ace of gold, came up through
the lofty folding-doors to their places in the hall.

There, where the Usher of the Black Rod stood, and the gentlemen of the
chamber came and went with golden chains about their necks, was bowing
and scraping without stint, and reverent civility; for men that were
wise and noble were passing by, men that were handsome and brave; and
ladies sweet as a summer day, and as fair to see as spring, laughed by
their sides and chatted behind their fans, or daintily nibbled comfits,
lacking anything to say.

The windows were all curtained in, making a night-time in midday; and
from the walls and galleries flaring links and great bouquets of candles
threw an eddying flood of yellow light across the stirring scene. From
clump to clump of banner-staves and burnished arms, spiked above the
wainscot, garlands of red-berried holly, spruce, and mistletoe were
twined across the tapestry, till all the room was bound about with a
chain of living green.

There were sweet odors floating through the air, and hazy threads of
fragrant smoke from perfumes burning in rich braziers; and under foot
was the crisp, clean rustle of new rushes.

From time to time, above the hum of voices, came the sound of music from
a room beyond--cornets and flutes, fifes, lutes, and harps, with an
organ exquisitely played, and voices singing to it; and from behind the
players' curtain, swaying slowly on its rings at the back of the stage,
came a murmur of whispering childish voices, now high in eager
questioning, now low, rehearsing some doubtful fragment of a song.

Behind the curtain it was dark--not total darkness, but twilight; for a
dull glow came down overhead from the lights in the hall without, and
faint yellow bars went up and down the dusk from crevices in the screen.
The boys stood here and there in nervous groups. Now and then a sharp
complaint was heard from the tire-woman when an impatient lad would not
stand still to be dressed.

Master Gyles went to and fro, twisting the manuscript of the Revel in
his hands, or pausing kindly to pat some faltering lad upon the back.
Nick and Colley were peeping by turns through a hole in the screen at
the throng in the audience-chamber.

They could see a confusion of fans, jewels, and faces, and now and again
could hear a burst of subdued laughter over the steadily increasing buzz
of voices. Then from the gallery above, all at once there came a murmur
of instruments tuning togeth