"You are late," he says. "I suppose you were held at the Court; or do you ride from town?"
"Well," says I, very careful, for I am not the man to trip myself over a word, "in a manner you may say yes," I says; and I took a draught of the tanker afore me.
"Ah!" he said, and seemed to puzzle his wits over the rejoinder; but I conceive he was in no very active condition of mind, and it is like enough that what I said seemed from some corners of aspect to contain a sensible answer. So he followed after my example, and sipped his wine meditatively.
"His lordship," says he, soon again, "is in high feather this evening."
"You may say that," said I, delivering a glance towards the head of the table, where sat a long-faced, handsome-looking fellow, whom, to say sooth, I had not as yet minded in the satisfaction of my appetite. "He is filling a paunch, I warrant," I said, with a laugh.
"Hush!" whispered he, with a scared look on his face, and glancing about him, "you will be overheard."
"Overheard!" I said. "Am I a wench that must walk mim-mouthed through her wine, and not deal in the King's plain English? I permit no man to dictate me upon my language—not I."
The fellow stared at me for a time, and then, "You have a bold tongue," said he, with what I could perceive was a hint of the ironic. "I have no doubt you ply it well. What is your court?" says he.