All at once the deep bass notes of a hound broke upon the air. Louder and louder grew the baying, and soon from out of the purplish shade of the trees there dashed a large 9 greyhound followed by a laughing, panting maiden.
“Content thee, Echo,” she cried flinging herself upon the sward under a wide-spreading oak. “I have breath to follow thee no more. Rest until our good cousin joins us.”
The dog obediently stretched himself by her side, and once more quiet reigned in the wold. Presently the maiden sat up with an impatient movement.
“He tarries long,” she said throwing a mass of auburn curls from a broad, low brow. “Marry! I fear that we have done but an ill turn to the good Hugh.”
As she spoke the form of an elderly man emerged from the trees and approached her slowly. He was withered and thin and though but fifty years of age seemed much older. His doublet and hose were of some dark stuff and his short cloak was surmounted by a huge ruff, the edges of which almost joined the brim of the small, high, cone-shaped hat which partly concealed his gray hair.
“By the mass, Francis! methinks that thou dost grow more unmannerly each day. 10 Thou art as unthinking as the butterfly, else thou wouldst not have burdened my fore-wearied flesh with thy bow.”
“In sooth, it was but a poor return for thy kindness to leave thee my bow,” observed the girl as she hastened to relieve him of the crossbow that he held. “Thy pardon, Master Hugh. I was intent upon the race and thought not of it. It was a good dash, I promise you.”
“Ay! I make no doubt of it,” grumbled the old man seating himself. “But ’twere meeter for a maiden to embroider, or to play the virginals than to shoot the bow or run with the hounds as thou dost.”
“Said I not my Latin well this morning, cousin?” queried Francis. “Doth not my lady mother instruct me in the tent and cross-stitch each day? Besides doth not even the Queen’s Majesty disport herself with the bow? ’Tis the fashion, good my master.”
“Ay! ‘Dum vitant stulti vitia, in contraria currunt,’”[A] spoke the old man sharply.