CHRISTMAS WITH QUEEN BESS 205

Elizabeth leaned back in her chair and laughed. The
Lord High Constable hastily finished the laugh that he
had hidden in his hand. Everybody laughed. “Upon
my word,” said the Queen, “it is an odd skylark cannot
sleep in feathers! What didst thou do, forsooth?”

“T slept in the coverlid on the floor,” said Nick. “It
was na hurt,—I dusted the place well,—and I slept like a
top.”

“Now verily,” laughed Elizabeth, “if it be floors that
thou dost desire, we have acres to spare—thou shalt have
thy pick of the lot. Come, we are ill used to begging
people to be favored—thou ’lt stay ?”

Nick shook his head.

“Ma foi!” exclaimed the Queen, “it is a queer fancy
makes a face at such a pleasant dwelling! What is it
sticks in thy throat?”

Nick stood silent. What was there to say? If he came
here he never would see Stratford town again; and this
was no abiding-place for him. They would not even let
him go to the fountain himself to draw water with which
to wash, but fetched it, three at a time, in a silver ewer
and a copper basin with towels and a flask of perfume.

Elizabeth was tapping with her fan. “Thou art be-
dazzled like,” she said. “Think twice—preferment does
not gooseberry on the hedge-row every day; and this is a
rare chance which hangs ripening on thy tongue. Con-
sider well. Come, thou wilt accept?”

Nick slowly shook his head.

“Go then, if thou wilt go!” said she; and as she spoke