Audrey

"Mistress Truelove Taberer," said the storekeeper, "what can you choose,

this May Day, that's so fair as yourself?"

A pair of gray eyes were lifted for the sixth part of a second, and a

voice that bad learned of the doves in the forest proceeded to rebuke the

flatterer. "Thee is idle in thy speech, Angus MacLean," it declared. "I am

not fair; nor, if I were, should thee tell me of it. Also, friend, it is

idle and tendeth toward idolatry to speak of the first day of the fifth

month as May Day. My mother sent me for a paper of White-chapel needles,

and two of manikin pins. Has thee them in thy store of goods?"

"Come you in and look for yourself," said the storekeeper. "There's

woman's gear enough, but it were easier for me to recount the names of all

the children of Gillean-ni-Tuaidhe than to remember how you call the

things you wear."

So saying he entered the store. The Quakeress followed, and Haward, tired

of his own thoughts, and in the mood to be amused by trifles, trod in

their footsteps.

Door and window faced the west, and the glow from the sinking sun

illumined the thousand and one features of the place. Here was the glint

of tools and weapons; there pewter shone like silver, and brass dazzled

the eyes. Bales of red cotton, blue linen, flowered Kidderminster, scarlet

serge, gold and silver drugget, all sorts of woven stuffs from lockram to

brocade, made bright the shelves. Pendent skins of buck and doe showed

like brown satin, while looking-glasses upon the wall reflected green

trees and painted clouds. In one dark corner lurked kegs of powder and of

shot; another was the haunt of aqua vitæ and right Jamaica.

Playing-cards, snuffboxes, and fringed gloves elbowed a shelf of books,

and a full-bottomed wig ogled a lady's headdress of ribbon and malines.

Knives and hatchets and duffel blankets for the Indian trade were not

wanting.

Haward, leaning against a table laden with so singular a miscellany that a

fine saddle with crimson velvet holsters took the head of the board, while

the foot was set with blue and white china, watched the sometime moulder

of peak and islet draw out a case filled with such small and womanish

articles as pins and needles, tape and thread, and place it before his

customer. She made her choice, and the storekeeper brought a great book,

and entered against the head of the house of Taberer so many pounds of

tobacco; then, as the maiden turned to depart, heaved a sigh so piteous

and profound that no tender saint in gray could do less than pause, half

turn her head, and lift two compassionate eyes.

"Mistress Truelove, I have read the good book that you gave me, and I

cannot deny that I am much beholden to you," and her debtor sighed like a

furnace.