ne as himself,
would fain be thought so. But--"

"Nay, think not of it so seriously," said Oliver, who began to reflect
on the mischief his tattling was likely to occasion to his friend, and
on the consequences of Henry Gow's displeasure, when he should learn
the disclosure which he had made rather in vanity of heart than in evil
intention.

"Consider," he continued, "that there are follies belonging to youth.
Occasion provokes men to such frolics, and confession wipes them off. I
care not if I tell thee that, though my wife be as goodly a woman as the
city has, yet I myself--"

"Peace, silly braggart," said the glover in high wrath; "thy loves and
thy battles are alike apocryphal. If thou must needs lie, which I think
is thy nature, canst thou invent no falsehood that may at least do thee
some credit? Do I not see through thee, as I could see the light through
the horn of a base lantern? Do I not know, thou filthy weaver of rotten
worsted, that thou durst no more cross the threshold of thy own door, if
thy wife heard of thy making such a boast, than thou darest cross naked
weapons with a boy of twelve years old, who has drawn a sword for the
first time of his life? By St. John, it were paying you for your tale
bearing trouble to send thy Maudie word of thy gay brags."

The bonnet maker, at this threat, started as if a crossbow bolt had
whizzed past his head when least expected. And it was with a trembling
voice that he replied: "Nay, good father Glover, thou takest too much
credit for thy grey hairs. Consider, good neighbour, thou art too old
for a young martialist to wrangle with. And in the matter of my Maudie,
I can trust thee, for I know no one who would be less willing than thou
to break the peace of families."

"Trust thy coxcomb no longer with me," said the incensed glover; "but
take thyself, and the thing thou call'st a head, out of my reach, lest I
borrow back five minutes of my youth and break thy pate!"

"You have had a merry Fastern's Even, neighbour," said the bonnet maker,
"and I wish you a quiet sleep; we shall meet better friends tomorrow."

"Out of my doors tonight!" said the glover. "I am ashamed so idle a
tongue as thine should have power to move me thus."

"Idiot--beast--loose tongued coxcomb," he exclaimed, throwing himself
into a chair, as the bonnet maker disappeared; "that a fellow made up
of lies should not have had the grace to frame one when it might have
covered the shame of a frien