thy hilts that the farmer had a fair
daughter."

"I pray thee, Walter," said another of the company, "cease thy raillery,
which suits neither time nor place, and tell us who was at the gate just
now."

"Doctor Masters, physician to her Grace in ordinary, sent by her
especial orders to inquire after the Earl's health," answered Walter.

"Ha! what?" exclaimed Tracy; "that was no slight mark of favour. If the
Earl can but come through, he will match with Leicester yet. Is Masters
with my lord at present?"

"Nay," replied Walter, "he is half way back to Greenwich by this time,
and in high dudgeon."

"Thou didst not refuse him admittance?" exclaimed Tracy.

"Thou wert not, surely, so mad?" ejaculated Blount.

"I refused him admittance as flatly, Blount, as you would refuse a penny
to a blind beggar--as obstinately, Tracy, as thou didst ever deny access
to a dun."

"Why, in the fiend's name, didst thou trust him to go to the gate?" said
Blount to Tracy.

"It suited his years better than mine," answered Tracy; "but he has
undone us all now thoroughly. My lord may live or die, he will never
have a look of favour from her Majesty again."

"Nor the means of making fortunes for his followers," said the young
gallant, smiling contemptuously;--"there lies the sore point that will
brook no handling. My good sirs, I sounded my lamentations over my lord
somewhat less loudly than some of you; but when the point comes of
doing him service, I will yield to none of you. Had this learned leech
entered, think'st thou not there had been such a coil betwixt him and
Tressilian's mediciner, that not the sleeper only, but the very dead
might have awakened? I know what larurm belongs to the discord of
doctors."

"And who is to take the blame of opposing the Queen's orders?" said
Tracy; "for, undeniably, Doctor Masters came with her Grace's positive
commands to cure the Earl."

"I, who have done the wrong, will bear the blame," said Walter.

"Thus, then, off fly the dreams of court favour thou hast nourished,"
said Blount, "and despite all thy boasted art and ambition, Devonshire
will see thee shine a true younger brother, fit to sit low at the board,
carve turn about with the chaplain, look that the hounds be fed, and see
the squire's girths drawn when he goes a-hunting."

"Not so," said the young man, colouring, "not while Ireland and the
Netherlands have wars, and not while the sea hath pathless waves. The
rich West hath land