natured, Susan Talbot. How now," at some sound below, springing to
the little window and flinging it back, "you lazy idle wenches--what
are you doing there? Is my work to stand still while you are toying
with yon vile whelp? He is tangling the yarn, don't you see, thou
purblind Jane Dacre, with no eyes but for ogling. There! there!
Round the leg of the chair, don't you see!" and down flew a shoe,
which made the poor dog howl, and his mistress catch him up. "Put
him down! put him down this instant! Thomas! Davy! Here, hang him
up, I say," cried this over good-natured lady, interspersing her
commands with a volley of sixteenth century Billingsgate, and ending
by declaring that nothing fared well without her, and hurrying off to
pounce down on the luckless damsels who had let their dog play with
the embroidery yarn destined to emblazon the tapestry of Chatsworth
with the achievements of Juno. The good nature was so far veritable
that when she found little harm done, and had vented her wrath in
strong language and boxes on the ear, she would forget her sentence
upon the poor little greyhound, which Mrs. Jane Dacre had hastily
conveyed out of sight during her transit downstairs. Susan was thus,
to her great relief, released for the present, for guests came in
before my Lady had fully completed her objurgations on her ladies,
the hour of noon was nigh at hand, sounds in the court betokened the
return of the huntsmen, and Susan effected her escape to her own
sober old palfrey--glad that she would at least be able to take
counsel with her husband on this most inconvenient proposition.

He came out to meet her at the court door, having just dismounted,
and she knew by his face that she had not to give him the first
intelligence of the difficulty in which they stood.

My Lord had himself spoken to him, like my Lady expecting him to be