When Knighthood Was in Flower - or, the Love Story of Charles Brandon and Mary Tudor the King's Sister, and Happening in the Reign of His August Majesty King Henry the Eighth by Charles Major
page 56 of 324 (17%)
page 56 of 324 (17%)
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between a man and a woman--the difference between the good and the
bad. One average woman has enough goodness in her to supply an army of men. Mary and Brandon went on dancing long after Jane was tired of playing. It was plain to see that the girl was thoroughly enjoying it. They kept up a running fire of small talk, and laughed, and smiled, and bowed, and courtesied, all in perfect time and grace. It is more difficult than you may think, if you have never tried, to keep up a conversation and dance La Galliard, at the same time--one is apt to balk the other--but Brandon's dancing was as easy to him as walking, and, although so small a matter, I could see it raised him vastly in the estimation of both girls. "Do you play triumph?" I heard Mary ask in the midst of the dancing. "Oh! yes," replied Brandon, much to my delight, as the princess threw a mischievous, knowing glance over her shoulder to see if I had heard. She at once saw I had, and this, of course, settled the wager. "And," continued Brandon, "I also play the new game, 'honor and ruff,' which is more interesting than triumph." "Oh! do you?" cried Mary. "That will more than compensate for the loss of my ten crowns. Let us sit down at once; I have been wishing to learn, but no one here seems to know it. In France, they say, it is the only game. I suppose there is where you learned it? Perhaps you know their new dances too! I have heard they are delightful!" |
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