to being regarded as a nonentity, and aught else discomfited her. All
her pleasure was to hear what was said, though 'twas not always of the
finest wit--and to watch Clorinda play the queen among her admirers and
her slaves. She would not have dared to speak of Sir John Oxon
frequently--indeed, she let fall his name but rarely; but she learned a
curious wit in contriving to hear all things concerning him. It was her
habit cunningly to lead Mistress Margery to talking about him and
relating long histories of his conquests and his grace. Mistress Wimpole
knew many of them, having, for a staid and prudent matron, a lively
interest in his ways. It seemed, truly--if one must believe her long-
winded stories--that no duchess under seventy had escaped weeping for him
and losing rest, and that ladies of all ranks had committed follies for
his sake.

Mistress Anne, having led her to this fruitful subject, would sit and
listen, bending over her embroidery frame with strange emotions, causing
her virgin breast to ache with their swelling. She would lie awake at
night thinking in the dark, with her heart beating. Surely, surely there
was no other man on earth who was so fitted to Clorinda, and to whom it
was so suited that this empress should give her charms. Surely no woman,
however beautiful or proud, could dismiss his suit when he pressed it.
And then, poor woman, her imagination strove to paint the splendour of
their mutual love, though of such love she knew so little. But it must,
in sooth, be bliss and rapture; and perchance, was her humble thought,
she might see it from afar, and hear of it. And when they went to court,
and Clorinda had a great mansion in town, and many servants who needed a
housewife's eye upon their doings to restrain them from wastefulness and
riot, might it not chance to be that if she served well now, and had the
courage to plead with her then, she might be permitted to serve her
there, living quite apart in some quiet corner of the house. And then