Mistress Mandeville courtesied and said something civil. She was of medium height, with eyes of that sort which seem to have no particular color, a reasonably good skin and features, and she carried herself remarkably well. She passed for a model of prudence, propriety, and all the other good Ps, because she never expressed an opinion of her own, and, indeed, never talked if she could help it. I lived in the house with her six months, and did not know her one bit better at the end of the time than at the beginning. But we never had an unpleasant word, and I really think she liked me as well as she knew how to like any body. We stood behind our lady's chair at the dinner, which was very splendid and well furnished, with guests of great quality. The Duke entertained many gentlemen in his household, and the expenses of the table alone were something fabulous. As I glanced down the long board, I saw at the lower end a face and figure which seemed at once to take me back to childish days at Peckham Hall. The dress was that of a priest, but I could not see the face plainly for a great burly count from the Low Countries who sat above. The glimpse I had, excited me to a lively curiosity, and I longed for another, but when I looked again the priest had left the board. "Now we shall have our dinner," said Mrs. Mandeville, with some appearance of interest. (It was the only subject on which she ever did show any animation.) "I hope they have not eaten up all the sturgeon." I felt for a moment foolishly humiliated at having to sit down to the board after others had finished, but I might have spared myself that mortification, for I found that the ladies and gentlemen attendant directly upon the Duke and Duchess dined in a chamber by themselves, and as well as any one at the great board, if they chose. It was a fast day, and I, who was accustomed to keep the fasts and feasts of the church, was surprised to see the delicacies which were served to us. Mistress Curtis presided at the board and kept order, yet was there abundance of lively conversation among the young gentlemen. Only when it seemed verging upon too much freedom did Mistress Curtis, smilingly, call them to order. There were half a dozen pages of noble, or at least gentle, birth, who were being bred up in the Duke's household, and instructed in all sorts of manly exercises in the tilt-yard and manege, besides what book-learning they got with a master entertained for the purpose. Two or three of these were little lads of an age, as it seemed, to be under their mothers, and it pleased me to see how these children came about Mistress Curtis when the meal was done, and how kindly she spoke to them. One of them had been crying, and, on being questioned, owned that he had been in difficulties with his tutor on account of certain pronouns whereof he could by no means understand the declensions.