lock, and the door opened;
and thereby entered a tall woman, dark-haired, white-skinned, somewhat
young, and not ill-favoured: Goldilind still lay there, till the
new-comer said to her in a hard voice, wherein was both threatening and
mockery: "Rise up, our Lady! the Dame Elinor saith that it is enough,
and that thou art to go forth. Nay, hold a while; for I say unto thee
that it is yet early in the day, and that thy chamber is not yet dight
for thee, so thou must needs bestow thyself elsewhere till it be done."

Goldilind rose up, and said smiling: "Yea, Aloyse, but thou hast not
brought my raiment: and thou seest!"

The maid stood looking at her a moment somewhat evilly, and then said:
"Well, since it is but scant six o'clock, I may do that; but I bid thee
ask me not overmuch; for meseemeth Dame Elinor is not overwell pleased
with thee to-day, nor our chaplain either."

Therewith she turned and went out, locking the door behind her, and came
back presently bearing on her arm a green gown and other raiment: she
laid them on the stool before the Lady, and said: "Hasten, my Lady, and
let me go to my place: sooth to say, it may well be double trouble to
thee to don thy clothes, for thou mayst have to doff them again before
long."

Goldilind answered nought, but reddened and paled again as she clad her
under the waiting-maid's eyes. Then they went out together, and up a
short stone stair, till they were level with the greensward without.
Then the maid turned to Goldilind and said: "And now thou art clad and
out, my Lady, I wot not where thou art to go to, since to thy chamber
thou must not go. Nay, hold and hearken! here we be at the door which
opens on to the Foresters' Garth under the Foresters' Tower, thither
shalt thou abide till I come to fetch thee. How now, my Lady! what else
wouldst thou?"

Goldilind looked on her with a smile, yet with eagereyes, and said: "O
good Aloyse, wouldst thou but give me a piece of bread? for I hunger;
thou wottest my queenly board hath not been overloaded these last days."

"Ha!" said Aloyse; "if thou ask me overmuch I fear thou mayst pay for
it, my Lady; but this last asking thou shalt have, and then none other
till all thy penance thou hast dreed. Abide!"

Therewith she went up the stairs, and Goldilind, who now was but weak
with her prison and the sudden light, and the hope and fear of her
purpose of bewailing her story, sat her down on the stair there, almost,
as it were, 'tw