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Updated: May 31, 2025
"Now is done thy long day's work; Fold thy palms across thy breast, Fold thine arms, turn to thy rest, Let them rave." Tennyson. The Earl and Countess were away from home, during the whole spring of the next year; but Constance stayed at Langley, and so did Alvena and Maude.
"Then let it wait," decided the Mistress for this was Juana's official title. "Alvena, set the child a-work, and watch that she goeth rightly thereabout. Sybil, sue thou me." The departure of Juana and Sybil, for which Maude was privately rather sorry, set Alvena's tongue again at liberty.
Alvena only laughed, apparently enjoying the child's ignorance; but Sybil said gently, "'Tis satin, little maid." "Is it for our Lady's Grace?" asked Maude. "Ay, when 'tis purfiled," replied Alvena. "Pray you, Mistress Alvena, what is `purfiled?" "Why, maid! Where hast dwelt all thy life? `Purfiled' signifieth guarded with peltry."
"But under your good allowance, Mistress Alvena, what is `peltry'?" "By my Lady Saint Mary! heard one ever the like?" The peltry shall be of the breadth of thine hand, and no lesser; and say unto him that it shall be of the best sort, and none other. Haste, lad! and be back ere my scissors meet." Thurstan disappeared, and Alvena threw herself down on the settle while she waited for her messenger.
Maude lifted her eyes to the height of Alvena, and found that she had to lower them to her own. A young lady of about sixteen entered, dressed in a rose-coloured silk striped with gold, and a gold-coloured mantle lined with the palest blue.
Had we no supper that night! and 'twas a vigil even. "But how dressed you them?" said Maude. Alvena stopped in her fitting and pinning to laugh. "Thou sely maid! The sacristan was my mother's brother." Maude looked up as if she did not see the inference. "I roasted them in the sacristy, child.
When they were gone, Alvena laid down her work and laughed. "Thy Queen of Faery is passing gracious, Maude." "She scarce seemed to matter the lad," was Maude's reply. "Yet she hath sworn to do his bidding all the days of her life," said Alvena. "Nay, she is wedded wife. 'Tis five years or more sithence they were wed. My Lady Custance had years four, and my Lord Le Despenser five.
She set Maude at work, on a long hem, which was not particularly interesting; and herself began to pin some trimming on a tunic of scarlet cloth. "Pray you, Mistress Alvena," asked Maude at length wedging her question in among a quantity of small-talk "hath the Lady Custance brethren or sustren?"
An' thou hadst had need to bear her to her bed, kicking and striving all the way, when she was somewhat lesser than now, thou shouldst be little tempted to count her immortal." "An' it like you, Mistress Alvena " "Marry, Master Thurstan, it liketh me right well to see thee back without the peltry wherefor I sent thee! Where hast loitered, thou knave?"
Maude owned that she possessed a serge one for holidays, upon which Dona Juana, after a minute's hesitation, looked back into the room she had left, and said, "Alvena!" A lively-looking woman, past girlhood in age, but retaining much of the character, answered the call. Alvena departed on her errand, and Maude followed Dona Juana into fairy land.
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