I will tell you all about Epping Forest when I was a boy, if you please; and as to my age, I'm not a fine lady, you know, so why shouldn't I tell you?
I'm hard on fifty-six." In spite of the recent lecture on good manners, the weaver could not help giving a long "whew" of astonishment, and the others were so amused by his _naivete_ that the merriment flitted all over their faces, though for courtesy's sake they forbore actual laughter; while I looked from one to the other in a puzzled manner, and at last said: "Tell me, please, what is amiss: you know I want to learn from you.

And please laugh; only tell me." Well, they _did_ laugh, and I joined them again, for the above-stated reasons.

But at last the pretty woman said coaxingly-- "Well, well, he _is_ rude, poor fellow! but you see I may as well tell you what he is thinking about: he means that you look rather old for your age.

But surely there need be no wonder in that, since you have been travelling; and clearly from all you have been saying, in unsocial countries.

It has often been said, and no doubt truly, that one ages very quickly if one lives amongst unhappy people.