out the middle of March came Annis Holland to pay her farewell visit
to Isoult. She was a quiet, gentle-looking woman, rather short, and
inclining to embonpoint, her hair black, and her eyes dark grey. She
was to start for Spain on the 22nd of the same month, under the escort
of Don Jeronymo, a Spanish gentleman in the household of the Duchess of
Suffolk. The city to which she was bound was Tordesillas, and there
(where the Queen resided) she was to await the orders of the Marquis of
Denia, who was her Majesty's Comptroller. Annis promised to write to
her friend twice every year, while she remained abroad.

A few days after Annis's departure, there was a dinner-party at the
Lamb. The guests were Mr and Mrs Underhill, Mr and Mrs Rose, Thekla,
and Mr Holland.

Mr Underhill brought bad news. The King had fallen ill of small-pox,
and Parliament was likely to be prorogued, since he could no longer be
present at the debates. The idea that the royal presence might overawe
the members, and the consequent absence of the Sovereign from the House
excepting for state ceremonies, are no older than the Restoration. The
Plantagenet and Tudor Kings sat in their Parliaments as a matter of
course.

After dinner, Mr Holland, who was fond of children, set Kate on his
knee, and won her heart by permitting her to chatter as freely as she
pleased. Robin and Thekla crept into a quiet corner by themselves; Mrs
Underhill made Esther her especial companion; and the rest sat round the
fire.

"What think you," said Dr Thorpe to Mr Underhill, "should now hap, if
(which God of His mercy defend!) this sickness of the King were to prove
mortal?"

"How mean you?" Mr Underhill answered, "that the King should or should
not provide his successor?"

"Why," replied Dr Thorpe, "will he shut out his sisters?"

"There are that would right gladly have him to do so."

"Whom aim you at there?"

"My Lord of Northumberland and other," said he.

Dr Thorpe exploded, as was usual with him, at Northumberland's name.

"What, the Duke of Blunderhead?" cried he. "Ay, I reckon he would like
well to be John the Second. Metrusteth the day that setteth the fair
crown of England on that worthless head of his, shall see me safe in
Heaven, or it should go hard with me but I would pluck it thence!"

"I never can make out," answered Mr Underhill, laughing, "how you can be
a Lutheran, and yet such an enemy to my Lord of Northumberland, that is
commonly cou