"What! my lords," said Elizabeth, looking around, "we are defied, I

think--defied in the Castle we have ourselves bestowed on this proud

man!--My Lord Shrewsbury, you are Marshal of England, attach him of high

treason."

"Whom does your Grace mean?" said Shrewsbury, much surprised, for he had

that instant joined the astonished circle.

"Whom should I mean, but that traitor Dudley, Earl of Leicester!--Cousin

of Hunsdon, order out your band of gentlemen pensioners, and take him

into instant custody. I say, villain, make haste!"

Hunsdon, a rough old noble, who, from his relationship to the Boleyns,

was accustomed to use more freedom with the Queen than almost any other

dared to do, replied bluntly, "And it is like your Grace might order me

to the Tower to-morrow for making too much haste. I do beseech you to be

patient."

"Patient--God's life!" exclaimed the Queen--"name not the word to me;

thou knowest not of what he is guilty!"

Amy, who had by this time in some degree recovered herself, and who saw

her husband, as she conceived, in the utmost danger from the rage of an

offended Sovereign, instantly (and alas! how many women have done the

same) forgot her own wrongs and her own danger in her apprehensions for

him, and throwing herself before the Queen, embraced her knees, while

she exclaimed, "He is guiltless, madam--he is guiltless; no one can lay

aught to the charge of the noble Leicester!"

"Why, minion," answered the Queen, "didst not thou thyself say that the

Earl of Leicester was privy to thy whole history?"

"Did I say so?" repeated the unhappy Amy, laying aside every

consideration of consistency and of self-interest. "Oh, if I did, I

foully belied him. May God so judge me, as I believe he was never privy

to a thought that would harm me!"

"Woman!" said Elizabeth, "I will know who has moved thee to this; or

my wrath--and the wrath of kings is a flaming fire--shall wither and

consume thee like a weed in the furnace!"

As the Queen uttered this threat, Leicester's better angel called

his pride to his aid, and reproached him with the utter extremity

of meanness which would overwhelm him for ever if he stooped to take

shelter under the generous interposition of his wife, and abandoned

her, in return for her kindness, to the resentment of the Queen. He had

already raised his head with the dignity of a man of honour to avow

his marriage, and proclaim himself the protector of his Countess, when

Varney, born, as it appeared, to be his master's evil genius, rushed

into the presence with every mark of disorder on his face and apparel.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024