KENILWORTH - Penn State University

Sir Walter Scotthaps can now trace even the remains, I gave my hand to thisAmy Robsart. You will then have done justice to me, mylord, and to your own honour and should law or power requireyou to part from me, I will oppose no objection, sinceI may then with honour hide a grieved and broken heart inthose shades from which your love withdrew me. Then—have but a little patience, and Amy’s life will not long darkenyour brighter prospects.”There was so much of dignity, so much of tenderness, in theCountess’s remonstrance, that it moved all that was noble andgenerous in the soul of her husband. The scales seemed to fallfrom his eyes, and the duplicity and tergiversation of which hehad been guilty stung him at once with remorse and shame.“I am not worthy of you, Amy,” he said, “that could weighaught which ambition has to give against such a heart as thine.I have a bitter penance to perform, in disentangling, beforesneering foes and astounded friends, all the meshes of myown deceitful policy. And the Queen—but let her take myhead, as she has threatened.”“Take your head, my lord!” said the Countess, “because youused the freedom and liberty of an English subject in choosinga wife? For shame! it is this distrust of the Queen’s justice,this apprehension of danger, which cannot but be imaginary,that, like scarecrows, have induced you to forsake the straightforwardpath, which, as it is the best, is also the safest.”“Ah, Amy, thou little knowest!” said Dudley but instantlychecking himself, he added, “Yet she shall not find in me asafe or easy victim of arbitrary vengeance. I have friends—Ihave allies—I will not, like Norfolk, be dragged to the blockas a victim to sacrifice. Fear not, Amy; thou shalt see Dudleybear himself worthy of his name. I must instantly communicatewith some of those friends on whom I can best rely; for,as things stand, I may be made prisoner in my own Castle.”“Oh, my good lord,” said Amy, “make no faction in a peacefulstate! There is no friend can help us so well as our owncandid truth and honour. Bring but these to our assistance,and you are safe amidst a whole army of the envious andmalignant. Leave these behind you, and all other defence willbe fruitless. Truth, my noble lord, is well painted unarmed.”“But Wisdom, Amy,” answered Leicester, is arrayed in panoplyof proof. Argue not with me on the means I shall use torender my confession—since it must be called so—as safe as395