The Buccaneer - A Tale

"Pshaw, child! it is not that I mean. Could you not discover?

Besides--the locket! did you ever see that locket in your lady's

possession till this morning?"

"No, madam."

"Perhaps," continued Frances, blushing and stammering at her curiosity,

"it might be well to ascertain something about both mysteries, for your

lady's good."

"I am sure, my lady, I can't tell; but my mistress is very wise, and if

she wished me to know any thing of such like, would direct me herself.

Shall I put any of this ambergris in your ladyship's hair, or do you

better like the musk-rose?"--How perplexing to the cunning is

straightforward simplicity! "Now," thought Lady Frances, "one of the

court waiting-maids would have comprehended my meaning in a moment; and

this wench, with ten times their zeal and real sense, thinks it

downright wicked to pry into her lady's secrets. I wonder my women have

not taught her the court fashions.--You may go to bed, Barbara; light my

night lamp, and give me a book; I do not feel at all sleepy."

Barbara, with great naïveté, presented to Lady Frances a small Bible

that lay on the dressing-table:--something resembling a smile passed

over the lady's face as she took the volume, but she only observed,

"Give me also that book with the golden clasps; I would fain peruse my

cousin Waller's last hymn.--What an utterly useless thing is that which

is called simplicity!" she said, half aloud, as Barbara closed the door.

"And yet I would sooner trust my life in the hands of that country

damsel, than with the fine ones, who, though arrayed in plain gowns,

flatter corrupt fancies at Whitehall or Hampton!"