Pouncet Grasp (who had wandered over with Master Dismal and others to enjoy the scene, and, at the same time, see a client he had in the hamlet) seemed especially struck with her. Nay, even Master Dismal pronounced her of exceeding good proportions, and most comely features. He had never seen a fairer form, he affirmed, chiselled upon a tomb. "What a lovely corpse she would make!" he said, with professional enthusiasm; "an it please Heaven to take her early, and before age withered up her rounded limbs, and whitened her glossy black hair."
"Out upon it," said Master Doubletongue; "thy voice is like a screech owl's! Yonder lass will live to make wild work with the hearts of some of the village swains before she dies, for all her cherubim looks. I shall make shrewd inquiry about her. I'll wager a flagon there's some scandal to be heard. I never knew a well-favoured maiden yet, but her neighbours said something of her;" and here Master Doubletongue whispered in Grasp's ear, at which the lawyer laughed and winked his eye, as much as to say, "Ah, Master Doubletongue, you're a wag, but you're not far out either."
"An I might get yonder sweet-faced lass for a partner," said Grasp, who was a trifle roguish when out of his office; "methinks I could like to shake a toe amongst the circle."
"Nay," said Doubletongue, "I'm clearly with you there, neighbour; what a trim ancle she hath! By the mass, the keen wind which blows me into an ague here, shews her figure off to advantage. Accost her, Grasp, accost her! Methinks I should like to hear the voice which issues from so pretty a mouth."
"Go to," said Grasp, "I am somewhat diffident at speaking to a young lass where so many of her companions are around her. Do thou accost her, Master Doubletongue, and I'll be near to back you. See, the dance is finished, and she comes this way."
"You trip it featly, fair Mistress," said Doubletongue, as the damsel, whose appearance had so struck them, approached with two other maidens. "Will you join hands with me? Methinks I should like to join issue in the dance, and tread a measure with so fair a partner."
"Thanks, gentle sir," said the maid, laughing; "but I do not use to dance with any save those I know."
"Right," said a tall athletic-looking forester. "What do lawyers want dancing with village girls—Eh? Go to, Master Grasp, mate with your own degree. Fair mistress Anne," said he to the maiden, "you must be mine for the next dance."
The maiden shrank back with a look of dislike at the tall forester, which Grasp observing, interpreted it as a preference for himself as a partner.
"Thou art but a rude companion," said he; "and I would fain have the maiden's answer without thy counsel; she'll have none of thy partnership any how, I trow."