For he knew how much my
uncle trusted me." She gave something like a sob at that, and it
was a moment before she could go on. "My uncle is a hard man, but
he is very shrewd," she said at last. "He has performed many feats
in war, and was a great person at court, and much trusted by Queen
Isabeau in old days. How he came to suspect me I cannot tell; but
it is hard to keep anything from his knowledge; and this morning,
as we came from mass, he took my hand in his, forced it open, and
read my little billet, walking by my side all the while. When he
had finished, he gave it back to me with great politeness. It
contained another request to have the door left open; and this has
been the ruin of us all. My uncle kept me strictly in my room
until evening, and then ordered me to dress myself as you see me -
a hard mockery for a young girl, do you not think so? I suppose,
when he could not prevail with me to tell him the young captain's
name, he must have laid a trap for him: into which, alas! you have
fallen in the anger of God. I looked for much confusion; for how
could I tell whether he was willing to take me for his wife on
these sharp terms? He might have been trifling with me from the
first; or I might have made myself too cheap in his eyes. But
truly I had not looked for such a shameful punishment as this! I
could not think that God would let a girl be so disgraced before a
young man.
Pages:
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354