“O Isoult, if thou hadst seen him!” said he, his voice quivering. “The fierce, unnatural radiance in those soft, meek grey eyes, as though there were a fire consuming him within; the sickly dead-white colour of his face, with burning red spots on the cheeks; the languor and disease of his manner, ever leaning his head upon his hand, as though he could scarce bear it up; and when he smiled—I might scantly endure to look on him. And above all this, the hollow cough that ever brake the silence, and seemed well-nigh to tear his delicate frame in twain—it was enough to make a strong man weep.”
“But tell me all about it!” cried Kate, laying her little hand upon her father’s face to make him turn round to her; “I want to know all about it. How old are these great ladies? and what are they like to? and what ware they? Was it blue, or red, or green?”
John turned to her with a smile, and his manner changed again.
“What a little queen art thou!” said he. “Well, I must needs strive to content thy majesty. How old are the ladies that were married? Well, the Lady Jane is the eldest, and she is, I take it, sixteen or seventeen years of age. She looketh something elder than her years, yet rather in her grave, quiet manner than in her face. Then her sister the Lady Katherine is nigh fourteen. And the years of my Lady Katherine Dudley I know not. Item, what are they like unto? That was the next question, methinks.”
“Ay,” replied Kate. “Which is the nicest?”
“Which thou shouldst think the nicest I cannot tell,” said John. “But in so far as mine opinion lieth, the Lady Jane’s face liked me the best. Maybe my Lady Kate Dudley should have stricken thy fancy the rather, for she ware a mighty brave blue satin gown, and her face was all smiles and mirth.”
“And what ware the other?”
“The Lady Jane and her sister were both donned in white velvet.”
“And what colour were their hoods?”
“My Lady Katherine Dudley’s amber-colour, set with sapphires; the other ruby velvet, and their jewels rubies.”