e and the mistress in close conversation here this
morning."

"So they thought," said Master Hymn-of-Praise with weird significance.

"Well? ... And what happened, good master?"

"Thou beest in too mighty an hurry, mistress," he retorted with quiet
dignity. "I am under no obligation to report matters to thee."

"Oh! but Master Busy," she rejoined coyly, "methought I was to be your
... hem ... thy partner in life ... and so ..."

"My partner? My partner, didst thou say, sweet Charity? ... Nay, then,
an thou'lt permit me to salute thee with a kiss, I'll tell thee all I
know."

And in asking for that chaste salute we may assume that Master
Hymn-of-Praise was actuated with at least an equal desire to please
Mistress Charity, to gratify his own wishes, and to effectually annoy
Master Courage.

But Mistress Charity was actuated by curiosity alone, and without
thought of her betrothed's grimy appearance, she presented her cheek to
him for the kiss.

The result caused Master Courage an uncontrollable fit of hilarity.

"Oh, mistress," he said, pointing to the black imprint left on her face
by her lover's kiss, "you should gaze into a mirror now."

But already Mistress Charity had guessed what had occurred, her good
humor vanished, and she began scouring her cheek with her pinner.

"I'll never forgive you, master," she said crossly. "You had no right to
... hem ... with your face in that condition.... And you have not yet
told us what happened."

"What happened?"

"Aye! you promised to tell me if I allowed you to kiss me. 'Tis
done...."

"I well nigh broke my back," said Master Busy sententiously. "I hurt my
knee ... that is what happened.... I am well-nigh choked with soot....
Ugh! ... that is what happened."

"Lud love you, Master Busy," she retorted with a saucy toss of her head,
"I trust your life's partner will not need to hide herself in chimneys."

"Listen, wench, and I'll tell thee. No kind of servant of my Lord
Protector's should ever be called upon to hide in chimneys. They are not
comfortable and they are not clean."

"Bless the man!" she cried angrily, "are you ever going to tell us what
did happen whilst you were there?"

"I was about to come to that point," he said imperturbably, "hadst thou
not interrupted me. What with holding on so as not to fall, and the soot
falling in my ears...."

"Aye! aye! ..."

"I heard nothing," he concluded solemnly. "Master Courage," he added
with becoming sev