ter Headley and Tib Steelman were a sight, both having
seen only too much of what the house wifery at Salisbury had been. The
alderman decided on the spot that there could be no marriage till after
the journey to France, since Giles was certainly to go upon it; and lest
Mrs Headley should be starting on her journey, he said he should
despatch a special messenger to stay her. Giles, who had of course been
longing for the splendid pageant, cheered up into great amiability, and
volunteered to write to his mother, that she had best not think of
coming, till he sent word to her that matters were forward. Even thus,
Master Headley was somewhat insecure. He thought the dame quite capable
of coming and taking possession of his house in his absence, and
therefore resolved upon staying at home to garrison it; but there was
then the further difficulty that Tibble was in no condition to take his
place on the journey. If the rheumatism seized his right arm, as it had
done in the winter, he would be unable to drive a rivet, and there would
be every danger of it, high summer though it were; for though the party
would carry their own tent and bedding, the knights and gentlemen would
be certain to take all the best places, and they might be driven into a
damp corner. Indeed it was not impossible that their tent itself might
be seized, for many a noble or his attendants might think that beggarly
artisans had no right to comforts which he had been too improvident to
afford, especially if the alderman himself were absent.

Not only did Master Headley really love his trusty foreman too well to
expose him to such chances, but Tibble knew too well that there were
brutal young men to whom his contorted visage would be an incitement to
contempt and outrage, and that if racked with rheumatism, he would only
be an incumbrance. There was nothing for it but to put Kit Smallbones
at the head of the party. His imposing presence would keep off wanton
insults, but on the other hand, he had not the moral weight of authority
possessed by Tibble, and though far from being a drunkard, he was not
proof against a carouse, especially when out of reach of his Bet and of
his master, and he was not by any means Tib's equal in fine and delicate
workmanship. But on the other hand, Tib pronounced that Stephen
Birkenholt was already well skilled in chasing metal and the difficult
art of restoring inlaid work, and he showed some black and silver
armour, that