"William, I have been laying up thy black Velvet Suit with Care, this Morning, thinking thou wouldest have no more present Occasion for it.—How well thou becamest it, I thought! And so thought Mistress Beatrix. She said she had never seen a Man look so well since thou warest thy white Sarcenet Coat in the great Muster for King Harry."
"Sarcenet Speeches, Sister," sayth Master Hewet.
"Nay, I know not what you mean by Sarcenet Speeches," returns she, "I am sure they were sincere enough; and truly I think, Brother, if you pushed your Fortune a little in that Quarter, you might have Success."
Finding he uttered no Word, she, after a little waiting, saith, "Dear Alice hath now been long in her Grave, and would, I am certified, wish you to be happy."
—"And what is to make me so?" asks he, huskily.
"Nay, Brother, a good Wife."
"I've had one," quod he, "and one is enough to my Share.—Are you tired of keeping House for me? What would you do, now, if I set a Lady above you at my Table?"
"Oh," quod she cheerfully, "I would gladly take the second Place. Or, if she preferred my Room to my Company, I would take Pattern by the old Lady at the Bridge End that lives all alone by herself with her Cats."
"No, dear Fraunces" sayth he,—and I have Ground for thinking he kissed her,—"you shall need neither Alternative—Alice shall have no Successor in mine House, since she can never have one in my Heart ... and, as to happy,—why, except for that one great Loss, am I not happy as Man can be? Believe me, I am content with the Present, and trustful for the Future. I hope to see...."
But what he hoped to see, I heard not.