Kenilworth

treating him with sights far different from those which his awakened and earthly vision could have offered.

At the entrance of Tressilian both started from their musing, and made him welcome—the younger, in particular, with great appearance of animation and cordiality.

'Thou art welcome, Tressilian,' said the youth. 'Thy philosophy stole thee from us when this household had objects of ambition to offer; it is an honest philosophy, since it returns thee to us when there are only dangers to be shared.'

'Is my lord, then, so greatly indisposed?' said Tressilian.

'We fear the very worst,' answered the elder gentleman, 'and by the worst practice.'

'Fie,' replied Tressilian, 'my Lord of Leicester is honourable.'

'What doth he with such attendants, then, as he hath about him?' said the younger gallant. 'The man who raises the devil may be honest, but he is answerable for the mischief which the fiend does, for all that.'

'And is this all of you, my mates,' inquired Tressilian, 'that are about my lord in his utmost straits?'

'No, no,' replied the elder gentleman, 'there are Tracy, Markham, and several more; but we keep watch here by two at once, and some are weary and are sleeping in the gallery above.'

'And some,' said the young man, 'are gone down to the Dock yonder at Deptford, to look out such a hull; as they may purchase by clubbing their broken fortunes; and as soon as all is over, we will lay our noble lord in a noble green grave, have a blow at those who have hurried him thither, if opportunity suits, and then sail for the Indies with heavy hearts and light purses.'

'It may be,' said Tressilian, 'that I will embrace the same purpose, so soon as I have settled some business at court.'

'Thou business at court!' they both exclaimed at once, 'and thou make the Indian voyage!'

'Why, Tressilian,' said the younger man, 'art thou not wedded, and beyond these flaws of fortune, that drive folks out to sea when their bark bears fairest for the haven?—What has become of the lovely Indamira that was to match my Amoret for truth and beauty?'

'Speak not of her!' said Tressilian, averting his face.

'Ay, stands it so with you?' said the youth, taking his hand very affectionately; 'then, fear not I will again touch the green wound. But it is strange as well as sad news. Are none of our fair and merry fellowship to escape shipwreck of fortune and happiness in this sudden tempest? I had hoped thou wert in harbour, at least, my dear Edmund. But truly says another dear friend of thy name,

'What man that sees the ever whirling wheel 
Of Chance, the which all mortal things doth sway, 
But that thereby doth find and plainly feel, 
How Mutability in them doth play 
Her cruel sports to many men's decay.''

The elder gentleman had risen from his bench, and was pacing the hall with some impatience, while the youth, with much earnestness and feeling, recited these lines. When he had done, the other wrapped himself in his cloak, and again stretched himself down, saying, 'I marvel, Tressilian, you will feed the lad in this silly humour. If there were ought to draw a judgment upon a virtuous and honourable household like my lord's, renounce me if I think not it were this piping, whining, childish trick of poetry, that came among us with Master Walter Wittypate here and his comrades, twisting into all manner of uncouth and incomprehensible forms of speech, the honest plain English phrase which God gave us to express our meaning withal.'

'Blount believes,' said his comrade, laughing, 'the devil woo'd Eve in rhyme, and that the mystic meaning of the Tree of Knowledge refers solely to the art of clashing rhymes and meting out hexameters.' [See Note 4. Sir Walter Raleigh.]

At this moment the Earl's chamberlain entered, and informed Tressilian that his lord required to speak with him.

He found Lord Sussex dressed, but unbraced, and lying on his couch, and was shocked at the alteration disease had made in his person. The Earl received him with the most friendly cordiality, and inquired into the state of his courtship. Tressilian evaded his inquiries for a moment, and turning his discourse on the Earl's own health, he discovered, to his surprise, that the symptoms of his disorder corresponded minutely with those which Wayland had predicated concerning it. He hesitated not, therefore, to communicate to Sussex the whole history of his attendant, and the pretensions he set up to cure the disorder under which he laboured. The Earl listened with incredulous attention until the name of Demetrius was mentioned, and then suddenly called to his secretary to bring him a certain casket which contained papers of importance. 'Take out from thence,' he said, 'the declaration of the rascal cook whom we had under examination, and look heedfully if the name of Demetrius be not there mentioned.'

The secretary turned to the passage at once, and read, 'And said declarant, being examined, saith, That he remembers having made the sauce to the said sturgeon-fish, after eating of which the said noble Lord was taken ill; and he put the usual ingredients and condiments therein, namely—'

'Pass over his trash,' said the Earl, 'and see whether he had not been supplied with his materials by a herbalist called Demetrius.'

'It is even so,' answered the secretary. 'And he adds, he has not since seen the said Demetrius.'

'This accords with thy fellow's story, Tressilian,' said the Earl; 'call him hither.'

On being summoned to the Earl's presence, Wayland Smith told his former tale with firmness and consistency.

'It may be,' said the Earl, 'thou art sent by those who have begun this work, to end it for them; but bethink, if I miscarry under thy medicine, it may go hard with thee.'

'That were severe measure,' said Wayland, 'since the issue of medicine, and the end of life, are in God's disposal. But I will stand the risk. I have not lived so long under ground to be afraid of a grave.'

'Nay, if thou be'st so confident,' said the Earl of Sussex, 'I will take the risk too, for the learned can do nothing for me. Tell me how this medicine is to be taken.'

'That will I do presently,' said Wayland; 'but allow me to condition that, since I incur all the risk of this treatment, no other physician shall be permitted to interfere with it.'

'That is but fair,' replied the Earl; 'and now prepare your drug.'

While Wayland obeyed the Earl's commands, his servants, by the artist's direction, undressed their master, and placed him in bed.

'I warn you,' he said, 'that the first operation of this medicine will be to produce a heavy sleep, during which time the chamber must be kept undisturbed, as the consequences may otherwise he fatal. I myself will watch by the Earl with any of the gentlemen of his chamber.'

'Let all leave the room, save Stanley and this good fellow,' said the Earl.

'And saving me also,' said Tressilian. 'I too am deeply interested in the effects of this potion.'

'Be it so, good friend,' said the Earl. 'And now for our experiment; but first call my secretary and chamberlain.'

'Bear witness,' he continued, when these officers arrived—'bear witness for me, gentlemen, that our honourable friend Tressilian is in no way responsible for the effects which this medicine may produce upon me, the taking it being my own free action and choice, in regard I believe it to be a remedy which God has furnished me by unexpected means to recover me of my present malady. Commend me to my noble and princely Mistress; and say that I live and die her true servant, and wish to all about her throne the same singleness of heart and will to serve her, with more ability to do so than hath been assigned to poor Thomas Ratcliffe.'

He then folded his hands, and seemed for a second or two absorbed in mental devotion, then took the potion in his hand, and, pausing, regarded Wayland with a look that seemed designed to penetrate his very soul, but which caused no anxiety or hesitation in the countenance or manner of the artist.

'Here is nothing to be feared,' said Sussex to Tressilian, and swallowed the medicine without further