ns, mistress; ye didn't hire me to be one o' your three
fishes, did ye?" and Marion sulked thirty seconds.

"Is that the way to speak to our mistress?" remonstrated the landlord,
who had slipped in.

"Hold your whisht," said his wife sharply; "it is not your business to
check the girl; she is a good servant to you."

"What, is the cock never to crow, and the hens at it all day?"

"You can crow as loud as you like, my man out o' doors. But the hen
means to rule the roost."

"I know a byword to that tune." said Gerard.

"Do ye, now? out wi't then."

"Femme veut en toute saison,
Estre dame en sa mason."

"I never heard it afore; but 'tis as sooth as gospel. Ay, they that
set these bywords a rolling had eyes and tongues, and tongues and eyes.
Before all the world give me an old saw."

"And me a young husband," said Marion. "Now there was a chance for you
all, and nobody spoke. Oh! it is too late now, I've changed my mind."

"All the better for some poor fellow," suggested Denys.

And now the arrival of the young mistress, or, as she was called, the
little mistress, was the signal for them all to draw round the fire,
like one happy family, travellers, host, hostess, and even servants in
the outer ring, and tell stories till bedtime. And Gerard in his turn
told a tremendous one out of his repertory, a MS. collection of "acts of
the saints," and made them all shudder deliciously; but soon after began
to nod, exhausted by the effort, I should say. The young mistress saw,
and gave Marion a look. She instantly lighted a rush, and laying her
hand on Gerard's shoulder, invited him to follow her. She showed him a
room where were two nice white beds, and bade him choose.

"Either is paradise," said he. "I'll take this one. Do you know, I have
not lain in a naked bed once since I left my home in Holland."

"Alack! poor soul!" said she; "well, then, the sooner my flax and your
down (he! he!) come together, the better; so--allons!" and she held out
her cheek as business-like as if it had been her hand for a fee.

"Allons? what does that mean?"

"It means 'good-night.' Ahem! What, don't they salute the chambermaid in
your part?"

"Not all in a moment."

"What, do they make a business on't?"

"Nay, perverter of words, I mean we make not so free with strange women.

"They must be strange women if they do not think you strange fools,
then. Here is a coil. Why, all the old greasy greybeards that lie at our
i