Penshurst Castle

fox the lamb

ce, the beave

wl, the greater

ud the lowly

avies,

n quickly through the kitchen, where Mistress Forrester

th were dead, and one of the cart-horses had gon

r's temper, and Lucy, who never bore malice, received a sharp an

aunting off with your lover instead o

,' Lucy said, 'but I am sorry they are d

to bed, for I am loc

Mary?' L

thing. Lor'! she was like to swoon with terror when she

avourite seat. A book lay open on her knee, and, when Lucy ca

he is a

ed?' Lucy said.

poured forth. Oh, Lucy, if aught were to befall hi

th the man on the hill path, and wondered whether it

ou, little sister. I am perplexed in mind, and tossed about with doubt. Can you think of me as a merry, light-hearted maiden, donning my smartest gown to go at Lady Mary's bidding to the Park, where great festivities were held in honour of the Queen's vi

d. 'I may really go. Oh,

r encounter with the

. He scared me a little bit, but George Ratcliffe c

, in a low voice of sup

h a cap pulled over his brow. He

convulsively, and her heart throbbed so that Lucy

ay to you, thi

re he met me, that he might look at him. He said he would call a curse down on m

ds clasped and eyes dilated with terror, she s

ver take the child outside the fen

by her sister's ve

ry, do not look like th

re to-night. Go to your bed, child; it is late, and to-morrow-yes, to-morrow is Sunday-I will go down with you to the

ar about her sister, though her pale, terror-struck face, seen in the twilight, and her agonised appeal to her to swea

boon companion of her wicked husband. Ah, me! it would be a d

eyes and sinister smiles, but goodly knights, in glistening armour, riding out against their adversaries, and goodlier and n

hen Mary Gifford, leading her boy by the hand, stood with Lucy under the elm tree by the timber

eiled with tender green, while a sheaf of twigs on the trunk were clothed in emerald, in advance of the elder branches, and ma

m the Park to the church, and this morning their appearance was looked forward to with more than usual interest. Not only was Lady Mary expe

GATE, P

ary had sometimes to make the journey from Wales without him, to see that all things in the house were we

to pass, the throng assembled in the churchyard moved up near the porch, and, as Lady Mary came in si

et face were no lines of the care which marked her mother

homas, who imitated his courteous bearing, and doffed their caps a

o much to say that Philip Sidney was regarded with admiration and respect, seldom equalled, by these simple people in the Kentish

ts, the bell stopped, and the rest of the congregation

g every effort to get rid of what, in their eyes, were useless forms and ceremonies, and in many places in England dissension was rife, and the dread of Popish

never forget the atrocities of that summer night in Paris, when the treachery of the king and his mother resulte

Queen's marriage with the Duke of Anjou, urging the danger to the Prote

he had regained Elizabeth's favour

g week, were to be entertained with grand feasts and games, in which

oughtful face turned towards the nave of the church, had his heart filled with misgivings as to the part he had taken in this matt

days, by enforcing loyalty and devotion to the reigning sovereign as the whole duty of man, Philip, leaning back in his seat, his head thrown back, and that

ing over the book, which his sister Mary had opened, pointing her finger to the first line, he raised his musical voice and

the village people to their homes, the Sidneys towards the gate leading in

n spite of Lucy's entreat

imed in an agony of excitement. 'Were we not bi

iring, and she stood with Ambrose

phrey Ratcliffe was

uld fain speak with Luc

the gateway in the wall, Lucy co

She had pictured to herself that Mr Sidney would himself have led her to his sister

ith a message from the Queen. Mr

wonder?' Hu

urney, belike a change in the colou

at the end of the terrace walk of smooth turf, whic

said. 'She is engaged in talk with Lady Mary,

f the pleasance and chatting gaily with each other, the bright dresses of the ladies, rivalling the colour of

kbirds every now and then sent forth a burst of song, though it was nearly nigh noontide, when the bi

pleasance, was in shadow, and made a background to the gay scene,

by the hand, while Lucy, no less impatient, was hoping every minute that she should receive a message from Lady Pe

of whom Philip spoke as suitable to be one of your waiting-women. Let u

the hall, shall we not bid them sit down at the board? They must needs be weary after the

nister coming towards us. He m

mount the steps to the terrace, and show some

Mary. Mary!' Lucy exclaimed,

ther's hand. 'I thought I was to see Mr Sidney, and that

ceful courtesy which distinguished her brother; and that high-bred manner which, quite apart from anything li

