of the two damsels, and questioned them how
they came thereby. So soon, therefore, as
the two damsels did confess the truth, their
mistress, half jestingly, and half in earnest, said
unto them:

"'How now, ye gad-abouts! ye have scarce
chipped the egg-shell, and have, as yet, no
means to make the pot boil, seeing that ye
are poor orphans and under age; and ye yet
dare to listen to the nonsense of strange
gallants, unbeknown to your foster mother!
Tell me, foolish young things, ought I not to
take the rod to you? Take off the rings from
your fingers and give them to me. I will
send them back; seeing that the betrothal is
null and void, and mere child's play?'

"The young damsels did then obey her
ladyship, but wept apace the while. This
caused her ladyship to have compassion upon
them, and she did minister comfort to them
thus.

"'Ah! beloved daughters! ye shed bitter,
hot tears that ye do not already wear the curch
[the German head-dress of married women].
But if ye did but know the heaviness of
being wedded wives, even when the cares
are lightest, ye would rejoice! Meanwhile,
the matter hath been carried on against all
Christian order. I have always heard that
the lover first maketh his suit known to the
parents or the guardians, and that then the
betrothal taketh place. Your suitors must
needs be in great haste. Why stand they
in such great necessity of pushing their
suit?'

"Hereupon the damsel Agnes plucked up
an heart, and said quickly,

"'Most gracious lady! the gentlemen did
come with us; and have already the consent of
their own parents to make their suit if they
be but encouraged by a sign of approval.'

"'Ah! Heaven have mercy!' cried the
duchess, joining her hands. 'Have ye,
scapegraces indeed, brought your gallants hither?
I dare not inquire further. May be ye have
hidden them in your chambers? Meggy,
(the duchess's nurse,) beg his lordship to come
hither; I must talk the matter over with
him.'

"After the duke had come and heard
that which had befallen, he straightways
asked the names of the gallants; and when
the damsels had informed his grace thereof, his
lordship did turn unto his consort, saying:

"'Listen, Darling Dorel: the parents, on
both sides, are most worthy persons, and
of unblemished birth. I advise that thou
shouldst give thy consent thereunto!
Remember, dearest, that we twain were of one
mind long before I made known my suit unto
thy mother.'

"Whereupon her ladyship did strike her
lord upon the mouth with her kerchief, and
said,

"'Well!—well!—but we must first look at
these youths, and learn what they are like.
Tell us now, young damsels, where are your
lovers hidden, and what is the signal ye have
agreed upon?'

"Agnes did immediately tell her ladyship
that the gallants were housed at the Golden
Pitcher; and, whereas the Lion's Tower, in
the palace, could thence be plainly discerned,
they had agreed to tie a white kerchief round
the neck of one of the lions as a signal that
there was hope for them! The gallants had
agreed to abide at the hostel the space of
eight days. Should the matter, however, turn
out ill, the kerchief displayed was to be
black.

"'Well done,' said the duchess to her
husband; 'they wish to take two fortresses at
once; and would have the white flag wave,
without firing a shot, and without attempting
a storm.'

"Hereupon the Duke Christian did take
the hand of his beloved wife, and spoke,
somewhat in an under tone:

"'Darling wife!—was not the green branch
so often stuck in your window at Crossen; also a
white flag! Moreover, thou knowest little
of a siege; preparations for storming a citadel
are not made during the daylight; but
secretly, in the night season, in order that
the garrison perceive them not. Shots may
already have been fired. Tell me, young
girls, have ye already kissed the gallants?
Mary, do you speak; ye have not yet opened
your mouth: make a clean breast.'

"'Ah! most gracious liege,' answered
Mary, 'the gentlemen have, indeed, squeezed
our hands in secret, while we sat at table;
and during the marriage dance, and at sundry
other dances, we kissed each other—seeing
that others did the like. But we could not
be alone with them at any other time; for
the bride's mother was always about us, and
we lay in her room. Neither, on the way
home, had we much liberty; seeing that the
old secretary, whom her ladyship did send
with us, did observe us most narrowly. But,
when the old man did look out of the window
of the carriage, then did the gallants look
tenderly upon us, and did kiss their hands
to us.'

"'There now,' said his lordship, turning to
his wife, 'you see that the siege was conducted
with vigour. The squeezing of hands was
the parley; the kisses the cannon-balls, sent
so freely; and the tender looks the shells.
Depend upon it the storm cannot long be
delayed. Listen, darling wife, my heart melts
when I bethink me that we also, in our youth,
could not brook a long delay.'

"'Let the drums beat the chamade [parley],
and let us show our colours!' said the duchess;
while she threw her arms round her
husband's neck, and stopped his mouth with a
kiss. The duke did then ask her, jestingly,
'But which flag shall it be?'

"Hereupon the two young damsels did cry
aloud, as with one voice:

"'The white!—most gracious liege!—the white!'