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〃Stop thy base； unmannered tongue！〃 said the lady； 〃to no
question that derogates from my honour do I deign an answer。〃
〃You have said enough in refusing to reply；〃 answered Tressilian；
〃and mark me； unhappy as thou art； I am armed with thy father's
full authority to command thy obedience； and I will save thee
from the slavery of sin and of sorrow； even despite of thyself；
Amy。〃
〃Menace no violence here！〃 exclaimed the lady； drawing back from
him； and alarmed at the determination expressed in his look and
manner； 〃threaten me not； Tressilian； for I have means to repel
force。〃
〃But not； I trust； the wish to use them in so evil a cause？〃
said Tressilian。 〃With thy willthine uninfluenced； free； and
natural will； Amy； thou canst not choose this state of slavery
and dishonour。 Thou hast been bound by some spellentrapped by
some deceitart now detained by some compelled vow。 But thus I
break the charmAmy； in the name of thine excellent； thy broken…
hearted father； I command thee to follow me！〃
As he spoke he advanced and extended his arm； as with the purpose
of laying hold upon her。 But she shrunk back from his grasp； and
uttered the scream which； as we before noticed； brought into the
apartment Lambourne and Foster。
The latter exclaimed； as soon as he entered； 〃Fire and fagot！
what have we here？〃 Then addressing the lady； in a tone betwixt
entreaty and command； he added； 〃Uds precious！ madam； what make
you here out of bounds？ Retireretirethere is life and death
in this matter。And you； friend； whoever you may be； leave this
houseout with you； before my dagger's hilt and your costard
become acquainted。Draw； Mike； and rid us of the knave！〃
〃Not I； on my soul；〃 replied Lambourne； 〃he came hither in my
company； and he is safe from me by cutter's law； at least till we
meet again。But hark ye； my Cornish comrade； you have brought a
Cornish flaw of wind with you hither； a hurricanoe as they call
it in the Indies。 Make yourself scarcedepartvanishor we'll
have you summoned before the Mayor of Halgaver； and that before
Dudman and Ramhead meet。〃 ＇Two headlands on the Cornish coast。
The expressions are proverbial。＇
〃Away； base groom！〃 said Tressilian。〃And you； madam； fare you
wellwhat life lingers in your father's bosom will leave him at
the news I have to tell。〃
He departed； the lady saying faintly as he left the room；
〃Tressilian； be not rashsay no scandal of me。〃
〃Here is proper gear；〃 said Foster。 〃I pray you go to your
chamber； my lady； and let us consider how this is to be answered
nay； tarry not。〃
〃I move not at your command； sir；〃 answered the lady。
〃Nay； but you must； fair lady；〃 replied Foster； 〃excuse my
freedom； but； by blood and nails； this is no time to strain
courtesiesyou MUST go to your chamber。Mike； follow that
meddling coxcomb； and； as you desire to thrive； see him safely
clear of the premises； while I bring this headstrong lady to
reason。 Draw thy tool； man； and after him。〃
〃I'll follow him；〃 said Michael Lambourne； 〃and see him fairly
out of Flanders； but for hurting a man I have drunk my morning's
draught withal； 'tis clean against my conscience。〃 So saying； he
left the apartment。
Tressilian； meanwhile； with hasty steps； pursued the first path
which promised to conduct him through the wild and overgrown park
in which the mansion of Foster was situated。 Haste and distress
of mind led his steps astray； and instead of taking the avenue
which led towards the village； he chose another； which； after he
had pursued it for some time with a hasty and reckless step；
conducted him to the other side of the demesne； where a postern
door opened through the wall； and led into the open country。
Tressilian paused an instant。 It was indifferent to him by what
road he left a spot now so odious to his recollections； but it
was probable that the postern door was locked； and his retreat by
that pass rendered impossible。
〃I must make the attempt； however；〃 he said to himself； 〃the only
means of reclaiming this lostthis miserablethis still most
lovely and most unhappy girl； must rest in her father's appeal to
the broken laws of his country。 I must haste to apprise him of
this heartrending intelligence。〃
As Tressilian； thus conversing with himself； approached to try
some means of opening the door； or climbing over it； he perceived
there was a key put into the lock from the outside。 It turned
round； the bolt revolved； and a cavalier； who entered； muffled in
his riding…cloak； and wearing a slouched hat with a drooping
