an people. At
last--when Sir Gilbert had yawned a dozen times, and strummed upon the
table about as many, a door at the back of the room was opened, and a
portly, comfortable-looking woman came forward to meet them. Was this
the Countess? thought Clarice, with her heart fluttering. It was
extremely unlike her ideal picture.

"Your servant, Sir Gilbert Le Theyn," said the newcomer, in a cheerful,
kindly voice. "I am Agatha Underdone, Mistress of the Maids unto my
gracious Lady of Cornwall. I bid thee welcome, Clarice--I think that is
thy name?"

Clarice acknowledged her name, with a private comforting conviction that
Mistress Underdone, at least, would be pleasant enough to live with.

"You will wish, without doubt, to go down to hall, where is good company
at this present," pursued the latter, addressing Sir Gilbert. "So, if
it please you to take leave of the maiden--"

Sir Gilbert put two fingers on Clarice's head, as she immediately knelt
before him. For a father to kiss a daughter was a rare thing at that
time, and for the daughter to offer it would have been thought quite
disrespectful, and much too familiar.

"Farewell, Clarice," said he. "Be a good maid, be obedient and meek;
please thy lady; and may God keep thee, and send thee an husband in good
time."

There was nothing more necessary in Sir Gilbert's eyes. Obedience was
the one virtue for Clarice to cultivate, and a husband (quality
immaterial) was sufficient reward for any amount of virtue.

Clarice saw her father depart without any feeling of regret. He was
even a greater stranger to her than her mother. She was a
self-contained, lonely-hearted girl, capable of intense love and
hero-worship, but never having come across one human being who had
attracted those qualities from their nest in her heart.

"Now follow me, Clarice," said Mistress Underdone, "and I will introduce
thee to the maidens, thy fellows, of whom there are four beside thee at
this time."

Clarice followed, silently, up a further spiral staircase, and into a
larger chamber, where four girls were sitting at work.

"Maidens," said Mistress Underdone, "this is your new fellow, Clarice La
Theyn, daughter of Sir Gilbert Le Theyn and Dame Maisenta La Heron.
Stand, each in turn, while I tell her your names."

The nearest of the four, a slight, delicate-looking, fair-haired girl,
rose at once, gathering her work on her arm.

"Olympias Trusbut, youngest daughter of Sir Robert