swered
Tressilian, "having to say that which, as it concerns your lordship's
honour, I am confident you will not think your time wasted in listening
to. I have to request an account from your lordship of the unhappy Amy
Robsart, whose history is too well known to you. I regret deeply that I
did not at once take this course, and make yourself judge between me and
the villain by whom she is injured. My lord, she extricated herself
from an unlawful and most perilous state of confinement, trusting to the
effects of her own remonstrance upon her unworthy husband, and extorted
from me a promise that I would not interfere in her behalf until she had
used her own efforts to have her rights acknowledged by him."

"Ha," said Leicester, "remember you to whom you speak?"

"I speak of her unworthy husband, my lord," repeated Tressilian, "and
my respect can find no softer language. The unhappy young woman is
withdrawn from my knowledge, and sequestered in some secret place of
this Castle--if she be not transferred to some place of seclusion better
fitted for bad designs. This must be reformed, my lord--I speak it as
authorized by her father--and this ill-fated marriage must be avouched
and proved in the Queen's presence, and the lady placed without
restraint and at her own free disposal. And permit me to say it concerns
no one's honour that these most just demands of mine should be complied
with so much as it does that of your lordship."

The Earl stood as if he had been petrified at the extreme coolness
with which the man, whom he considered as having injured him so deeply,
pleaded the cause of his criminal paramour, as if she had been an
innocent woman and he a disinterested advocate; nor was his wonder
lessened by the warmth with which Tressilian seemed to demand for her
the rank and situation which she had disgraced, and the advantages of
which she was doubtless to share with the lover who advocated her cause
with such effrontery. Tressilian had been silent for more than a
minute ere the Earl recovered from the excess of his astonishment; and
considering the prepossessions with which his mind was occupied, there
is little wonder that his passion gained the mastery of every other
consideration. "I have heard you, Master Tressilian," said he, "without
interruption, and I bless God that my ears were never before made to
tingle by the words of so frontless a villain. The task of chastising
you is fitter for the hangman's scourge th