Note 3. King Henry was given to allusions of this class, to the revered memory of his excellent father. Note 4. "Oh, delightful!" The modern schoolboy's "How jolly" is really a corruption of this. The companion regret was "Ha, chetife!"--("Oh, miserable!") Note 5. The wimple covered the neck, and was worn chiefly out of doors. Ladies from a queen to a countess wore it coming over the chin; women of less rank, beneath. Note 6. Tight-lacing dates from about the twelfth century. Note 7. A short cloak, worn by both sexes, ornamented with buttons. CHAPTER THREE. BELASEZ. "And, born of Thee, she may not always take Earth's accents for the oracles of God." _Felicia Hemans_. The last word had scarcely left the pedlar's lips, when the door of the ante-chamber was flung open, and a boy of Margaret's age burst into the room. He was fair-haired and bright-faced, with a slender, elegant figure, and all his motions were very agile. Beginning with--"I say, Magot!"--he stopped suddenly both tongue and feet as he caught sight of the Countess. "Well, Sir Richard?" suggested that lady. "I cry you mercy, Lady. I did not know you were here." "And if you had done--what then?" "Why, then," answered Richard, laughing but colouring, "I suppose I ought to have come in more quietly." "Ah! Did you ever read with Father Nicholas about an old man who said that the Athenians knew what was right, but the Lacedemonians did it?" "Your pardon, Lady! I always forget what I read with Father Nicholas." "I should suppose so. I am afraid there is Athenian blood in your veins, Sir Richard!" "Lady, if it stand with your pleasure, there is none but true Christian blood in my veins!" was the proud reply. "_Pure foy_! If you are so proud of your blood, I fear you will disdain to do what I was about to bid you." "I shall never disdain to execute the commands of a fair lady." "My word, Sir Richard, but you are growing a courtly knight! You see that Jew boy has left his cap behind. As there are none here but damsels, I was thinking I would ask you to call him back to fetch it." "He shall have it--a Jew boy! I'll take the tongs, then!" The next minute Delecresse, who was just turning back to fetch the forgotten cap, heard a boyish voice calling to him out of a window, and looking up, saw his cap held out in the tongs. "Here, thou cur of a Jew! What dost thou mean, to leave thy heathen stuff in the chamber of a noble damsel?" And the cap was dropped into the courtyard, with such good aim that it first hit Delecresse on the head, and then lodged itself in the midst of a puddle. Delecresse, without uttering a word, yet flushing red even through his dark complexion, deliberately stooped, recovered his wet cap, and placed it on his head, pressing it firmly down as if he wished to impart the moisture to his hair. Then he turned and looked fixedly at Richard, who was watching him with an amused face.