se; and
though the meaning of his chant, even with the aid of the numerous notes
appended to it, may not be quite obvious to our readers, we can assure
them that it was perfectly intelligible to the Canting Crew. Jerry was
now entitled to a call; and happening, at the moment, to meet the fine
dark eyes of a sentimental gipsy, one of that better class of mendicants
who wandered about the country with a guitar at his back, his election
fell upon him. The youth, without prelude, struck up a

GIPSY SERENADE

Merry maid, merry maid, wilt thou wander with me?
We will roam through the forest, the meadow, and lea;
We will haunt the sunny bowers, and when day begins to flee,
Our couch shall be the ferny brake, our canopy the tree.
_Merry maid, merry maid, come and wander with me!
No life like the gipsy's, so joyous and free!_

Merry maid, merry maid, though a roving life be ours,
We will laugh away the laughing and quickly fleeting hours;
Our hearts are free, as is the free and open sky above,
And we know what tamer souls know not, how lovers ought to love.
_Merry maid, merry maid, come and wander with me!
No life like the gipsy's so joyous and free!_

Zoroaster now removed the pipe from his upright lips to intimate his
intention of proposing a toast.

A universal knocking of knuckles by the knucklers[73] was followed by
profound silence. The sage spoke:

"The city of Canterbury, pals," said he; "and may it never want a knight
of Malta."

The toast was pledged with much laughter, and in many bumpers.

The knight, upon whom all eyes were turned, rose, "with stately bearing
and majestic motion," to return thanks.

"I return you an infinitude of thanks, brother pals," said he, glancing
round the assemblage; and bowing to the president, "and to you, most
upright Zory, for the honor you have done me in associating my name with
that city. Believe me, I sincerely appreciate the compliment, and echo
the sentiment from the bottom of my soul. I trust it never _will_ want
a knight of Malta. In return for your consideration, but a poor one you
will say, you shall have a ditty, which I composed upon the occasion of
my pilgrimage to that city, and which I have thought proper to name
after myself."

THE KNIGHT OF MALTA

_A Canterbury Tale_[74]

Come list to me, and you shall have, without a hem or haw, sirs,
A Canterbury pilgrim