"Dear heart, man!--be not alway on the watch for black clouds," quoth she. "As well turn _Mennonite_ at once." "Well, `sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof,'" _Father_ makes answer: "and so far thou art right, _Joyce_. Yet it is well we should remember, at times, that we be not yet in Heaven." "`At times!'" quoth Aunt _Joyce_, with a laugh. "What a blessed life must be thine, if those that be about thee suffer thee to forget the same save `at times'! I never made that blunder yet, I can tell thee." And so she and I away, and left all laughing. SELWICK HALL, OCTOBER YE XXII. This afternoon come _Hal_ and _Anstace_, with their childre. _Milly_ soon carried off the childre, for she is a very child herself, and can lake [play] with childre a deal better than I: and _Hal_ went (said he) to seek _Father_, with whom I found him an hour later in the great chamber, and both right deep in public matter, whereof I do love to hear them talk at times, but _Milly_ and _Edith_ be no wise compatient [the lost adjective of compassion] therewith. _Anstace_ came with me to our chamber, and said she had list for a good chat. "Whereof be we to chat?" said I, something laughing. "Oh, there is plenty," saith she. "We shall not be done with the childre this hour." "Thou wilt not, _Anstace_," said I, "for in very deed all mothers do love rarely to talk over their childre, and I need not save thee. But I am no great talker, as thou well wist." "That do I," saith she: "for of all young maids ever I saw, thou hast the least list [inclination] to discourse. But, _Nell_, I want to know somewhat of thee. What ails thee at _Nym Lewthwaite_?" "Why, nothing at all," I made answer: "save that I do right heartily desire him to leave me be." "Good sooth, but I thought it a rare chance for thee," quoth she: "and I was fair astonied when _Edith_ told me thou wouldst have none ado with him. But thou must mind thy shooting, _Nell_: if thou pitchest all thine arrows over high, thou wilt catch nought." "I want to pitch no arrows," said I. "Well, but I do desire thee to conceive," saith she, "that too much niceness is not good for a young maid. 'Tis all very well to go a-picking and a-choosing ere thou art twenty: but trust me, _Nell_, by the time thou comest to thirty, thou shouldst be thankful to take any man that will have thee." "Nay!" said I, "that shall I not." "Eh, but thou wilt," quoth she, "yea, if it were _Nym Lewthwaite_." "I won't!" said I. _Anstace_ fell a-laughing. "Then thou wilt have to go without!" saith she. "Well," said I, "that could I do, may-be, nor break my heart o'er it neither. But to take any that should have me,--_Anstace_, I would as soon sell me for a slave." "Come, _Nell_!--where didst pick up such notions?" quoth she.