For some hours Amphillis was in serious doubt whether she would not share the fate of her cousin. Perrote pleaded for her, it seemed, in vain; even Mrs Margaret added her gentle entreaties, and was sharply bidden to hold her tongue. But when, on the afternoon of that eventful day, Amphillis went, as was now usual, to mount guard in the Countess's chamber, she was desired, in that lady's customary manner-- "Bid Avena Foljambe come and speak with me." Amphillis hesitated an instant, and her mistress saw it. "Well? Hast an access [a fit of the gout], that thou canst not walk?" "Dame, I cry your Grace mercy. I am at this present ill in favour of my Lady Foljambe, and I scarce know if she will come for my asking." The Countess laughed the curt, bitter laugh which Amphillis had so often heard from her lips. "Tell her she may please herself," she said; "but that if she be not here ere the hour, I'll come to her. I am not yet so sick that I cannot crawl to the further end of the house. She'll not tarry to hear that twice, or I err." Amphillis locked the door behind her, as she was strictly ordered to do whenever she left that room, unless Perrote were there, and finding Lady Foljambe in her private boudoir, tremblingly delivered the more civil half of her message. Lady Foljambe paid no heed to her. "Dame," said poor Amphillis, "I pray you of mercy if I do ill; but her Grace bade me say also that, if you came not to her afore the clock should point the hour, then would she seek you." Lady Foljambe allowed a word to escape her which could only be termed a mild form of swearing--a sin to which women no less than men, and of all classes, were fearfully addicted in the Middle Ages--and, without another look at Amphillis, stalked upstairs, and let herself with her own key into the Countess's chamber. The Countess sat in her large chair of carved walnut, made easy by being lined with large, soft cushions. There were no easy chairs of any other kind. She was in her favourite place, near the window. "Well, Avena, good morrow! Didst have half my message, or the whole?" "I am here, Dame, to take your Grace's orders." "I see, it wanted the whole. `To take my Grace's orders!' Soothly, thou art pleasant. Well, take them, then. My Grace would like a couch prepared on yonder lawn, and were I but well enough, a ride on horseback; but I misdoubt rides be over for me. Go to: what is this I hear touching the child Amphillis?--as though thou wentest about to be rid of her." "Dame, I have thought thereupon." "What for? Now, Avena, I will know. Thou dost but lose thy pains to fence with me." In answer, Lady Foljambe told the story, with a good deal of angry comment. The Countess was much amused, a fact which did not help to calm the narrator. "_Ha, jolife_!" said she, "but I would fain have been in thy bower when the matter came forth! Howbeit, I lack further expounding thereanentis. Whereof is Phyllis guilty?"