198 MASTER SKYLARK

jewels about her neck. She was attired in a white silk
gown bordered with pearls the size of beans, and over it
wore a mantle of black silk, cunningly shot with silver
threads. Her ruff was vast, her farthingale vaster; and
her train, which was very long, was borne by a marchioness
who made more ado about it than Elizabeth did of ruling
her realm.

“The Queen!” gasped Colley.

“Dost think I did na know it?” answered Nick, his
heart beginning to beat tattoo as he stared through the
peep-hole in the screen.

He saw the great folk bowing like a gardenful of flowers
in a storm, and in its midst Elizabeth erect, speaking to
those about her in a lively and good-humored way, and
addressing all the foreigners according to their tongue—
in French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch; but hers was funny
Dutch, and while she spoke she smiled and made a joke
upon it in Latin, at which they all laughed heartily,
whether they understood what it meant or not. Then,
with her ladies in waiting, she passed to a dais near the
stage, and stood a moment, stately, fair, and proud, while
all her nobles made obeisance, then sat and gave a signal
for the players to begin.

“Rafe Fullerton !” the prompter whispered shrilly ; and
out from behind the screen slipped Rafe, the smallest of
them all, and down the stage to speak the foreword of the
piece. He was frightened, and his voice shook as he
spoke, but every one was smiling, so he took new heart.

“Tt is a masque of Summer-time and Spring,” said he,