CHAPTER III. HOW HORDLE JOHN COZENED THE FULLER OF LYMINGTON.

chinterestandsomedistrust,forhehadneverbeensonightoawomanbefore.Shehadroundredarms,adressofsomesoberwoollenstuff,andabrassbroochthesizeofacheese-cakestuckinthefrontofit. “Peterthefuller!”shekeptrepeating.“Marrycomeup!ifIwerePeterthefuller'swifeIwouldteachhimbetterthantogivehisclothestothefirstknavewhoasksforthem.Buthewasalwaysapoor,fond,sillycreature,wasPeter,thoughwearebeholdentohimforhelpingtoburyoursecondsonWat,whowasa'prenticetohimatLymingtonintheyearoftheBlackDeath.Butwhoareyou,youngsir?” “IamaclerkonmyroadfromBeaulieutoMinstead.” “Aye,indeed!HastbeenbroughtupattheAbbeythen.Icouldreaditfromthyreddenedcheekanddowncasteye.Hastlearnedfromthemonks,Itrow,tofearawomanasthouwouldstalazar-house.Outuponthem!thattheyshoulddishonortheirownmothersbysuchteaching.Aprettyworlditwouldbewithallthewomenoutofit.” “Heavenforfendthatsuchathingshouldcometopass!”saidAlleyne. “Amenandamen!Butthouartaprettylad,andtheprettierforthymodestways.Itiseasytoseefromthycheekthatthouhastnotspentthydaysintherainandtheheatandthewind,asmypoorWathathbeenforcedtodo.” “Ihaveindeedseenlittleoflife,gooddame.” “Wiltfindnothinginittopayforthelossofthyownfreshness.Herearetheclothes,andPetercanleavethemwhennexthecomesthisway.HolyVirgin!seethedustuponthydoublet!Itwereeasytoseethatthereisnowomantotendtothee.So!—thatisbetter.Nowbussme,boy.” Alleynestoopedandkissedher,forthekisswasthecommonsalutationoftheage,and,asErasmuslongafterwardsremarked,moreusedinEnglandthaninanyothercountry.Yetitsentthebloodtohistemplesagain,andhewondered,asheturnedaway,whattheAbbotBerghershwouldhaveansweredtosofrankaninvitation.Hewasstilltinglingfromthisnewexperiencewhenhecameoutuponthehigh-roadandsawasightwhichdroveallotherthoughtsfromhismind. SomewaydownfromwherehehadlefthimtheunfortunatePeterwasstampingandravingtenfoldworsethanbefore.Now,however,insteadofthegreatwhitecloa