Tressilian made a profound reverence, to which the Earl replied with
a haughty inclination of the head, and the words, "You sought secret
conference with me, sir; I am here, and attentive."
"My lord," said Tressilian, "I am so earnest in that which I have to
say, and so desirous to find a patient, nay, a favourable hearing, that
I will stoop to exculpate myself from whatever might prejudice your
lordship against me. You think me your enemy?"
"Have I not some apparent cause?" answered Leicester, perceiving that
Tressilian paused for a reply.
"You do me wrong, my lord. I am a friend, but neither a dependant nor
partisan, of the Earl of Sussex, whom courtiers call your rival; and it
is some considerable time since I ceased to consider either courts or
court intrigues as suited to my temper or genius."
"No doubt, sir," answered Leicester "there are other occupations more
worthy a scholar, and for such the world holds Master Tressilian. Love
has his intrigues as well as ambition."
"I perceive, my lord," replied Tressilian, "you give much weight to my
early attachment for the unfortunate young person of whom I am about to
speak, and perhaps think I am prosecuting her cause out of rivalry, more
than a sense of justice."
"No matter for my thoughts, sir," said the Earl; "proceed. You have as
yet spoken of yourself only--an important and worthy subject doubtless,
but which, perhaps, does not altogether so deeply concern me that I
should postpone my repose to hear it. Spare me further prelude, sir, and
speak to the purpose if indeed you have aught to say that concerns me.
When you have done, I, in my turn, have something to communicate."
"I will speak, then, without further prelude, my lord," answered
Tressilian, "having to say that which, as it concerns your lordship's
honour, I am confident you will not think your time wasted in listening
to. I have to request an account from your lordship of the unhappy Amy
Robsart, whose history is too well known to you. I regret deeply that I
did not at once take this course, and make yourself judge between me and
the villain by whom she is injured. My lord, she extricated herself
from an unlawful and most perilous state of confinement, trusting to the
effects of her own remonstrance upon her unworthy husband, and extorted
from me a promise that I would not interfere in her behalf until she had
used her own efforts to have her rights acknowledged by him."