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"Far be it from me to traduce my noble patron," replied Varney; "yet

I a, yet secret feeling

hath of late dwelt in my lord's mind, hath abstracted hiovern with such religious

strictness, and hath left us opportunities to do follies, of which the

shame, as in this case, partly falls upon our patron Without this, I

had not had means or leisure to commit the folly which has drawn on me

his displeasure--the heaviest to endure by me which I could by any means

incur, saving always the yet more dreaded resentment of your Grace"

"And in this sense, and no other, hath he been accessory to thy fault?"

said Elizabeth

"Surely, madam, in no other," replied Varney; "but since somewhat hath

chanced to him, he can scarce be called his ownhe stands! how unlike his usual ht I can say to your Highness?

Ah! madam, since he received that fatal packet!"

"What packet, and froerly