him, and that still lay before the tall window at
the end that looked on to the Tilt-yard. The sun was passing round to the
west now, and shone again across the golden haze of the yard through this
great window, with the fragments of stained glass at the top. The memory
leapt into life even as he stepped out and stood for a moment, dazed in
the sunshine, at the door that opened from the ante-room.

But the figure that turned from the window and faced him was not like
Mary's. It was the figure of an old woman, who looked tall with her
towering head-dress and nodding plume; she was dressed in a great dark
red mantle thrown back on her shoulders, and beneath it was a pale yellow
dress sown all over with queer devices; on the puffed sleeve of the arm
that held the stick was embroidered a great curling snake that shone with
gold thread and jewels in the sunlight, and powdered over the skirt were
representations of human eyes and other devices, embroidered with dark
thread that showed up plainly on the pale ground. So much he saw down one
side of the figure on which the light shone; the rest was to his dazzled
eyes in dark shadow. He went down on his knees at once before this
tremendous figure, seeing the buckled feet that twinkled below the skirt
cut short in front, and remained there.

There was complete silence for a moment, while he felt the Queen looking
at him, and then the voice he remembered, only older and harsher, now
said:

"What is all this, Mr. Norris?"

Anthony looked for a moment and saw the Queen's eyes fixed on him; but he
said nothing, and looked down again.

"Stand up," said the Queen, not unkindly, "and walk with me."

Anthony stood up at once, and heard the stiff rustle of her dress and the
tap of her heels and stick on the polished boards as she came towards
him. Then he turned with her down the long gallery.

Until this moment, ever since he had heard that he was to see the Queen,
he had felt nervous and miserable; but now this had left him, and he felt
at his ease. To be received in this way, in privacy, and to accompany her
up and down the gallery as she took her afternoon exercise was less
embarrassing than the formal interview he had expected. The two walked
the whole length of the gallery without a word, and it was not until they
turned and faced the end that looked on to the Tilt-yard that the Queen
spoke; and her voice was almost tender.

"I understand that you were with Minnie Corbet whe