originally invented.

Levina did not put her unparalleled wrongs into words. It would have
been easier for Belasez to get on with her if she had done so. She held
her head up, and snorted like an impatient horse, as she stalked through
the door into the ante-chamber.

"This is where thou art to be," she snapped in a staccato tone.

Any amount of personal slight and scorn was merely what Belasez had been
accustomed to receive from Christians ever since she had left her
cradle. The disdain of Levina, therefore, though she could hardly enjoy
it, made far less impression on her than the unaccountable kindliness of
the royal ladies.

"The Lady bade me ask what thou wouldst eat?" demanded Levina in the
same tone as before.

"I thank thee. Any thing that has not had life."

"What's that for?" came in shorter snaps than ever.

"It would not be _kosher_."

"Speak sense! What does the vermin mean?"

"I mean, it would not be killed according to our law."

"Suppose it wasn't I--what then?"

"Then I must not eat it."

"Stupid, silly, ridiculous stuff! May I be put in a pie, if I know what
the Lady was thinking about, when she brought in such road-dirt as this!
And my damsel sets herself above us all, forsooth! She must have her
meat served according to some law that nobody ever heard of, least of
all the Lord King's noble Council: and she must have a table set for her
all by herself, as though she were a sick queen. Pray you, my noble
Countess, would you eat in gold or silver?--and how many varlets shall
serve to carry your dainty meat?--and is your sweet Grace served upon
the knee, or no? I would fain have things done as may pleasure my right
noble Lady."

Belasez answered as she usually disposed of similar affronts,--by
treating them as if they were offered in genuine courtesy, but with a
faint ring of satire beneath her tone.

"I thank you. I should prefer wood, or pewter if it please you: and I
should think one varlet might answer. I was never served upon the knee
yet, and it will scarcely be necessary now."

Levina gave a second and stronger snort, and disappeared down the
stairs. In a few minutes she made her reappearance, carrying in one
hand a plate of broiled ham, and in the other a piece of extremely dry
and rather mouldy bread.

"Here is my gracious damsel's first course! Fulk le Especer was so good
as to tell me that folks of her sort are mighty fond of ham; so I took
great care to bri