ual, getting
forward her preparations for that time of jollity and good cheer,
and making the bridge house fairly reek with the mixed flavours of
her numerous concoctions and savoury dishes.

Martin Holt's Puritanism, which would prevent his countenancing
anything like drunkenness, revelling, or the gross sports and
amusements which still held full sway over the people at festive
seasons, did not withhold him from keeping a well-spread table at
which to ask his friends to sit, still less from sending out to his
poorer neighbours portions of the good cheer which has always
seemed appropriate to the Christmas season. So he raised no protest
against the lavish expenditure in meats and spices, rose water,
ambergris, sugar and herbs, nor complained that his sister and
daughters seemed transformed for the nonce into scullions, and had
scarce time to sit down to take a meal in peace, for fear that some
mishap occurred to one of the many stew pans crowding each other
upon the stove.

He was used to it, and it appeared the inevitable preliminary to
Yuletide; though Cuthbert looked on in amaze, and marvelled how any
household could consume the quantities of victuals under
preparation, be their hospitality and generosity what it might.

As he walked abroad in the streets he saw much the same sort of
thing everywhere going on. Cooks and scullions were scouring the
streets and markets for all manner of dainties. Farmers were
driving through the streets flocks of young porkers, squealing
lustily and jostling the passers by; and cooks and housewives would
come rushing out from the houses to secure a pig and carry it off
in triumph; whilst here and there a servant in livery might be seen
with a basket from which a peacock's tail floated, carrying off
this costly prize to adorn the table of some nobleman or wealthy
merchant.

Passing by Lord Andover's house in the Strand on the day before the
eve of Christmas, Cuthbert saw, by the stir and bustle and
liveliness of the courtyard, that the family had plainly returned.
On making inquiry he discovered that his surmise was correct, and
he walked home resolving to lose no more time in delivering his
letter, and wondering if he could contrive to take Cherry with him
when he paid the visit, to secure for her a sight of the gay
streets and a peep into Lord Andover's big house. The poor child
had been regularly mewed up at home the whole of the past week
helping her sharp-tongued aunt. It