"_Ha, chetife_! I am sadly in fear that my sweetest damsel does not like our Suffolk cheese?" said Levina in a most doleful tone. "Is it manufactured in this county?" asked Belasez very coolly; for, in 1234, all soaps were of foreign importation. "I thought it tasted more like the French make." Levina vanished down the stairs, but her suppressed laughter was quite audible. She came up again with two more plates, and informed Belasez that they constituted the last course. One of them was filled with chicken-bones, picked exceedingly clean: the other with a piece of sweet cake, over which had been poured some very hot saline compound which by no means harmonised with the cake, but set Belasez's throat on fire. She managed, however, to eat it, thinking that she would get little food of any kind if she did not: and Levina departed with the plates, remarking that it had done her good to see the excellent meal which Belasez had made. It was a relief to the girl to be left alone: for solitude had no terrors for her, and Levina was certainly not an enjoyable companion. After half-an-hour's quiet, Margaret and Eva entered the ante-chamber. "Hast thou dined, Belasez?" asked Margaret, kindly. "I thank my damsel, yes." "Did Levina bring thee such dishes as thou mightest eat?" "According to our law? Oh yes." It was rather a relief to Belasez that the question took that form. "Then that is all right," said Margaret, innocently, and passed on into her own room. The Countess's step was heard approaching, but just before entering she stopped at the head of the stairs. "Thou hast given the girl her dinner, Levina?" "Oh yes, my Lady!" "What had she?" "I brought her apple-pie, if it please my Lady, and cheese, and gateau de Dijon, and ham, and--a few other little things: but she would not touch the ham, and scarcely the cheese." "Thou hast forgotten, Levina: I told thee no meat of any kind, nor fish; and I believe no Jew will touch ham. I did not know they objected to cheese. But had she enough? Apple-pie and gateau de Dijon make but a poor dinner." And without questioning Levina further, the Countess went on and addressed Belasez direct. "My maid, hast thou fared well? I fear Levina did not bring thee proper things." Belasez hesitated. She was very unwilling to say no: and how could she in conscience say yes? "They were according to our law, I thank my Lady,--all but the ham. That, under her gracious leave, I must decline." "But thou didst not take the cheese?" "No,--with my Lady's leave." "Was it not in accordance with thy law, or didst thou not like it?" "If my Lady will pardon me," said poor Belasez, driven into a corner, "I did not like it." "What kind was it?" "Levina said it was Suffolk cheese." Belasez's conscience rather smote her in giving this answer. "Ah!" responded the unconscious Countess, "it is often hard, and everybody does not like it, I know."