in sundry places, having been used as a
chopping-block for a short time during the palmy days of the
Reformation.

"He'll lack a new nose," remarked Mistress Winter, thoughtfully
considering the poor ill-used article. "And an arm must he have, and be
all fresh painted and gilt, belike. Dear heart! it shall be costly
matter! Howbeit, we must keep up with the times, if we would swim and
not sink."

Keeping up with the times is a very costly business. It costs many men
their fortunes, many their reputations, and some their souls. Yet men
and women are always to be found who will pay the full price, rather
than miss doing it.

The struggle was sharp, but short. On the tenth of July, Lady Jane made
her queenly entry into the Tower, in anticipation of that coronation
which was never to be hers in this world; and on the twentieth, her nine
days' reign was over, and Mary was universally acknowledged Queen of
England. The first important prisoner made was the Duke of
Northumberland, hurled down just as he touched the glittering prize to
the winning of which he had given his life; the second was Bishop
Ridley. Events followed each other with startling rapidity. The Lady
Elizabeth, with her customary sagacity, kept quiet in the background
until the succession of her sister was assured, and then came openly to
London to meet the Queen. Peers were sent to the Tower in a long
procession. Bonner was restored to the See of London, Gardiner sworn of
the Council, Norfolk and Tunstal released from prison. The Queen made
her triumphal entry into her metropolis, and the new order of things was
secured beyond a doubt.

Business was very brisk, for some weeks afterwards, with the carver and
gilder at the bottom of Hosier Lane. Quantities of idols, thrown six
years before to the moles and to the bats, were now searched for,
mended, cleaned, regilt, and set up in elevated niches. Every house
showed at least one, except where those few dwelt who counted not their
lives dear unto them for the Master's sake. Henry Marvell went to the
expense of a new Virgin, which he set up on high in his kitchen; but
Cicely did not put her hand to the accursed thing, and quietly ignored
its existence. Christie, as usual, made himself generally disagreeable,
by low reverences to the image in the presence of his mother, and making
faces at it in that of his father--a state of things which lasted until
he was well beaten by the latter, after whi