rey was sleeping soundly.

CHAPTER XIII

RESTORED

'Good hope upholds the heart.'

_Old Song_, 1596.

There were great rejoicings at Arnhem when Sir Philip Sidney came back to
join the main army, stationed there under the command of the Earl of
Leicester.

Sir Philip had been appointed Colonel of the Zeeland regiment of horse and,
to the disappointment of his friends, the Queen chose to be offended that
this mark of honour had been conferred upon him.

The character of the Queen was full of surprising inconsistencies, and it
seems incredible that she should have grudged one whom she called the gem
of her Court the honour which she actually wished conferred on Count
Hohenlo, a man who, though a brave soldier, was known for his drunken,
dissolute habits.

The Earl of Leicester made a jest of the Queen's displeasure, and only
laughed at the concern Sir Francis Walsingham showed in the letter in which
he announced it.

'Let it not disturb your peace,' the Earl said to Lady Frances, who, filled
with pride in her husband's achievements, was depressed when she heard her
father's report that the Queen laid the blame on Sir Philip's ambition, and
implied that he had wrung the honour from his uncle.

'Let it not disturb your peace,' the Earl repeated, 'any more than it does
mine. It is but part and parcel of Her Highness's ways with those whom she
would seem at times to think paragons. Do I not not know it full well? I
have said in my despatch the truth, and I have begged your father, sweet
Frances, to communicate what I say without delay to the Queen; my words for
sure will not count for nought.'

'The Queen had not heard of the last grand victory, the taking of Axel,
when she made the complaint. Ambitious! nay, my good uncle, Philip is never
ambitious save for good.'

The Earl stroked the fair cheek of Philip Sidney's young wife, saying,--

'Philip is happy in possessing so loyal a lady for his wife; he can afford
to let the smiles or frowns of the Queen go by. And here he comes to attest
the truth of what I say.'

Sir Philip had often to doubt the ability of his uncle as a general, but at
this time they were on terms of greater friendliness than ever before. Sir
Philip had, in a few short months, lost both father and mother, and he
probably felt the tie between him and his mother's brother to be stronger
than in former times. Had not his mother often bid him remember that he
came of the noble