in the eyes of a lady in
the fourteenth century than in the nineteenth. The falsehood she had
told was the same in both cases; or rather, it would weigh more heavily
now than then. But the nature of the deception--that what they would
have termed "a beggarly tradesman's brat" should, by deceiving a lady of
family, have forced herself on terms of comparative equality into the
society of ladies--was horrible in the extreme to their eclectic souls.
Tradesmen, in those days, were barely supposed, by the upper classes, to
have either morals or manners, except an awe of superior people, which
was expected to act as a wholesome barrier against cheating their
aristocratic customers. In point of fact, the aristocratic customers
were cheated much oftener than they supposed, on the one side, and some
of the "beggarly tradesfolk" were men of much higher intellect and
principle than they imagined, on the other. Brains were held to be a
prerogative of gentle blood, extra intelligence in the lower classes
being almost an impertinence. The only exception to this rule lay with
the Church. She was allowed to develop a brain in whom she would. The
sacredness of her tonsure protected the man who wore it, permitting him
to exhibit as much (or as little) of manners, intellect, and morals, as
he might think proper.

Perrote's undressing on that evening was attended with numerous shakes
of the head, and sudden ejaculations of mingled astonishment and horror.

"And that Agatha!" was one of the ejaculations.

Amphillis looked for enlightenment.

"Why, she is full hand in glove with Ricarda. The one can do nought
that the other knows not of. I dare be bound she is helping her to draw
poor Master Norman into her net--for Agatha will have none of him; she's
after Master Matthew."

"Lack-a-day! I never thought nobody was after anybody!" said innocent
Amphillis.

"Keep thy seliness [simplicity], child!" said Perrote, smiling on her.
"Nor, in truth, should I say `poor Master Norman,' for I think he is
little like to be tangled either in Ricarda's web or Agatha's meshes.
If I know him, his eyes be in another quarter--wherein, I would say, he
should have better content. Ah me, the folly of men! and women belike--
I leave not them out; they be oft the more foolish of the twain. The
good God assoil [forgive] us all! Alack, my poor Lady! It doth seem as
if the Lord shut all doors in my face. I thought I was about to win Sir
Godfrey ov