Page:The Way of a Virgin.djvu/115

Rh centre which so far was cut by no diameter). Coypeau, seeing her thus dung in the mouth (I should say, down in the mouth) came up to her and said:

"What cheer, Coz? shall we fool it awhile?"

"Nay, I dare not, for fear I lose my maidenhead; my mother bade me take great care of it."

"Oh, Oh," says he, "and is that all? Why Coz, sweet Coz, follow to this little closet, and I'll sew it up so tight it shall never fall out."

All this he said in a whisper, but she heard him well enough, for she was fain to be a-dancing; and so she followed him. He then proceeded to show her how the wolf dances with his tail between his legs, and sewed up her maidenhead so securely that he told her it would never fall out by that way.

Thereupon she began to dance, and enjoyed herself to her heart's content; but she liked needlework so well that she asked for some more, and had three stitches. (That was enough in all conscience, though I have threaded the needle for Madeleine forty-five times in forty-four hours; five by night and by day forté.) Coypeau was not quite so strong as that, but he gave the poor girl a great treat. She ate some sweetmeats, and feeling ashamed no longer, bethought her of her maidenhead, and went up to him, and asked him if he would give it another stitch.

"Faith!" said he, "I can't, I haven't any more thread."

"Come, Come," quoth she, "I thought I saw two nice little balls of thread."