If you have done so, I abandon you, And lay my curse upon you----

LEICESTER (entering).

Worthy sir!

I with your nephew wish a word. The queen Is graciously inclined to him; she wills That to his custody the Scottish queen Be with full powers intrusted. She relies On his fidelity.

PAULET.

Relies!--'tis well----

LEICESTER.

What say you, sir?

PAULET.

Her majesty relies On him; and I, my n.o.ble lord, rely Upon myself, and my two open eyes.

[Exit.

SCENE VIII.

LEICESTER, MORTIMER.

LEICESTER (surprised).

What ailed the knight?

MORTIMER.

My lord, I cannot tell What angers him: the confidence, perhaps, The queen so suddenly confers on me.

LEICESTER.

Are you deserving then of confidence?

MORTIMER.

This would I ask of you, my Lord of Leicester.

LEICESTER.

You said you wished to speak with me in private.

MORTIMER.

a.s.sure me first that I may safely venture.

LEICESTER.

Who gives me an a.s.surance on your side?

Let not my want of confidence offend you; I see you, sir, exhibit at this court Two different aspects; one of them must be A borrowed one; but which of them is real?

MORTIMER.

The selfsame doubts I have concerning you.

LEICESTER.

Which, then, shall pave the way to confidence?

MORTIMER.

He, who by doing it, is least in danger.

LEICESTER.

Well, that are you----

MORTIMER.

No, you; the evidence Of such a weighty, powerful peer as you Can overwhelm my voice. My accusation Is weak against your rank and influence.

LEICESTER.

Sir, you mistake. In everything but this I'm powerful here; but in this tender point Which I am called upon to trust you with, I am the weakest man of all the court, The poorest testimony can undo me.

MORTIMER.

If the all-powerful Earl of Leicester deign To stoop so low to meet me, and to make Such a confession to me, I may venture To think a little better of myself, And lead the way in magnanimity.

LEICESTER.

Lead you the way of confidence, I'll follow.

MORTIMER (producing suddenly the letter).

Here is a letter from the Queen of Scotland.

LEICESTER (alarmed, catches hastily at the letter).

Speak softly, sir! what see I? Oh, it is Her picture!

[Kisses and examines it with speechless joy--a pause.

MORTIMER (who has watched him closely the whole tine).

Now, my lord, I can believe you.

LEICESTER (having hastily run through the letter).

You know the purport of this letter, sir.

MORTIMER.

Not I.

LEICESTER.

Indeed! She surely hath informed you.

MORTIMER.

Nothing hath she informed me of. She said You would explain this riddle to me--'tis To me a riddle, that the Earl of Leicester, The far-famed favorite of Elizabeth, The open, bitter enemy of Mary, And one of those who spoke her mortal sentence, Should be the man from whom the queen expects Deliverance from her woes; and yet it must be; Your eyes express too plainly what your heart Feels for the hapless lady.

LEICESTER.

Tell me, Sir, First, how it comes that you should take so warm An interest in her fate; and what it was Gained you her confidence?

MORTIMER.

My lord, I can, And in few words, explain this mystery.

I lately have at Rome abjured my creed, And stand in correspondence with the Guises.

A letter from the cardinal archbishop Was my credential with the Queen of Scots.