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Here the wall was for the most part tumbled into ruins, and in the gaps stood little cottages, built in part of the stones that had once formed the wall. In one of these lived little old Marry-me-quick, Mistress Martha Tonks, to give her her christening name, and we ran up to the bank level with her place without being observed from the bridge, although it was only a few boat-lengths distant.
Marry-me-quick was an ancient, wizened, little woman, so small that she hardly escaped being a dwarf, humpbacked, and inexpressibly ugly. In times not so long gone by she would assuredly have burned as a witch, and many supposed her to be in league with the evil one. But in actual fact she was a cheery, voluble, and warm-hearted little body, and one on whom I could rely to serve us in this pinch.
I had more than once wondered what had happened to poor little Marry-me-quick. I scrambled through the hedge and peeped down the road. I was right. Dick and his wife were busy loading up. So we waited behind the hedge till they had cleared off, and indeed did not move till I saw them and their cart pass along the road at the foot of the hill.
"Jesus help me," said little Marry-me-quick in a hushed voice, "the back of her head looks like a harvest moon. If the same God that made her ladyship made me, we shall begin life in heaven with a row, that's all I've got to say." I smiled at the quaint conceit of the little woman, which lost its irreverence towards God in its reverence for His handiwork.
"Then, madam, I am a half-educated boor compared with you, for I know none of these things. But though I do not know the French or Italian for marry-me-quick, if you will get it out of your pocket, I'll show you the Staffordshire for half of it." We marched on gaily for another quarter of an hour, eating the sweet morsel.
"I wish, madam," said I, reaching out for mother's domino, "that we could have saved the rabbit-stew." "Is he dead?" she whispered, with white lips, coming forward and looking shudderingly down on him with troubled eyes. "No such luck," said I. "He may be round in five minutes, but that's enough, though poor little Marry-me-quick will have to be left to fend for herself."
"Of course I do, and thank you for your kind words. And we've both got some one to forgive." She smiled radiantly "Whom? And what for?" I leaped over the wall, and put my arms around her to lift her down. "Marry-me-quick, for dropping the rabbit-stew." We slipped down the blind alley and came out in the street leading to the East Gate.
And now the door on his right hand opened, and little Mistress Marry-me-quick appeared with our supper. She saw the sword directed at the breast of the one man on earth she loved with all the fervour of her honest, womanly heart. The sight scattered her senses. With a nerve-racking shriek she flopped heavily to the floor, and the rabbit-stew flew from her hands and crashed loudly at his feet.
"I'll live on marry-me-quick in the meantime," she replied, laughing. "I leave you then in good hands, and hope to come back with cheerful news," I said, bowing low, and stepped forth on my errand. I turned to the left and fifty paces brought me into the main street.
The lads, drat 'em, were for ever pinching Master Dobson's bull's-eyes and gingerbread, and him mayor of the town, though he's got lots grander than that since, but they never pinched any marry-me-quick, not in Master Noll's time. But he's gone now, and I'm not as nimble as I used to be. Jesus help me, how he had used to fight!
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