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said Foster。 〃Here have you； Master Varney； secured a good
freehold estate out of this old superstitious foundation； and I
have but a poor lease of this mansion under you； voidable at your
honour's pleasure。〃
〃Ay； and thou wouldst fain convert thy leasehold into a copyhold
the thing may chance to happen； Anthony Foster； if thou dost
good service for it。 But softly； good Anthonyit is not the
lending a room or two of this old house for keeping my lord's
pretty paroquetnay； it is not the shutting thy doors and
windows to keep her from flying off that may deserve it。
Remember； the manor and tithes are rated at the clear annual
value of seventy…nine pounds five shillings and fivepence
halfpenny； besides the value of the wood。 Come； come； thou must
be conscionable； great and secret service may deserve both this
and a better thing。 And now let thy knave come and pluck off my
boots。 Get us some dinner； and a cup of thy best wine。 I must
visit this mavis； brave in apparel； unruffled in aspect； and gay
in temper。〃
They parted and at the hour of noon； which was then that of
dinner； they again met at their meal； Varney gaily dressed like a
courtier of the time； and even Anthony Foster improved in
appearance； as far as dress could amend an exterior so
unfavourable。
This alteration did not escape Varney。 Then the meal was
finished； the cloth removed； and they were left to their private
discourse〃Thou art gay as a goldfinch； Anthony；〃 said Varney；
looking at his host； 〃methinks； thou wilt whistle a jig anon。
But I crave your pardon； that would secure your ejection from the
congregation of the zealous botchers； the pure…hearted weavers；
and the sanctified bakers of Abingdon； who let their ovens cool
while their brains get heated。〃
〃To answer you in the spirit； Master Varney；〃 said Foster； 〃were
excuse the parableto fling sacred and precious things before
swine。 So I will speak to thee in the language of the world；
which he who is king of the world； hath taught thee； to
understand； and to profit by in no common measure。〃
〃Say what thou wilt； honest Tony；〃 replied Varney； 〃for be it
according to thine absurd faith； or according to thy most
villainous practice； it cannot choose but be rare matter to
qualify this cup of Alicant。 Thy conversation is relishing and
poignant； and beats caviare； dried neat's…tongue； and all other
provocatives that give savour to good liquor。〃
〃Well； then； tell me；〃 said Anthony Foster； 〃is not our good lord
and master's turn better served； and his antechamber more
suitably filled； with decent； God…fearing men； who will work his
will and their own profit quietly； and without worldly scandal；
than that he should be manned； and attended； and followed by such
open debauchers and ruffianly swordsmen as Tidesly； Killigrew；
this fellow Lambourne； whom you have put me to seek out for you；
and other such； who bear the gallows in their face and murder in
their right handwho are a terror to peaceable men； and a
scandal to my lord's service？〃
〃Oh； content you； good Master Anthony Foster；〃 answered Varney；
〃he that flies at all manner of game must keep all kinds of
hawks； both short and long…winged。 The course my lord holds is
no easy one； and he must stand provided at all points with trusty
retainers to meet each sort of service。 He must have his gay
courtier； like myself； to ruffle it in the presence…chamber； and
to lay hand on hilt when any speaks in disparagement of my lord's
honour〃
〃Ay；〃 said Foster； 〃and to whisper a word for him into a fair
lady's ear； when he may not approach her himself。〃
〃Then；〃 said Varney； going on without appearing to notice the
interruption； 〃he must have his lawyersdeep； subtle pioneers
to draw his contracts； his pre…contracts； and his post…
contracts； and to find the way to make the most of grants of
church…lands； and commons； and licenses for monopoly。 And he
must have physicians who can spice a cup or a caudle。 And he
must have his cabalists； like Dec and Allan； for conjuring up the
devil。 And he must have ruffling swordsmen； who would fight the
devil when he is raised and at the wildest。 And above all；
without prejudice to others； he must have such godly； innocent；
puritanic souls as thou； honest Anthony； who defy Satan； and do
his work at the same time。〃
〃You would not say； Master Varney；〃 said Foster； 〃that our good
lord and master； whom I hold to be fulfilled in all nobleness；
would use such base and sinful means to rise； as thy speech
points at？〃
〃Tush； man；〃 said Varney； 〃never look at me with so sad a brow。
You trap me notnor am I in your power； as your weak brain may
imagine； because I name to you freely the engines； the springs；
the screws； the tackle； and braces； by which great men rise in
stirring times。 Sayest thou our good lord is fulfilled of all
nobleness？ Amen； and so be ithe has the more need to have
those about him who are unscrupulous in his service； and who；
because they know that his fall will overwhelm and crush them；
must wager both blood and brain； soul and body； in order to keep
him aloft； and this I tell thee； because I care not who knows
it。〃
〃You speak truth； Master Varney；〃 said Anthony Foster。 〃He that
is head of a party is but a boat on a wave； that raises not
itself； but is moved upward by the billow which it floats upon。〃
〃Thou art metaphorical； honest Anthony；〃 replied Varney； 〃that
velvet doublet hath made an oracle of thee。 We will have thee to
Oxford to take the degrees in the arts。 And； in the meantime；
hast thou arranged all the matters which were sent from London；
and put the western chambers into such fashion as may answer my
lord's humour？〃
〃They may serve a king on his bridal…day；〃 said Anthony； 〃and I
promise you that Dame Amy sits in them yonder as proud and gay as
if she were the Queen of Sheba。〃
〃'Tis the better； good Anthony；〃 answered Varney； 〃we must found
our future fortunes on her good liking。〃
〃We build on sand then；〃 said Anthony Foster； 〃for supposing that
she sails away to court in all her lord's dignity and authority；
how is she to look back upon me； who am her jailor as it were； to
detain her here against her will； keeping her a caterpillar on an
old wall； when she would fain be a painted butterfly in a court
garden？〃
〃Fear not her displeasure； man；〃 said Varney。 〃I will show her
all thou hast done in this matter was good service； both to my
lord and her； and when she chips the egg…shell and walks alone；
she shall own we have hatched her greatness。〃
〃Look to yourself； Master Varney；〃 said Foster； 〃you may
misreckon foully in this matter。 She gave you but a frosty
reception this morning； and； I think； looks on you； as well as
me； with an evil eye。〃
〃You mistake her； Fosteryou mistake her utterly。 To me she is
bound by all the ties which can secure her to one who has been
the means of gratifying both her love and ambition。 Who was it
that took the obscure Amy Robsart； the daughter of an
impoverished and dotard knightthe destined bride of a
moonstruck； moping enthusiast； like Edmund Tressilian； from her
lowly fates； and held out to her in prospect the brightest
f