Saraband for Two Sisters

Carlotta bade me keep close and I could see why. We were watched as we passed along and now and then a lady or a gentleman as grandly dressed as Carlotta would stop and exchange a word with her when she would present me as “a visitor from the country” at which I could be graciously smiled on and then ignored. People pressed close against us; cunning faces studied us; it would have been frightening to have been alone; but the promenades were filled mainly with people like ourselves and as there were stalls containing materials of the finest quality and ribbons, laces, fans, patches, books, and ornaments, the vendors were eager for our patronage and frowned on the beggars who lurked around and I was sure were intent on picking the pockets of the unwary.

I saw a man with his tailor, who was telling him how much material he should buy; there were notices on the pillars offering services of all nature. There was a woman with a young girl and boy who looked downcast and indeed terrified. I guessed she was offering them as servants for some rich household. I saw a woman with an evil face talking earnestly to a young dandy in a cloak of crimson velvet with gold lace on his breeches; a very young girl was with her-and as she was clearly being shown off to the young man even my country innocence could guess the nature of that transaction. It was all rather terrifying and yet exciting. The place seemed to have a life of its own such as no other I had ever known had had.

Carlotta suddenly announced that she could not find what she wanted in the Walk so we would go to the New Exchange in the Strand. So we got into the coach, and it was not easy to move along, for people crowded round it, laughing at our vehicle, touching it, peering in the window at us, offering us all sorts of merchandise-from silver chains to silk kerchiefs-many of which had been I had no doubt but a short time before been snatched from some unwary passerby.

So we came to the New Exchange and ascended to an upper gallery which was lined with shops offering for sale ribbons, laces, cloth of all description, powder, rouge, patches, cuffs, and collars, some very fine, embroidered in gold and silver. Carlotta made a few purchases and we returned to the coach. I was fascinated by the Strand and the grand houses there whose gardens ran down to the river; I loved the narrow streets at the end of which I could see the water lapping; in fact I was ready to admit that I had never dreamed there could be such a place and the very fact that underlying its grandeur was something so certainly sinister but added to its attraction.

We had left the Strand well behind and were coming toward Whitehall when I saw the most fearful sight I had, to that time, ever seen, I had seen men in the pillory before, for there was one in our village and offenders were often put in it and made to endure the ridicule of passersby in order to impress on them the error of their ways; but I had never seen anything like this. These two men were in the somber garments which proclaimed them as Puritans. They did not look like men, because I could not see their faces for blood; it had splashed onto their hands, which protruded through the holes.

I stared in horror and Carlotta followed my gaze.

“Puritans,” she said. “They have been making trouble.”

 “What trouble?”

“Perhaps talking against the Court. They are always trying to stop all sport and pleasure. They criticized the Queen no doubt and accused her of trying to foist Catholicism on the nation.”

“And for that?”

“They have lost their ears,” she said.

We had passed on. The coach carried us on through green fields and the pleasant villages of Kensington and Barnes until in due course we arrived at Pondersby Hall. For me every impression of that colorful scene had been overlaid by the sight of those two Puritans in the pillory.

I began to understand what Gervaise meant when he talked about the uneasiness in the country.

Carlotta was pleased because there was to be a ball at one of the fine houses near Whitehall and she and Sir Gervaise had received an invitation which included Senara and the visitor from the country-myself.

“You have been noticed,” said Carlotta. “This is at the house of Lord Mallard, who is a confidant of the King, so it is almost certain that their Majesties will be present.”

There was a great deal of excitement as to what must be worn and even Carlotta was less languid than usual. Ana was pressed into service and as the time drew near it was discovered that we were short of the lace with which Carlotta’s gown was to be trimmed and that ribbons were needed for my dress.

We would therefore take the coach and there would be another trip into the city. My feelings were a little mixed. I was uneasy about the ball for Carlotta had so impressed on me my lack of social grace, and although I felt a great excitement at the prospect of visiting the city again I had not forgotten the sight of the two men in the pillory.