, »that they suffer no
provocation short of actual violence to provoke them into quarrel - they have
hot bloods, and I would not give Leicester the advantage over me by any
imprudence of theirs.«
    The Earl of Sussex ran so hastily through these directions, that it was with
difficulty Tressilian at length found opportunity to express his surprise that
he should have proceeded so far in the affair of Sir Hugh Robsart as to lay his
petition at once before the Queen - »It was the opinion of the young lady's
friends,« he said, »that Leicester's sense of justice should be first appealed
to, as the offence had been committed by his officer, and so he had expressly
told to Sussex.«
    »This could have been done without applying to me,« said Sussex, somewhat
haughtily. »I, at least, ought not to have been a counsellor when the object was
a humiliating reference to Leicester; and I am surprised that you, Tressilian, a
man of honour and my friend, would assume such a mean course. If you said so, I
certainly understood you not in a matter which sounded so unlike yourself.«
    »My lord,« said Tressilian, »the course I would prefer, for my own sake, is
that you have adopted; but the friends of this most unhappy lady« -
    »Oh, the friends - the friends,« said Sussex, interrupting him; »they must
let us manage this cause in the way which seems best. This is the time and the
hour to accumulate every charge against Leicester and his household, and yours
the Queen will hold a heavy one. But at all events she hath the complaint before
her.«
    Tressilian could not help suspecting that, in his eagerness to strengthen
himself against his rival, Sussex had purposely adopted the course most likely
to throw odium on Leicester, without considering minutely whether it were the
mode of proceeding most likely to be attended with success. But the step was
irrevocable, and Sussex escaped from farther discussing it by dismissing his
company, with the command, »Let all be in order at eleven o'clock; I must be at
court and in the presence by high noon precisely.«
    While the rival statesmen were thus anxiously preparing for their
approaching meeting in the Queen's presence, even Elizabeth herself was not
without apprehension of what might chance from the collision of two such fiery
spirits, each backed by a strong and numerous body of followers, and dividing
betwixt them, either openly or in secret, the hopes and wishes of most of her
court.
