"I beg your pardon," said the child. She was but a child, and her brave heart was failing her. Derette was very near tears. "I did not mean any harm. Somebody had given up having a new gown--and she wanted it very much--to let somebody else have the money; and I thought, if I could beg one for her--but I did not mean to be rude. Please let me go home." "Thou shalt go home, little one," answered the lady; "but wait a moment. Does any one know the child?" Nobody knew her. "Stephen the Watchdog knows me," said Derette, drawing a long breath. "He is my cousin. So is Osbert the porter." The lady put her arm round Derette. "What sort of a gown wouldst thou have, my child?" Derette's eyes lighted up. Was she really to succeed after all? "A nice one, please," she said, simply, making every one smile except Hagena, who was still too angry for amusement. "Not smart nor grand, you know, but warm and soft. Something woollen, I suppose, it should be." The lady addressed herself to Hagena. "Have I any good woollen robe by the walls?" When a dress was done with, if the materials were worth using for something else, it was taken to pieces; if not, it was hung up "by the walls," ready to give away when needed. Hagena had some difficulty in answering properly. "No, Lady; the last was given to Veka, a fortnight since." "Then," was the quiet answer, which surprised all present, "it must be one of those I am wearing. Let Cumina and Dora bring such as I have." Derette looked up into the face of her new friend. "Please, are you the Lady Countess?" "Well, I suppose I am," replied the Countess with a smile. "Now, little maid, choose which thou wilt." Seven woollen gowns were displayed before the Countess and Derette, all nearly new--blue, green, scarlet, tawny, crimson, chocolate, and cream-colour. Derette looked up again to the Countess's face. "Nay, why dost thou look at me? Take thine own choice." The Countess was curious to see what the child's selection would be. "I looked to see which you liked best," said Derette, "because I wouldn't like to choose that." "True courtesy here!" remarked the Countess. "It is nothing to me, my child. Which dost thou like?" "I like that one," said Derette, touching the crimson, which was a rich, soft, dark shade of the colour, "and I think Agnes would too; but I don't want to take the best, and I am not sure which it is." "Fold it up," said the Countess to Cumina, with a smile to Derette; "let it be well lapped in a kerchief; and bid Wandregisil go to the Osney Gate, so that Stephen can take the child home." The parcel was folded up, the Countess's hand kissed with heartfelt thanks, and the delighted Derette, under the care of Cumina, returned to the Osney Gate with her load. "Well, you are a child!" exclaimed Stephen. "So Cumina has really found you a gown? I thought she would, if she had one to give away." "No," said Derette, "it is the Countess's gown."