sacristan that he might fill as well as another knave--the fellow
might do for me well enow as a body servant," said Mr. Alworthy,
speaking to himself. "He would brush my gowns and make my bed, and
I might perchance trust him with my marketings, and by and by there
might be some office for him when he grew saucy and idle. I'll
prove him on mine old comrade's word."

"Sir," said Ambrose, respectfully, "what I seek for is occasion for
study. I had hoped you could speak to the Dean, Dr. John Colet, for
some post at his school."

"Boy," said Alworthy, "I thought thee no such fool! Why crack thy
brains with study when I can show thee a surer path to ease and
preferment? But I see thou art too proud to do an old man a
service. Thou writst thyself gentleman, forsooth, and high blood
will not stoop."

"Not so, sir," returned Ambrose, "I would work in any way so I could
study the humanities, and hear the Dean preach. Cannot you commend
me to his school?"

"Ha!" exclaimed the canon, "this is your sort, is it? I'll have
nought to do with it! Preaching, preaching! Every idle child's
head is agog on preaching nowadays! A plague on it! Why can't
Master Dean leave it to the black friars, whose vocation 'tis, and
not cumber us with his sermons for ever, and set every lazy lad
thinking he must needs run after them? No, no, my good boy, take my
advice. Thou shalt have two good bellyfuls a day, all my cast
gowns, and a pair of shoes by the year, with a groat a month if thou
wilt keep mine house, bring in my meals, and the like, and by and