The Tailor of Brummelton. 477 



travel northward, and Copenhagen, for its sins, then rejoiced in the 

 grotesque costume affected by the Hollanders of half a century pre- 

 viously ; a style which naturally took its origin in the character and 

 necessities of the country. The great object of a Dutchman was to 

 keep his head above water in his all but submarine territory ; to float 

 is the one thing needful, consequently he clothed himself into the 

 closest approximation to the form of a buoy, prodigious about the 

 centre of gravity, and tapering towards both ends. But when their 

 life-preserving inexpressibles passed into Denmark, and from thence, 

 as we have seen, came over even to Brummelton, the fashion had lost 

 its utility, and consequently its only beauty. No wonder then that old 

 Slops had been wonder-struck with the guise of his ci devant appren- 

 tice. 



As Andrew told his story, Jenkin chuckled to think how soon he 

 would set all this to rights, though his pleasure was somewhat embit- 

 tered to think that so much lucrative business had been done without 

 his participation. When the tale was ended, he gave manifest signs 

 of being tired of his company; so the young man took his hat and his 

 leave. 



" Good night, Lucy. Father-in=law, a comfortable sleep to ye/' 

 Jenkin shuffled after his apprentice into the street, and told him 

 very coolly that, if they met again, he, Andrew, need not address him 

 any more as father-in-law, for it was time that all that nonsense should, 

 be forgotten. 



" Surely, Master Slops, you would not forget old times," stam- 

 merered out poor Andrew, hardly comprehending the drift of the 

 old man's observation. 



" What are old times to me, Andrew, lad ? we are now independ- 

 antofeach other so go, in the devil's name, and make the most of 

 your good fortune. As for Lucy, I have other views for her." 



Andrew raised his arm convulsively, with an action that threatened 

 serious consequences had it been any other man who had spoken to 

 the same effect ; and at the same moment, having said his say, the 

 self-deceived little tailor closed the conference by pushing the door 

 hard in his face. 



Slops had what tradesmen call " a front" to his premises albeit, 

 not so broad and strong a " front" as is usually possessed by traders of 

 the times present. Slops's shop was for all the world like one of our 

 cobbler's stalls broader, but not an inch higher ; two steps down- 

 wards brought visitors into the sanctuary. From the porch of the 

 door sprouted forth a huge sign-board that swung, and wheezed, and 

 chattered attracted the attention, and knocked the heads of passers- 

 by after a fashion, that even to imagine would edify the heart of a 

 tradeless shopkeeper of the present day. Well, on the morning after 

 his return, and betimes, the old tailor had displayed his finery in this 

 same " front," and seating himself after the fashion of his tribe on a 

 board erected behind a curtain in the immediate vicinity of the win- 

 dow, he set to work to watch for customers, darning up the gaps ir 

 the time by repairing certain other gaps wrought by travel in hi; 

 own apparel. Never did old Izaak of the Lea, or the keenest sports- 

 man of them all, taste of more exquisite excitement than fell to the 



