A Forgotten Hero | Page 8

at noon), and three or four for supper.
Two meals a day were thought sufficient for all men who were not
invalids. The sick and women sometimes had a "rear-supper" at six
o'clock or later. As to breakfast, it was a meal taken only by some
persons, and then served in the bedchamber or private boudoir at

convenience. Wine, with bread sopped in it, was a favourite breakfast,
especially for the old. Very delicate or exceptionally temperate people
took milk for breakfast; but though the Middle Ages present us with
examples of both vegetarians and total abstainers, yet of both there
were very few indeed, and they were mainly to be found among the
religious orders.
In watching the illustrious persons on the dais one thing struck Clarice
as extremely odd, which would never be thought strange in the
nineteenth century. It was the custom in her day for husband and wife
to sit together at a meal, and, the highest ranks excepted, to eat from the
same plate. But the Earl and Countess of Cornwall were on opposite
sides of the table, with one of the priests between them. Clarice thought
they must have quarrelled, and softly demanded of Heliet if that were
the case.
"No, indeed," was Heliet's rather sorrowful answer. "At least, not more
than usual. The Lady of Cornwall will never sit beside her baron, and,
as thou shalt shortly see, she will not even speak to him."
"Not speak to him!" exclaimed Clarice.
"I never heard her do so yet," said Heliet.
"Does he entreat her very harshly?"
"There are few gentlemen more kindly or generous towards a wife. Nay,
the harsh treatment is all on her side."
"What a miserable life to live!" commented Clarice.
"I fear he finds it so," said Heliet.
The dillegrout, or white soup, was now brought in, and Clarice, being
hungry, attended more to her supper than to her mistress for a time. But
during the next interval between the courses she studied her master.
He was a tall and rather fine-looking man, with a handsome face and a

gentle, pleasant expression.
There certainly was not in his exterior any cause for repulsion. His hair
was light, his eyes bluish-grey. He seemed--or Clarice thought so at
first--a silent man, who left conversation very much to others; but the
decidedly intelligent glances of the grey eyes, and an occasional
twinkle of fun in them when any amusing remark was made, showed
that he was not in the least devoid of brains.
Clarice thought that the priest who sat between the Earl and Countess
was a far more unprepossessing individual than his master. He was a
Franciscan friar, in the robe of his order; while the friar who sat on the
other side of the Countess was a Dominican, and much more agreeable
to look at.
At this juncture the Earl of Lancaster, who bore a strong family
likeness to his cousin, the Earl of Cornwall--a likeness which extended
to character no less than person--inquired of the latter if any news had
been heard lately from France.
"I have had no letters lately," replied his host; and, turning to the
Countess, he asked, "Have you, Lady?"
Now, thought Clarice, she must speak to him. Much to her surprise, the
Countess, imagining, apparently, that the Franciscan friar was her
questioner, answered, [Note 1], "None, holy Father."
The friar gravely turned his head and repeated the words to the Earl,
though he must have heard them. And Clarice became aware all at once
that her own puzzled face was a source of excessive amusement to her
vis-a-vis, Elaine. Her eyes inquired the reason.
"Oh, I know!" said Elaine, in a loud whisper across the table. "I know
what perplexes thee. They are all like that when they first come. It is
such fun to watch them!"
And she did not succeed in repressing a convulsion behind her
handkerchief, even with the aid of Diana's "Elaine! do be sensible."

"Hush, my maid," said Mistress Underdone, gently. "If the Lady see
thee laugh--"
"I shall be sent away without more supper, I know," said Elaine,
shrugging her shoulders. "It is Clarice who ought to be punished, not I.
I cannot help laughing when she looks so funny."
Elaine having succeeded in recovering her gravity without attracting
the notice of the Countess, Clarice devoured her helping of salt beef
along with much cogitation concerning her mistress's singular ways.
Still, she could not restrain a supposition that the latter must have
supposed the priest to speak to her, when she heard the Earl say, "I hear
from Geoffrey Spenser, [Note 2], that our stock of salt ling is beyond
what is like to be wanted. Methinks the villeins might have a cade or
two thereof, my Lady."
And again, turning