She took his hand and drew him inside the house, where, laying aside his
hat and gloves and sword, they passed into the great library.

"Come, now, tell me all the places thou hast visited," she said, perching
herself on his arm-chair.

He told her, and she counted them off one by one upon her fingers.

"That is ninety miles of travel thou hast had. What is the most pleasing
thing thou hast seen?"

"It was in Stickford by the fen," he answered, after a perplexed pause.
"There was an old man upon the roadside with his head bowed in his hands.
Some lads were making sport of him, for he seemed so woe-begone and old.
Two cavaliers of the King came by. One of them stopped and drove the lads
away, then going to the old man, he said: 'Friend, what is thy trouble?'
The old man raised his melancholy face and answered: 'Aw'm afeared, sir.'
'What fear you?' inquired the young gentleman. 'I fear ma wife, sir,'
replied the old man. At that the other cavalier sat back in his saddle
and guffawed merrily. 'Well, Dick,' said he to his friend, 'that is the
worst fear in this world. Ah, Dick, thou hast ne'er been married!' 'Why
do you fear your wife?' asked Dick. 'Aw've been robbed of ma horse and
saddle and twelve skeins o' wool. Aw'm lost, aw'm ruined and shall raise
ma head nevermore. To ma wife aw shall ne'er return.' 'Tut tut, man,'
said Dick, 'get back to your wife. You are master of your own house; you
rule the roost. What is a wife? A wife's a woman. You are a man. You are
bigger and stronger, your bones are harder. Get home and wear a furious
face and batter in the door and say: "What, ho, thou huzzy!" Why, man,
fear you the wife of your bosom?' The old man raised his head and said:
'Tha doost not know ma wife or tha wouldst not speak like that.' At that