he said she wanted to
become accustomed to being seen in her doublet and hose, and would
begin with us. She thought if she could not bear our gaze she would
surely make a dismal failure on shipboard among so many strange men.
There was some good reasoning in this, and it, together with her
vanity, overruled her modesty, and prompted her to come to see us in
her character of young nobleman. Jane made one of her mighty
protests, so infinitely disproportionate in size to her little
ladyship, but the self-willed princess would not listen to her, and
was for coming alone if Jane would not come with her. Once having
determined, as usual with her, she wasted no time about it, but
throwing a long cloak over her shoulders, started for our rooms, with
angry, weeping, protesting Jane at her heels.

When I heard the knock I was sure it was the girls, for though Mary
had promised Brandon she would not, under any circumstances, attempt
another visit, I knew so well her utter inability to combat her
desire, and her reckless disregard of danger where there was a motive
sufficient to furnish the nerve tension, that I was sure she would
come, or try to come, again.

I have spoken before about the quality of bravery. What is it, after
all, and how can we analyze it? Women, we say, are cowardly, but I
have seen a woman take a risk that the bravest man's nerve would turn
on edge against. How is it? Can it be possible that they are braver
than we? That our bravery is of the vaunting kind that telleth of
itself? My answer, made up from a long life of observation, is: "Yes!
Given the motive, and women are the bravest creatures on earth." Yet
how foolishly timid they are at times!

I admitted the girls, and when the door was shut Mary unclasped the
brooch at her throat and the great cloak fell to her heels. Out she
stepped, with a little laugh of delight, clothed in doublet, hose and
confusion, the prettiest picture mortal eyes ever rested on. Her hat,
something on the broad, flat style with a single white plume
encircling the crown, was of purple velvet trimmed in gold braid and
touched here and there with precious stones. Her doublet was of the
same purple velvet as her hat, trimmed in lace and gold braid. Her
short trunks were of heavy black silk slashed by yellow satin, with
hose of lavender silk; and her little shoes were of russet French
leather. Quite a rainbow, you will say--but such a rainbow!

Brandon and I were struck dumb with