"Marry! I am not dragging you, dame Linkon. Your heels do stick like a
ploughshare in the ground."

The woman continued in her sharp, shrill voice to upbraid him:

"Ungrateful wretch, is it thus you serve one who fed you in your
infancy, when your mother had deserted you? Unhand me, indented slave,
and go back to your master, wretch--wretch--wretch!" she hissed, as she
went sliding on her heels, her toes horizontal and her knees rigid. Her
feet ploughed up the earth and stones, and the crowd hooted and jeered.

"Come on, Dame Linkon, and take your bath," cried some idle urchins,
waiting at the water in anticipation of rare sport.

The victim continued to scream in her shrill voice:

"It's for that hussy! She bore false witness against me at the court and
had me condemned. I will be avenged for this!"

"Marry! we will be more damp than you," said Joshua, wiping the
perspiration from his forehead with the cuff of his coat.

"Joshua, is this payment for what I have done for you? When you were
sick with fever I sat by your bedside and cared for you; when no one
else would cook your food, it was I who did it, and is it thus you
requite me?"

"Peace, good dame, I have my duty to perform."

"Duty; but such a duty!"