the hill. Just as she
reached the summit thereof our eyes were gladdened with the sight, so
long desired, of the light equipage on two wheels of the kind Mr
Snowton, containing my excellent wife and her young charge, and also
various boxes of uncommon size, in which were laid great store of
bodily adornment for both the ladies; as was more fully seen
thereafter, on the opening of the boxes, by reason of Mr Snowton
having privily conveyed into them various changes of apparel for the
use of my excellent wife, as also for each of the three girls. To
Charles he also sent the image of an ass, which, by touching a certain
string, did open its mouth and wave its ears in a manner most curious
to behold, wherewith the infant was infinitely delighted, as was I,
without inquiring at that time into the exquisite mechanism whereby
the extraordinary demonstrations were produced. But in the course of
little more than a month he was led, by his inquiring turn of mind, to
pry into the mystery; and in the pursuit of knowledge--laudable surely
in a person of his years, and demonstrative of astonishing sagacity
and research--he did take the animal entirely to pieces, and saw the
inward parts thereof. The great lady, with all the retinue, stopped
short as she encountered with my excellent wife at the top of the
hill, and did most courteously make tender inquiries of her state of
health, and also of her plans--whereof she seemed some little
instructed--and expressed her satisfaction therein, and did make many
sweet speeches to her, and also to the pupil, and trusted that she
would be good and dutiful, and an earnest and affectionate daughter of
the Church of England. To all which my excellent wife replied in
fitting terms, and Alice Snowton--so was she named--made promise so to
do, God being her helper and I her teacher; and thereupon the great
lady bended her head with smiles, and rode on. When they got down to
where we stood in the church field, the flush of modesty, and perhaps
of pride, at being spoken to in such friendly guise by the haughty
Lady Mallerden, had not yet left the cheek of my excellent wife, upon
which I impressed a kiss of true love, and held up little Charles as
high as I could, to enable him to do likewise, which he did, with a
pretty set speech which I had taught him, in gratulation of her
return. Alice Snowton also did blush, and held out her cheek, whereon
I pressed my lip, with fervent prayers for her advance in holi