CASTLE, FR

is an inheritance, and cannot be really copied. It is so easy to patronise from a lofty vantage ground, so difficult to make those below it feel that the distance is not thought of as an impassable gulf, but is bridged over by the tru

of the sun, Mary Gifford's restraint and shy

Philip told me of. See, mother, he m

She could not climb the steep, ston

y, and then Thomas shall show him the pictures in

f horses and knights,

are warriors amongst them, doubtless-Jo

ng its loud, sonorous clang, and Lady Mary, taking Ambrose by the hand led him alon

uss the probability of Lucy's being plac

marriage. Yet my brother, when he spoke of you, called you Mistr

ith pleasure, as Lad

ou have yet to g

m; I am ne

I think not. It is the age to gro

,' Lucy said, 'if only to please Mary,

have no mother

epmother. Mary bears her quips and c

and then, addressing a gentlewoman who was standing at the lower end of the long table, she said, 'Mistress Crawle

r up the board with Ambrose; and the Countess of Pembroke, wi

please his palate; and be sure, Master Pearson, that

per end of the hall, and amongst them was Mr

atin grace; and then there was a clatter of trenchers, and the quick passing to

y, at the upper end, Lady Mary had provided the best of viands for the

ng a smile from her brother, who continually referred to her, if on any point he and his friend held different opinions. Indeed, the Countess of Pembroke was not far behind her brother in intellectual gifts. The French and Italian literature, in which he

n which Dante delighted, must have touched an answering chord in the

her with devout admiration, as her lover showed her in her girlish beaut

ng passion for his Stella within the bounds which the laws of honour and chivalry demanded, at whatever cost. No one can read the later stanzas,

love, pure and free from the fetters of earthly passion, Philip Sidney would long with unutterable longing that his love might

f the great hall rose, and left it by the staircase whi

the Countess of Pembroke, turning

Forrester to follow us with

She was hoping for a smile from him, and felt a thrill of disappointment as he put his ar

she was roused from her dream

? Methinks you will need to mend your ma

ess Crawley a look, which, if she had dared,

as waiting for her

ly, hasten, Lucy, Mistr

then. She had many admirers in the neighbourhood bes

e beauty as her servant. She will trample on her an

her called 'a little beauty;' for George's love for her was that of a respectful worshipper at

avour wherever she may go, and she will serve the

augh was the

gs are her slaves. They may sit and stitch tapestry till they are half blind, and stoop over the lace pillow till they grow

ir Fulke Greville, to examine the points of the two fresh steeds he had purchased for the tournament. But he could see nothing of Mr Sidney, and, meeting his brother Hum

y Gifford and Lucy must cross on their homeward way. At least he would have the chance of mounting guard over

out of the gateway leading from the Park, and he was well satisfied to

nd. Humphrey offered to carry the boy, but he resented that as an indignity, and

my son, quicken your pace somewhat, or we shall not be at home for supper. It was a grand treat for

up the same murmured disconte

till his mother's fair face flushed with the exertion of pulling him up the steep hill,

lifting Ambrose, in spite of his stru

dney, if you growl and scold at trifles. Fie, for

hild said, 'and I hate to

ter Humphrey for his patience and for sparing you the cli

d shoulder, and soon forgot his vexation in watching the rapid evolutions of a h

at is the cry of the little

n full swing, not many hundred yards distant, with th

weak is ever the prey of the strong,

er troubled face wi

said they would fain make my boy a page in attendance. Oh

' Humphrey said. 'No one coul

net were spread, if a ruthless hawk pursues

t follow her mean

erstand. What

and speaking cheerfully, 'see how Lucy lags behind, poor child! Methinks her heart misgives her as the parting is now certain. She is to enter on her duties when the Countess go

sk for my guerdon till such time as you may see good to grant it to me, yo

ell you, did I not warn you that so it must be. And now, my little son,' she continued, 'get down from

d, turning into the lane, was hidden from sight for a few moments. It was

unner, and Mary, putting he

im. Don't let him run out o

liffe's long, quick strides to overta

r, child; first you can't walk, and

in the hedge yonder tha

ck man is the stump of that old tree covere

me up now,

se, why did you

child repeated, 'and I wa

ing the boy's hand, held it fa