s
backer's hand.

"A pair of buckets!" shouted Gerard, "and let us see which of these two
sons of asses can drink most at a draught."

On another occasion two farmers had a dispute whose hay was the best.
Failing to convince each other, they said, "We'll ask parson;" for by
this time he was their referee in every mortal thing.

"How lucky you thought of me!" said Gerard, "Why, I have got one staying
with me who is the best judge of hay in Holland. Bring me a double
handful apiece."

So when they came, he had them into the parlour, and put each bundle on
a chair. Then he whistled, and in walked Jack.

"Lord a mercy!" said one of the farmers.

"Jack," said the parson, in the tone of conversation, "just tell us
which is the best hay of these two."

Jack sniffed them both, and made his choice directly, proving his
sincerity by eating every morsel. The farmers slapped their thighs, and
scratched their heads. "To think of we not thinking o' that," And they
each sent Jack a truss.

So Gerard got to be called the merry parson of Gouda. But Margaret, who
like most loving women had no more sense of humour than a turtle-dove,
took this very ill. "What!" said she to herself, "is there nothing sore
at the bottom of his heart that he can go about playing the zany?" She
could understand pious resignation and content, but not mirth, in true
lovers parted. And whilst her woman's nature was perturbed by this
gust (and women seem more subject to gusts than men) came that terrible
animal, a busybody, to work upon her. Catherine saw she was not happy,
and said to her, "Your boy is gone from you. I would not live alone all
my days if I were you."

"He is more alone than I," sighed Margaret.

"Oh, a man is a man, but a woman is a woman. You must not think all of
him and none of yourself. Near is your kirtle, but nearer is your smock.
Besides, he is a priest, and can do no better. But you are not a priest.
He has got his parish, and his heart is in that. Bethink thee! Time
flies; overstay not thy market. Wouldst not like to have three or four
more little darlings about thy knee now they have robbed thee of poor
little Gerard, and sent him to yon nasty school?" And so she worked upon
a mind already irritated.

Margaret had many suitors ready to marry her at a word or even a
look, and among them two merchants of the better class, Van Schelt and
Oostwagen. "Take one of those two," said Catherine.

"Well, I will ask Gerard if I may