"Mine aunt of Salisbury bade that none should tell thee," responded
Margaret, in some confusion.

"Ah me! I must know sooner or later! My mother, she shrieked at
sight of me!"

"I would not have your mother," said the outspoken daughter of "proud
Cis." "My Lady Duchess mother is stern enough if we do not bridle
our heads, and if we make ourselves too friendly with the meine, but
she never frets nor rates us, and does not heed so long as we do not
demean ourselves unlike our royal blood. She is no termagant like
yours."

It was not polite, but Grisell had not seen enough of her mother to
be very sensitive on her account. In fact, she was chiefly occupied
with what she had heard about her own appearance--a matter which had
not occurred to her before in all her suffering. She returned again
to entreat Margaret to tell her whether she was so foully ill-
favoured that no one could look at her, and the damsel of York,
adhering to the letter rather young than the spirit of the cautions
which she had received, pursed up her lips and reiterated that she
had been commanded not to mention the subject.

"Then," entreated Grisell, "do--do, dear Madge--only bring me the
little hand mirror out of my Lady Countess's chamber."

"I know not that I can or may."

"Only for the space of one Ave," reiterated Grisell.