He had already raised his head with the dignity of a man of honour to avow his marriage, and proclaim himself the protector of his Countess, when Varney, born, as it appeared, to be his master's evil genius, rushed into the presence with every mark of disorder on his face and apparel.
"What means this saucy intrusion ?" said Elizabeth.
Varney, with the air of a man altogether overwhelmed with grief and confusion, prostrated himself before her feet, exclaiming, "Pardon, my Liege, pardon!--or at least let your justice avenge itself on me, where it is due; but spare my noble, my generous, my innocent patron and master!" Amy, who was yet kneeling, started up as she saw the man whom she deemed most odious place himself so near her, and was about to fly towards Leicester, when, checked at once by the uncertainty and even timidity which his looks had reassumed as soon as the appearance of his confidant seemed to open a new scene, she hung back, and uttering a faint scream, besought of her Majesty to cause her to be imprisoned in the lowest dungeon of the Castle--to deal with her as the worst of criminals--"but spare," she exclaimed, "my sight and hearing what will destroy the little judgment I have left--the sight of that unutterable and most shameless villain!" "And why, sweetheart ?" said the Queen, moved by a new impulse; "what hath he, this false knight, since such thou accountest him, done to thee ?" "Oh, worse than sorrow, madam, and worse than injury--he has sown dissension where most there should be peace.

I shall go mad if I look longer on him!" "Beshrew me, but I think thou art distraught already," answered the Queen.--"My Lord Hunsdon, look to this poor distressed young woman, and let her be safely bestowed, and in honest keeping, till we require her to be forthcoming." Two or three of the ladies in attendance, either moved by compassion for a creature so interesting, or by some other motive, offered their services to look after her; but the Queen briefly answered, "Ladies, under favour, no.

You have all (give God thanks) sharp ears and nimble tongues; our kinsman Hunsdon has ears of the dullest, and a tongue somewhat rough, but yet of the slowest .-- Hunsdon, look to it that none have speech of her." "By Our Lady," said Hunsdon, taking in his strong, sinewy arms the fading and almost swooning form of Amy, "she is a lovely child! and though a rough nurse, your Grace hath given her a kind one.

She is safe with me as one of my own ladybirds of daughters." So saying, he carried her off; unresistingly and almost unconsciously, his war-worn locks and long, grey beard mingling with her light-brown tresses, as her head reclined on his strong, square shoulder.

The Queen followed him with her eye.