me nothing of the kind," I replied, with equal confidence: "they
cannot work tail-foremost; and they have no tails to work with." For I
knew a little about grubs, and the ignorance concerning them, which
we have no right to put up with. However, not to go into that (for the
argument lasted a fortnight; and then was only come so far as to begin
again), Master Ramsack soon convinced me of the things I knew already;
the excellence of Lorna's birth, as well as her lofty place at Court,
and beauty, and wealth, and elegance. But all these only made me sigh,
and wish that I were born to them.

From Master Ramsack I discovered that the nobleman to whose charge Lady
Lorna had been committed, by the Court of Chancery, was Earl Brandir
of Lochawe, her poor mother's uncle. For the Countess of Dugal was
daughter, and only child, of the last Lord Lorne, whose sister had
married Sir Ensor Doone; while he himself had married the sister of
Earl Brandir. This nobleman had a country house near the village of
Kensington; and here his niece dwelled with him, when she was not in
attendance on Her Majesty the Queen, who had taken a liking to her.
Now since the King had begun to attend the celebration of mass, in the
chapel at Whitehall--and not at Westminster Abbey, as our gossips had
averred--he had given order that the doors should be thrown open, so
that all who could make interest to get into the antechamber, might see
this form of worship. Master Ramsack told me that Lorna was there almost
every Sunday; their Majesties being most anxious to have the presence
of all the nobility of the Catholic persuasion, so as to make a goodly
show. And the worthy furrier, having influence with the door-keepers,
kindly obtained admittance for me, one Sunday, into the antechamber.

Here I took care to be in waiting, before the Royal procession entered;
but being unknown, and of no high rank, I was not allowed to stand
forward among the better people, but ordered back into a corner very
dark and dismal; the verger remarking, with a grin, that I could see
over all other heads, and must not set my own so high. Being frightened
to find myself among so many people of great rank and gorgeous apparel,
I blushed at the notice drawn upon me by this uncourteous fellow; and
silently fell back into the corner by the hangings.

You may suppose that my heart beat high, when the King and Queen
appeared, and entered, followed by the Duke of Norfolk, bearing the
sword