look you, in the face of all, let who elfe will come next! Now, to pafs bye all thofe needy, ambitious, politic adventurers from over the fea, her Grace had after her manner and after his, too—once touched Leicester'sheart will you fay? Hatton is even now love-fick (Coranto style) :—Ralegh—But who can tell the way of a man with a maid? faith Solomon, who had more experience in such matters than any, even in the Court at Greenwich. It is not to be wondered at, after all (and to end these vain reflections), that when Elizabeth put forward, as to-day, all her blandishments-that royal dignity, so tastefully toned down with feminine condefcenfion-that affable intelligence and high breeding, which seemed willing to exalt him to her level, that the young Earl of Effex, when he kissed that Virgin hand-though in mere ceremony-felt strangely, paffing strangely! New fenfations gather about his bofom, fire his imagination, touch his inmost man. CHAPTER XI. "Did you but know". "The art o' the Court, As hard to leave as keep: whofe top to climb Is certain falling; or so slippery that The fear's as bad as falling." CYMBELINE, act. ii. fc. III. HE Court arofe. With the fame folemn state the Queen retired through the folding-doors ; · shrined, as it were, in the paraphernalia of her retinue. The laft figure of the long proceffion paffed beyond the ante-room. The privy chamber closes. Effex felt himself alone! The nobles had already begun to depart. As he turned, the young courtier obferved the Earl of Leicester's eye fixed intently on him. "Make way there! Room! room! Make way for the noble and puissant Lord, the Earl of Leicester !" And, indeed, none seemed willing to difpute precedence with him at any time, and still less to-day. As they rowed past the palace, the found as of Virginals loftily touched, came foothingly across the water. And the youth, whose fenfes had been ravished by the wild poetry of the Caermarthen harpers, now felt that quiet pathos which perhaps the music of some admired one alone can infpire. "You are pleased!" faid Leicester, drawing clofe, and taking his companion's hand with that oftent of feeling he fo well knew how to exhibit. "You have not any stiff averfation to Court now, eh?" "No!" whispered Effex, almost unconsciously. "You are not still vexed your Mother urged you to it?" "No!" The fenfe of triumph tempted Leicester thus far. He was one who always went far enough. When you have caged your Bullfinch, you may feed him and teach him to pipe but you will not bandy questions with him about the art of bird-catching. So as the matter, on this occafion, had : fallen out exactly as he had devised and foreseen, he faid no more. He had, in fact, taken means to enfure fuccefs. He was one of the most accomplished schemers; and he had brought, this day, many refources together. The pageant from first to last had been carefully prepared. He brought a larger company than ufual to Court; and all the pomp and ceremony of the water-progress had been an item of confideration. It would even have paffed the Earl of Suffex's had that nobleman with his armed bands been there. Thro' his Puritan Chaplain, the Inhabiters of the Wharfs along the Strand, Thames-ftreet-ay, and down as far as Wapping-had been warned to express their duty to this high and powerful-(and therefore, as they had it, godly)—patron of the Brethren. Such Largess, too, had been scattered on the palace steps as would enfure the obfequioufnefs even of royal porters. The Nobles, moreover—at least those of his party—and the courtiers most bounden to him, had been affiduous in complimenting his protegée. And the Queen herself feemed, as it were, entranced: fo exquifite were her Adornings, so affable her Manners, fo fententious and fugared her Wit. Beyond all, as fhe fpake of his father to Effex, her voice (the whole Court obferved it) faltered not a little and she confeffed herself much bounden to him and his cherished Memory. She would, fhe faid, upon the word of a Princefs, requite it, as a princefs fhould, upon his Son. See to it my Lord Treasurer! Leicester had noted this-(It was only a few days previously, he had sent her Majesty a Iewel of fome thousand marks in his Countefs' name.) He put it, too, at its worth. "Promifing," quoth he to himself, " is the very air of the time! But there be fome-and this young lord is one that, Chameleon like, live on that air: 'tis, in a manner, hereditary in him—her Grace knoweth. If fuch unfavoury food make him change colour, she will not scruple to physic his digestion with fome drachm of fulfilment! 'Tis the Court receipt for keeping the chameleons wholesome!" Leicester hereupon grew cheerful. Succefs ever makes a man fo. Effex became thoughtful. Truly, we are all apt to become more daring as we pafs each obstacle. It is, in fact, by a law of nature that Conqueft of whatsoever kind becomes aggreffive. And the old Courtier had at many times given evidence that, under the excitement of fuccefs, he could venture beyond the lines of |