nd especially
at the sight of Matthew and Mercy when they were seen together. He seems
to have fallen almost in love with that aged matron, as he called her,
and the days of his youth came back to him as he studied the young
damsel, who was to her as a daughter. And this set the loquacious old
innkeeper upon that famous oration about women which every man who has a
mother, or a wife, or a sister, or a daughter has by heart. And from
that he went on to discourse on the great advantages of an early
marriage. He was not the man, nor was he speaking to a mother who was
the woman, ever to become a vulgar and coarse-minded matchmaker; at the
same time, he liked to see Matthew and Mercy sent out on a message
together, leaving it to nature and to grace to do the rest. The pros and
cons of early marriage were often up at his hearty table, but he always
debated, and Gaius was a great debater, that true hospitality largely
consisted in throwing open the family circle to let young people get well
acquainted with one another in its peace and sweetness. And Gaius both
practised what he preached, and at the same time endorsed his watchful
wife's last testament, when he gave his daughter Phebe to James,
Christiana's second son, and thus was left alone, poor old Gaius, when
the happy honeymoon party started upward from his hostel door.

5. Their next host was one Mr. Mnason, a Cyprusian by nation, and an old
disciple. "How far have you come to-day?" he asked. "From the house of
Gaius our friend," they said. "I promise you," said he, "you have gone a
good stitch; you may well be weary; sit down." So they sat down. "Our
great want a while since," said Old Honest, "was harbour and good
company, and now I hope we have both." "For harbour," said the host,
"you see what it is, but for good company that will appear in the trial."
After they were a little rested Old Honest again asked his host if there
were any store of good people in that town; and, "How," he said, "shall
we do to see some of them? For the sight of good men to them that are
going on pilgrimage is like to the appearing of the moon and stars to
them that are sailing upon the seas." Then Mr. Mnason stamped with his
foot and his daughter Grace came up, when he sent her out for five of his
friends in the town, saying that he had a guest or two in his house at
present to whom he would like to introduce them.

Now, this is another of the good qualities of a good host,