feather； stood at once within four yards of him who was desirous
of going out。 They exclaimed at once； in tones of resentment and
surprise； the one 〃Varney！〃 the other 〃Tressilian！〃
〃What make you here？〃 was the stern question put by the stranger
to Tressilian； when the moment of surprise was past〃what make
you here； where your presence is neither expected nor desired？〃
〃Nay； Varney；〃 replied Tressilian； 〃what make you here？ Are you
come to triumph over the innocence you have destroyed； as the
vulture or carrion…crow comes to batten on the lamb whose eyes it
has first plucked out？ Or are you come to encounter the merited
vengeance of an honest man？ Draw； dog； and defend thyself！〃
Tressilian drew his sword as he spoke； but Varney only laid his
hand on the hilt of his own； as he replied； 〃Thou art mad；
Tressilian。 I own appearances are against me； but by every oath
a priest can make or a man can swear； Mistress Amy Robsart hath
had no injury from me。 And in truth I were somewhat loath to
hurt you in this causethou knowest I can fight。〃
〃I have heard thee say so； Varney；〃 replied Tressilian； 〃but now；
methinks； I would fain have some better evidence than thine own
word。〃
〃That shall not be lacking； if blade and hilt be but true to me；〃
answered Varney； and drawing his sword with the right hand； he
threw his cloak around his left； and attacked Tressilian with a
vigour which； for a moment； seemed to give him the advantage of
the combat。 But this advantage lasted not long。 Tressilian
added to a spirit determined on revenge a hand and eye admirably
well adapted to the use of the rapier； so that Varney； finding
himself hard pressed in his turn； endeavoured to avail himself of
his superior strength by closing with his adversary。 For this
purpose； he hazarded the receiving one of Tressilian's passes in
his cloak； wrapped as it was around his arm； and ere his
adversary could； extricate his rapier thus entangled； he closed
with him； shortening his own sword at the same time； with the
purpose of dispatching him。 But Tressilian was on his guard； and
unsheathing his poniard； parried with the blade of that weapon
the home…thrust which would otherwise have finished the combat；
and； in the struggle which followed； displayed so much address；
as might have confirmed； the opinion that he drew his origin from
Cornwall whose natives are such masters in the art of wrestling；
as； were the games of antiquity revived； might enable them to
challenge all Europe to the ring。 Varney； in his ill…advised
attempt； received a fall so sudden and violent that his sword
flew several paces from his hand and ere he could recover his
feet； that of his antagonist was； pointed to his throat。
〃Give me the instant means of relieving the victim of thy
treachery；〃 said Tressilian； 〃or take the last look of your
Creator's blessed sun！〃
And while Varney； too confused or too sullen to reply； made a
sudden effort to arise； his adversary drew back his arm； and
would have executed his threat； but that the blow was arrested by
the grasp of Michael Lambourne； who； directed by the clashing of
swords had come up just in time to save the life of Varney；
〃Come； come； comrade；〃 said Lambourne； 〃here is enough done and
more than enough； put up your fox and let us be jogging。 The
Black Bear growls for us。〃
〃Off； abject！〃 said Tressilian； striking himself free of
Lambourne's grasp； 〃darest thou come betwixt me and mine enemy？〃
〃Abject！ abject！〃 repeated Lambourne； 〃that shall be answered
with cold steel whenever a bowl of sack has washed out memory of
the morning's draught that we had together。 In the meanwhile； do
you see； shogtrampbegonewe are two to one。〃
He spoke truth； for Varney had taken the opportunity to regain
his weapon； and Tressilian perceived it was madness to press the
quarrel further against such odds。 He took his purse from his
side； and taking out two gold nobles； flung them to Lambourne。
〃There； caitiff； is thy morning wage； thou shalt not say thou
hast been my guide unhired。Varney； farewell！ we shall meet
where there are none to come betwixt us。〃 So saying； he turned
round and departed through the postern door。
Varney seemed to want the inclination； or perhaps the power （for
his fall had been a severe one）； to follow his retreating enemy。
But he glared darkly as he disappeared； and then addressed
Lambourne。 〃Art thou a comrade of Foster's； good fellow？〃
〃Sworn friends； as the haft is to the knife；〃 replied Michael
Lambourne。
〃Here is a broad piece for thee。 Follow yonder fellow； and see
where he takes earth； and bring me word up to the ma