rare hand at the cooking, that will I say. She might have
made patties all her life. She catches up everything afore you can say
`Jack Robinson.' She says it's by reason she's a Dutchwoman [Note 2].
Rubbish! as if a lot of nasty foreigners could do aught better, or half
as well, as English folks!"

"Be all foreigners nasty?" asked Amphillis, thinking of her mistress.

"Of course they be! Phyllis, what's come o'er thee?"

"I knew not anything had."

"Lack-a-day! thou art tenfold as covenable and deliver [Note 3] as thou
wert wont to be. Derbyshire hath brightened up thy wits."

Amphillis smiled. Privately, she thought that if her wits were
brightened, it was mainly by being let alone and allowed to develop free
of perpetual repression.

"I have done nought to bring the same about, Ricarda. But must I
conceive that Master Winkfield's diseaseful life, then, is in thine
eyes, or in his own?"

"He reckons himself the blissfullest man under the sun," said Ricarda,
as they rose from the table: "and he dare not say his soul is his own;
not for no price man should pay him."

Amphillis privately thought the bliss of a curious kind.

"Phyllis!" said her cousin, suddenly, "hast learned to hold thy tongue?"

"I count I am metely well learned therein, Rica."

"Well, mind thou, not for nothing of no sort to let on to my Lady that
Father is a patty-maker. I were put forth of the door with no more ado,
should it come to her ear that I am not of gentle blood like thee."

"Ricarda! Is my Lady, then, deceived thereon?"

"'Sh--'sh! She thinks I am a Neville, and thy cousin of the father's
side. Thee hold thy peace, and all shall be well."

"But, Rica! that were to tell a lie."

"Never a bit of it! Man can't tell a lie by holding his peace."

"Nay, I am not so sure thereof as I would like. This I know, he may
speak one by his life no lesser than his words."

"Amphillis, if thou blurt out this to my Lady, I'll hate thee for ever
and ever, Amen!" said Ricarda.

"I must meditate thereon," was her cousin's answer. "Soothly, I would
not by my good will do thee an ill turn, Rica; and if it may stand with
my conscience to be silent, thou hast nought to fear. Yet if my Lady
ask me aught touching thee, that may not be thus answered, I must speak
truth, and no lie."

"A murrain take thy conscience! Canst not say a two-three times the
Rosary of our Lady to ease it?"

"Maybe," said Amphillis, drily, "our Lady hath