"I shall stay to be dandled with no love-days nor leave-takings," he observed.
But Leicester had delayed his coming too long.

The country felt that it-had been trifled with by his: absence--at so critical a period--of seven months.

It was known too that the Queen was secretly treating with the enemy, and that Buckhurst had been privately sounding leading personages upon that subject, by her orders.

This had caused a deep, suppressed indignation.

Over and over again had the English government been warned as to the danger of delay.