ducing Tressilian into Cumnor-Place; and therefore I took him into my service, and retained him in it, though something of a debauched fellow, that I might have his tongue always under my own command. » He then acquainted Lord Leicester how easy it was to prove the circumstance of their interview true, by evidence of Anthony Foster, with the corroborative testimonies of the various persons at Cumnor, who had heard the wager laid, and had seen Lambourne and Tressilian set off together. In the whole narrative, Varney hazarded nothing fabulous, excepting that, not indeed by direct assertion, but by inference, he led his patron to suppose that the interview betwixt Amy and Tressilian at Cumnor-Place, had been longer than the few minutes to which it was in reality limited. « And wherefore was I not told of all this? »> said Leicester, sternly. « Why did all of ye—and in particular thou, Varney keep back from me such material information ? » Because, my lord,» replied Varney, « the Countess pretended to Foster and to me, that Tressilian had intruded himself upon her; and I concluded their interview had been in all honour, and that she would at her own time tell it to your lordship. Your lordship knows with what unwilling ears we listen to evil surmises against those whom we love; and I thank Heaven, I am no make-bate or informer, to be the first to sow them. » replied his patron. « How know'st thou that this interview was not in all honour, as thou hast said? Methinks the wife of the Earl of Leicester might speak for a short time with such a person as Tressilian, without injury to me, or suspicion to herself. › Questionless, my lord, » answered Varney, « had I thought otherwise, I had been no keeper of the secret. But here lies the rub Tressilian leaves not the place without establishing a correspondence with a poor man, the landlord of an inn in Cumnor, for the purpose of carrying off the lady. He sent down an emissary of his, whom I trust soon to have in right sure keeping under Mervyn's Tower. Killigrew and Lambsbey are scouring the country in quest of him. The host is rewarded with a ring for keeping counsel your lordship may have noted it on Tressilian's hand-here it is. This fellow, this agent, makes his way to the Place as a pedlar, holds conferences with the lady, and they make their escape together by night rob a poor fellow of a horse by the way, such was their guilty haste; and at length reach this Castle, where the Countess of Leicester finds refuge - I dare not say in what place. » Speak, I command thee,» said Leicester; speak, while I retain sense enough to hear thee. » << the lady resorted immediately to the apart ment of Tressilian, where she remained many hours, partly in company with him, and partly alone. I told you Tressilian had a paramour in I little dreamed that paramour his chamber was Amy, thou would'st say,» answered Leicester; «< but it is false, false as the smoke of hell! Ambitious she may be fickle and impa'tis a woman's fault; tient but false to me! The proof this! » he exclaimed, hastily. the proof of Carrol, the Deputy Marshal, ushered her thither by her own desire, on yesterday afternoon Lambourne and the Warder both found her there at an early hour this morning. « Was Tressilian there with her? » said Leicester, in the same hurried tone. «No, my lord. You may remember, »> answered Varney, «< that he was that night placed with Sir Nicholas Blount, under arrest. » « Did Carrol, or the other fellows, know who she was?» demanded Leicester. No, my lord,» replied Varney; « Carrol and the Warder had never seen the Countess, and Lambourne knew her not in her disguise; but, in seeking to prevent her leaving the cell, he obtained possession of one of her gloves, which, I think, your lordship may know,» He gave the glove, which had the Bear and Ragged Staff, the Earl's impress, embroidered it in seed-pearls. « upon " I do, I do recognize it,» said Leicester. They were my own gift. The fellow of it was on the arm which she threw this very day neck ! » — He spoke this with violent around my agitation. «Your lordship,» said Varney, « might yet further inquire of the lady herself, respecting the truth of these passages. » « It needs not it needs not, » said the tortured Earl; « it is written in characters of burning light, as if they were branded on my very eyeballs! I see her infamy - I can see nought else; and, — gracious Heaven! — for this vile woman was I about to commit to danger the lives of so many noble friends shake the foundation of a lawful throne carry the sword and torch through the bosom of a peaceful land wrong the kind mistress who made me what I am and would, but for that hell-framed marriage, have made me all that man can be! All this I was ready to do for a woman, who trinkets and traffics with my worst foes! And thou, villain, why didst thou not speak sooner? » My lord,» said Varney, « a tear from my lady would have blotted out all I could have said. Besides, I had not these proofs until this very morning, when Anthony Foster's sudden arrival, with the examinations and declarations, which he had extorted from the inn-keeper Gosling, and others, explained the manner of her flight from Cumnor-Place, and my own researches discovered the steps which she had taken here. >> "Now, may God be praised for the light he has given! so full, so satisfactory, that there breathes not a man in England who shall call my proceeding rash, or my revenge unjust. And yet, Varney, so young, so fair, so fawning, and so false! Hence, then, her hatred to thee, my trusty, my well-beloved servant, because you withstood her plots, and endangered her paramour's life? I never gave her any other cause of dislike, my lord, » replied Varney; « but she knew that my councils went directly to diminish her influence with your lordship; and that I was, and have been, ever ready to peril my life against your enemies. >> « It is too, too apparent, » replied Leicester; yet, with what an air of magnanimity she exhorted me to commit my head to the Queen's mercy, rather than wear the veil of falsehood a moment longer! Methinks, the angel of truth himself can have no such tones of high-souled impulse. Can it be so, Varney?—Can falsehood use thus boldly the language of truth ?—Can infamy thus assume the guise of purity?—Varney, thou hast been my servant from a child—I have raised thee high-I can raise thee higher. Think, think for me! Thy brain was ever shrewd and piercing-May she not be innocent? Prove her so, and all I have yet done for thee shall be as nothing-nothing-in comparison of thy recompence! » The agony with which his master spoke, had |
