The Buccaneer - A Tale

Still curiosity, that most busy and feminine sprite, tortured the Lady

Frances with extraordinary perseverance; and, in the end, it suddenly

occurred to her that Barbara might know or conjecture something about

the matter: accordingly, at night, she dismissed her own women, under

some pretext or other, to their chambers, and summoned the pretty

Puritan to wait at her toilet. Poor Barbara was as neat and as docile a

maid as any country gentlewoman could desire; but, as she had never

accompanied her ladies to court, to which, because of Lady Cecil's

illness, they had been rare visiters of late, she felt somewhat nervous

on being called into active duty by so great a personage as the Lady

Frances Cromwell. With trembling hands she unlaced the velvet bodice,

released the tiny feet from their thraldom, set loose the diamond clasps

of the sparkling stomacher; and, after arraying the lady in a wrapping

robe of fringed linen, with point-lace collar, commenced the

disentangling of her raven hair: this was a task that required skill and

patience. Nature had been so bountiful to her own fair mistress, that

her hair needed no art to increase either its quality or quantity: the

simple Barbara consequently stood aghast when a vast portion of the

fabric fell to the ground the moment a little dark band had been

separated from the pretty head of the more courtly maiden. Frances

laughed as the girl's astonished features were reflected in the polished

mirror before which she sat: so evident was her dismay, as she held it

forth, exclaiming, "I did not pull it off, my lady----"

"Ah, wicked wench! so you would rob my head as well as your lady's.

Now, Barbara, tell me truly, what didst do with that same lock I missed

this morning?"

"I, my lady?"

"Yes, you. No one else, I suppose, dresses your lady's hair."

"That may be; but I assure your ladyship I never cut off that curl:--it

is quite wonderful!"

"So it is, as you say, like a very sensible girl, 'quite wonderful;'

but, Barbara, do you think you could find out who did cut it off?"

"Not unless my lady would tell me."

"But is there no way?"

"Only by asking my lady, and that I could not presume to do."

"Nor I either," thought Lady Frances: "but, Barbara, you might

think--or--or--see perhaps----"

"Please you, my lady, I do think a great deal, and the Rev. Mr.

Fleetword said to me only this morning, that I grew in grace as much as

in stature. And, as to seeing, please your ladyship----"