for the present leave them, and study a more alluring lesson-which is no other than thee, dear Bess." 66 Prythee do not, dear Walter!" exclaimed she very fondly. "If these books are such as have taught thee to become so brave of soul, so good, so noble, so kind and generous as thou art—I would on no account have thee leave such excellent studies to regard one who can teach thee no one thing of any usefulness. But I like not to hear thee say that thou art doing of nothing of advantage to the world; for art thou not constantly writing upon such matters as I doubt not must be of great profit to all, and in after times will make thee as exceeding famous, as thou well deservest to be?" ""Twould be a right wonderful comfort could I think so," observed Sir Walter. "Then such should'st thou ever think," she replied. "I know that 'tis something too much to expect of thee to shew a cheerful heart at all times, when I reflect to what a doleful strait thy goodness to me hath brought thee to, the thought of which is enough, methinks, to make the most patient nature feel vast discomfort upon occasion: yet well assured am I that, whether thou art within stone walls, a powerless prisoner- or aboard of a goodly ship, the leader of a gallant armament— thy noble mind would ever be devising of some 15-683 greatness whereof all mankind might receive benefit. If thou art melancholy let me sing to thee, dear Walter, and perchance thou shalt find some pleasure in it." "Indeed, thy singing is of so sweet a sort that my spirit is enraptured when I hear thee," said he. "Sing, dear Bess! I do feel somewhat weary. 'Tis of little moment that thy virginals be not at hand; for thy voice doth discourse such delicate music as requireth no accompaniment to set it off." Then placing of her work in her lap she turned upon him a look full of most exquisite devotedness, and with such tuneful notes as were a marvel to hear, she presently did commence the following words : "Pryee, Sweet heart! be not so sad, Els shall I think thou lov'st me not; And loving, hath all else forgot. "If friends to thee have proved untrue, I will be all they should have been ; If Fortune frown upon thy view, I'll give the smiles thou should'st have seen. Thou shalt not want for any thing That she who loveth thee can bring; 66 ex Truly a simple ditty and a kind, Bess!” claimed Sir Walter Raleigh, who had listened with evident delight both to the singer and to the song. "I'faith!-it almost maketh me think that to be in a cage with so sweet a bird as art thou, must needs be better than to have the freedom of the whole world, and lack the hearing of so brave a songster." 66 "I care not what it maketh thee think, Walter," replied Dame Elizabeth affectionately; that thou canst be in any way the happier for it: and as for thy freedom, I do believe thou canst acquire it at very slight pains." "Indeed!” cried he, as if in some surprise. "'Tis strange I knew it not. Believe me, I would not stay here an instant longer than I could help." "Then why not seek to move the queen to thy pardon?" she asked. "Because I know 'twould avail me nothing with her," he replied. "My enemies are numerous and powerful, and would be on the watch to overthrow any attempt I might make for my liberation; for they know full well 'tis to their advantage to keep me where I am; and having constant access to the presence, could easily increase the queen's wrath against me." "That will I never believe, dear Walter," said the devoted woman. "Her majesty hath had con siderable profit out of the galleon that was taken at the Azores, hath she not?” "Sir John Hawkins hath writ me word," added Sir Walter; "that in consequence of the villainous pilfering of some of the men, the Madre de Dios, on examination, fell very far short of its estimate and of this, although the queen had but one of her ships present, she hath seized upon as great a share as if she had been at more than one half the trouble and charges of the expedition." "The possessing of so much treasure through thy means will assuredly make her somewhat favourably disposed towards thee," she observed; " and that the greatness of her rage hath by this time much abated I make no manner of doubt. This being the case, dear Walter, as it needs must be; and I-knowing her to be one with whom some pretty adulation will do any thing, so that there be enough of it-would wager mine existence that if thou would'st but contrive some pleasant conceit, in which it shall appear that thou art gone distracted because of the impossibility of seeing her, and season it with such pretty tropes as thou knowest she most affects, thou shalt have thy liberty in a presently.” "I like it not, dear Bess," replied her husband, as if he entertained the proposal with some distaste. "I have played the courtier's and the lover's part with her already to such an extreme, that it made her all the more enraged against me when she discovered my marriage with thee. She must be exceeding credulous if she would believe any thing of the kind of me now. Besides, it is a fashion that however oft I may have fallen into, I liked never; and at the present time am more than ever disinclined to." "That ought thou not to hold in any sort of consideration, dear Walter," she answered quickly. "Remember that she hath made such flattery the common language, without which none who seek her favour can expect to get aught of her; and thou art no more to blame in using of such means than art thou for wearing of a doublet of a certain make for both are the court fashion, which every one must adopt who would be in good esteem with his sovereign. And who can be so worthy of such estimation as art thou? In truth, if thy merit were properly rewarded thou should'st then have the highest place there, and take precedence of all. As for her indignation in finding out that thou hast been playing of the lover to her whilst thou were acting it more truly to me, heed it not. In the first place, the blame must be entirely her own for when a woman entertaineth a lover of whose affection she hath good knowledge that it can be nought but words, she is but rightly served when he leaveth her for the enjoyment of a more |