. Try your

rhyming faculties."

Lady Paget, prosaic from her cradle upwards as ever any lady of the

bedchamber before or after her, disclaimed all possibility of assisting

the young poet.

"Nay, then, we must sacrifice to the Muses ourselves," said Elizabeth.

"The incense of no one can be more acceptable," said Lady Paget; "and

your Highness will impose such obligation on the ladies of Parnassus--"

"Hush, Paget," said the Queen, "you speak sacrilege against the immortal

Nine--yet, virgins themselves, they should be exorable to a Virgin

Queen--and therefore--let me see how runs his verse-'Fain would I climb, but that I fear to fall.' Might not the answer (for fault of a better) run thus?-'If thy mind fail thee, do not climb at all.'"




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