men, with mounted officers at their head; and
then, forgetting Dame Hilda and every thing else except the startling
news I brought, I rushed back into the nursery, crying out--

"The King's troops! Jack, Kate, the King's troops are coming! Come and
see!"

Dame Hilda was there, but she did not scold me. She turned as white as
the sindon in her hand, and stood up.

"Dame Agnes, what mean you? Surely 'tis never thus! Holy Mary, shield
us!"

And she hurried forth to the oriel window, where Jack was already
perched.

The square had grown larger and plainer now. It was evident they were
marching straight for the Castle.

Dame Hilda hastened away--I guessed, to confer with Master Inge--and
having so done, she came back to the nursery, bade us put aside our
sewing and wash our hands, and come down with her to hall. We all
trooped after, Beatrice led by her hand, and she ranged us afore her in
the great hall, on the dais, standing after our ages,--Kate at the head,
then I, Maud, and Jack. And so we awaited our fate.

I scarce think I was frighted. I knew too little what was likely to
happen, to feel so. That something was going to happen, I had uncertain
fantasy; but our life had been colourless for so long, that the idea of
any thing to happen which would make a change was rather agreeable than
otherwise.

We heard the last loud summons of the trumpet, which in our ignorance we
had mistaken for a hunting-horn, and the trumpeter's cry of "Open to the
King's troops!" We heard the portcullis lifted, and the steady tramp of
the soldiers as they marched into the court-yard. There was a little
parleying outside, and then two officers in the King's livery [Note 1]
came forward into the hall, bowing low to us and Dame Hilda.

The Dame spoke first. "Sir Thomas Gobioun, if I err not?"

"He, and your servant, Dame," answered one of the officers.

"Then I must needs do you to wit, Sir, that in this castle is neither
Lord nor Lady, and I trust our Lord the King wars not with little
children such as you see here."

"Stale news, good Dame!" answered Sir Thomas, with (as methought) a
rather grim smile. "We know something more, I reckon, than you,
touching your Lord and Lady. Sir Roger de Mortimer is o'er seas in
Normandy, and the Lady Joan at Skipton Castle."

"At Southampton, you surely mean?" said Master Inge, who stood at the
other end of the line whereof I made the midmost link.

The knight laughed out. "N