He received, however, every attention which could
be paid him by his honest landlord, John Christie; for Richie
Moniplies had not thought it necessary to preserve his master's
_incognito_ so completely, but that the honest ship-chandler could
form a guess that his guest's quality was superior to his appearance.
As for Dame Nelly, his wife, a round, buxom, laughter-loving dame,
with black eyes, a tight well-laced bodice, a green apron, and a red
petticoat edged with a slight silver lace, and judiciously shortened
so as to show that a short heel, and a tight clean ankle, rested upon
her well-burnished shoe,--she, of course, felt interest in a young
man, who, besides being very handsome, good-humoured, and easily
satisfied with the accommodations her house afforded, was evidently of
a rank, as well as manners, highly superior to the skippers (or
Captains, as they called themselves) of merchant vessels, who were the
usual tenants of the apartments which she let to hire; and at whose
departure she was sure to find her well-scrubbed floor soiled with the
relics of tobacco, (which, spite of King James's Counterblast, was
then forcing itself into use,) and her best curtains impregnated with
the odour of Geneva and strong waters, to Dame Nelly's great
indignation; for, as she truly said, the smell of the shop and
warehouse was bad enough without these additions.
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