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.
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