cap; yet did he maintain stoutly that he told the whole truth. What
should you call that, _Father_?"

"A shift got straight from the father of lies," he made answer. "Trust
me, that lad shall come to no good, without he repent and change his
course."

Then Aunt _Joyce_ said somewhat that moved the discourse other whither:
but I had heard enough to make me rare diseaseful. When I thought I had
hit on so excellent a fashion of telling the truth, and yet hiding my
secrets, to have _Father_ say such things came straight from _Satan_!
It liketh me not at all. I would _Nell_ would let things a-be!

SELWICK HALL, NOVEMBER YE XXIV.
My good _Protection_ tells me 'tis country fashion to count such matter
deceit, and should never obtain in the Court at all. And he asked me if
_Father_ were not given to be a little _Puritan_--he smiling the while
as though to be a _Puritan_ were somewhat not over well-liked of the
great. Then I told him that I knew not well his meaning, for that word
was strange unto me. So he said that word _Puritan_ was of late come
up, to denote certain precise folk that did desire for to be better than
their neighbours, and most of them only to make a talk, and get
themselves well accounted of by such common minds as should take them at
their own appraisement.

"Not, of course," saith he, "that such could ever be the case with a
gentleman of Sir _Audrey's_ worshipfulness, and with such an angel in
his house to guard him from all ill."

I did not well like this, for I would alway have _Father_ right well
accounted of, and not thought to fall into mean country ways. But then
'gan he to talk of mine eyes, which he is ever a-praising, and after a
while I forgat my disease.

Still, I cannot right away with what _Father_ said. If only _Father_
and _Mother_ could know all about this matter, and really consent
thereto, I would be a deal happier. But my _Protection_ saith that were
contrary unto all custom of love-matters, and they must well know the
same: for in all matters where the elders do wit and order the same
themselves, 'tis always stupid and humdrum for the young folks, and no
romance left therein at all.

"It should suit well with Mistress _Nell_," saith he, "from what I do
hear touching her conditions [disposition]: but never were meet for the
noble and generous soul of my fairest _Amiability_, that is far above
all such mean things."

So I reckon,