keeper of the secret. But here lies the rub--Tressilian
leaves not the place without establishing a correspondence with a poor
man, the landlord of an inn in Cumnor, for the purpose of carrying off
the lady. He sent down an emissary of his, whom I trust soon to have
in right sure keeping under Mervyn's Tower--Killigrew and Lambsbey are
scouring the country in quest of him. The host is rewarded with a ring
for keeping counsel--your lordship may have noted it on Tressilian's
hand--here it is. This fellow, this agent, makes his way to the place
as a pedlar; holds conferences with the lady, and they make their escape
together by night; rob a poor fellow of a horse by the way, such was
their guilty haste, and at length reach this Castle, where the Countess
of Leicester finds refuge--I dare not say in what place."

"Speak, I command thee," said Leicester--"speak, while I retain sense
enough to hear thee."

"Since it must be so," answered Varney, "the lady resorted immediately
to the apartment of Tressilian, where she remained many hours, partly in
company with him, and partly alone. I told you Tressilian had a paramour
in his chamber; I little dreamed that paramour was--"

"Amy, thou wouldst say," answered Leicester; "but it is false, false as
the smoke of hell! Ambitious she may be--fickle and impatient--'tis a
woman's fault; but false to me!--never, never. The proof--the proof of
this!" he exclaimed hastily.

"Carrol, the Deputy Marshal, ushered her thither by her own desire, on
yesterday afternoon; Lambourne and the Warder both found her there at an
early hour this morning."

"Was Tressilian there with her?" said Leicester, in the same hurried
tone.

"No, my lord. You may remember," answered Varney, "that he was that
night placed with Sir Nicholas Blount, under a species of arrest."

"Did Carrol, or the other fellows, know who she was?" demanded
Leicester.

"No, my lord," replied Varney; "Carrol and the Warder had never seen the
Countess, and Lambourne knew her not in her disguise. But in seeking
to prevent her leaving the cell, he obtained possession of one of her
gloves, which, I think, your lordship may know."

He gave the glove, which had the Bear and Ragged Staff, the Earl's
impress, embroidered upon it in seed-pearls.

"I do--I do recognize it," said Leicester. "They were my own gift. The
fellow of it was on the arm which she threw this very day around my
neck!" He spoke this with violent agitation.

"