Mr Culpeper.

'A very simple soul, a high courage tempered with sound and stubborn
conceit, is stronger than all the stars in their courses. So I confess
truly that you saved the village, Nick.'

'I stubborn? I stiff-necked? I ascribed all my poor success, under God's
good providence, to Divine Astrology. Not to me the glory! You talk as
that dear weeping ass Jack Marget preached before I went back to my work
in Red Lion House, Spitalfields.'

'Oh! Stammering Jack preached, did he? They say he loses his stammer in
the pulpit.'

'And his wits with it. He delivered a most idolatrous discourse when the
plague was stayed. He took for his text: "The wise man that delivered
the city." I could have given him a better, such as: "There is a time
for--"'

'But what made you go to church to hear him?' Puck interrupted. 'Wail
Attersole was your lawfully appointed preacher, and a dull dog he was!'

Mr Culpeper wriggled uneasily.

'The vulgar,' said he, 'the old crones and--ahem!---the children, Alison
and the others, they dragged me to the House of Rimmon by the hand. I
was in two minds to inform on Jack for maintaining the mummeries of the
falsely-called Church, which, I'll prove to you, are founded merely on
ancient fables--'

'Stick to your herbs and planets,' said Puck, laughing. 'You should
have told the magistrates, Nick, and had Jack fined. Again, why did you
neglect your plain duty?'

'Because--because I was kneeling, and praying, and weeping with the rest
of 'em at the Altar-rails. In medicine this is called the Hysterical
Passion. It may be--it may be.'

'That's as may be,' said Puck. They heard him turn the hay. 'Why, your
hay is half hedge-brishings,' he said. 'You don't expect a horse to
thrive on oak and ash and thorn leaves, do you?'

Ping-ping-ping went the bicycle bell round the corner. Nurse was coming
back from the mill.

'Is it all right?' Una called.

'All quite right,' Nurse called back. 'They're to be christened next
Sunday.'

'What? What?' They both leaned forward across the half-door. It could
not have been properly fastened, for it opened, and tilted them out with
hay and leaves sticking all over them.

'Come on! We must get those two twins' names,' said Una, and they
charged uphill shouting over the hedge, till Nurse slowed up and told
them. When they returned, old Middenboro had got out of his stall, and
they spent a lively ten minutes chasing him in again by starlight.

'Our F