it home with me and read it with great pleasure. Since that time

he has written many. He was so anxious to speak with me, poor

fellow! and kept asking me to leave the door open some evening that

we might have two words upon the stair. 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

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