de kindly i think my page is about your size and he shall a suit for you have gone on adventures disguised as pages before now if books of chivalry lie not he then bade her farewell saying be of good courage we will soon set forth s enterprise was now the talk of the a noble purpose whole town and the inhabitants would have thought themselves very badly used if it had come to nothing more than a fortnight passed during which scarcely a day elapsed without her meeting de or de in the street and having a little conversation with them which led to no conclusion except that of them in the mind that she was as honest good a girl as ever was everything she did and said was in the full light of day and sight and hearing of the town which was always to watch her and many it may be went daily to church for no better reason than that she did she was continually at the door of the who began to hate her name though there is reason to think he had already written privately of her to the king at else why should a king s messenger and soon make their this i do not insist nobly won on i think it was so but you may think as you like one day was proceeding rather depressed to the governor s attended as usual by a body guard of small boys who fell back and tumbled over one another if she happened to look round when on asking to see him she was immediately admitted well said he with some severity but without any disdain what have you to say i come to remind you sir that time passes and the country must needs be saved why don t you save it then will you give me a safe conduct to the most certainly not but hark you his grace the duke of desires to see you and has sent you a safe conduct why should he desire to see me said in surprise a noble purpose you can ask him said the governor i am going to ride over with you are you ready i would willingly go back to my lodging first sir very well then be ready in half an hour he turned away from her and de who was present came forward and whispered � be in no fear de and i shall attend you and you will find what you want at your lodging she did not understand him but hastened back in some trouble to tell what she was about to do while they were speaking a handsome youth of sixteen entered carrying a bundle which he set down saying this is for you and then departed after giving her a look of intense � nobly won � curiosity as if he were seeing a giant or dwarf without paying the penny darted at the bundle what it was and hastily opening it found it contained a sad coloured and with boots and spurs none of them new was turning them over in rather a spirit and wondering how could bear to see herself in them when reminded her there was no time to lose and hastily took them into the inner room and began to put them on rolling her hair up into a great knot behind she had hardly time to think how queer the things felt when in excitement cried here they come for you and catching the riding cloak round her and pulling the hood a good way over her face out into the broad day overcome for the moment with shame spurs glistening plate and horses a noble purpose � swam in a mist before her eyes de and de were at her side and one held the horse while the other set her on it she herself in a moment and was off with one of them at each side the governor very grand in front and a cluster of men at arms behind all the town were in the street her appearance and dress were eagerly it was vehemently declared that the clothes were not to her deserts and hung upon her like a s on his block a was immediately agreed upon to buy her a better suit and in less than a quarter of an hour the top tailor of was getting her measure of de had no mercy on the young girl but proceeded to at a hard trot hoping perhaps to shake her purpose out of says the duke lay sick at but the s says nobly won her which had no more effect than a fit of on a boy determined to be a sailor before they were half a mile out of felt perfectly at ease and she never afterwards felt otherwise to the end of her short life she asked de if he thought the duke were going to send her to the no said he i believe he only sends for you because he hopes you may heal him of his sickness how can i do that said in wonder through the voices i suppose said de it is not their affair said with gravity and you must not take their names in vain de was checked and gave a side glance at de vol k a noble purpose we had better go back said she this is folly no no said de we must go forward or the duke will take it amiss how know we what he has to say she continued her route therefore reluctantly shall i see the said she presently the does not at present live at home said de with a little cough her place is supplied at present by a lady named de may not another word from on arriving at the palace there was much to and her in the stately array 