"Nothing, my lord and love," answered the Countess faintly; "something
there was that I would have told you, but your anger has driven it from
my recollection."
"Reserve it till our next meeting, my love," said the Earl fondly, and
again embracing her; "and barring only those requests which I cannot
and dare not grant, thy wish must be more than England and all its
dependencies can fulfil, if it is not gratified to the letter."
Thus saying, he at length took farewell. At the bottom of the staircase
he received from Varney an ample livery cloak and slouched hat, in which
he wrapped himself so as to disguise his person and completely conceal
his features. Horses were ready in the courtyard for himself and Varney;
for one or two of his train, intrusted with the secret so far as to know
or guess that the Earl intrigued with a beautiful lady at that mansion,
though her name and duality were unknown to them, had already been
dismissed over-night.
Anthony Foster himself had in hand the rein of the Earl's palfrey, a
stout and able nag for the road; while his old serving-man held the
bridle of the more showy and gallant steed which Richard Varney was to
occupy in the character of master.
As the Earl approached, however, Varney advanced to hold his master's
bridle, and to prevent Foster from paying that duty to the Earl which he
probably considered as belonging to his own office. Foster scowled at
an interference which seemed intended to prevent his paying his court
to his patron, but gave place to Varney; and the Earl, mounting without
further observation, and forgetting that his assumed character of a
domestic threw him into the rear of his supposed master, rode pensively
out of the quadrangle, not without waving his hand repeatedly in answer
to the signals which were made by the Countess with her kerchief from
the windows of her apartment.
While his stately form vanished under the dark archway which led out of
the quadrangle, Varney muttered, "There goes fine policy--the servant
before the master!" then as he disappeared, seized the moment to speak a
word with Foster. "Thou look'st dark on me, Anthony," he said, "as if I
had deprived thee of a parting nod of my lord; but I have moved him to
leave thee a better remembrance for thy faithful service. See here!
a purse of as good gold as ever chinked under a miser's thumb and
fore-finger. Ay, count them, lad," said he, as Foster received the gold
with a grim smile, "and add to them the goodly remembrance he gave last
night to Janet."