Chapter 10

"Forewarn him, that he use no scurrilous words."

_Winter's Tale._

As Wilder approached the "Foul Anchor," he beheld every symptom of some
powerful excitement existing within the bosom of the hitherto peaceful
town. More than half the women, and perhaps one fourth of all the men,
within a reasonable proximity to that well known inn, were assembled
before its door, listening to one of the former sex, who declaimed in
tones so shrill and penetrating as not to leave the proprietors of the
curious and attentive countenances, in the outer circle of the crowd, the
smallest rational ground of complaint on the score of impartiality. Our
adventurer hesitated, with the sudden consciousness of one but newly
embarked in such enterprises as that in which he had so recently enlisted,
when he first saw these signs of commotion; nor did he determine to
proceed until he caught a glimpse of his aged confederate, elbowing his
way through the mass of bodies, with a perseverance and energy that
promised to bring him right speedily into the very presence of her who
uttered such loud and piercing plaints. Encouraged by this example, the
young man advanced, but was content to take his position, for a moment, in
a situation that left him entire command of his limbs and, consequently,
in a condition to make a timely retreat, should the latter measure prove
at all expedient.

"I call on you, Earthly Potter, and you, Preserved Green, and you,
Faithful Wanton," cried Desire, as he came within hearing, pausing to
catch a morsel of breath, before she proceeded in her affecting appeal to
the neighbourhood; "and you too, Upright Crook, and you too, Relent Flint,
and you, Wealthy Poor, to be witnesses and testimonials in my behalf. You,
and all and each of you, can qualify if need should be, that I have ever
been a slaving and loving consort of this man who has deserted me in my
age, leaving so many of his own children on my hands, to feed and to rear,
besides"--

"What certainty is it," interrupted the landlord of the "Foul Anchor" most
inopportunely, "that the good-man has absconded? It was a merry day the
one that is just gone, and it is quite in reason to believe your husband
was, like some others I can name--a thing I shall not be so unwise as to
do--a little of what I call how-come-ye-so, and that his nap holds on
longer than common. I'll engage we shall all see the honest tailor
creeping out of some of the barns shortly, as fresh and as ready for his
bitters as if he had not wet his throat with cold water since the last
time of general rej'icing."

A low but pretty general laugh followed this effort of tavern wit, though
it failed in exciting even