w shouldst thou like to go forth to serve a lady?"

A bright colour flushed into the pale cheeks.

"I, Uncle?" she said.

"A lady!" cried Alexandra in a much shriller voice, the word which had
struck her father's ear so lightly being at once noted by her. "Said
you a _lady_, Father? What lady, I pray you?"

"That cannot I say, daughter. Phyllis, thou art to wait on a certain
gentlewoman, at Master Goldsmith's, as next Thursday in the even, that
shall judge if thou shouldst be meet for the place. Don thee in thy
best raiment, and mind thy manners."

"May I go withal, Father?" cried Alexandra.

"There was nought said about thee. Wouldst thou fain be put forth? I
never thought of no such a thing. Maybe it had been better that I had
spoken for you, my maids."

"I would not go forth to serve a city wife, or such mean gear," said
Alexandra, contemptuously. "But in a lady's household I am well assured
I should become the place better than Phyllis. Why, she has not a word
to say for herself,--a poor weak creature that should never--"

"Hush, daughter! Taunt not thy cousin. If she be a good maid and
discreet, she shall be better than fair and foolish."

"Gramercy! cannot a maid be fair and discreet belike?"

"Soothly so. 'Tis pity she is not oftener."

"But may we not go withal, Father?" said Ricarda.

"Belike ye may, my maid. Bear in mind the gentlewoman looks to see
Amphillis, not you, and make sure that she wist which is she. Then I
see not wherefore ye may not go."

Any one who had lived in Mr Altham's house from that day till the
Thursday following would certainly have thought that Alexandra, not
Amphillis, was the girl chosen to go. The former made far more fuss
about it, and she was at the same time preparing a new mantle wherein to
attend the tournament, of which Amphillis was summoned to do all the
plain and uninteresting parts. The result of this preoccupation would
have been very stale pastry on the counter, if her father had not seen
to that item for himself. Ricarda was less excited and egotistical, yet
she talked more than Amphillis.

The Thursday evening came, and the three girls, dressed in their best
clothes, took their way to the Dolphin. The Court goldsmith was a more
select individual than Mr Altham, and did not serve in his own shop,
unless summoned to a customer of rank. The young men who were there had
evidently been prepared for the girls' coming, and showed them upstair