Audrey

There had been ordered for her a hood of golden tissue, with wide and long

streamers to be tied beneath the chin, and she was come to try it on.

Mistress Stagg had it all but ready,--there was only the least bit of

stitchery; would Mistress Evelyn condescend to wait a very few minutes?

She placed a chair, and the lady sank into it, finding the quiet of the

shadowed room pleasant enough after the sunlight and talkativeness of the

world without. Mistress Stagg, in her role of milliner, took the gauzy

trifle, called by courtesy a hood, to the farthest window, and fell

busily to work.

It seemed to grow more and more quiet in the room: the shadow of the

leaves lay still upon the floor; the drowsy humming of the bees outside

the windows, the sound of locusts in the trees, the distant noises of the

town,--all grew more remote, then suddenly appeared to cease.

Audrey raised her eyes, and met the eyes of Evelyn. She knew that they had

been upon her for a long time, in the quiet of the room. She had sat

breathless, her head bowed over her work that lay idly in her lap, but at

last she must look. The two gazed at each other with a sorrowful

steadfastness; in the largeness of their several natures there was no room

for self-consciousness; it was the soul of each that gazed. But in the

mists of earthly ignorance they could not read what was written, and they

erred in their guessing. Audrey went not far wide. This was the princess,

and, out of the fullness of a heart that ached with loss, she could have

knelt and kissed the hem of her robe, and wished her long and happy life.

There was no bitterness in her heart; she never dreamed that she had

wronged the princess. But Evelyn thought: "This is the girl they talk

about. God knows, if he had loved worthily, I might not so much have

minded!"

From the garden came a burst of laughter and high voices. Mistress Stagg

started up. "'Tis our people, Mistress Evelyn, coming from the playhouse.

We lodge them in the house by the bowling green, but after rehearsals

they're apt to stop here. I'll send them packing. The hood is finished.

Audrey will set it upon your head, ma'am, while I am gone. Here, child!

Mind you don't crush it." She gave the hood into Audrey's hands, and

hurried from the room.

Evelyn sat motionless, her silken draperies flowing around her, one white

arm bent, the soft curve of her cheek resting upon ringed fingers. Her

eyes yet dwelt upon Audrey, standing as motionless, the mist of gauze and

lace in her hands. "Do not trouble yourself," she said, in her low, clear

voice. "I will wait until Mistress Stagg returns."