A Maid of Many Moods

with light from the great fire in the front room chimney-place and from the many candles Mistress Debora had set in their brass candlesticks and started

thrifty and saving nature, followed his daughter about and expostulated. She only laughed and

ch a lighting up in One Tree Inn the rustics will come running from Coventry to see if it be really ablaze. There'll not be a candle in any

stered the old fellow, trying to reach the spill which the girl held h

t light

ch thy fringe o' pretty hair, dad-thy only ornament, remember-'twould be a fearsome calamity! I' faith! it must be most time for the coach, an' the clusters in the long

pped wand. "Thou art a provoking wench, who doth need locking up and feeding on bread and water. Marry, there'll be naught for thee on Christmas, and thou canst whistle for

well he knew she would. Therefore, it was with a disturbed mind that he entered the sitting-r

, as they sat at least five nights out of the week, come what weather would. Sevenoakes held a small child, whose yellow, curly head nodd

ury," remarked Saddler. "Methink

'On it goes at nine,' quoth she, 'an' off it comes at ten, Cousin John. Just when Darby will

nt a man," put in Thornbury, straightening himself. "

e years old. An' I had married now, an' had such a lass, I'd a brought her up different, I warrant. Zounds! 'tis a show to s

know of the bringing up of wenches? Thou-a crabbed bachelor o' three score an' odd. Thou hast no way with c

his usually placid features. His was ever the office of peace-maker between these two ancie

ned and a tall young fellow entered, stamping the snow off his long boots. "Marry, Nick! thou dos

tening at the cross-roads. Then I turned down here an' saw how grandly thou had'st lit the house up to welcome Darby. My faith! I'll be glad to see him, for 'tis an age since he was home, Master Thornbury,

r later; thou art a jack-o'-all-trades

set shoulders, as he bent over and touched the

ing o' the baby as I came in

as a year-old robin, an' as chirpy when he's awake; but he's in the land o'

said Berwick. "I've asked Deb about hi

ice. "I warrant she will na; 'tis no tale for a young maid's repea

k a red log with his foot. "An' it be such a tale as you hint, Sadd

e were around the hearth as it might be now, and a grand yule log we had burning, I mind me; the room was trimmed gay an' fine with holly an' mistletoe as 'tis to-night. S

d the man

en," went on Thornbury, "a

the tale-telling had been taken from him. "When thou start's

r on the oak settle," cont

ndalously that year as 'tis now-for D

me 'twas rightly named, 'The Pleasant History o' the Taming o' a Shrew,' for most of it he read aloud to us. Ay, Darby was home, an' we were sitting here as it might be now, when

g the bundle to Deb, 'there be a woman peris

was silver-white with snow, an' the sky was sown thick with stars. Darby'd hastened on ahead an' lifted the wench in

elf and looked around in a sort o' terror, while she cried out for the baby. Deb brought it, an' the lass seemed co

oloured homespun. The only bright thing about her was her hair, a

' day and part o' the time she raved, an' then 'twas all o' London an' one she would go to find there; but, again she just lay quiet, staring open-eyed. At the last she came to herself, so said Mother Durley, an' there was the

the parish, that 'twas not to be thought of. One an' another came in to gaze at the little creature till the inn was nigh full. I bethought me 'twould mayhap serve to discover whom s

be none but Nell Quinten! Old Makepeace Quinten's dau

e man to come. He said the lass had shamed him, and he had turned her out months before. She was no

m to One Tree Inn, an' would take him there dead or alive. The upshot was, they came in together before nightfall. The

is a proper place for it in good sooth, for this be a public house where sinful drinking goeth on an' all worldly conversation. Moreover I saw on

dead maid I would. I clenched my hands hard and watched him away; he sitting stiff atop o' Stratford hear

girl said at the last?" asked Nichol

uch-she prayed her to care for th

had'st thou to say in the matter? Did'st take the hea

his knees and chuckling. "Marry! I think I see the face he wore for a full month. ''Twill go to the Parish!' he would cry, stamping around and speaking words 'twould pass me to repeat.

p the child, sir?" a

ou knowest her way, Nick, when her heart is set on anything. Peradventure, I have humoured the lass too much, as Saddler maint

Saddler. "Well

me in sight o' the inn but Deb was after it for a plaything. Nay, there never was a stray beast

minds it yet I'll gainsay! She fished out the blind wet things, an' gathering them in her quilted

ut she," said Sevenoakes. "There be old Tramp for one now-did'st ever see such a

cernment-and a lucky dog

aster Thornbury, was that

starting up as the old housekeeper entered the room, "Where b

he answered, peering out of the window. "

Deb-I as

to meet the coach. 'An' thou dost tell my father I'll pinch thee, Marjorie!' she cried back to me. 'When I love thee

Berwick, buttoning on his great

Thou'lt see the lantern bobbing lo

y muttered, standing at the door and watching t

nge of hair-white already-and lying in sparkles on his bald pate and holida

a fathomless purple. About the inn the snow was t

t its kindly arms on either side as far as the house reached, ma

l's laugh. A little wind caught it up and it echoed-fainter-fainter. T

ed his eyes to see afar down the road if a light might not be swaying from side to side

ited tre

as who saw

he called, breaking away

lay-acting of his hath been a bitter dose for my father to swallow. In good sooth I have small patience with Dad, yet more am I sorry for him. I' faith! I would that maidens mi

ered; "thy work is

tone changing, "think'st thou not, Nick, that m

wick. "Still, I cannot see that he hath

s a good head taller than I. Wher

lder, an' still as much alike-I saw by the lantern-as of old, when save for thy dress

y. "Thou art no friend o' mine, Nicholas Berwick, an' thou dost cut three fu

dow saw the little group about the fire, Darby with the

ging her close to him, as they

st make me swear that black was white. As for Darby, the l

said, frowning; "though I like not

I know thou hast no love for me; thou hast told me so often enough. I will not tar

away and sh

," she said, softly. "Kisses are not t

old of her, his hand

te me?"

with a little toss of her he

tell me for love's sake, s

with a short, half-checked l

d Berwick,

m. 'Twould be full as easy to say were I to put it to myself, 'Dost love Debora Thornbury?' 'Yea' or 'Nay,' for, Heaven

ittle hands he held them a moment against his coat, and the girl felt t

itary figure. Her cheeks burned, and she ta

addler or dear John Sevenoakes. We be but three; just Dad, an' Darby, an' Deb." Then, another thought coming to her

face but vanished as

e cried. "Is't not good to have him at home?" slipping one arm

coach, truant?

or coaches nor travellers now I have Darby safe here! See, Dad, he hath become a fine gentl

ed a little and gave a

any seen hereabout, and my hose and boots fit-which could not be said of them in olden times. This fashion of ruff

racted darkly and the girl

he playhouses, an' actors with a better grace t

rp tone. Then struggling with some intense inward feeling, "Still I am not a man to go half-way, Darby. Thou hast chose

"Ay, neighbour, but a wilf

about the supper table, after having m

d set it in the centre of the simple feast, and they all drew their

refilled their flagons, and they even added to the occasion by each rendering a song. Saddler bringing one forth from the dim

The candles burned low. Then Darby sang in flute-like voice a carol, that was, as he told them, "the rage in London," and, afterwa

the hot stinging of tears to her eyes, and when the last note of it went int

arriage she hath! She steps like a very princess of the blood. Hark! then," going to the l

g the lantern and seeing

rby after them. "I trow 'tis a timely pro

shook his fist at the lad, but lur

as thee," said Thornbury, laughing. "Thou

olemnity, "Christmas comes but once a year, when it comes i

waits who were discordantly tuning up joined him-that the sou