In the throng, that day, in her Puritan dress
and amid the crowd of meaner beauties, she had passed without
overmuch comment, and since that day none had seen her save
Rolfe and the minister, my servants and myself; and when "The
Spaniard!" was cried, men thought of other things than the beauty
of women; so that until this moment she had escaped any special
notice. Now all that was changed. The Governor, following the
pointing of those insolent eyes, fixed his own upon her in a stare of
sheer amazement; the gold-laced quality about him craned necks,
lifted eyebrows, and whispered; and the rabble behind followed
their betters' example with an emphasis quite their own.
"Where do you suppose that jewel went, Sir Governor," said the
favorite, - "that jewel which was overnice to shine at court, which
set up its will against the King's, which would have none of that
one to whom it had been given?"
"I am a plain man, my lord," replied the Governor bluntly. "An it
please you, give me plain words."
My lord laughed, his eyes traveling round the ring of greedily
intent faces. "So be it, sir," he assented. "May I ask who is this
lady?"
"She came in the Bonaventure," answered the Governor. "She was
one of the treasurer's poor maids."
"With whom I trod a measure at court not long ago," said the
favorite. "I had to wait for the honor until the prince had been
gratified.
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