t there, I must shut my
mouth, for I swore by fantastic oaths to say nothing."
"He ought to write, whether or no. You tell Will that Jan Grimbal be
about building a braave plaace up under Whiddon, and is looking for a
wife at Monks Barton morning, noon, an' evening. That's like to waken
him. An' tell him the miller's on t'other side, and clacking Jan Grimbal
into Phoebe's ear steadier than the noise of his awn water-wheel."
"And she will grow weak, mark me. She sees that red-brick place rising
out of the bare boughs, higher and higher, and knows that from floor to
attics all may be hers if she likes to say the word. She hears great
talk of drawing-rooms, and pictures, and pianos, and greenhouses full of
rare flowers, and all the rest--why, just think of it!"
"Ban't many gals as could stand 'gainst a piano, I daresay."
"I only know one--mine."
Chris looked at him curiously.
"You 'm right. An' that, for some queer reason, puts me in mind of the
other wan, Martin Grimbal. He was very pleasant to me."
"He's too late, thank God!"
"Ess, fay! An' if he'd comed afore 'e, Clem, he'd been tu early. Theer's
awnly wan man in the gert world for me."
"My gypsy!"
"But I didn't mean that. He wouldn't look at me, not even if I was a
free woman. 'T was of you I thought when I talked to Mr. Grimbal. He'm
well-to-do, and be seekin' a house in the higher quarter under
Middledown. You an' him have the same fancy for the auld stones. So you
might grow into friends--eh, Clem? Couldn't it so fall out? He might
serve to help--eh? You 'm two-and-thirty year auld next February, an' it
do look as though they silly bees ban't gwaine to put money enough in
the bank to spell a weddin' for us this thirty year to come. Theer's
awnly your aunt, Widow Coomstock, as you can look to for a penny, and
that tu doubtful to count on."
"Don't name her, Chris. Good Lord! poor drunken old thing, with that
crowd of hungry relations waiting like vultures round a dying camel!
Never think of her. Money she h
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