“Wilt thou own this to her Highness?” he said, at length. “Will I?” cried Sir Walter: “without question, I will!” “Then is thy case hopeless!” said Cecil, turning away. “Hold!” exclaimed Sir Walter. “Hast thou a mind to serve me in the matter?” “By my faith, I have!” answered Cecil, solemnly. “Then, at thy speediest convenience, get me leave from her Highness to see her privily,” returned Sir Walter. “An’ she refuse thine urgent entreaty, do thou”--here he thrust his hand into his vest, and drew forth a sealed letter--“then give her this billet, and say, with my humble prayers, and reverend love, I lay it at her feet.” “That will I,” answered Sir Robert, accepting the letter. “Her Highness, if I be advised truly, hath by this time returned to Westminster, and I will seek her ear straightway. I would have had more heart for the business, though, an’ thou hadst not given such offence to my Lord Essex.” “I offended him?” cried Raleigh. “What mean’st thou?” “Hast thou, in plain verity, done him no wrong, then?” inquired Cecil. “This is most strange! But I have thy word for secrecy?” “Without question!” answered Sir Walter. “Then, believe me, worthy Sir Walter,” pursued Cecil, “Essex is thine enemy.” Sir Walter turned pale. “Now, afore God!” he exclaimed, “I have never given his Lordship a shade of cause! I have ever held him in good report, and thought him, above most men, noble, honest, and true.” “Well, he hates thee!” resumed Cecil. “But look cheerful on’t, nevertheless. I will seek her Highness out of hand.” Sir Walter expressed his acknowledgments of his kindness, and, at the same time, revealed his love for the Queen, to whom his mission was addressed, in many flattering and dutiful expressions. Cecil readily caught at these, though seemingly inattentive, as calculated to win him the Queen’s favour, and after a while, having heard Sir Walter out, took his leave, and set forth for the palace. He was really earnest in the interest he professed in Sir Walter’s behalf. He saw now, after a trial, that he would be unable to play upon Essex as he had imagined; and that, in fact, Essex was more likely to play upon _him_. Under these circumstances, he conceived that it would be advisable to attract the Queen’s favour to Raleigh again; and if he could any way compass this, he would be able, in building his own fortune, to counteract the overbearing pride of the one, in the friendly aid of the other. The seeds of dissension which he had sown between them, by reporting them to each other as enemies, would prevent their ever coming to an explanation; and in the division of their interests, he would find means and opportunity to advance himself.