n my
good faith, the which his dancing eye belied. Early in Germany we had
a quarrel. I had seen him buy a skull of a jailer's wife, and mighty
zealous a polishing it. Thought I, 'How can he carry yon memento,
and not repent, seeing where ends his way?' Presently I did catch him
selling it to a woman for the head of St. Barnabas, with a tale had
cozened an Ebrew. So I snatched it out of their hands, and trundled it
into the ditch. 'How, thou impious knave,' said I, 'wouldst sell for
a saint the skull of some dead thief, thy brother?' He slunk away. But
shallow she did crawl after the skull, and with apron reverently dust
it for Barnabas, and it Barabbas; and so home with it. Said I, 'Non vult
anser velli, sed populus vult decipi.'"

Catherine. "Oh, the goodly Latin!"

Eli. "What meaneth it?"

Catherine. "Nay, I know not; but 'tis Latin; is not that enow? He was
the flower of the flock."

"Then I to him, 'Take now thy psaltery, and part we here, for art a
walking prison, a walking hell.' But lo! my master fell on his knees,
and begged me for pity's sake not turn him off. 'What would become of
him? He did so love honesty.' 'Thou love honesty?' said I. 'Ay,' said
he, 'not to enact it; the saints forbid. But to look on. 'Tis so fair
a thing to look on. Alas, good Bon Bec,' said he; 'hadst starved
peradventure but for me. Kick not down thy ladder! Call ye that just?
Nay, calm thy choler! Have pity on me! I must have a pal; and how could
I bear one like myself after one so simple as thou? He might cut my
throat for the money that is hid in my belt. 'Tis not much; 'tis not
much. With thee I walk at mine ease; with a sharp I dare not go before
in a narrow way. Alas! forgive me. Now I know where in thy bonnet lurks
the bee, I will ware his sting; I will but pluck the secular goose. 'So
be it,' said I. 'And example was contagious: he should be a true man by
then we reached Nurnberg. 'Twas a long way to Nurnberg.' Seeing him so
humble, I said, 'well, doff rags, and make thyself decent; 'twill
help me forget what thou art.' And he did so; and we sat down to our
nonemete. Presently came by a reverend palmer with hat stuck round with
cockle shells from Holy Land, and great rosary of beads like eggs of
teal, and sandals for shoes. And he leaned a-weary on his long staff,
and offered us a shell apiece. My master would none. But I, to set him
a better example, took one, and for it gave the poor pilgrim two batzen,
and had his bless