Frenchmen, on whom be God's curse, at Hastings yonder; and I say that I
am proud of you, though whether I shall stay so is another matter. Come
hither."

I obeyed, and taking me by my curling hair with his delicate hand, he
drew down my head and kissed me on the brow, muttering, "Neither chick
nor child for me and only this one left of the ancient blood. May he do
it honour."

Then he motioned to me to be seated and rang a little silver bell that
stood upon the table. As in the case of the man without, it was answered
instantly from which I judged that Master Grimmer was well served.
Before the echoes of the bell died away a door opened, the tapestry
swung aside, and there appeared two most comely serving maids, tall and
well-shaped both of them, bearing food.

"Pretty women, Nephew, no wonder that you look at them," he said when
they had gone away to fetch other things, "such as I like to have about
me although I am old. Women for within and men for without, that is
Nature's law, and ill will be the day when it is changed. Yet beware of
pretty women, Nephew, and I pray you kiss not those as you did the lady
Blanche Aleys at Hastings, lest it should upset my household and turn
servants into mistresses."

I made no answer, being confounded by the knowledge that my uncle showed
of me and my affairs, which afterwards I discovered he had, in part at
any rate, from the old priest, my confessor, who had written to
commend me to him, telling my story and sending the letter by a King's
messenger, who left for London on the morrow of the Burning. Nor did he
wait for any, for he bade me sit down and eat, plying me with more meats