''The duchess could not choose but laugh
heartily, and his lordship did immediately
order a servant to mount the tower, and to
tie a white kerchief round one of the lion's
necks. His lordship did then sing an old song
the children are wont to sing on May-day:
"'A stately house my lord doth keep;
  Two maidens from the windows peep;
  A kerchief white the one doth wave
  Because they fain would husbands have.'—
and did then depart to put on better apparel,
wherein to await the coming of the wooers.
He did also command that all the court ladies
and the courtiers should be present at the
wooing. Meanwhile, 'Darling Dorel' did
ask the damsels where they had gotten the
rings which they had presented to their
gallants in return for theirs? Thereupon
Agnes did reply unto her ladyship:

"'Most gracious lady! we are but poor
orphans, and possess nought save poor little
gold rings belonging to our departed mothers,
and these we could not bear to part with. We
have therefore promised to buy rings with
our savings, and deliver them to our gallants
on some fitting opportunity.'

"'In this case,' said her ladyship, 'ye are
but half betrothed, and there is yet time to
think twice of the matter;' nevertheless, her
ladyship did praise the young damsels,
inasmuch as they did not part lightly and rashly
with their mothers' trinkets. She advised
them, moreover, to tarry; as they or their
gallants, might change their minds.

"This speech did much alarm the damsels,
who did then believe the whole matter to be
postponed; and they did forthwith begin to
weep, and to beseech her ladyship, not for this
account, to cause their lovers to alter their
mind, seeing that they, the damsels, were
poor and were not likely soon to get other
suitors.

"The duchess did then say unto them:—
'The misfortune would not be so great! I
would find husbands for you soon enough.'
Hereupon, she turned to old Meggy and
said,

"'Ah! most worthy nurse, what a life does
a wretched princess lead! Had I but married
an honest burgher, then should I have had
nothing but my household duties and my
children to attend to; I could have gone
quietly to bed, slept without care, and waked
with pleasure; but in my position everything
is otherwise. Alack, when my other
damsels come hither, and learn that these
silly girls are already betrothed, they will all
run mad, and I shall have to send them to all
the marriage feasts throughout the duchy to
pick up husbands.'

"Hereupon, she sent the nurse Meggy for
her jewel box, opened it, and gave to each of
the two damsels a handsome ring, the which
they might present to their lovers, and thus
return their pledge; but under this condition,
that they were not to deliver their rings until
the duchess gave them a sign thereunto with
her kerchief.

"While all this was going on, the duke on
his part had entered the duchess's apartment,
accompanied by the chamberlain, all the
gentlemen of his court, and the maids of
honour. The lovers, meanwhile, were on the
look out, and were not aware that matters
had gone to such a length touching their love
affairs. They had joyfully obeyed the white
signal, and stood near unto the gates of
the castle waiting for some opportunity of
seeing their betrothed. The duke perceived
this, and hereupon opened the window and
called unto the soldiers on guard, 'Arrest me
those two fellows and conduct them to the
guard-house, until further orders!'

"Hereupon the damsels, Agnes and Mary,
were exceedingly afraid. The duke, however,
did comfort them with the following words:

"'This is on your account; hasten and put
on proper attire; ye still have got on your
old clothes, and must adorn yourselves.'

"The damsels ran gleefully and quickly into
their rooms; whither the duchess sent after
them two other damsels to aid them in plaiting
their hair. They soon returned; and each
of the damsels about to be betrothed had put
on the bridal wreath belonging to her mother.

"The duke now ordered the lovers to be
summoned from the guard-house. They were
sore abashed when they entered the room;
especially when his gracious lordship
addressed the following questions to them:

"'What are your names? Have you
passports? and what is your will? '

"The young men twirled their caps in their
hands; stared first at their loves, and then at
their gracious lieges; but could not utter a
word, and stood looking very sheepish.

"'Ah!' said his lordship, 'never in my
life did I meet with two such dumb fellows.
My dominions will soon touch those of
Oppeln, and you serve excellent well as
landmarks!—can neither of ye say 'yea or nay?'
Answer me straight!—Have ye got the
consent of your parents to propose for those two
chits; and are ye ready to affirm the same on
your word of honour, as gentlemen?'

"Then did the young men recover their
speech, and they both answered, 'Yea.'

"'Well,' said the duke, 'I will now believe
ye, and keep you at my court some few days;
but as ye may be rogues and vagabonds for
all that I know, I will therefore send a
messenger on horseback to your parents to get
further intelligence, and ye must have patience
the while.'

"Hereupon the damsel, Mary, turned to the
duchess, and said to her with great simplicity,

"'Most gracious lady, the gentlemen have
spoken truth! Their parents have given
them permission to woo us. We have
concealed nothing from them, but confessed in
the presence of the old lady Wentzkin, that
we were poor orphan girls, and have no
dower. But the mothers of our two lovers