Had Gerhardt wished to drive away Anania, he could not have taken a surer method than by words which savoured of piety. She resembled a good many people in the present day, who find the Bread of Life very dry eating, and if they must swallow a little of it, can only be persuaded to do so by a thick coating of worldly butter. They may be coaxed to visit the church where the finest anthem is sung, but that where the purest Gospel is preached has no attraction for them. The porter's wife, therefore, suddenly discovered that she had plenty to do at home, and took her departure, much to the relief of the friends on whom she inflicted herself. She had not been gone many minutes when Stephen looked in. "Lads not come in yet?" said he. "Well, have you seen the grand sight? The Queen's gone again; she only stayed for supper at the Castle, and then off to Woodstock. She'll not be there above a month, they say. She never tarries long in England at once. But the King's coming back this autumn--so they say." "Who say?" asked Gerhardt. "Oh, every body," said Stephen with a laugh, as he leaned over the half-door. "_Every_ body?" inquired Gerhardt drily. "Oh, come, you drive things too fine for me. Every body, that is anybody." "I thought every body was somebody." "Not in this country: maybe in yours," responded Stephen, still laughing. "But I'm forgetting what I came for. Aunt Isel, do you want either a sheep or a pig?" "Have you got 'em in that wallet on your back?" "Not at present, but I can bring you either if you want it." "What's the price, and who's selling them?" "Our neighbour Veka wants to sell three or four bacon pigs and half-a-dozen young porkers; Martin le bon Fermier, brother of Henry the Mason, has a couple of hundred sheep to sell." "But what's the cost? Veka's none so cheap to deal with, though she feeds her pigs well, I know." "Well, she wants two shillings a-piece for the bacons, and four for the six porkers." "Ay, I knew she'd clap the money on! No, thank you; I'm not made of gold marks, nor silver pennies neither." "Well, but the sheep are cheap enough; he only asks twopence halfpenny each." "That's not out of the way. We might salt one or two. I'll think about it. Not in a hurry to a day or two, is he?" "Oh, no; I shouldn't think so." "Has he any flour or beans to sell, think you? I could do with both those, if they were reasonable." "Ay, he has. Beans a shilling a quarter, and flour fourteen pence a load. [Note 3.] Very good flour, he says it is." "Should be, at that price. Well, I'll see: maybe I shall walk over one of these days and chaffer with him. Any way, I'm obliged to you, Stephen, for letting me know of it." "Very good, Aunt Isel; Martin will be glad to see you, and I'll give Bretta a hint to be at home when you come, if you'll let me know the day before." This was a mischievous suggestion on Stephen's part, as he well knew that Martin's wife was not much to his aunt's liking.