"See now what mischief thy folly hath wrought! Of a truth there's no call to complain of blindness in thy speech now, Master Alden. But still I have noted that if thou canst drive a bashful youth out of his bashfulness, there are no bounds to his forwardness."
"Loth were I to offend thee, Priscilla, and that thou knowest right well, but I fain would have an answer to my query. If 't is a secret, thou knowest I will keep it."
"Nay, I'll keep it myself, and not trouble thee with what proved too burdensome for myself."
"But Priscilla, I am sent to thee with a proffer of marriage, and if thou 'rt already bespoke 't is not fitting that thou shouldst hear it."
"Thou 'rt sent, John Alden!" exclaimed the girl dropping the thread, and pressing her foot upon the treadle until it creaked. "Who sent thee?"
"Captain Standish."
"Sent thee! Was it too much honor to a poor maid for him to do his own errand?"
"Nay, be not angered, Priscilla, although he feared thou wouldst be."
"Ah, he did fear it, did he. Then why did he do it?"
"Why, he feared that thou wert angry already, and he would have thee know he stood in terror, and dared not present himself"—