st to patter an ave or so. This
gray-haired carle puts my heart in a tremble. Moreover, buy me a
gittern--a brave one--for the damozel. She is too proud to take money,
and, 'fore Heaven, I have small doubts the old wizard could turn my
hose into nobles an' he had a mind for such gear. Wagons without horses,
ships without sails, quotha!"

As soon as Alwyn had departed, Madge appeared with the final
refreshment, called "the Wines," consisting of spiced hippocras and
confections, of the former of which the Nevile partook in solemn
silence.

CHAPTER VII. THERE IS A ROD FOR THE BACK OF EVERY FOOL WHO WOULD BE
WISER THAN HIS GENERATION.

The next morning, when Marmaduke descended to the hall, Madge, accosting
him on the threshold, informed him that Mistress Sibyll was unwell, and
kept her chamber, and that Master Warner was never visible much before
noon. He was, therefore, prayed to take his meal alone. "Alone" was
a word peculiarly unwelcome to Marmaduke Nevile, who was an animal
thoroughly social and gregarious. He managed, therefore, to detain the
old servant, who, besides the liking a skilful leech naturally takes to
a thriving patient, had enough of her sex about her to be pleased with
a comely face and a frank, good-humoured voice. Moreover, Marmaduke,
wishing to satisfy his curiosity, turned the conversation upon Warner
and Sibyll, a theme upon which the old woman was well disposed to be
garrulous. He soon learned the poverty of the mansion and the sacrifice
of the gittern; and his generosity and compassion were busily engaged in
devising some means to requite the hospitality he had received, without
wounding the pride of his host, when the arrival of his mails, together
with the visits of the tailor and mercer, sent to him by Alwyn, diverted
his thoughts into a new channel.

Between the comparative merits of gowns and surcoats, broad-toed shoes
and pointed, some time was disposed of with much cheerfulness and
edification; but when his visitors had retired, the benevolent mind of
the young guest again recurred to the penury of his host. Placing his
marks before him on the table in the little withdrawing parlour,
he began counting them over, and putting aside the sum he meditated
devoting to Warner's relief. "But how," he muttered, "how to get him to
take the gold. I know, by myself, what a gentleman and a knight's son
must feel at the proffer of alms--pardie! I would as lief Alwyn had
struck me as offered m