t
'noyed [disgusted] her. Then fetched Isabel de la Helde the ray mantle,
with corded ground, of blue, red, and green; and the Queen chid her as
though she had committed one of the seven deadly sins. At the last, in
uttermost wanhope [despair], ran I and brought the ugsomest of all, the
corded olive green with border of grey; and forsooth, that would she
have. Well-a-day, but I was fain when we had her at last arrayed!

When the Queen had left the chamber, Dame Elizabeth cast her on the
nearest bench, and panted like a coursed hare.

"Deary, deary me!" crieth she: "I would I were abed."

"Abed!" crieth Isabel de la Helde. "Abed at five o'clock of a morrow!"

"Ay, or rather, I would I had never gat out. Gramercy, but how
fractious is the Queen! I counted we ne'er should have her donned."

"She never spoke to me so sharp in her life," saith Isabel.

"I tell you, I am fair dog-weary!" quoth Dame Elizabeth.

"Whatever hath took the Queen?" saith Joan de Vilers.

"Foolish childre, all of you!" saith old Dame Tiffany, looking on us
with a smile. "When man is fractious like to this, with every man and
every matter, either he suffereth pain, or else he hath some hidden
anguish or fear that hath nought to do with the matter in hand. 'Tis
not with you that my Lady is wrathful. There is something harrying her
at heart. And she hath not told me."

In hall, during dinner. I cast eyes from time to time on the Queen, and
I could not but think Dame Tiffany spake sooth. She looked fair
haggard, as though some bitter care were eating out her heart. I never
loved her, as I said at the first: but that morn I felt sorry for her.

Sorry for _her_! Ah, I soon knew what sore cause there was to be sorry
to the very soul for some one else!

It was while we were sat at supper that Donald came. I saw him enter
from the high table where I sat, and I knew in an instant that he
brought some fearsome tidings. I lost him in the crowd at the further
end, and then Mereworth, one of the varlets of the King's chamber, came
all in haste up the hall, with a face that had evil news thereon writ:
and Sir John de Ros, that was then Seneschal, saw him, and guessing, as
I think, the manner of word he brought, stepped down from the dais to
meet him. Then, in an other minute, I saw Donald brought up to the King
and to the Queen.

I watched them both. As Donald's news was told, the young King's face
grew ashen pale, and he cried full d