his eyes wide with amazement.

The landlord turned to Gerard with a half-inquiring look,

"Nay, sir," said Gerard; "I am too young to advise my seniors and
betters."

"No matter. Let us hear your thought."

"Well, sir, it was said of a good wife by the ancients, 'bene quae
latuit, bene vixit,' that is, she is the best wife that is least talked
of: but here 'male quae patuit' were as near the mark. Therefore, an
you bear the lass good-will, why not club purses with Denys and me and
convey her safe home with a dowry? Then mayhap some rustical person in
her own place may be brought to wife her."

"Why so many words?" said Denys. "This old fox is not the ass he affects
to be."

"Oh! that is your advice, is it?" said the landlord testily. "Well then
we shall soon know who is the fool, you or me, for I have spoken to her
as it happens; and what is more, she has said Ay, and she is polishing
the flagons at this moment."

"Oho!" said Denys drily, "'twas an ambuscade. Well, in that case, my
advice is, run for the notary, tie the noose, and let us three drink the
bride's health, till we see six sots a-tippling."

"And shall. Ay, now you utter sense."

In ten minutes a civil marriage was effected upstairs before a notary
and his clerk and our two friends.

In ten minutes more the white hind, dead sick of seclusion, had taken
her place within the bar, and was serving out liquids, and bustling, and
her colour rising a little.

In six little minutes more she soundly rated a careless servant-girl for
carrying a nipperkin of wine awry and spilling good liquor.

During the evening she received across the bar eight offers of marriage,
some of them from respectable burghers. Now the landlord and our two
friends had in perfect innocence ensconced themselves behind a screen,
to drink at their ease the new couple's health. The above comedy was
thrown in for their entertainment by bounteous fate. They heard the
proposals made one after another, and uninventive Manon's invariable
answer--"Serviteur; you are a day after the fair." The landlord chuckled
and looked good-natured superiority at both his late advisers, with
their traditional notions that men shun a woman "quae patuit," i.e. who
has become the town talk.

But Denys scarce noticed the spouse's triumph over him, he was so
occupied with his own over Gerard. At each municipal tender of undying
affection, he turned almost purple with the effort it cost him not
to roar wit