Nobody appearing on the other side, Sir Osborne cast himself upon the bench with which one side of the room was furnished, and waited patiently for the appearance of the lady, abandoning now, of necessity, the idea of proceeding farther that night. After having waited for a few minutes, a light step met his ear; and without much surprise, for he had already guessed what was the fact, he saw the same lady approach the grate whom he had met in the court. Rising thereupon from his seat, he advanced to the partition, and bowed low, as if to a person he had never seen. The lady, on her part, made him a low curtsey, and both remained silent.
"I am here," said the knight, after a long pause, "to receive the commands of Lady Katrine Bulmer, if I have now the honour of speaking to her?"
"My name is Bulmer, sir knight," replied the lady, "and eke Katrine, and some folks call me lady, and some mistress; but by what my lord abbot and my lady abbess just tell me, it seems that I am to receive your commands rather than you to receive mine."
"Very far from it, madam," said the knight; "you have but to express your wishes, and they shall be obeyed."
"There now!" cried the lady, with an air of mock admiration; "sir knight, you are the flower of courtesy! Then you do not positively insist on my getting up at five to-morrow morning to set out, as my lord abbot informed me? A thing I never did in my life, and which, please God, I never will do!"
"I insisted upon nothing, madam," answered the knight, "I only informed my lord abbot that it would be more convenient to me to depart as speedily as possible; and I ventured to hint that if you knew of how much importance it might be for me to arrive at the court soon, you would gratify me by using all the despatch which you might with convenience to yourself."
"Then it is of importance to you?" demanded the lady; "that changes the case. Name the hour, sir knight, and you shall find me ready. But you know not what a good horsewoman I am; I can make long journeys and quick ones."
"Not less than two days will suffice, I fear," said the knight; "the first day we may halt at Gravesend."
"Halt!" exclaimed the lady, laughing, and turning to her woman, who stood at a little distance behind, "do you hear that? Halt! He talks to me as if I were a soldier. Tell me, Geraldine, is it possible that I look like a pikeman?"
"Not any way like a soldier," replied the knight, sufficiently amused with her liveliness and beauty to forget her pertness; "not any way like a soldier, unless it be one of heaven's host."