"_Ach so_!--Well! den if your lady have daughters young, she may dem set in your care. You shall den have good care dey learn courtesy [Note 3], and gaze not too much from de window, and keep very quiet in de bower [Note 4]. And mind you keep dem--and yourself too--from de mans. Mans is bad!" Amphillis was able to say, with a clear conscience, that she had no hankering after the society of those perilous creatures. "See you," resumed Regina, with some warmth, "dere is one good man in one hundert mans. No more! De man you see, shall he be de hundert man, or one von de nine and ninety? What you tink?" "I think he were more like to be of the ninety and nine," said Amphillis with a little laugh. "But how for the women, Mistress Regina? Be they all good?" Regina shook her head in a very solemn manner. "Dere is bad mans," answered she, "and dey is bad: and dere is bad womans, and dey is badder; and dere is bad angels, and dey is baddest of all. Look you, you make de sharpest vinegar von de sweetest wine. Amphillis, you are good maid, I tink; keep you good! And dat will say, keep you to yourself, and run not after no mans, nor no womans neider. You keep your lady's counsel true and well, but you keep no secrets from her. When any say to you, `Amphillis, you tell not your lady,' you say to yourself, `I want noting to do wid you; I keep to myself, and I have no secrets from my lady.' Dat is _gut_!" "Mistress Regina, wot you who is the lady I am to serve?" "I know noting, no more dan you--no, not de name of de lady you dis evening saw. She came from de Savoy--so much know I, no more." Amphillis knew that goldsmiths were very often the bankers of their customers, and that their houses were a frequent rendezvous for business interviews. It was, therefore, not strange at all that Regina should not be further in the confidence of the lady in question. "Now you shall not tarry no later," said Regina, kissing her. "You serve well your lady, you pray to God, and you keep from de mans. Good-night!" "Your pardon granted, Mistress Regina, but you have not yet told me what I need carry withal." "_Ach so_! My head gather de wool, as you here say. Why, you take with you raiment enough to begin--dat is all. Your lady find you gowns after, and a saddle to ride, and all dat you need. Only de raiment to begin, and de brains in de head--she shall not find you dat. Take wid you as much of dem as you can get. Now run--de dark is _gekommen_." It relieved Amphillis to find that she needed to carry nothing with, her except clothes, brains, and prudence. The first she knew that her uncle would supply; for the second, she could only take all she had; and as to the last, she must do her best to cultivate it.