And then the two went off into the splendid fantastic nonsense that the wits loved to talk; that grotesque, exaggerated phrasing made fashionable by Lyly. It was like a kind of impromptu sword-exercise in an assault of arms, where the rhythm and the flash and the graceful turns are of more importance than the actual thrusts received. The two old ladies embroidered on in silence, but their eyes twinkled, and little wrinkles flickered about the corners of their lips. But poor Isabel sat bewildered. It was so elaborate, so empty; she had almost said, so wicked to take the solemn gift of speech and make it dance this wild fandango; and as absurdity climbed and capered in a shower of sparks and gleams on the shoulders of absurdity, and was itself surmounted; and the names of heathen gods and nymphs and demi-gods and loose-living classical women whisked across the stage, and were tossed higher and higher, until the whole mad erection blazed up and went out in a shower of stars and gems of allusions and phrases, like a flight of rockets, bright and bewildering at the moment, but leaving a barren darkness and dazzled eyes behind—the poor little Puritan country child almost cried with perplexity and annoyance. If the two talkers had looked at one another and burst into laughter at the end, she would have understood it to be a joke, though, to her mind, but a poor one. But when they had ended, and Mary Corbet had risen and then swept down to the ground in a great silent curtsey, and Mr. James, the grave, sensible gentleman, had solemnly bowed with his hand on his heart, and his heels together like a Monsieur, and then she had rustled off in her peacock dress to the house, with her muslin wings bulging behind her; and no one had laughed or reproved or explained; it was almost too much, and she looked across to Lady Maxwell with an appeal in her eyes.
Mr. James saw it and his face relaxed.
“You must not take us too seriously, Mistress Isabel,” he said in his kindly way. “It is all part of the game.”
“The game?” she said piteously.
“Yes,” said Mistress Margaret, intent on her embroidery, “the game of playing at kings and queens and courtiers and ruffs and high-stepping.”
Mr. James’ face again broke into his silent laugh.
“You are acid, dear aunt,” he said.
“But——” began Isabel again.
“But it is wrong, you think,” he interrupted, “to talk such nonsense. Well, Mistress Isabel, I am not sure you are not right.” And the dancing light in his eyes went out.
“No, no, no,” she cried, distressed. “I did not mean that. Only I did not understand.”