BURLEIGH.
How? You?
LEICESTER.
Yes, I, my lord; the queen confided In Mortimer; she opened to the youth Her inmost soul! Yes, she went further still; She gave him, too, a secret, b.l.o.o.d.y charge, Which Paulet had before refused with horror.
Say, is it so, or not?
[The QUEEN and BURLEIGH look at one another with astonishment.
BURLEIGH.
Whence know ye this?
LEICESTER.
Nay, is it not a fact? Now answer me.
And where, my lord, where were your thousand eyes, Not to discover Mortimer was false?
That he, the Guise"s tool, and Mary"s creature, A raging papist, daring fanatic, Was come to free the Stuart, and to murder The Queen of England!
ELIZABETH (with the utmost astonishment).
How! This Mortimer!
LEICESTER.
"Twas he through whom our correspondence pa.s.sed.
This plot it was which introduced me to him.
This very day she was to have been torn From her confinement; he, this very moment, Disclosed his plan to me: I took him prisoner, And gave him to the guard, when in despair To see his work o"erturned, himself unmasked, He slew himself!
ELIZABETH.
Oh, I indeed have been Deceived beyond example, Mortimer!
BURLEIGH.
This happened then but now? Since last we parted?
LEICESTER.
For my own sake, I must lament the deed; That he was thus cut off. His testimony, Were he alive, had fully cleared my fame, And freed me from suspicion; "twas for this That I surrendered him to open justice.
I thought to choose the most impartial course To verify and fix my innocence Before the world.
BURLEIGH.
He killed himself, you say Is"t so? Or did you kill him?
LEICESTER.
Vile suspicion!
Hear but the guard who seized him.
[He goes to the door, and calls.
Ho! who waits?
[Enter the officer of the guard.
Sir, tell the queen how Mortimer expired.
OFFICER.
I was on duty in the palace porch, When suddenly my lord threw wide the door, And ordered me to take the knight in charge, Denouncing him a traitor: upon this He grew enraged, and with most bitter curses Against our sovereign and our holy faith, He drew a dagger, and before the guards Could hinder his intention, plunged the steel Into his heart, and fell a lifeless corpse.
LEICESTER.
"Tis well; you may withdraw. Her majesty Has heard enough.
[The officer withdraws.
ELIZABETH.
Oh, what a deep abyss Of monstrous deeds?
LEICESTER.
Who was it, then, my queen, Who saved you? Was it Burleigh? Did he know The dangers which surrounded you? Did he Avert them from your head? Your faithful Leicester Was your good angel.
BURLEIGH.
This same Mortimer Died most conveniently for you, my lord.
ELIZABETH.
What I should say I know not. I believe you, And I believe you not. I think you guilty, And yet I think you not. A curse on her Who caused me all this anguish.
LEICESTER.
She must die; I now myself consent unto her death.
I formerly advised you to suspend The sentence, till some arm should rise anew On her behalf; the case has happened now, And I demand her instant execution.
BURLEIGH.
You give this counsel? You?
LEICESTER.
Howe"er it wound My feelings to be forced to this extreme, Yet now I see most clearly, now I feel That the queen"s welfare asks this b.l.o.o.d.y victim.
"Tis my proposal, therefore, that the writ Be drawn at once to fix the execution.
BURLEIGH (to the QUEEN).
Since, then, his lordship shows such earnest zeal, Such loyalty, "twere well were he appointed To see the execution of the sentence.
LEICESTER.
Who? I?
BURLEIGH.
Yes, you; you surely ne"er could find A better means to shake off the suspicion Which rests upon you still, than to command Her, whom "tis said you love, to be beheaded.
ELIZABETH (looking steadfastly at LEICESTER).
My lord advises well. So be it, then.
LEICESTER.
It were but fit that my exalted rank Should free me from so mournful a commission, Which would indeed, in every sense, become A Burleigh better than the Earl of Leicester.
The man who stands so near the royal person Should have no knowledge of such fatal scenes: But yet to prove my zeal, to satisfy My queen, I waive my charge"s privilege, And take upon myself this hateful duty.
ELIZABETH.
Lord Burleigh shall partake this duty with you.
[To BURLEIGH.