only three of us, an' the town's afore us,
where we'll rest a while, plaise God--for by that time the shower that's
away over there will be comin' down;--that as there's but three of us,
would it be any harm if we sed a bit of a Rosary, and your Reverence to
join us?"

This was, indeed, a most unexpected attack; but it was evident that I
was set down by this curious woman as a paragon of piety; though
indeed her object was rather to smooth the way in my mind, for what she
intended should be a very excellent opinion of her own godliness.

I looked about me, and as far as my eye could reach, the road appeared
solitary. I did, 'tis true, debate the matter with myself, pro and con,
for I felt the absurdity of my situation, and of this abrupt proposal,
more than I was willing to suppose I did. Still, thought I, it is a
serious thing to refuse praying with this poor woman, because she is
poor--God is no respecter of person--this too is a Rosary to the Blessed
Virgin; besides, nothing can be too humbling for a person when once
engaged in this holy station--"So, pride, I trample you under my feet!"
said I to myself, at a moment when the appearance of a respectable
person on the road would have routed all my humility. I complied,
however, with a very condescending grace, and to it we went. The old
women pulled out their beads, and I got my hat, which had one of my
shoes in it, under my arm. They requested that I would open the Rosary,
which I did: and thus we kept tossing the ball of prayer from one to
another along the way, whilst I was bending and sinking on the hard
gravel in perfect agony. But we had not gone far, when the shower, which
we did not suppose would have fallen until we should reach the town,
began to descend with greater bounty than we were at all prepared for,
or than I was, at least; for I had no outside coat: but indeed the
morning was so beautiful, that rain was scarcely to be apprehended. With
respect to the old lady, she appeared to be better acquainted with the
necessary preparations for such a journey than I had been: for as soon
as the shower became heavy (and it fell very heavily), she whipped off
her cloak, and before I could say a syllable to the contrary, had it
pinned about me. She then drew out of a large four-cornered pocket
of red cloth, that hung at her side, a hare's-skin cap, which in
a twinkling was on her own cranium. But what was most singular,
considering the heat of the weather, was the