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energy of character, which would have rendered her, had fate allowed, a distinguished ornament of the rank which she held. She walked up to Leicester with a composed step, a dignified air, and looks in which strong affection assayed in vain to shake the firmness of conscious truth and rectitude of principle. « You have spoke your mind, my lord,» she said,» in these difficulties with which, unhappily, I have found myself unable to comply. This gentleman - this person I would say has hinted at another scheme, to which I object not but as it displeases you. Will your lordship be pleased to hear what a young and timid woman, but your most affectionate wife, can suggest in the present extremity?

Leicester was silent, but bent his head towards the Countess, as an intimation that she was at liberty to proceed.

« There hath been but one cause for all these evils, my lord,» she proceeded, « and it resolves itself into the mysterious duplicity with which you have been induced to surround yourself. Extricate yourself at once, my lord, from the tyranny of these disgraceful trammels. Be like a true English gentleman, knight, and earl, who holds that truth is the foundation of honour, and that honour is dear to him as the breath of his nostrils. Take your ill-fated wife by the hand, lead her to the footstool of Elizabeth's throneSay, that in a moment of infatuation, moved by supposed beauty, of which none perhaps can

now trace even the remains, I gave my hand to this Amy Robsart. You will then have done justice to me, my lord, and to your own honour; and should law or power require you to part from me, I will oppose no objection-since I may then with honour hide a grieved and broken heart in those shades from which your love withdrew me. »

There was so much of dignity, so much of ten. derness in the Countess's remonstrance, that it moved all that was noble and generous in the soul of her husband. The scales seemed to fall from his eyes, and the duplicity and tergiversation of which he had been guilty, stung him at once with remorse and shame."

<<I am not worthy of you, Amy, » he said, that could weigh aught which ambition has to give against such a heart as thine. I have a bitter penance to perform, in disentangling, before sneering foes and astounded friends, all the meshes of my own deceitful policy — And the Queen-but let her take my head, as she has threatened. >>

«Your head, my lord!» said the Countess; « because you used the freedom and liberty of an English subject in chusing a wife? For shame; it is this distrust of the Queen's justice, this apprehension of danger, which cannot but be imaginary, that, like scare-crows, have induced you to forsake the straight-forward path, which, as it is the best, is also the safest. »

Ah, Amy, thou little knowest! » said Dud

ley; but, instantly checking himself, he added, Yet she shall not find in me a safe or easy victim of arbitrary vengeance.—I have friends-I have allies-I will not, like Norfolk, be dragged to the block, as a victim to sacrifice. Fear not, Amy; thou shalt see Dudley bear himself worthy of his name. I must instantly communicate with some of those friends on whom I can best rely; for, as things stand, I may be made prisoner in my own Castle.

>>

» O, my good lord,» said Amy, «make no faction in a peaceful state! There is no friend can help us so well as our own candid truth and honour. Bring but these to our assistance, and you are safe amidst a whole army of the envious and malignant. Leave these behind you, and all other defence will be fruitless-Truth, my noble lord, is well painted unarmed. »

« But Wisdom, Amy,» answered Leicester, «is arrayed in panoply of proof. Argue not with me on the means I shall use to render my confession- since it must be called so -as safe as may be; it will be fraught with enough of danger, do what we will. Varney, we must hence.— Farewell, Amy, whom I am to vindicate as mine own, at an expence and risk of which thou alone could'st be worthy. You shall soon hear farther from me.»>

He embraced her fervently, muffled himself as before, and accompanied Varney from the apartment. The latter, as he left the room, bowed low, and, as he raised his body, regarded

Amy with a peculiar expression, as if he desired to know how far his own pardon was included in the reconciliation which had taken place betwixt her and her lord. The Countess looked upon him with a fixed eye, but seemed no more conscious of his presence, than if there had been nothing but vacant air on the spot where he stood.

<< She has brought me to the crisis,» he muttered-«She or I are lost. There was something

-I wot not if it was fear or pity, that prompted me to avoid this fatal crisis. It is now decidedShe or I must perish. »

While he thus spoke, he observed, with surprise, that a boy, repulsed by the centinel, made up to Leicester, and spoke with him. Varney was one of those politicians, whom not the slightest appearances escape without inquiry. He asked the centinel what the lad wanted with him, and received for answer, that the boy had wished him to transmit a parcel to the mad lady, but that he cared not to take charge of it, such communication being beyond his commission. His curiosity satisfied in that particular, he approached his patron, and heard him say—« Well, boy, the packet shall be delivered. »

Thanks, good Master Serving-man,» said the boy, and was out of sight in an instant.

Leicester and Varney returned with hasty steps to the Earl's private apartment, by the same passage which had conducted them to Saintlowe's Tower.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

This is an adultress

I have said

I have said with whom

More, she's a traitor, and Camillo is

A federary with her, and one that knows
What she should shame to know herself.

Winter's Tale.

THEY were no sooner in the Earl's cabinet, than, taking his tablets from his pocket, he began to write, speaking partly to Varney, and partly to himself: -«There are many of them close bounden to me, and especially those in good estate and high office; many who, if they look back towards my benefits, or forward towards the perils which may befal themselves, will not, I think, be disposed to see me stagger unsupported. Let me see-Knollis is sure, and through his means Guernsey and Jersey - Horsey commands in the Isle of Wight-My brother-in-law, Huntingdon, and Pembroke, have authority in Wales Through Bedford I lead the Puritans, with their interest, so powerful in all the boroughs- My brother of Warwick is equal, well nigh, to myself, in wealth, followers, and dependencies- Sir Owen Hopton is at my devotion; he commands the Tower of London, and the na