her. In a moment more they had stopped at the great entrance, and
immediately the ponderous doors were thrown wide by two ugly little
dwarfs in magnificent livery. Out trooped other menials of perhaps
less age and greater dignity, quickly gathering from the equipage the
chests and bags and other articles of less cumbrousness. Mistress
Katherine, with Janet by her side, was so blinded by the glare of
lights and furbished gildings, she saw naught, but followed on up
winding stairs, stepping twice upon each broad step; through corridors
and alcoves and winding halls, and in her ears was the sound of men's
and women's soft laughter, and she breathed the perfume of flowers,
and inhaled as they passed some half-open door, the odour of _paudre
de rose_ and jasmine.

A woman older, less comely than Janet, and having the smirk of a
perfunctory greeting upon her flabby face, stood within the room
assigned to Mistress Katherine. As her eyes fell upon the maid, she
stepped back surprised, and with a confusion she essayed to hide in
her coarse voiced acknowledgment of their presence.

"The child, madam, where's the child? 'is Ludship sent me to take
charge of the hinfant and 'er nurse."

Janet's voice rang like steel as she said,--"Thou canst fondle me to
thy heart's content, but the 'hinfant his' a maiden grown and well
able to look after her own swathings; 'twould better serve thee and us
to get thee below and prepare thine 'hinfant' grown some meat and
wine with etceteras, and plenty of them, for she hath a lusty and
ever-present appetite. But stay, where wilt thou cradle thy babe's
nurse, in this room beyond the closet?" With a superhuman effort, as
it were,--the woman, confident of the importance of her position,
and the forbearance such an one should have in dealing with the less
consequential,--suppressed her choler and raised her eyebrows, and
spoke with the coldness of her betters.

"Thou wilt sleep there for a time, at least until 'is Ludship's guests
'ave gone; the nurseries 'ave been turned into guests' rooms,--'is
Ludship 'as Royalty beneath 'is roof and bade me take the--the child
to the furth'rest room and keep hits squawking 'ushed!" With a
deprecating gesture, she shuffled from the room.

'Twas a great square apartment, with low ceiling, a small hearthstone
and an immense bedstead with tester and outer coverings of flowered
chintz. The light from the two small candles upon the high
mantel-shelf were dimmed b