are mere babes!" quoth Tib, hoping he might cast it off his
mind.

"Look!" said Perronel; and as they stood on the somewhat elevated floor
of the bay window, they could look over the heads of the other
spectators to the seats where the young girls sat.

Aldonza's beautiful and peculiar contour of head and face rose among the
round chubby English faces like a jessamine among daisies, and at that
moment she was undertaking, with an exquisite smile, the care of the
gown that Giles laid at her feet, ere making his venture.

"There!" said Perronel. "Mark that look on her face! I never see it
save for that same youngster. The children are simple and guileless
thus far, it may be. I dare be sworn that she is, but they wot not
where they will be led on."

"You are right, dame; you know best, no doubt," said Tib, in helpless
perplexity. "I wot nothing of such gear. What would you do?"

"Have the maid wedded at once, ere any harm come of it," returned
Perronel promptly. "She will make a good wife--there will be no
complaining of her tongue, and she is well instructed in all good
housewifery."

"To whom then would you give her?" asked Tibble.

"Ay, that's the question. Comely and good she is, but she is
outlandish, and I fear me 'twould take a handsome portion to get her
dark skin and Moorish blood o'erlooked. Nor hath she aught, poor maid,
save yonder gold and pearl earrings, and a cross of gold that she says
her father bade her never part with."

"I pledged my word to her father," said Tibble, "that I would have a
care of her. I have not cared to hoard, having none to come after me,
but if a matter of twenty or five-and-twenty marks would avail--"

"Wherefore not take her yourself?" said Perronel, as he stood aghast.
"She is a maid of sweet obedient conditions, trained by a scholar even
like yourself. She would make your chamber fair and comfortable, and
tend you dutifully."

"Whisht, good woman. 'Tis too dark to see, or you could not speak of
wedlock to such as I. Think of the poor maid!"

"That is all folly! She would soon know you for a better husband than
one of those young feather-pates, who have no care but of themselves."

"Nay, mistress," said Tibble, gravely, "your advice will not serve here.
To bring that fair young wench hither, to this very court, mind you,
with a mate loathly to behold as I be, and with the lad there ever
before her, would be verily to give place to the devil."

"But yo