hink to leave
_Father_ and _Mother_ and all, and go away with a man for all my life,
he must be as the whole world to me, or I could never do it. I cannot
think what _Nym_ would be at. And he saith it shall be my blame and my
sin, if I do it not. _Must_ I wed _Nym Lewthwaite_?

I sat and pondered drearily o'er my trouble for a season, and then went
to look for Aunt _Joyce_, whom I found in the long gallery, at her
sewing in a window.

"Well, _Nell_, what hast ado, maid?" saith she.

"Pray you, Aunt _Joyce_, tell me a thing," said I.

"That will I, with a very good will, my maid," saith she.

"Aunt _Joyce_, if a man were to come to you and entreat you to wed with
him, by reason that he could not (should he say) keep in the right way
without you did help him, and that, you refusing, you should be
blameworthy of all his after sins--what should you say to him?"

I listened right earnestly for her answer. I was woeful 'feared she
should say, "Wed with him, _Nell_, for sure, and thus save him."

"Say?" quoth Aunt _Joyce_, looking up, with (it seemed me) somewhat like
laughter in her eyes. "Fetch him a good buffet of his ear, forsooth,
and ask at him by what right he called himself a man."

"Then you should not think you bound to save him, _Aunt_?"

"Poor weak creature! Not I," saith Aunt _Joyce_. "But whatso, Nell?
Hast had any such a simpleton at thee?"

"_Aunt_," said I, "'tis _Nym Lewthwaite_, who saith an' I wed him not,
he shall go straight to ruin, and that I must answer unto God for all
his sins if so be."

"Ask him where he found that in the Bible," saith Aunt _Joyce_. "Take
no thought about him, _Nell_. Trust me, if a man cannot keep straight
without thee, he will not keep straight with thee. Poor limping soul!
to come halting up and plead with a weak woman to leave him put his hand
on her shoulder, to help him o'er the stones! `Carry me, prithee, good
Mistress, o'er this rough place.' Use thine own two legs, would I say
to him, and be ashamed of thy meanness. And I dare be sworn he calls
himself one of the nobler sex," ends Aunt _Joyce_ with a snort of scorn.

"O _Aunt_, I am so thankful you see it thus!" said I, drawing a long
breath. "I was so afeard you should bid me do as _Nym_ would."

"Nay, not this while," quoth she, of her dry fashion. "When we lack
stuff for to mend the foul roads, _Nell_, we'll find somewhat fitter to
break up than thee. If young _Lewthwaite_ harry thee again,