“I was Tib, Hodge—I who was present during the whole of your quarrel, and found it hugely comical to send Tib’s voice thundering into the midst of our lovers’ quarrel, like a cannon-stroke! Ah, ha! Hodge, that was a fine bomb-shell, was it not? And as I said ‘Hodge, my dear Hodge,’ you tumbled about like a kernel of corn which a dung-beetle blows with his breath. No, no, my worthy and virtuous Gammer Gurton, it was not Tib who called the handsome Hodge, and more than that, I saw Tib, as your contest began, go out at the courtyard gate.”
“It was not Tib!” exclaimed Gammer Gurton, much moved, and happy as love could make her. “It was not Tib, and she was not in the court at all, and Hodge could not then go down to her, while I went to the shopkeeper’s to buy needles. Oh, Hodge, Hodge, will you forgive me for this; will you forget the hard words which I spoke in the fury of my anguish, and can you love me again?”
“I will try,” said Hodge, gravely; “and without doubt I shall succeed, provided you go to-day forthwith to the justice, and make your will.”
“I will make my will, and to-morrow we will go to the priest; shall it not be so, my angel?”
“Yes, we go to the priest to-morrow!” growled Hodge, as with a frightful grimace he scratched himself behind the ears.
“And now come, my angel, and give me a kiss of reconciliation!” She spread her arms out, and when Houge did not come to her, but remained immovable, and steadfast in his position, she went to Hodge and pressed him tenderly to her heart.
Suddenly she uttered a shriek, and let go of Hodge, She had felt a terrible pain in her breast. It seemed as though a small dagger had pierced her bosom.
And there it was, the lost needle, and Hodge then was innocent and pure as the early dawn.
He had not mischievously purloined the needle, so that Gammer Gurton would be compelled to leave her house in order to fetch some new needles from the shopkeeper’s; he had not intended to go to Tib, for Tib was not in the court, but had gone out.
“Oh Hodge, Hodge, good Hodge, you innocent dove, will you forgive me?”