"Oh no!" she exclaimed, sinking on one knee before him, "I am not mad-I am but a creature unutterably miserable, and, from circumstances the most singular, dragged on to a precipice by the arm of him who thinks he is keeping me from it-even by yours, Tressilian-by yours, whom I have honoured, respected-all but loved and yet loved too-loved too, Tressilian-though not as you wished me."

There was an energy-a self-possession-an abandonment in her voice and manner-a total resignation of herself to his generosity, which, together with the kindness of her expressions to himself, moved him deeply. He' raised her, and, in broken accents, entreated her to be comforted.

“I cannot,” she said, "I will not be comforted, till you grant me my request! I will speak as plainly as I dareI am now awaiting the commands of one who has a right to issue them-The interference of a third person-of you in especial, Tressilian, will be ruin-utter ruin to me. Wait but four-and-twenty hours, and it may be that the poor Amy may have the means to show that she values, and can reward, your disinterested friendship—that she is happy herself, and has the means to make you so-It is surely worth your patience, for so short a space?"

Tressilian paused, and weighing in his mind the various probabilities which might render a violent interference on his part more prejudicial than advantageous, both to the happiness and reputation of Amy; considering also that she was within the walls of Kenilworth, and could suffer no injury in a castle honoured with the queen's residence, and filled with her guards and attendants, he conceived, upon the whole, that he might render her more evil than good service, by intruding upon her his appeal to Elizabeth in her behalf. He expressed his resolution cautiously, however, doubting naturally whether Amy's hopes of extricating herself from her difficulties rested on any thing stronger than a blinded attachment to Varney, whom he supposed to be her seducer.

"Amy," he said, while he fixed his sad and expressive eyes on her's, which in her ecstasy of doubt, terror, and perplexity, she cast up towards him, "I have ever remarked, that when others called thee girlish and wilful, there lay under that external semblance of youthful and self-willed folly, deep feeling and strong sense. In this I will confide, trusting your own fate in your own hands for the space of twenty-four hours, without my interference by word or act."

tess.

"Do you promise me this, Tressilian ?" said the coun"Is it possible you can yet repose so much confidence in me? Do you promise, as you are a gentleman and a man of honour, to intrude in my matters, neither by speech nor action, whatever you may see or hear that seems to you to demand your interference? Will you so far trust me?"

"I will, upon my honour," said Tressilian; " but when that space is expired"

"When that space is expired," she said, interrupting him, "you are free to act as your judgment shall determine."

"Is there nought besides which I can do for you, Amy?" said Tressilian.

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Nothing," said she, "save to leave me that is, if -I blush to acknowledge my helplessness by asking it— if you can spare me the use of this apartment for the next twenty-four hours."

"This is most wonderful!" said Tressilian; "what hope or interest can you have in a castle, where you cannot command even an apartment?"

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'Argue not, but leave me," she said; and added, as he slowly and unwillingly retired, "Generous Edmund the time may come, when Amy may show she deserved thy noble attachment."

CHAPTER IX.

What, man,
ne'er lack a draught, when the full can
Stands at thine elbow, and craves emptying!—
Nay, fear not me, for I have no delight

To watch men's vices, since I have myself

Of virtue nought to boast of.—I'm a striker,

Would have the world strike with me, pell-mell, all.

Pandemonium.

TRESSILIAN, in strange agitation of mind, had hardly stepped down the first two or three steps of the winding staircase, when, greatly to his surprise and displeasure, he met Michael Lambourne, wearing an impudent familiarity of visage, for which Tressilian felt much disposed to throw him down stairs; until he remembered the prejudice which Amy, the only object of his solicitude, was likely to receive from his engaging in any act of violence at that time, and in that place.

He therefore contented himself with looking sternly upon Lambourne, as upon one whom he deemed unworthy of notice, and attempted to pass him in his way down stairs, without any symptom of recognition. But Lambourne, who, amidst the profusion of that day's hospitality, had not failed to take a deep, though not an overpowering cup of sack, was not in the humour of humbling himself before any man's looks. He stopped Tressilian upon the staircase without the least bashfulness or embarrassment, and addressed him as if they had been on kind and intimate terms;-"What, no grudge between us I hope upon old scores, Master Tressilian ?-nay, I am one who remember former kindness rather than later feud-I'll convince you that I meant honestly and kindly, ay, and comfortably by you."

"I desire none of your intimacy," said Tressilian"keep company with your mates."

"Now see how hasty he is!" said Lambourne; "and how these gentles, that are made questionless out of the porcelain clay of the earth, look down upon poor Michael Lambourne! You would take Master Tressilian now for the most maid-like, modest, simpering squire of dames, that ever made love when candles were long i' the stuff-snuff-call you it ?-Why you would play the it? saint on us, Master Tressilian, and forget that even now thou hast a commodity in thy very bed-chamber, to the shame of my lord's castle, ha! ha! ha! Have I touched you, Master Tressilian ?""

"I know not what you mean," said Tressilian, inferring, however, too surely, that this licentious ruffian must have been sensible of Amy's presence in his apartment; "but if," he continued, "thou art varlet of the chambers, and lackest a fee, there is one to leave mine unmolested."

Lambourne looked at the piece of gold, and put it in his pocket saying-" Now, I know not but you might have done more with me by a kind word, than by this chiming rogue. But after all, he pays well that pays with gold—and Mike Lambourne was never a make-bate, or a spoil-sport, or the like. E'en live and let others live, that is my motto-only I would not let some folks cock their beaver at me neither, as if they were made of silver ore, and I of Dutch pewter. So if I keep your secret, Master Tressilian, you may look sweet on me, at least; and were I to want a little backing or countenance, being caught, as you see the best of us may be, in a sort of peccadillo-why, you owe it me-and so e'en make your chamber serve you and that same bird in bower beside -it's all one to Mike Lambourne."

"Make way, sir," said Tressilian, unable to bridle his indignation, "you have had your fee."

"Um !" said Lambourne, giving place, however, while he sulkily muttered between his teeth, repeating Tressilian's words" Make way-and you have had your fee -but it matters not, I will spoil no sport, as I said before; I am no dog in the manger-mind that."

He spoke louder and louder, as Tressilian, by whom he felt himself overawed, got, farther and farther out of hearing.

"I am no dog in the manger-but I will not carry coals neither-mind that, my Master Tressilian; and I will have a peep at this wench, whom you have quartered so commodiously in your old haunted room-afraid of ghosts belike, and not too willing to sleep alone. If I had done this now in a strange lord's castle, the word had been, The porter's lodge for the knave! and have him flogged-trundle him down stairs like a turnip !—Ay, but your virtuous gentlemen take strange privileges over us, who are downright servants of our senses. WellI have my Master Tressilian's head under my belt by this lucky discovery, that is one thing certain; and I will try to get a sight of this Lindabrides of his, that is another."

CHAPTER X.

Now fare thee well, my master-if true service
Be guerdon'd with hard looks, e'en cut the tow-line,
And let our barks across the pathless flood

Hold different courses.

Shipwreck.

TRESSILIAN walked into the outer yard of the castle, scarce knowing what to think of his late strange and most unexpected interview with Amy Robsart, and dubious if he had done well, being intrusted with the delegated authority of her father, to pass his word so solemnly to leave her to her own guidance for so many hours. Yet how could he have denied her request,-dependent as she had too probably rendered herself upon Varney? Such was his natural reasoning. The happiness of her future life might depend upon his not driving her to extremities, and since no authority of Tressilian's could extricate her from