Courtenay laid his hand upon his sword, and looked uneasily at the door.
“Resistance will be in vain, my lord,” pursued Gardiner; “I have but to raise my voice, and the guard will immediately appear.”
“You do not mean to execute your threats, my lord?” rejoined Courtenay.
“I have no alternative,” returned Gardiner, “unless by revealing to me all you know respecting this conspiracy, you will enable me to crush it. Not to keep you longer in the dark, I will tell you that proofs are already before us of your connection with the plot. The dwarf Xit, employed by M. de Noailles to convey messages to you, and who assisted in your escape, has, under threat of torture, made a full confession. From him we have learnt that a guitar, containing a key to the cipher to be used in a secret correspondence, was sent to Elizabeth by the ambassador. The instrument has been found in the princess’s possession at Ashbridge, and has furnished a clue to several of your own letters to her, which we have intercepted. Moreover some of the French ambassador’s agents, under the disguise of Huguenot preachers, have been arrested, and have revealed his treasonable designs. Having thus fairly told you the nature and extent of the evidence against you, I would recommend you to plead guilty, and throw yourself upon the queen’s mercy.”
“If you are satisfied with the information you have obtained, my lord,” returned Courtenay, “you can require nothing further from me.”
“Yes!—the names of your associates,” rejoined Gardiner.
“The rack should not induce me to betray them,” replied Courtenay.
“But a more persuasive engine may,” rejoined the chancellor. “What if I offer you Elizabeth’s hand provided you will give up all concerned in this plot?”
“I reject it,” replied the earl, struggling between his sense of duty and passion.
“Then I must call the guard,” returned the chancellor.