Dame Elizabeth to me," was all she said, "and thyself bid De
Nantoil alarm the garrison. Well done!"

I count I am not perfect nor a saint, else had I less relished that
second shake of Dame Elizabeth--that was fast asleep--and deliverance of
the Queen's bidding. I stayed me not to hear her mingled contakes and
wayments [reproaches and lamentations], but flew off to the outermost
door, and unbarring the same, spake through the crack that wherewith I
was charged to Oliver de Nantoil, the usher of the Queen's chamber,
which lay that night at her outer door. Then was nought but bustle and
stir, both within and without. The Queen would have up Robin, and
hearkened to his tale while Alice Conan combed her hair, the which she
bade bound up at the readiest, to lose not a moment. In less than an
hour, methinks, she won to horse, and all we behind, and set forth for
York, which was the contrary way to that the Scots were coming. And, ah
me! I rade with Dame Elizabeth, that did nought but grieve over her
lost night's rest, and harry poor me for breaking the same. I asked at
her if she had better loved to be taken of the Scots; since if so, the
Queen's leave accorded, we might have left her behind.

"Scots!" quoth she. "Where be these ghostly [fabulous, figurative]
Scots? I will go bail they be wrapped of their foldings [plaids] fast
asleep on some moor an hundred miles hence. 'Tis but Robin, the clown!
that is so clumst [stupid] with his rashness, that he seeth a Scot full
armed under every bush, and heareth a trumpeter in every corncrake: and
as if that were not enough, he has a sister as ill as himself, that must
take all for gospel as if Friar Robert preached it. Mary love us! but I
quoke when thou gattest hold on me by the shoulders! I count it was a
good hour ere I might sleep again."

"Dear heart, Dame!" cried I, "but it was not two minutes! It is scantly
an hour by now."

"Then that is thy blame, Cicely, routing like a bedel [shouting like a
town-crier], and oncoming [assaulting] folks as thou dost. I marvel
thou canst not be peaceable! I alway am. Canst mind the night that
ever I shaked thee awake and made thee run out of thy warm bed as if a
bear were after thee?"

I trust I kept out of my voice the laughter that was in my throat as I
said, "No, Dame: that cannot I." The self notion of Dame Elizabeth ever
doing thus to any was so exceeding laughable.

"Well! then why canst--Body o' me! what ever