Mistress Penwick

st hasten to tell my mistress of the

onder tide take her

d Janet's eyes fell to the imperative line at the close of her letter whic

's desire must be carr

rther lament went f

autiously opened the inner door and passed to the cell adjoining,

ight a bronze-like amber, the white forehead, the arched brow, the glow of health upon li

ened her eyes. Her whole bod

rsting of a bud! How d

e time, Janet, I drowsed in the chapel and thou didst make me drink bitt

ten, nor why thou wert

wic

u didst n

ights with the candle shaded by thy mother's lan

Janet; I shall be glad when I

, having age and not a hulking servant's body, be content. I hav

lways much tha

hee. Thou art to go to a great house over there and see grand folks with fine airs and modish dress. Wilt be glad to see outside of convent walls? 'Tis nine years since I brought thee here a babe of six, and have nursed thee well to this hour, and thy strength and health and beauty show the care given thee." She suddenly arose and went to the window to hide if possible her agitation; but when she l

child, and now I must divide my

t and lives

thy quick temper to the mould of self-control as a safer parr

Sister Agnes' room, of seeing some of those dreadful pictures of skirts and bandy-legs. They are

thou art to obey his commands, as 'twas not possible for him to direct thee otherwise than good. If at any time he should find thee in fault, be the matter seemingly beneath notice, acknowledge thy wrongness, for he hath a temper and might goad thee to greater blunder. His blood flows hot and fast, and thou must cool and swage it with thy gentle dignity. Inasmuch as thy moneys and estates

bird about to fly forth from its cradle-nest, I have forgotten how the world appears. 'Tis broad and vast; it makes me dizzy to think betwee

fety where he was happy to go from political in

t inscribe som

o be given thee by Lord Cedric upon thy arrival in

ed-faced Scot with petticoats! Hast

a choleric temper by coarse oaths; and 'twas his plaid denoted a gentleman of high rank withal. The long hair that swept his shoulders was as florid as his face, as was also hi

to remain here. Send at once my desires to

elf bedecked in gorgeous hued brocades; be-furbelowed in rare lace and costly furs. And thou wilt have a maid to build thy hair, tie shoulder knots and make smart ribbons and frills, and furbish bijoux and gems. And thou wilt wear perfume

become as far as possible a genuine Anglo-Saxon, and i

gun to whimper and bemoan its awful swell. 'Twill have more evacuating p

sinfulness in doubt and anxiety, inasmuch as such thoughts lash the soul to uneasiness and draw it from celestial contemplations. Think not on it!' neither will I, but

l thing to see the rise and fall of sun and moon, and witness storms that s

u be afra

lations sucked in these nine years from musty walls. 'Twill be sweet to have the wind rap from us the various fungi that comes from sunless cha

her arms and drew a long, deep breath. "'Tw

thy friends adieu before I tuck thee in thy cot as we arise and are off before day-dawn. Let thy farewells be briefly spoken as if thou wert to be gone but a day. 'Twas thy father's wish thou shouldst not grieve at parting with thy companions, or the Sisters or Mother. 'Tis best to leave them the re

uldst put on a ribbon t

p and heavy with all. If I had taken thee so, thou wouldst have wept anyway, perhaps; for 'tis thy nature to have thy own way. 'Twould be a cross to thy father could he see thee now. I doubt not 'twould turn the Scot's bull-scaring face to ashen hues, 'tis possible-" Katherine's soft rippling laugh interrupted her, and at its sound Janet leant and kissed the maid's pink-palmed hands as they lay upon the coverlet, and taking them within her own fondled t

let me up and dress me-ah, it

nce as she passed through, and down the hall to vespers. And when evening prayer was over and Katherine had gone to say adieu, Janet began to pack the chests for their e