s, never was absent from her for a moment when she
went beyond the door of the lesser lodge, which the Earl had erected
for her, with a flat, leaded, and parapeted roof, where she could take
the air, and with only one entrance, where was stationed a "gentleman
porter," with two subordinates, whose business it was to keep a close
watch over every person or thing that went in or out. If she had any
purpose of losing herself in the thickets of fern, or copsewood, in the
park, or holding unperceived conference under shelter of the chase,
these plans were rendered impossible by the pertinacious presence of
one or other of the Talbots, who acted completely up to their name.

Thus it was that the Queen, with Gilbert in close attendance, had found
herself an unseen spectator of the children's performance, which she
watched with the keen enjoyment that sometimes made her forget her
troubles for the moment.

"How got the imps such knowledge?" mused Gilbert Talbot, as he led the
Queen out on the sward which had been the theatre of their mimicry.

"Do _you_ ask that, Sir Gilbert?" said the Queen with emphasis, for
indeed it was his wife who had been the chief retailer of scandal about
Queen Elizabeth, to the not unwilling ears of herself and his mother;
and Antony Babington, as my lady's page, had but used his opportunities.

"They are insolent varlets and deserve the rod," continued Gilbert.

"You are too ready with the rod, you English," returned Mary. "You
flog all that is clever and spirited out of your poor children!"

"That is the question, madam. Have the English been found so deficient
in spirit compared with other nations?"

"Ah! we all know what you English can say for yourselves," returned the
Queen. "See what Master John Coke hath made of the herald's argument
before Dame Renown, in his translation. He hath twisted all the other
way."

"Yea, madam, but the French herald had it all his own way before. So
it was but just we should have our turn."

Here a cry from the other hunters greeted them, and they found Lord
Shrewsbury, some of the ladies, and a number of prickers, looking
anxiously for them.

"Here we are, good my lord," said the Queen, who, when free from
rheumatism, was a most active walker. "We have only been stalking my
sister Queen's court in small, the prettiest and drollest pastime I
have seen for many a long day."

Much had happened in the course of the past years. The intrigues with
Nor