me Margery looked out
yesterday for her mistress's wedding-suit? I do bethink me it is a good
ell too long at the measure."

"Six ells, three nails, and an odd inch, besides the broad thumbs,"
replied Timothy.

"Right:--she reckoned on a good snip for waste; but let no more be sent
than the embroiderer calls for."

"Not a thread," grunted Dodge.

A pause ensued. Some question was evidently hesitating on the merchant's
tongue. Twice did his lips move, but the word fell unuttered. The affair
was, however, finally disposed of as follows:--

"Hast heard of aught, Timothy, touching the private matter that I
unfolded yesterday?" Cornelius put on as careless an aspect as the
disquietude of his brow could needs carry, but the inquiry was evidently
one of no ordinary interest. He twisted the points of his doublet, tied
and untied the silk cords from his ruff, waiting Dodge's answer in a
posture not much belying the anxiety he wished to conceal.

"Why, master, an' it were of woman's humours, the old seer himself could
not unriddle their pranks."

Cornelius sighed, making the following hasty reply:--

"Thinkest thou this same seer could not give me a lift from out my
trouble?"

"This same seer, I wot," replied Dodge, "is sore perplexed: some evil
and mischievous aspect doth afflict the horoscope of the nation--Mars
being conjunct with Venus and the Dragon's tail. Now, look to it,
master, it is no light matter that will move him; but almost or ere I
showed him the first glimpse of the business he waxed furious, and said
that he cared not if all the unwed hussies in Christendom were hung up
in a row, like rats on a string."

"It is Kate's birthday," answered the merchant, "to-night being the
feast of St Bartlemy; but, as thou knowest well, the astrologer that
cast her figure gave no hope of her amendment should this day pass and
never a husband. Who would yoke with a colt untamed? O Timothy! it were
well nigh to make an old man weep. I am a withered trunk. Better had I
been childless than have this proud wench to trouble mine house."

The old man here wept, and it was a grievous thing to see his wrinkled
cheeks become, as it were, but the sluices and channels of his tears.
Timothy, too, was something moved from his common posture; and once he
endeavoured to turn, as though he would hide his face from his master's
trouble.

He sought to speak, but an evil and husky sort of humour settled in his
throat, and he waited s