Therewasapausenow，asortofwaitingsilencewhichTomcouldnotunderstand。HeglancedatLordHertford，whogavehimasign—
buthefailedtounderstandthatalso。ThereadyElizabethcametotherescuewithherusualeasygrace。Shemadereverenceandsaid：
’Haveweleaveoftheprince’sgracemybrothertogo？’
Tomsaid：
’Indeed，yourladyshipscanhavewhatsoeverofmetheywill，fortheasking；yetwouldIrathergivethemanyotherthingthatinmypoorpowerlieth，thanleavetotakethelightandblessingoftheirpresencehence。Giveyegoodden，andGodbewithye！’Thenhesmiledinwardlyatthethought，’’tisnotfornaughtIhavedweltbutamongprincesinmyreading，andtaughtmytonguesomeslighttrickoftheirbroideredandgraciousspeechwithal！’