frisksome colt "Slumber," or
christen a spring brook "Quiet." Patience, quotha! 'Twas patience in
truth a body had need of, who was thrown at all with her little
ladyship. But there was ne'er so beautiful a maiden born in all the
broad land of England; nor will be again--not though London Tower be
standing when the last trump sounds. Meseemed she was an elf-sprite, so
tiny was she; and her face like a fair flower, so fresh and pure. Her
hair was shed about her face like sunlight on thistle-down, and her eyes
made a shining behind it, like the big blue gems in her mother's
jewel-box. When she laughed, it was as water falling into water from a
short height, with ripples, and little murmurs, and a clear tinkling
sound. But she was ne'er more at rest than the leaves on an aspen-tree.
Hither and thither would she flit, this way and that, up and down, round
and round, backward and forward, about and about. I' faith, ofttimes
would I be right dizzy come nightfall, with following of her; for ere I
had been at the castle a day, she took so mighty a fancy to me, that
naught would do but she must have me for her maid; and so my lady, who
(God pardon my boldness!) did utterly spoil her in all things, gave me
unto her as a nurse-maid.--But sure ye are a-weary o' this old tale!

_Lady Dorothy and Lord Humphrey in a breath._--Nay, go on, go on.

_Nurse Crumpet._--Well, well, o' all the story-loving bairns! But I must
invent me a new history for the next time o' telling.

_Lord Humphrey._--Nay, that thou shalt not. We will ne'er like any as
well as we like this one. So despatch.

_Nurse Crumpet._--But my lady had also an adopted daughter, a niece o'
my lord's--one Mistress Marian Every--and she walked beside the little
Lady Patience as night might walk beside day, for she was as brown o'
skin as a mountain stream, and her hair like a cloud at even-tide, dark,
but of no certain color, albeit as soft as ravelled silk, and marvellous
hard to comb on account o' its fineness. Mistress Marian was full head
and shoulders taller than her cousin, the Lady Patience, and she could
lift her aloft in her arms, and swing her from side to side, as a supple
bough swings a bird. And her eyes were dark, and cool to gaze into, like
a pool o' clear water o'er autumn leaves, and sometimes there were
glints o' light in them, like the spikes i' th' evening-star when thou
dost gaze steadily upon it. Black and white were not more different than
were they,