y years, was like being
in heaven; but he questions her.

"How, lass?" saith he. "Where dost thou think thou art? Thou art in thy
true love's arms," saith he.

"Ay, there is heaven," she saith.

And I stole away to get th' babe some kickshaws i' th' village, that
they twain might be alone together.

Well, well, all that was two year ago, comrade--two year ago; and now
that lass o' mine hath a babe o' her own, and as valiant a rogue as ever
bellowed. Thou must come and sup with us to-night. Na, na, I'll take no
refusal--dost hear? I will not. And a word o' persuasion i' thy ear,
comrade: Mistress Lemon hath been dead this twelvemonth, comrade. Ah ha!
Wilt a-come the now? That's well. And thou shalt hear that lass o' mine
troll thee "Jog on, jog on," and "Mistress mine, where art thou
roaming?" and "Listen, Robin, while I woo." Come, comrade, come. But
stay; let's crack another drink together ere we go. Joel! What there!
Joel, I say! Another quart o' sack for Master Turnip!

NURSE CRUMPET TELLS THE STORY.

_Time._--A bitter January night in the year of
Grace 1669.

_Scene._--Sunderidge Castle--The great hall--A
monstrous fire burning in the big fireplace--Nurse
Crumpet discovered seated on a settle--At her
either knee lean the little Lady Dorothy and her
brother, the young Earl of Sunderidge, Lord
Humphrey Lennox.

_Nurse Crumpet._--Nay, now, Lady Dorothy, why wilt thou be at the pains
o' such a clamoring? Sure thou hast heard that old tale o'er a hundred
times; and thou too, my lord? Fie, then! Wouldst seek to flatter thy old
nurse with this seeming eagerness? Go to! I say thou canst not in truth
want to hear me drone o'er that ancient narrative. Well, then, an I
must, I must. Soft! Hold my fan betwixt thy dainty cheeks and the
blaze, sweetheart, lest the fire-fiend witch thy roses into very poppy
flowers. And thou, my lord, come closer to my side, lest the draught
from the bay-window smite thee that thou howlest o' th' morrow with a
crick i' thy neck. Well, well, be patient. All in time, in time. Soft,
now! Ye both mind that I was but a little lass when thy grandmother, the
Lady Elizabeth Lennox, did take me to train as her maid-in-waiting. I
was just turned sixteen that Martlemas, and not a fair-sized wench for
my years either. Would ye believe? I could set my two thumbs together at
my backbone in those days, and my ring-fing