t Him no more now. I'd like to see for
myself, ye ken."

"Ay, _Madge_, they're healed long ago," saith _Isaac_.

"Well, I count so," saith she, "for 'tis a parcel o' _Sundays_ since
first time thou told me of 'em: still, I'd like to see for myself."

"Thou'lt see for thyself," saith _Isaac_. "Th' Lord's just th' same up
yonder that He were down here."

"Well, I reckon so," quoth _Madge_, in a tone of wonder. "Amn't I th'
same maid up at th' Hall as I am here?"

"Ay, but I mean He's as good as ever He were," _Isaac_ makes answer.
"He were right good, He were, to yon poor gaumering [silly] _Thomas_,--
eh, but he were a troublesome chap, was _Thomas_! He said he wouldn't
believe it were th' Lord without he stuck his hand right into th' bad
place of His side. He were a hard one to deal wi', was yon _Thomas_."

"Did He let him stick it in?" saith _Madge_, opening her eyes.

"Yea, He told him to come and stick't in, if he could not believe
without: but he mun have been a dizard [foolish man], that he couldn't--
that's what I think," quoth old _Isaac_.

"Was he daft?" saith _Madge_.

"Well, nay, I reckon not," saith he.

"I'll tell ye how it were," saith she. "His soul was daft--that's it--
right th' inside of him, ye ken."

"Ay, I reckon thou'rt about right," quoth _Isaac_.

"Well, I wouldn't have wanted that," saith she. "I'd have wist by His
face and the way He said `Good morrow, _Thomas_!' I'd never have wanted
to hurt Him more to see whether it were Him. So He'd rather be hurt
than leave _Thomas_ a-wondering! Well--it were just like Him."

"He's better than men be, _Madge_," saith Aunt _Joyce_, tenderly.

"That's none so much to say, Mistress _Joyce_," saith _Madge_. "Men's
bad uns. And some's rare bad uns. So's women, belike. I'd liever ha'
th' door betwixt."

_Madge_ hath alway had a strange fantasy to shut the half-door betwixt
her and them she loveth not. There be very few she will let come
withinside. I reckon them that may might be counted of her fingers.

"Well, _Madge_, there shall be no need to shut to the door in Heaven,"
saith Aunt _Joyce_. "The gates be never shut by day; and there is no
night there."

"They've no night! Eh, that's best thing ever you told me yet!" quoth
_Madge_. "I canna 'bide th' dark. It'll be right bonnie, it will!"

Softly Aunt _Joyce_ made answer. "`Thine eyes shall see the King in His
beauty; they shall behold the Land that is very far off.'"