maid! Where hast dwelt all thy life? `Purfiled' signifieth
guarded with peltry."

"But under your good allowance, Mistress Alvena, what is `peltry'?"

"By my Lady Saint Mary! heard one ever the like?"

"Peltry," quietly explained Sybil, "is the skin of beast with the
dressed fur thereon--such like as minever, and gris [marten], and the
like."

"Thurstan," said Alvena suddenly, turning to a little errand boy [a
fictitious person] who sat on a stool in the window, and whose especial
business it was to do the bidding of the Countess's waiting-women, "Hie
thee down to Adam [a fictitious person] the peltier [furrier. Ladies of
high rank kept a private furrier in the household], and do him to wit
that the Lady would have four ells of peltry of beasts ermines for the
bordure of her gown of blue satin that is in making. The peltry shall
be of the breadth of thine hand, and no lesser; and say unto him that it
shall be of the best sort, and none other. An' he send me up such evil
gear as he did of gris for the cloak of velvet, he may look to see it
back with a fardel [parcel] of flyting lapped [wrapped] therein. Haste,
lad! and be back ere my scissors meet."

Thurstan disappeared, and Alvena threw herself down on the settle while
she waited for her messenger.

"Ay me! I am sore aweary of all this gear--snipping, and sewing, and
fitting. If I would not as lief as forty shillings have done with
broidery and peltry, then the moon is made of green cheese. Is that
strange unto thee, child?"

"Verily, Mistress Alvena, methinks you be aweary of Fairy Land," said
little Maude in surprise.

"Callest this Fairy Land?" laughed Alvena. "If so be, child, I were
fain to dwell a season on middle earth."

"In good sooth, so count I it," answered Maude, allowing her eyes to
rove delightedly among all the marvels of the ante-chamber, "and the
Lady Custance the very Queen of Faery."

"The Lady Custance is made of flesh and blood, trust me. An' thou hadst
had need to bear her to her bed, kicking and striving all the way, when
she was somewhat lesser than now, thou shouldst be little tempted to
count her immortal."

"An' it like you, Mistress Alvena--"

"Marry, Master Thurstan, it liketh me right well to see thee back
without the peltry wherefor I sent thee! Where hast loitered, thou
knave?"

"Master Adam saith he is unfurnished at this time of the peltry you
would have, Mistress, and without fox will serve your turn--"