water bluer still, the leaves bright-colored, the wind
blowing; only the enshrouding forest, wrapped in haze, seemed as dim,
unreal, and far away as a last year's dream.

The Governor's gilt armchair had been brought from the church, and put
for him upon the bank of turf at the upper end of the green. By his side
sat my Lady Temperance, while the gayly dressed dames and the men who
were to play and to watch were accommodated with stools and settles or
with seats on the green grass. All were dressed in holiday clothes, all
tongues spoke, all eyes laughed; you might have thought there was not a
heavy heart amongst them. Rolfe was there, gravely courteous, quiet
and ready; and by his side, in otterskin mantle, beaded moccasins, and
feathered headdress, the Indian chief, his brother-in-law,--the bravest,
comeliest, and manliest savage with whom I have ever dealt. There, too,
was Master Pory, red and jovial, with an eye to the sack the servants
were bringing from the Governor's house; and the commander, with his
wife; and Master Jeremy Sparrow, fresh from a most moving sermon on the
vanities of this world. Captains, Councilors, and Burgesses aired their
gold lace, and their wit or their lack of it; while a swarm of younger
adventurers, youths of good blood and bad living, come from home for the
weal of England and the woe of Virginia, went here and there through the
crowd like gilded summer flies.

Rolfe and I were to play; he sat on the grass at the feet of Mistress
Jocelyn Percy, making her now and then some courtly speech, and I stood
beside her, my hand on the back of her chair.

The King's ward held court as though she were a king's daughter. In the
brightness of her beauty she sat there, as gracious for the nonce as the
sunshine, and as much of another world. All knew her story, and to the
daring that is in men's hearts her own daring appealed,--and she was
young and very beautiful. Some there had not been my friends, and now
rejoiced in what seemed my inevitable ruin; some whom I had thought my
friends were gone over to the stronger side; many who in secret wished
me well still shook their heads and shrugged their shoulders over what
they were pleased to call my madness; but for her, I was glad to know,
there were only good words. The Governor had left his gilt armchair to
welcome her to the green, and had caused a chair to be set for her near
his own, and here men came and bowed before her as if she had been a
pri