inquisitor had been her own mother. This, in truth, somewhat moved me to
fear; for, albeit I likewise cling to the truth, meseemed it showed it a
lack of prudence and foresight to discover so freely and frankly all that
was poor or lacking in her home; inasmuch as there was much, even there,
which could not be better or more seemly in the richest man's dwelling.
In truth, to my knowledge there was not the smallest thing in the little
house by the river of which a virtuous damsel need feel ashamed. But at
night, in our bed-chamber, Ann confessed to me that she had taken it as a
favor of fortune that she should be allowed, at once, to lay bare to the
great lady who had been so unwilling to open her doors to her, exactly
what she was and to whom she belonged.

"To be deemed unworthy of heed by my lady hostess," said she, "would have
been hard to bear; but whereas she truly cared to question me, a simple
maid, and I have nothing hid, all is clear and plain betwixt us."

My aunt doubtless thought in like manner; for she was a truthful woman,
and Ann's honest, firm, and withal gentle way had won her heart. And
yet, since she was strait in her opinions, and must deem it unseemly in
me and my kinsfolk to receive a maid of lower birth as one of ourselves,
she stoutly avowed that Ann's worthy father, as being chief clerk in the
Chancery, might claim to be accounted one of the Council. Never, as she
said to my uncle, would she have suffered a workingman's daughter to
cross her threshold, whereas she had a large place, not alone at her
table but in her heart, for this gentle daughter of a worthy member of
the worshipful Council.

And such speech was good to my ears and to my uncle Conrad's; but the
best of all was that already, by the end of a week or two, Ann seemed
likely to supplant me wholly in the love my aunt had erewhile shown to