fear you?" said the lady; "or wherefore have you intruded
yourself into my dwelling, uninvited, sir, and unwished for?"

"Your dwelling, Amy?" said Tressilian. "Alas! is a prison your dwelling?
A prison, guarded by the most sordid of men, but not a greater wretch
than his employer?"

"This house is mine," said Amy, "mine while I choose to inhabit it. If
it is my pleasure to live in seclusion, who shall gainsay me?"

"Your father, maiden," answered Tressilian, "your broken-hearted father,
who dispatched me in quest of you with that authority which he cannot
exert in person."

"Tressilian," said the lady, "I cannot--I must not--I dare not leave
this place! Go back to my father. Tell him I will obtain leave to see
him within twelve hours from hence. Tell him I am well--I am happy. Go,
carry him the news. I come as sure as there is light in heaven--that is,
when I obtain permission."

"Permission? Permission to visit your father on his sick-bed, perhaps on
his death-bed?" repeated Tressilian impatiently. "And permission from
whom? Amy, in the name of thy broken-hearted father, I command thee to
follow me!"

As he spoke, he advanced and extended his arm, as with the purpose of
laying hold upon her. But she shrunk back from his grasp, and uttered a
scream which brought into the apartment Lambourne and Foster.

"Madam, fare you well!" said Tressilian. "What life lingers in your
father's bosom will leave him at the news I have to tell."

He departed, the lady saying faintly as he left the room:

"Tressilian, be not rash. Say no scandal of me."

Tressilian pursued the first path through the wild and overgrown park in
which the mansion of Foster was situated. At the postern, a cavalier,
muffled in his riding cloak, entered, and stood at once within four
yards of him who was desirous of going out. They exclaimed, in tons of
resentment and surprise, the one "Varney!" the other, "Tressilian!"

"What takes you here?" said Tressilian. "Are you come to triumph over
the innocence you have destroyed? Draw, dog, and defend thyself!"

Tressilian drew his sword as he spoke, but Varney only replied:

"Thou art mad, Tressilian! I own appearances are against me, but by
every oath Mistress Amy Robsart hath no injury from me!"

Tressilian forced him to draw, and Varney received a fall so sudden and
violent that his sword flew several paces from his hand. Lambourne came
up just in time to save the life of Varney, and Tressilian pe