poises needle and--sews!" The which my lady forthwith
proceeded to do making wondrous pretty play with white hand and
delicate wrist the while.

And when she had sewn in silence for perhaps one half-minute she fell
to converse thus:

"Indeed you look vastly appealing on your knees, sir. Pray have you
knelt to many lovely ladies?"

"Never in my life!" he answered fervently.

"And yet you kneel with infinite grace--'tis quite affecting, how doth
it feel to crouch thus humbly before the sex?"

"Uncommon hard to the knees, madam."

"Indeed I fear you have no soul, sir."

"Ha!" exclaimed the Major, rising hastily, "someone comes, I think!"

Sure enough, in due time, a somewhat languid but herculean footman
appeared, who perceiving the Major, faltered, stared, pulled himself
together and, approaching at speed, bowed in swift and supple humility
and spoke:

"Four gentlemen to see your ladyship!"

"Only four? Their names?"

The large menial expanded large chest and spake with unction:

"The Marquis of Alton, Sir Jasper Denholm, Sir Benjamin Tripp and Mr.
Marchdale."

"Well say I'm out--say I'm engaged--say I wish to be private!"

The large footman blinked, and the Major strove to appear unconscious
that my lady held him tethered by needle and thread.

"Very good, madam! Though, 'umbly craving your ladyship's pardon, my
lady, your aunt wished me to tell you most express----"

"Well, tell her I won't!"

"My lady, I will--immediate!" So saying, the large footman bowed
again, blinked again and bore himself off, blinking as he went.

"And now, Major d'Arcy, if you will condescend to abase yourself we
will continue our sewing lesson."

"But mam----"

"Do--not----"

"Your ladyship's guests----"

"Pooh! to my ladyship's guests! Come, be kneeling, sir, and take heed
you don't break my thread."

"Now I wonder," said the Major, "I wonder what your lackey thinks----"

"He don't, he can't, he never does--except about food or drink or
tobacco--faugh!"

Up started the Major again as from the adjacent yew-walk a faint
screaming arose.

"Good God!" exclaimed the Major. "'Tis a woman!"

"Nay sir, 'tis merely my aunt!"

"But madam--hark to her, she is in distress!"

"Nay sir, she doth but wail--'tis no matter!"

"'Tis desperate sound she makes, madam."

"But extreme ladylike, sir, Aunt Belinda is ever preposterously
feminine and ladylike, sir. Her present woe arises perchance because
she hath en