And now the arrival of the young mistress, or, as she was called, the little mistress, was the signal for them all to draw round the fire, like one happy family, travellers, host, hostess, and even servants in the outer ring, and tell stories till bedtime.And Gerard in his turn told a tremendous one out of his repertory, a MS.collection of "acts of the saints," and made them all shudder deliciously; but soon after began to nod, exhausted by the effort, I should say.The young mistress saw, and gave Marion a look.She instantly lighted a rush, and laying her hand on Gerard's shoulder, invited him to follow her.She showed him a room where were two nice white beds, and bade him choose.
"Either is paradise," said he."I'll take this one.Do you know, Ihave not lain in a naked bed once since I left my home in Holland.""Alack! poor soul!" said she; "well, then, the sooner my flax and your down (he! he!) come together, the better; so - allons!" and she held out her cheek as business-like as if it had been her hand for a fee.
"Allons? what does that mean?"
"It means 'good-night.' Ahem! What, don't they salute the chambermaid in your part?""Not all in a moment."
"What, do they make a business on't?"
"Nay, perverter of words, I mean we make not so free with strange women.
"They must be strange women if they do not think you strange fools, then.Here is a coil.Why, all the old greasy greybeards that lie at our inn do kiss us chambermaids; faugh! and what have we poor wretches to set on t'other side the compt but now and then a nice young----? Alack! time flies, chambermaids can't be spared long in the nursery, so how is't to be?""An't please you arrange with my comrade for both.He is mulierose; I am not.""Nay, 'tis the curb he will want, not the spur.Well! well! you shall to bed without paying the usual toll; and oh, but 'tis sweet to fall in with a young man who can withstand these ancient ill customs, and gainsay brazen hussies.Shalt have thy reward.""Thank you! But what are you doing with my bed?""Me? oh, only taking off these sheets, and going to put on the pair the drunken miller slept in last night.""Oh, no! no! You cruel, black-hearted thing! There! there!""A la bonne heure! What will not perseverance effect? But note now the frowardness of a mad wench! I cared not for't a button.I am dead sick of that sport this five years.But you denied me; so then forthwith I behoved to have it; belike had gone through fire and water for't.Alas, young sir, we women are kittle cattle; poor perverse toads: excuse us: and keep us in our place, savoir, at arm's length; and so good-night!"At the door she turned and said, with a complete change of tone and manner: "The Virgin guard thy head, and the holy Evangelists watch the bed where lies a poor young wanderer far from home!
Amen!"
And the next moment he heard her run tearing down the stairs, and soon a peal of laughter from the salle betrayed her whereabouts.
"Now that is a character," said Gerard profoundly, and yawned over the discovery.
In a very few minutes he was in a dry bath of cold, clean linen, inexpressibly refreshing to him after so long disuse: then came a delicious glow; and then - Sevenbergen.
In the morning Gerard awoke infinitely refreshed, and was for rising, but found himself a close prisoner.His linen had vanished.Now this was paralysis; for the nightgown is a recent institution.In Gerard's century, and indeed long after, men did not play fast and loose with clean sheets (when they could get them), but crept into them clothed with their innocence, like Adam: out of bed they seem to have taken most after his eldest son.
Gerard bewailed his captivity to Denys; but that instant the door opened, and in sailed Marion with their linen, newly washed and ironed, on her two arms, and set it down on the table.
"Oh you good girl," cried Gerard.
"Alack, have you found me out at last?"
"Yes, indeed.Is this another custom?"
"Nay, not to take them unbidden: but at night we aye question travellers, are they for linen washed.So I came into you, but you were both sound.Then said I to the little mistress, 'La! where is the sense of waking wearied men, t'ask them is Charles the Great dead, and would they liever carry foul linen or clean, especially this one with a skin like cream? 'And so he has, I declare,' said the young mistress.""That was me," remarked Denys, with the air of a commentator.
"Guess once more, and you'll hit the mark.""Notice him not, Marion, he is an impudent fellow; and I am sure we cannot be grateful enough for your goodness, and I am sorry Iever refused you - anything you fancied you should like.""Oh, are ye there," said l'espiegle."I take that to mean you would fain brush the morning dew off, as your bashful companion calls it; well then, excuse me, 'tis customary, but not prudent.Idecline.Quits with you, lad."
"Stop! stop!" cried Denys, as she was making off victorious, "I am curious to know how many, of ye were here last night a-feasting your eyes on us twain.
"'Twas so satisfactory a feast as we weren't half a minute over't.
Who? why the big mistress, the little mistress, Janet, and me, and the whole posse comitatus, on tiptoe.We mostly make our rounds the last thing, not to get burned down; and in prodigious numbers.
Somehow that maketh us bolder, especially where archers lie scattered about.""Why did not you tell me? I'd have lain awake.""Beau sire, the saying goes that the good and the ill are all one while their lids are closed.So we said, 'Here is one who will serve God best asleep, Break not his rest!'""She is funny," said Gerard dictatorially.
"I must be either that or knavish."
"How so?"
"Because 'The Three Fish' pay me to be funny.You will eat before you part? Good! then I'll go see the meat be fit for such worshipful teeth.""Denys!"
"What is your will?"
"I wish that was a great boy, and going along with us, to keep us cheery.""So do not I.But I wish it was going along with us as it is.""Now Heaven forefend! A fine fool you would make of yourself."They broke their fast, settled their score, and said farewell.
