esome as I."

"Alack, Reicht, I did go but yestreen, and had gone before, but one
plaguy thing or t'other did still come and hinder me."

"Mistress, did aught hinder ye to eat your dinner any one of those days?
I trow not. And had your heart been as good towards your own flesh and
blood, as 'twas towards your flesher's meat, nought had prevailed to
keep you from her that sat lonely, a watching the road for you and
comfort, wi' your child's child a beating 'neath her bosom."

Here this rude young woman was interrupted by an incident not uncommon
in a domestic's bright existence. The Van Eyck had been nettled by the
attack on her, but with due tact had gone into ambush. She now sprang
out of it. "Since you disrespect my guests, seek another place!"

"With all my heart," said Reicht stoutly.

"Nay, mistress," put in the good-natured Catherine. "True folk will
still speak out. Her tongue is a stinger." Here the water came into
the speaker's eyes by way of confirmation. "But better she said it than
thought it. So now 't won't rankle in her. And part with her for me,
that shall ye not. Beshrew the wench, she wots she is a good servant,
and takes advantage. We poor wretches which keep house must still pay
'em tax for value. I had a good servant once, when I was a young
woman. Eh dear, how she did grind me down into the dust. In the end,
by Heaven's mercy, she married the baker, and I was my own woman again.
'So,' said I, 'no more good servants shall come hither, a hectoring o'
me.' I just get a fool and learn her; and whenever she knoweth her right
hand from her left, she sauceth me: then out I bundle her neck and
crop, and take another dunce in her place. Dear heart, 'tis wearisome,
teaching a string of fools by ones; but there--I am mistress:" here she
forgot that she was defending Reicht, and turning rather spitefully upon
her, added, "and you be mistress here, I trow."

"No more than that stool," said the Van Eyck loftily. "She is neither
mistress nor servant; but Gone. She is dismissed the house, and there's
an end of her. What, did ye not hear me turn the saucy baggage off?"

"Ay, ay. We all heard ye," said Reicht, with vast indifference.

"Then hear me!" said Denys solemnly.

They all went round like things on wheels, and fastened their eyes on
him.

"Ay, let us hear what the man says," urged the hostess. "Men are fine
fellows, with their great hoarse voices."

"Mistress Reicht," said Denys, with great digni