Somewhat later it was mentioned
that Tom was to study no more at present, whereupon her little
ladyship exclaimed:
''Tis a pity, 'tis such a pity! Thou were proceeding bravely.
But bide thy time in patience; it will not be for long. Thou'lt yet be
graced with learning like thy father, and make thy tongue master of as
many languages as his, good my prince.'
'My father!' cried Tom, off his guard for the moment. 'I trow he
cannot speak his own so that any but the swine that wallow in the
sties may tell his meaning; and as for learning of any sort soever-'
He looked up and encountered a solemn warning in my Lord St.
John's eyes.
He stopped, blushed, then continued low and sadly: 'Ah, my
malady persecuteth me again, and my mind wandereth. I meant the king's
grace no irreverence.'
'We know it, sir,' said the Princess Elizabeth, taking her
'brother's' hand between her two palms, respectfully but
caressingly; 'trouble not thyself as to that. The fault is none of
thine, but thy distemper's.'
'Thou'rt a gentle comforter, sweet lady,' said Tom, gratefully,
'and my heart moveth me to thank thee for't, an I may be so bold.'
Once the giddy little Lady Jane fired a simple Greek phrase at
Tom. The Princess Elizabeth's quick eye saw by the serene blankness of
the target's front that the shaft was overshot; so she tranquilly
delivered a return volley of sounding Greek on Tom's behalf, and
then straightway changed the talk to other matters.
Time wore on pleasantly, and likewise smoothly, on the whole.
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