Kenilworth - Page 352/408

Leicester only bowed low in answer to this rebuke, and retired. At the

door of the apartment he was met by Varney, who eagerly drew him apart,

and whispered in his ear, "All is well!"

"Has Masters seen her?" said the Earl.

"He has, my lord; and as she would neither answer his queries, nor

allege any reason for her refusal, he will give full testimony that she

labours under a mental disorder, and may be best committed to the charge

of her friends. The opportunity is therefore free to remove her as we

proposed."

"But Tressilian?" said Leicester.

"He will not know of her departure for some time," replied Varney; "it

shall take place this very evening, and to-morrow he shall be cared

for."

"No, by my soul," answered Leicester; "I will take vengeance on him with

mine own hand!"

"You, my lord, and on so inconsiderable a man as Tressilian! No, my

lord, he hath long wished to visit foreign parts. Trust him to me--I

will take care he returns not hither to tell tales."

"Not so, by Heaven, Varney!" exclaimed Leicester. "Inconsiderable do you

call an enemy that hath had power to wound me so deeply that my whole

after-life must be one scene of remorse and misery?--No; rather than

forego the right of doing myself justice with my own hand on that

accursed villain, I will unfold the whole truth at Elizabeth's

footstool, and let her vengeance descend at once on them and on myself."

Varney saw with great alarm that his lord was wrought up to such a pitch

of agitation, that if he gave not way to him he was perfectly capable of

adopting the desperate resolution which he had announced, and which was

instant ruin to all the schemes of ambition which Varney had formed

for his patron and for himself. But the Earl's rage seemed at once

uncontrollable and deeply concentrated, and while he spoke his eyes

shot fire, his voice trembled with excess of passion, and the light foam

stood on his lip.

His confidant made a bold and successful effort to obtain the mastery of

him even in this hour of emotion. "My lord," he said, leading him to

a mirror, "behold your reflection in that glass, and think if these

agitated features belong to one who, in a condition so extreme, is

capable of forming a resolution for himself."

"What, then, wouldst thou make me?" said Leicester, struck at the change

in his own physiognomy, though offended at the freedom with which Varney

made the appeal. "Am I to be thy ward, thy vassal,--the property and

subject of my servant?"