nothing but gaze at him, lift up
his cuishes to see what was beneath them, touch his sword, and, with
childlike simplicity, peep at her own image reflected in his bright
armour. When Richard was gone away, she said, turning to the ladies,
"Now I see what a fine thing war must be, since armed men look to such
advantage even among ladies." "Look to advantage!" exclaimed Lady Tansi;
"one might take Richard for the sun, come down from Heaven, to walk the
streets in that garb." Every one laughed at the little girl's remark,
and at Lady Tansi's hyperbole; and there lacked not back-biters, who
thought his appearing in arms at the palace was an act of great
impropriety; but others excused him, saying that it was a very natural
and pardonable act of vanity on the part of a gallant young soldier.

Richard was most cordially welcomed by his parents, relations, and
friends, and that night there were general rejoicings in London. On his
return home, he found Isabella's parents already there, and told his
father and mother who they were, but begged they would give no hint of
the matter to Isabella till he should make it known to her himself. His
desire was punctually observed. That night they began with a great
number of boats and barges, and in presence of a multitude of admiring
spectators, to unload the great galleon, but eight days were consumed in
the work before they had disembowelled it of its aromatic and precious
freight. On the following day, Richard went again to the palace, taking
with him Isabella's father and mother, dressed in the English style,
telling them that the queen wished to see them. They found the queen
surrounded by her ladies, with Isabella by her side, wearing, by the
queen's desire, for Richard's special gratification, the same dress in
which she had made her first appearance at court. Isabella's parents
were filled with admiration and astonishment at such a display of
grandeur and gaiety combined. They looked at Isabella, but did not
recognise her, though their hearts, prophetic of the happiness so near
at hand, began to throb, not anxiously, but with an emotion of joy for
which they could not account.

The queen would not allow Richard to kneel before her, but made him rise
and be seated on a chair which was placed for him alone, an unusual
favour, which provoked many envious comments. "It is not on a chair he
sits," said one, "but on the pepper he has brought." "It is a true
saying," remarked another,