"Thou dost but jest with me, father," said the Earl, astonished at the

strain of enthusiasm in which the astrologer delivered his prediction.

"Is it for him to jest who hath his eye on heaven, who hath his foot in

the grave?" returned the old man solemnly.

The Earl made two or three strides through the apartment, with his hand

outstretched, as one who follows the beckoning signal of some phantom,

waving him on to deeds of high import. As he turned, however, he caught

the eye of the astrologer fixed on him, while an observing glance of

the most shrewd penetration shot from under the penthouse of his shaggy,

dark eyebrows. Leicester's haughty and suspicious soul at once caught

fire. He darted towards the old man from the farther end of the lofty

apartment, only standing still when his extended hand was within a foot

of the astrologer's body.

"Wretch!" he said, "if you dare to palter with me, I will have your skin

stripped from your living flesh! Confess thou hast been hired to deceive

and to betray me--that thou art a cheat, and I thy silly prey and

booty!"

The old man exhibited some symptoms of emotion, but not more than the

furious deportment of his patron might have extorted from innocence

itself.

"What means this violence, my lord?" he answered, "or in what can I have

deserved it at your hand?"

"Give me proof," said the Earl vehemently, "that you have not tampered

with mine enemies."

"My lord," replied the old man, with dignity, "you can have no better

proof than that which you yourself elected. In that turret I have spent

the last twenty-four hours under the key which has been in your own

custody. The hours of darkness I have spent in gazing on the heavenly

bodies with these dim eyes, and during those of light I have toiled this

aged brain to complete the calculation arising from their combinations.

Earthly food I have not tasted--earthly voice I have not heard. You are

yourself aware I had no means of doing so; and yet I tell you--I

who have been thus shut up in solitude and study--that within these

twenty-four hours your star has become predominant in the horizon, and

either the bright book of heaven speaks false, or there must have been

a proportionate revolution in your fortunes upon earth. If nothing has

happened within that space to secure your power, or advance your favour,

then am I indeed a cheat, and the divine art, which was first devised in

the plains of Chaldea, is a foul imposture."




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