AFTER THE PLAY 63

sideboard too, Nick arose to serve the meat as he was used
at home; but, “ Nay, Nicholas Skylark, my honey-throat,”
cried Carew, “sit thee down! Thou wait on me—thou
songster of the silver tongue? Nay, nay, sweetheart; the
knave shall wait on thee, or I ll wait on thee myself—I
will, upon my word! Why, Nick, I tell thee I love thee,
and dost think I’d let thee wait or walk ?—nay, nay, thou It
ride to-morrow like a king, and have all Stratford wait for
thee!” At this he chuckled so that he almost choked upon
a mouthfui of bread and meat.

“Canst ride, Nicholas?”

“Fairly, sir.”

“Fairly? Fie,modesty! Iwarrant thou canst ride like
a very centaur. What sayest—I ‘ll ride a ten-mile race
with thee to-morrow as we go?”

“Why,” cried Nick, “are ye going back to Stratford to
play, after all?”

“To Stratford? Nay; not for a bushel of good gold
Harry shovel-boards! Bah! That town is ratsbane and
nightshade in my mouth! Nay, we ’ll not go back to
Stratford town; but we shall ride a piece with thee,
Nicholas,—we shall ride a piece with thee.”

Chuckling again to himself, he fell to upon the pasty
and said no more.

Nick held his peace, as he was taught to do unless first
spoken to; but he could not help thinking that stage-
players, and master-players in particular, were very
queer folk.