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Updated: May 6, 2025
The Countess's step was heard approaching, but just before entering she stopped at the head of the stairs. "Thou hast given the girl her dinner, Levina?" "Oh yes, my Lady!" "What had she?" "I brought her apple-pie, if it please my Lady, and cheese, and gateau de Dijon, and ham, and a few other little things: but she would not touch the ham, and scarcely the cheese."
What wonder, when she has not confessed for over a fortnight? Get her well shriven, and you will see she will be another maiden." "She sighs, indeed, my Lady; and I do not think she sleeps well," said Levina, who was the third authority. "It strikes me, under my Lady's pleasure, that she would be the better for a change." This meant, that Levina was tired of Bury Saint Edmund's.
The old Jew, helped by Delecresse, repacked his wares with such care as their delicacy and costliness required, and the Countess desired Levina to summon the varlets to bear the heavy burden down to the gate. "Peace wait on my Lady!" said the pedlar, bowing low as he took leave. "If it please the Holy One, my Belasez shall be here at my Lady's command before a week is over."
Now that the momentary excitement of her arrival and reception was over, the light had died out of the languid eyes, and her head drooped as if she could scarcely hold it up. "Go to bed," said Margaret; "that is the best place for over-tired people. Levina! My Lady and mother wills thee to bring the maid some food." Levina appeared at the door, with an expression of undisguised annoyance.
"Would my Lady suffer her servant to see the scarf she wishes to have imitated?" "Fetch it, Levina," said the Countess; "thou knowest which I mean." Levina brought it, and the pedlar gave it very careful inspection. "And the alterations?" he asked.
She warmed into vivid life for an instant, to make this reply; then she sank back against the wall, apparently overpowered by utter weariness. "I am glad of that," said Margaret, with her usual outspoken earnestness. "What can Levina be doing? Doucebelle, do go and see. And hast thou been hard at work at Norwich all the summer, Belasez?" "No, if it please my Damsel.
After them came Levina, one of the Countess's dressers, and two sturdy varlets, carrying the pedlar's heavy pack between them. The pedlar himself followed in the rear. He was a very respectable-looking old man, with strongly-marked aquiline features and long white beard; and he brought with him a lithe, olive-complexioned youth of about eighteen years of age.
"But hast thou had enough?" pursued the Countess, still unsatisfied. "I am greatly obliged to my Lady, and quite ready to serve her," was the evasive reply. The Countess looked hard at Belasez, but she said no more. She despatched Levina for the scarf which was to be copied, and gave the young Jewess her instructions.
"Is it manufactured in this county?" asked Belasez very coolly; for, in 1234, all soaps were of foreign importation. "I thought it tasted more like the French make." Levina vanished down the stairs, but her suppressed laughter was quite audible. She came up again with two more plates, and informed Belasez that they constituted the last course.
Fulk le Especer was so good as to tell me that folks of her sort are mighty fond of ham; so I took great care to bring her some. There'll be sauce with the next." That there would be sauce of one species with every course served to her in that house, Belasez was beginning to feel no doubt. Yet however Levina chose to behave to her, the young Jewess maintained her own dignity.
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