oint. The curious attitude in which he must deliver
the shaft never occurred to him.

"Idle chat! idle chat!" moaned Margaret, without lifting her brow from
the table. "When you have slain all the gossips in this town, can we eat
them? Tell me how to keep you all, or prithee hold thy peace, and let
the saints get leave to whisper me." Martin held his tongue, and cast
uneasy glances at his defeated General.

Towards evening she rose, and washed her face and did up her hair,
and doggedly bade Martin take down the crocodile, and put out a basket
instead.

"I can get up linen better than they seem to do it in this street," said
she, "and you must carry it in the basket."

"That will I for thy sake," said the soldier.

"Good Martin! forgive me that I spake shrewishly to thee."

Even while they were talking came a male for advice. Margaret told it
the mayor had interfered and forbidden her to sell drugs. "But," said
she, "I will gladly iron and starch your linen for you, and I will come
and fetch it from your house."

"Are ye mad, young woman?" said the male. "I come for a leech, and ye
proffer me a washerwoman;" and it went out in dudgeon.

"There is a stupid creature," said Margaret sadly.

Presently came a female to tell the symptoms of her sick child. Margaret
stopped it.

"We are forbidden by the bailiff to sell drugs. But I will gladly wash,
iron, and starch your linen for you-and-I will come and fetch it from
your house."

"Oh, ay," said the female. "Well, I have some smocks and ruffs foul.
Come for them; and when you are there, you can look at the boy;" and it
told her where it lived, and when its husband would be out; yet it was
rather fond of its husband than not.

An introduction is an introduction. And two or three patients out of
all those who came and were denied medicine made Doctor Margaret their
washerwoman.

"Now, Martin, you must help. I'll no more cats than can slay mice."

"Mistress, the stomach is not awanting for't, but the headpiece, worst
luck."

"Oh! I mean not the starching and ironing; that takes a woman and a
handy one. But the bare washing; a man can surely contrive that. Why, a
mule has wit enough in's head to do't with his hoofs, an' ye could drive
him into the tub. Come, off doublet, and try."

"I am your man," said the brave old soldier, stripping for the unwonted
toil. "I'll risk my arm in soapsuds, an you will risk your glory."

"My what?"

"Your glory and honour as