The moment comes--

It is already come--when thou must write

The absolute total of thy life's vast sum.

The constellations stand victorious o'er thee,

The planets shoot good fortune in fair junctions,

And tell thee, "Now's the time."--SCHILLER'S WALLENSTEIN, BY COLERIDGE.

When Leicester returned to his lodging, alter a day so important and so

harassing, in which, after riding out more than one gale, and touching

on more than one shoal, his bark had finally gained the harbour with

banner displayed, he seemed to experience as much fatigue as a mariner

after a perilous storm. He spoke not a word while his chamberlain

exchanged his rich court-mantle for a furred night-robe, and when this

officer signified that Master Varney desired to speak with his lordship,

he replied only by a sullen nod. Varney, however, entered, accepting

this signal as a permission, and the chamberlain withdrew.

The Earl remained silent and almost motionless in his chair, his head

reclined on his hand, and his elbow resting upon the table which stood

beside him, without seeming to be conscious of the entrance or of the

presence of his confidant. Varney waited for some minutes until he

should speak, desirous to know what was the finally predominant mood of

a mind through which so many powerful emotions had that day taken their

course. But he waited in vain, for Leicester continued still silent,

and the confidant saw himself under the necessity of being the first

to speak. "May I congratulate your lordship," he said, "on the deserved

superiority you have this day attained over your most formidable rival?"

Leicester raised his head, and answered sadly, but without anger, "Thou,

Varney, whose ready invention has involved me in a web of most mean

and perilous falsehood, knowest best what small reason there is for

gratulation on the subject."

"Do you blame me, my lord," said Varney, "for not betraying, on the

first push, the secret on which your fortunes depended, and which

you have so oft and so earnestly recommended to my safe keeping? Your

lordship was present in person, and might have contradicted me and

ruined yourself by an avowal of the truth; but surely it was no part of

a faithful servant to have done so without your commands."

"I cannot deny it, Varney," said the Earl, rising and walking across the

room; "my own ambition has been traitor to my love."

"Say rather, my lord, that your love has been traitor to your greatness,

and barred you from such a prospect of honour and power as the world

cannot offer to any other. To make my honoured lady a countess, you have

missed the chance of being yourself--"




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