1629.) a Legend of London. 285 
over the scene of the last evening, and all the stories ie remembered to 
have heard of his wife from the day he first saw her, and all other stories 
he could remember ever to have heard of witches and their cunning, till 
he began to hold his wife for one in real earnest ; or, if she was not a 
witch, she certainly was something else of an unusual nature, but what 
he could not just then bring himself to decide. Still he felt that he was 
not, somehow or other, safe with her, in spite of all her fondness for him ; 
and reflecting upon her expressions of deep hate for her former husbands, 
and the cause whereto she had ascribed that hate, he conceived a design 
to try her love, which he determined upon carrying into immediate exe- 
cution. It was long after sunset when he returned home, and he went 
straight to bed, pleading cold and weariness. The next day, he sat all 
the forenoon with his wife; but, in spite of her kindness and attentions, 
he could not overcome the disagreeable feeling that was upon him. He 
remained reserved, and almost sullen; and, at last, Mrs. Alice seemed 
infected with the same manner. At noon he left his house, and went 
straightways to Master Andrews, who lived not far off, with the pur- 
pose of inducing from him a recital of some of those marvellous tales 
wherewith he had, on a former occasion, regaled him. His purpose was, 
however, so far forestalled; for when he came there, he found he had 
some friends with him, and, of course, he was not anxious to make his 
wife’s conduct matter of public talk. He sat, therefore, the whole even- 
ing nearly in silence ; for which, however, they made full amends b 
their boisterous and drunken noise. He sat as late as any, and left them 
with the full determination of putting his plan into effect that very night. 
On his way home, he trod casually upon a piece of apple-rind lying in 
the path, and, slipping, fell in the mire ; for it had been raining all that 
day too. At first he was not a little put out; but, after a little 
reflection, remembering that this very mischance might be made ser- 
viceable to his scheme, with disordered dress, bending knees, drooping 
mouth, and half-closed eyes (assuming, as much as he could, the bearing 
of a drunken man), he presented himself at his door. His wife, although 
it was now late in the night, had sent the servants to bed, and had her- 
self sat up for him—a mark of attention that some very loving wives do 
at times pay their husbands, often more to their annoyance than comfort. 
‘In the present instance, however, nothing could have happened more to 
Lessomour’s wish. The moment his wife saw him, her face flushed even 
to darkness, and her large black eyes widened to a greater size, as she 
said in a tone half of anger, half of dread, « Why, Martyn, what is 
this ? what has befallen thee?” 
_* I’ve been with some friends, my love,” he replied, speaking 
thickly. 
“ Martyn! Martyn!” she answered, and bit her lip, and shook her 
head, “ a-get thee to thy bed; I will follow quickly.” 
He went accordingly ; but it was some time before she did follow him, 
and she lay down by his side without speaking a word to him. He pre- 
tended to be asleep, though he did not really sleep all that night ; nor 
more, he thought, did she—for she tossed about, and seemed very rest- 
less, now and then muttering to herself ; and as soon as morning broke, 
she rose, and dressed herself, and left the room. The whole of that day 
he staid at home, feigning to have a bad head-ache. She was very atten- 
tive to him, but in no way hinted at his conduct of the foregoing even- 
ing. In two or three days he repeated the experiment, and with nearly 
the same success, saving that Mrs. Alice seemed a little more gloomy the 
