wakened from a laborious slumber. The door which
opened into a low porch projecting from the thatch, was shaken with a
vehemence that threatened some fearful catastrophe. Giles, no longer
able to endure these thundering appeals to his hospitality, desired his
wife to ascertain the cause of the disturbance.

"Gramercy! An' I be to unlatch for every graceless unthrift that chooses
to pummel at Giles Dauber's wicket, I shall have but sorry bedding wi'
an old husband."

"Old, quotha!--Old! I tell thee, dame, that I'm less by a good score of
winters than Dan o' the higher Wient, when he wed old Simon's
daughter.--Humph!--She was a merry and a buxom lass; but thou"--

How far this interesting dialogue between the tavern-keeper and his
newly-wedded spouse might have extended it is impossible with any degree
of accuracy to set forth, inasmuch as another loud and desperate lunge,
extenuated to an inaudible mutter the testy rejoinder of "Giles o' the
Maypole;" this being the cognomen by which he was more familiarly
designated.

"Anan!" shouted he, "what the---- Save us!" he continued in a low
whisper, crossing himself, "I had nigh slipped an ugly word over my
tongue; and if it should be--Dame, I say, get up, and"--

"Nay, thou hast gotten thee two as nimble legs, by thine own reckoning,
as any knave i' the borough. I shall e'en keep to my bed, goodman,
though these guzzle-throats hammer till cock-crow.--They are at the
right side of the door, I trow."

Now, mine host of the Merry Maypole having taken to himself that last
and worst of all possible plagues for the remnant of his days, to wit, a
young and somewhat handsome-looking wife, thought it no less meet than
reasonable, and no less reasonable than a duty, at all times incumbent,
that the before-named helpmate should, if need were, get out of bed and
unlatch the wicket whenever good customers were astir; more particularly
as the first Dame Dauber, having the fear of a short but tough cudgel
upon her, did, at certain times and seasons, when there was the
requisite occasion, leave her liege lord to the enjoyment of his warm
and luxurious couch, and spread a table for the entertainment of many a
night-betrayed traveller.

It was the first exigency of the kind, since the marriage of Giles
Dauber to Madge Newsome of the Deercote, in which the discussion of a
point so knotty and important had occurred. Giles dreamt not of the vast
difference that exists in the nature and doc