"Then the sooner thou callest them to order, the better. She must needs be an idle jade that wits not whereof she thinketh." "Well, if you must needs know, Aunt Rachel," said Blanche, laughing again, and just a trifle saucily, "I thought about--being wed." "Fie for shame!" was the prompt comment on this confession. "What hast thou to do withal, till thy father and mother bid thee?" "Why, that is even what I thought, Aunt Rachel," said Blanche coolly, "and I would I had more to do withal. I would fain choose mine own servant." [Suitor.] "Thou!--Poor babe!" was the contemptuous rejoinder. "Well, Aunt Rachel, you wot a woman must be wed." "That's a man's notion!" said Rachel in her severest manner. "Blanche, I do marvel greatly that thou hast not more womanfulness than so. A woman must be wed, quotha! Who saith it? Some selfish man, I warrant, that thought women were create into the world for none other cause but to be his serving-maids!" "I am sure I know not wherefore we were create," muttered Blanche, loud enough for her sisters to hear but not her Aunt. Rachel stopped her carding. She saw a first-rate opening for a lecture, and on her own special pet topic. "Maidens, I would fain have you all list me heedfully. Prithee, take not up, none of you, with men's notions. To wit, that a woman must needs be wed, and that otherwise she is but half a woman, and the like foolery. Nay, verily; for when she is wed she is no more at all a woman, but only the half of a man, and is shorn of all her glory. Wit ye all what marriage truly meaneth? It is to be a slave, and serve a man at his beck, all the days of thy life. A maid is her own queen, and may do as it like her--" "Would I might!" said Blanche under her breath. "But a wife must needs search out her lord's pleasure." "Or make him search out hers," boldly interposed Blanche. "Child, lay thou down forthwith that foolish fantasy," returned Rachel with great solemnity. "So long time as that thing man is not sure of thee, he is the meekest mannered beast under the sun. He will promise thee all thy desire whatsoever. But once give leave unto thy finger to be rounded by that golden ring the which he holdeth out to thee, and where be all his promises? Marry, thou mayest whistle for them,--ay, and weep." Rachel surely had no intention of bringing her lecture to a close so early; but at this point it was unfortunately--or, as Blanche thought, fortunately--interrupted. A girl of nineteen came noiselessly into the room, carrying a small basket of early cherries. She made no attempt to announce herself; she was too much at home at Enville Court to stand on ceremony. Coming up to Rachel, she stooped down and kissed her, setting the basket on a small table by her side. "Ah, Lysken Barnevelt! Thou art welcome. What hast brought yonder, child?" "Only cherries, Mistress Rachel:--our early white-hearts, which my Lady loveth, and Aunt Thekla sent me hither with the first ripe."