"The crumbs to catch the birds, especially the ladybirds," he said with
a sweep of his hand, then took me through the shop into a passage
and thence to a room on the right. It was not a large room but more
wonderfully furnished than any I had ever seen. In the centre was a
table of black oak with cunningly carved legs, on which stood cups of
silver and a noble centre piece that seemed to be of gold. From the
ceiling, too, hung silver lamps that already had been lit, for the
evening was closing in, and gave a sweet smell. There was a hearth also
with what was rare, a chimney, upon which burned a little fire of logs,
while the walls were hung with tapestries and broidered silks.

Whilst I stared about me, my uncle took off his cloak beneath which he
was clothed in some rich but rather threadbare stuff, only retaining the
velvet skullcap that he wore. Then he bade me do the same, and when I
had laid my outer garment aside, looked me all over in the lamplight.

"A proper young man," he muttered to himself, "and I'd give all I have
to be his age and like him. I suppose those limbs and sinews of his came
from his father, for I was ever thin and spare, as was my father before
me. Nephew Hubert, I have heard all the tale of your dealings with the
Frenchmen, on whom be God's curse, at Hastings yonder; and I say that I
am proud of you, though whether I shall stay so is another matter. Come
hither."

I obeyed, and taking me by my curling hair with his delicate hand, he
drew down my head and kissed me on the brow, muttering, "Neither chick
nor child for me and only this one left of the ancient blood. May he do
it honour."

Then he motioned to me to be seated and rang a little silver bell that
stood upon the table. As in the case of the man without, it was answered
instantly from which I judged that Master Grimmer was well served.
Before the echoes of the bell died away a door opened, the tapestry
swung aside, and there appeared two most comely serving maids, tall and
well-shaped both of them, bearing food.

"Pretty women, Nephew, no wonder that you look at them," he said when
they had gone away to fetch other things, "such as I like to have about
me although I am old. Women for within and men for without, that is
Nature's law, and ill will be the day when it is changed. Yet beware of
pretty women, Nephew, and I pray you kiss not those as you did the lady
Blanche Aleys at Hastings, lest it should upset my household and turn
se