“‘She loved her husband dearilee,

But another man he loved she, — ’

“Marry, ’tis done — a goodly piece of work, too, and wrought with expedition. Now will I wake him, apparel him, pour for him, feed him, and then will we hie us to the mart by the Tabard Inn in Southwark and — be pleased to rise, my liege! — he answereth not — what ho, my liege! — of a truth must I profane his sacred person with a touch, sith his slumber is deaf to speech.

What!”

He threw back the covers — the boy was gone!

He stared about him in speechless astonishment for a moment; noticed for the first time that his ward’s ragged