Page:Margaret of Angoulême, Queen of Navarre (Robinson 1886).djvu/174

Rh tawny, blue, ash-grey, yellow, white, or crimson, are their colours; velvet or silver taffeta embroidered is their favourite wear. Their skirts are distended to the shape of an inverted funnel. Their stockings are scarlet or flame-colour; their slashed hoes of crimson and violet velvet. They have mantles of taffeta furred with martin, lynx, or genet. On their heads they wear low French hoods, small caps edged with goldsmith's work, or gold nets with pearls at the angles. A gold chain hangs from the girdle; pomanders and scent-bottles, seals and keys dangle from it; and every lady has a feather fan, after the pattern of Queen Leonor's, with a little mirror at the back. They walk slowly, for the ladies have high pattens or choppines to keep their velvet shoes from the dust; you cannot see their faces, for they all wear little silken masks to shield their complexions from the noon; their hands are hidden in rich embroidered gloves. Thus, secured from cold of the wind or scorch of the sun, they walk along towards the fair green meadow.

If one should peer too close, perhaps those splendid, coloured garments would be seen to be stained with dust or rain, to be frayed with travel. If one should look too curiously, one might see many a speck in the courtesy and honour of the men, in the lovableness and spirit of the women. Yet from afar they look a happy and a pleasant company. We would fain know more of them. Oisille we know; we knew her when she was young; we have sympathised with her in good and evil fortune. But who are these, her fair and brilliant companions? M. Génin would believe them the ladies and gentlemen in waiting at the magnanimous and cultured little court of Nérac. But, if so, we only know the portraits; the originals are dead