"Oh, you seek Mistress Barbara, do you, young man?" and she cast her

eyes over Robin's mis-shapen figure with an expression of contempt that

could not be mistaken; then passed her finger along the braid of hair

that bounded the border of a plain cap, made of the richest lace; pulled

down her stomacher, and apparently waited for the Ranger's reply. Robin

reddened to the eyes, for he could but impatiently brook such personal

scrutiny; and his annoyance increased when he saw that his embarrassment

was noticed by his courtly companion.

"We do not call her mistress here," he said at length; "but I pray you

tell me where she is--I mean the Lady Constantia's attendant, little

Barbara Iverk."

"I know who you mean perfectly well," replied the pert woman in

authority; "we of the court are not thick-headed, as you of the country

may be, so I will explain fully to your----" she tittered rudely and

loudly; but Robin's pride was nettled, and he heeded it not; "to

your----but I wouldn't laugh, if I could help it. Barbara wished to know

how the attendants were dressed when my Lady Mary was married so very

lately to my Lord Fauconberg; and, as we of the court always carry our

wardrobes with us, and the simple girl being my size--she hath a

marvellously fine person for one country-bred--I dressed her as was

fitting in my robes: a white striped silk petticoat, and a white body

made of foreign taffeta, the sleeves looped up with white pearls, no cap

upon her head, but a satin hood just edged with Paris lace. 'Od's

Gemini! young man, if you had but seen her. Then all of a sudden her

lady wanted her to get some flowers, and she had only time to throw on

her cardinal and run for them."

"Then she is in the garden?"

"By the Fairy Ring, I take it; for there the best flowers grow."

Robin did not tarry to thank the court damsel for her information, but

bounded right away to the garden, cursing the rude laugh that again

insulted him.

As he drew near the Ring, he heard a faint shriek. His quick ear knew at

once that it came from the lips of Barbara; and bursting through the

trees, he was in an instant by her side.

It will take many words to describe what had passed in a single moment.

Barbara, dressed as Lady Frances' woman had described, was on her knees

before a slight, sallow youth, who held an unsheathed dagger in one

hand, and spoke in a language that was a mixture of some foreign tongue

and most imperfect English. Barbara, pale and trembling, evidently did

not understand a word the other said, yet knelt with hands and face

upturned, while the boy brandished the weapon, as if in the act of

striking. As his dark eye flashed upon his victim, it caught sight of

the Ranger, who rushed from the thicket to her side. With a piercing

cry, the boy sprang away into an almost impenetrable underwood, that

skirted the portion of the Fairy Ring most distant from the house.

Barbara no sooner saw Robin than she attempted to rise; but she was

unequal to any further exertion, and sank fainting on the grass.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024