"Now do I wish for Robin Hays," muttered the shrewd yet ignorant cook;
"for he would expoundiate, which signifies, make clear--why a parson
must not meet a maid in the buttery.--But he is not a parson--Then he is
a man--But not only a man, he must be something else, methinks. But why
not Barbara go to the buttery? Just in time, here comes Robin; so I'll
e'en ask him.--Give you good day, my Kentish man; it was a pity you were
not here last night, as you so love a fray. The handsome youth, who had
been staying on a visit, was cooped up, because he and Sir Willmott
fought about my Lady Constance. And then the Major--he has been here two
or three times, and they call him Wellmore--although worthy Jabez
Tippet, the boatman, swears--no, not swears--declares, that no such
person ever crosses the ferry:--yet is he dumb as a tortoise as to who
does. Well, the Major and the young gentleman went off in a flash of
lightning, or something of the sort; for Sir Willmott and my master
could not find him. And I asked Barbara about it! but marry, she knows
nothing, and therefore says nothing----"
"Which proves her different from the other sex; for they sometimes know
next to nothing, yet say a great deal," retorted Robin, sarcastically.
"Humph!" replied Grundy; "you look chuffish this morning, Master Robin:
have you got any thing ready for the bridal?"
"Don't worry me," exclaimed Robin; "what care I for bridals, or bridles
either, unless I could fix one in your mouth? Where's Barbara?"
"The very thing I want to know; for that holy man, the preacher
Fleetword, having communed with the pasty, would fain commune with the
maid--not in the buttery though. And now, methinks, I had a question to
put to you--Why is it unseemly for a man to----" The cook held up his
hand in his usual oratorical style, so that it stood out like a
substantial fan before his face, and touching the second finger of his
left with the forefinger of his right, was proceeding with his inquiry,
when he perceived that Robin had vanished! "Robin! Robin Hays! oh! thou
heedless, and most faithless person! thou Jacky Lantern!" he exclaimed,
and then followed, as he thought, the passage that Robin had taken. It
happened, however, to be the opposite one, so that he received not the
required information.
Robin sought Barbara in every place where it was likely she might be
found, but without success; being unable to enter the more private
apartments of the dwelling, he applied to one of the damsels of Lady
Frances' suite.