to that which, by your goodness, I now hold, rendering the duties of the bed-chamber to you, and accounting it an honour.»>

« It might, indeed, so have been,» said the Earl, with an involuntary sigh; and then presently added, « My gown, Varney - I will look out on the night. Is not the moon near to the full ?

<< I think so, my lord, according to the calendar, » answered Varney.

There was an abutting window, which opened on a small projecting balcony of stone, battlemented as is usual in Gothic castles. The Earl undid the lattice, and stepped out into the open air. The station he had chosen commanded an extensive view of the lake, and woodlands beyond, where the clear moonlight rested on the clear blue waters, and the distant masses of oak and elm trees. The moon rode high in the heavens, attended by thousands and thousands of inferior luminaries. All seemed already to be hushed in the nether world, excepting occasionally the voice of the watch (for the yeomen of the guard performed that duty wherever the Queen was present in person,) and the distant baying of the hounds, disturbed by the preparations amongst the grooms and prickers for a magnificent hunt, which was to be the amusement of the next day.

Leicester looked out on the blue arch of heaven, with gestures and a countenance expressive of anxious exultation, while Varney, who re

mained within the darkened apartment, could ( himself unnoticed) with a secret satisfaction, see his patron stretch his hands with earnest gesticulation towards the heavenly bodies.

«Ye distant orbs of living fire,» so ran the muttered invocation of the ambitious Earl, « yê are silent while you wheel your mystic rounds, but Wisdom has given to you a voice. Tell me, then, to what end is my high course destined. Shall the greatness to which I have aspired be bright, pre-eminent, and stable as your own; or am I but doomed to draw a brief and glittering train along the nightly darkness, and then to sink down to earth, like the base refuse of those artificial fires with which men emulate your rays?»

He looked on the heavens in profound silence for a minute or two longer, and then again stepped into the apartment, where Varney seemed to have been engaged in putting the Earl's jewels into a casket.

« What said Alasco of my horoscope? » demanded Leicester. « You already told me, but it has escaped.me, for I think but lightly of that

art. >>

«

Many learned and great men have thought otherwise,» said Varney; «and, not to flatter your lordship, my own opinion leans that way. >>

«< Ay, Saul among the prophets?» said Leicester-I thought thou wert sceptical in all such matters as thou could'st neither see, hear, smell,

taste, or touch, and that thy belief was limited by thy senses. »

« Perhaps, my lord,» said Varney, « I may be at present misled by my wish to find the predictions of astrology true on the present occasion. Alasco says, that your favourite planet is culminating, and that the adverse influence-he would not use a plainer term—though not overcome, was evidently combust, I think he said, or retrograde.

« It is even so,» said Leicester, looking at an abstract of astrological calculations which he had in his hand ; « the stronger influence will prevail, and, as I think, the evil hour pass away.-Lend me your hand, Sir Richard, to doff my gownand remain an instant, if it is not too burthensome to your knighthood, while I compose myself to sleep. I believe the bustle of this day has fevered my blood, for it streams through my veins like a current of molten lead-remain an instant, I pray you -I would fain feel my eyes heavy ere I closed them. »

Varney officiously assisted his lord to bed, and placed a massive silver night-lamp, with a short sword, on a marble table which stood close by the head of the couch. Either in order to avoid the light of the lamp, or to hide his countenance from Varney, Leicester drew the curtain, heavy with entwined silk and gold, so as completely to shade his face. Varney took a seat near the bed, but with his back towards his master, as if to in

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timate that he was not watching him, and quietly waited till Leicester himself led the way to the topic by which his mind was engrossed.

« And so, Varney,» said the Earl, after waiting in vain till his dependent should commence the conversation, «men talk of the Queen's favour towards me. »

«

Ay, my good lord,» said Varney; « of what can they else, since it is so strongly manifested.» << She is indeed my good and gracious mistress,» said Leicester, after another pause ; «but it is written, 'Put not thy trust in Princes.'»

"

« A good sentence and a true,» said Varney, unless you can unite their interest with yours so absolutely, that they must needs sit on your wrist like hooded hawks. »

<< I know what thou meanest,» said Leicester impatiently, though thou art to-night so prudentially careful of what thou sayest to me. Thou would'st intimate, I might marry the Queen if I would.»

« It is your speech, my lord, not mine,» answered Varney; «but whose soever be the speech, it is the thought of ninety-nine out of an hundred men throughout broad England. »

Ay, but,» said Leicester, turning himself in his bed, «< the hundredth man knows better. Thou, for example, knowest the obstacle that cannot be overleaped. »

« It must, my lord, if the stars speak true,» said Varney, composedly.

« What talk'st thou of them, «said Leicester,

>> that believest not in them or in aught else?»

«You mistake, my lord, under your gracious pardon,» said Varney, «I believe in many things that predict the future. I believe, if showers fall in April, that we shall have flowers in May; that if the sun shines, grain will ripen ; and I believe in much natural philosophy to the same effect, which, if the stars swear to me, I will say the stars speak the truth. And in like manner, I will not disbelieve that which I see wished for and expected on earth, solely because the astrologers have read it in the heavens.»

-((

« Thou art right,» said Leicester, again tossing himself on his couch- Earth does wish for it. I have had advices from the reformed churches of Germany-from the Low countries-from Switzerland, urging this as a point on which Europe's safety depends. France will not oppose it The ruling party in Scotland look to it as their best security Spain fears it, but cannot prevent it—and yet thou knowest it is impos sible. »

«I know not that, my lord,» said Varney, « the Countess is indisposed.

Villain!» said Leicester, starting up on his couch, and seizing the sword which lay on the table beside him, go thy thoughts that way? → thou wouldst not do murther! » :

« For whom, or what, do you hold me, my lord?» said Varney, assuming the superiority of an innocent man subjected to unjust suspicion. "I said nothing to deserve such a horrid impu