o a torrent of
blasphemy. He damned both kinsman and chaplain, and raged at the
impudence of both in daring to approach him, swearing to horsewhip my
lord if they ever met, and to have the chaplain kicked out of the house,
and beyond the park gates themselves. But Mistress Clorinda chose to
make it her whim to take it in better humour, and as a joke with a fine
point to it. She laughed at her father's storming, and while the
chaplain quailed before it with pallid countenance and fairly hang-dog
look, she seemed to find it but a cause for outbursts of merriment.

"Hold thy tongue a bit, Dad," she cried, when he had reached his loudest,
"and let his reverence tell us what his message is. We have not even
heard it."

"Want not to hear it!" shouted Sir Jeoffry. "Dost think I'll stand his
impudence? Not I!"

"What was your message?" demanded the young lady of the chaplain. "You
cannot return without delivering it. Tell it to me. _I_ choose it shall
be told."

The chaplain clutched and fumbled with his hat, pale, and dropping his
eyes upon the floor, for very fear.

"Pluck up thy courage, man," said Clorinda. "I will uphold thee. The
message?"

"Your pardon, Madam--'twas this," the chaplain faltered. "My lord
commanded me to warn your honoured father--that if he did not beg you to
leave off wearing--wearing--"

"Breeches," said Mistress Clorinda, slapping her knee.

The chaplain blushed with modesty, though he was a man of sallow
countenance.

"No gentleman," he went on, going more lamely at each
word--"notwithstanding your great beauty--no gentleman--"

"Would marry me?" the young lady ended for him, with merciful
good-humour.

"For if you--if a young lady be permitted to bear herself in such a
manner as will cause her to be held lightly, she can make no match that
will not be a dishonour to her family--and--and--"

"And may do worse!" quoth Mistress Clo, and laughed until the room rang.

Sir Jeoffry's rage was such as made him like to burst; but she restrained
him when he would have flung his tankard at the chaplain's head, and amid
his storm of curses bundled the poor man out of the room, picking up his
hat which in his hurry and fright he let fall, and thrusting it into his
hand.

"Tell his lordship," she said, laughing still as she spoke the final
words, "that I say he is right--and I will see to it that no disgrace
befalls him."

"Forsooth, Dad," she said, returning, "perhaps the old son