After Robin's departure, Isoult waited on the Duchess, whom she found sitting in a cedar chamber, the casement looking on the river and the terrace above it. As the friends sat and talked in came a small white dog, wagging its tail, but with very dirty paws. "Get out, Doctor Gardiner!" cried her Grace, rising hastily, as the soiled paws endeavoured to jump upon her velvet dress. "I cannot abide such unclean paws. Go get you washed ere you come into my chamber!-- Bertie!" Mr Bertie came in from the antechamber at her Grace's call; and smiling when he saw what she wanted, he lifted the dog and set it outside. "Have Dr Gardiner washed, prithee!" said the Duchess. "I love a clean dog, but I cannot abide a foul one." Isoult could not help laughing when she heard her Grace call her dog by Bishop Gardiner's name. "He is easier cleansed than his namesake," she resumed, shaking her head. "If my Lord of Winchester win again into power, I count I shall come ill off. As thou wist, Isoult, I have a wit that doth at times outrun my discretion; and when I was last in London, passing by the Tower, I did see Master Doctor Gardiner a-looking from, a little window. And `Good morrow, my Lord!' quoth I, in more haste than wisdom; `'tis merry with the lambs, now the wolves be kept close!' I count he will not forgive me therefor in sharp haste." Mr Bertie smiled and shook his head. "Now, Bertie, leave thine head still!" said her Grace. "I know what thou wouldst say as well as if I had it set in print. I am all indiscreetness, and thou all prudence. He that should bray our souls together in a mortar should make an excellent wit of both." "Your Grace is too flattering, methinks," said Mr Bertie, still smiling. "Am I so, verily?" answered she. "Isoult, what thinkest thou? 'Twas not I that gave the dog his name; it was Bertie here (who should be 'shamed of his deed, and is not so at all) and I did but take up the name after him. And this last summer what thinkest yon silly maid Lucrece did? (one of the Duchess's waiting-women, a fictitious person). Why, she set to work and made a rochet in little, and set it on the dog's back. Heardst thou ever the like? And there was he, a-running about the house with his rochet on him, and all trailing in the mire. I know not whether Annis were wholly free of some knowledge thereof--nor Bertie neither. He said he knew not; I marvel whether he spake truth!" "That did I, an't like your Grace," replied Mr Bertie, laughing. "I saw not the rochet, neither knew of it, afore yourself." "Well, I count I must e'en crede thee!" said she.