the lady's brow,
when, beslippered and begowned, came in hastily the chief magistrate
of this ancient borough.

"A word in your worship's ear," said the stranger; "my time is short
and the affair is urgent."

"Speak out; my wife shares the burdens of this office, and,
indeed"----

"But, sir, I crave an audience in private. Should you not grant my
request, there be other ears shall have the benefit of what is meant
for your own."

The magistrate quailed before the terrors of his wife's frown; but
however dangerous the duty--and it was fraught with no ordinary
peril--still, in his official capacity, he could not refuse to grant
the stranger a private interview.

The mayor was a round, full-eyed personage, whose cheek and nose
displayed the result of many a libation to the jolly god.
Short-legged, short-breathed, and full-paunched, he strode, quick and
laborious, like a big-bellied cask set in motion, as if glad to
escape, into a small back chamber, furnished with two stools, a desk,
and sundry big books--implements in use only as touching his private
affairs.

"Now, sir," said his majesty's vicegerent, puffing from unwonted
exertion, "it is my lot to fill the civic chair in these troublous
times; and truly my portion is not in pleasant places; but I am loyal,
sir, loyal. The king has knighted many a servant less worthy than
myself; and, but that Mrs Mayor is looking forward to the title, there
would be little good-will to the office from 'my lady' that is to be.
Now, sir."

The garrulous and ambitious minister of justice here paused, more for
lack of breath than words or will to utter them; and the stranger, who
had hitherto kept his hat just below his chin, waiting for a pause in
this monologue, replied--

"My message respects your prisoner."

"Well, sir, go on. Proceed, sir, I say. What! can't you speak? Why
stand there as if stricken dumb in our presence?"

The stranger did proceed the moment that an interval was granted.

"I am brief, your worship."

"Brief--brief--so am I; and my lady--that is, Mrs Mayor--though she
likes that I should, in some sort, furnish my tongue to an
acquaintance with the speech, so that I often speak of and to her as
such, you observe, that when it may seem good unto his Majesty's
pleasure, knighting my poor honesty"--here he made a slight
obeisance--"the words may fall trippingly off the tongue, as though we
were used to the title, and wore our honours like they who be born