ntradict me not, goodman Nettles," interrupted the guardian of
public morals. "I say that I have ever remarked the man who prefers
wine to ale, to be of an unsteady faith. It savors of a hankering
after the flesh-pots of Egypt. Let not such a man be trusted."

As the constable was speaking, Arundel could not help fancying that he
looked hard at him, as if some personal application of the words were
intended. He took no notice, however, of them, especially as mine host
immediately rejoined:

"Dear, good Master Prout, speak not so. Why, if my customers were to
hear you, the character of my house might be ruinated. Whoever heard
before that the Pope had ever anything to do with wine? I do not
believe he drinks it at all."

"Art thou a Christian man, and so ignorant of the things that pertain
to salvation? Tells us not the Book of Revelations of the merchandise
of the great city of Babylon, when it shall fall--cinnamon, and odors,
and ointments, and frankincense, and wine; and sayest thou the Pope
hath no part thereof?"

"An' you are for Scripture," answered mine host, "have at thee with a
text in return? Saith not the Scripture, also, He giveth wine to
gladden man's heart? Moreover, though there be wine at Rome, it doth
not follow, therefrom, that it is drunk by the Pope."

"Contradict me not, I say, goodman, and pervert not the Scriptures
with thy famulistical interpretations. I observed you spoke but a
moment ago of the soul of the grape, as if it were possible that a
divine principle could lodge therein, I caution thee against this, as
a profane and indecent form of speech, unbecoming in one of the
congregation; and, besides, an' thou wouldst retain my custom, take
heed thou put more malt into thy ale."

"It is strong enough to answer thy purpose," muttered the offended
landlord, but in so low a tone as to be unheard; and, as new customers
began to come in, he left, in order to assist in manipulations of the
bottle and spigot, his tapster, Zachariah Sider, whom his late
flourishing fortune had enabled him to add to the establishment.

"Has anything worthy of note occurred, during my absence of three
weeks?" inquired Arundel of Master Prout.

"How were it possible otherwise?" replied the constable, whom the
colloquy with the host seemed not to have left in the best of humors.
"Here hath been Increase Faith Higginson twice coopered up in a
barrel, once for drunkenness, and a second time on suspicion thereof;
Jon