id Mistress Underdone.

"Bid her hither, good Agatha--if she can come."

"That can she, Lady."

Mistress Underdone left the room, and in another minute the regular tap
of approaching crutches was audible. Clarice imagined their wearer to
be some old woman--perhaps the mother of Mistress Underdone. But as
soon as the door was opened again, she was surprised and touched to
perceive that the sufferer who used them was a girl little older than
herself. She came up to Queen Blanche, who welcomed her with a smile,
and held her hand to the girl's lips to be kissed. This was her only
way of paying homage, for to her courtesying and kneeling were alike
impossible.

Clarice felt intuitively, as she looked into Heliet's face, that here
was a girl entirely different from the rest. She seemed as if Nature
had intended her to be tall, but had stopped and stunted her when only
half grown. Her shoulders were unnaturally high, and one leg was
considerably shorter than the other. Her face was not in any way
beautiful, yet there was a certain mysterious attraction about it.
Something looked out of her eyes which Clarice studied without being
able to define, but which disposed her to keep on looking. They were
dark, pathetic eyes, of the kind with which Clarice had gifted her very
imaginary Countess; but there was something beyond the pathos.

"It looks," thought Clarice, "as if she had gone through the pathos and
the suffering, and had come out on the other side--on the shore of the
Golden Land, where they see what everything meant, and are satisfied."

There was very little time for conversation before the supper-bell rang.
Queen Blanche made kind inquiries concerning Heliet's lameness and
general health, but had not reached any other subject when the sound of
the bell thrilled through the room. The four girls rapidly folded up
their work, as though the summons were welcome. Queen Blanche rose and
departed, with a kindly nod to all, and Heliet, turning to Clarice,
said, "Wilt thou come down with me? I cannot go fast, as thou mayest
see; but thou wilt sit next to me, and I can tell thee anything thou
mayest wish to know."

Clarice thankfully assented, and they went down the spiral staircase
together into the great hall, where three tables were spread. At the
highest and smallest, on the dais, were already seated the Queen and the
Countess, two gentlemen, and two priests. At the head of the second
stood Mistress Underd