After a
brief conversation with the falconer they approached her, and,
respectfully addressing her, begged leave to attend her to the royal
lodgings, whither they understood she was going. No objection being
made to the proposal by Mabel, the party directed their course towards
the middle ward.
Passing through the gateway of the Norman Tower, they stopped
before a low portal in a picturesque Gothic wing of the castle, with
projecting walls and bay-windows, which had been erected in the
preceding reign of Henry the Seventh, and was consequently still in all
its freshness and beauty.
IV How Mabel was received by the Party in the Kitchen--And of the
Quarrel between the two Jesters.
Addressing himself to a stout-built yeoman of the guard, who was standing
within the doorway, Nicholas Clamp demanded admittance to the kitchen,
and the man having detained them for a few moments, during which he
regarded Mabel with a very offensive stare, ushered them into a small hall,
and from thence into a narrow passage connected with it. Lighted by narrow
loopholes pierced through the walls, which were of immense thickness, this
passage described the outer side of the whole upper quadrangle, and
communicated with many other lateral passages and winding stairs
leading to the chambers allotted to the household or to the state
apartments.
Pages:
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332