"I thank you very kindly, Jim Morris; but of course I would not like to
give you so much trouble," replied Hannah, in perfect innocence of
sarcasm.
"La. It wouldn't be no trouble, Miss Hannah! But then, ma'am, I didn't
come over here to pass compliments, nor no sich! I come with a message
from old madam up yonder at Brudenell Hall."
"Ah," said Hannah, in much surprise and more disgust, "what may have
been her message to me?"
"Well, Miss Hannah, it may have been the words of comfort, such as would
become a Christian lady to send to a sorrowing fellow-creatur'; only it
wasn't," sighed Jim Morris.
"I want no such hypocritical words from her!" said Hannah indignantly.
"Well, honey, she didn't send none!"
"What did she send?"
"Well, chile, de madam, she 'quested of me to come over here an' hand
you dis five dollar an' a half, which she says she owes it to you. An'
also to ax you to send by the bearer, which is me, a certain piece of
cloth, which she says how you've done wove for her. An' likewise to tell
you as you needn't come to Brudenell Hall for more work, which there is
no more to give you. Dere, Miss Hannah, dere's de message jes' as de
madam give it to me, which I hopes you'll 'sider as I fotch it in de way
of my perfession, an' not take no 'fense at me who never meant any
towards you," said the professor deprecatingly.
"Of course not, Morris. So far from being angry with you, I am very
thankful to you for coming. You have relieved me from a quandary. I
didn't know how to return the work or to get the pay. For after what has
happened, Morris, the cloth might have stayed here and the money there,
forever, before I would have gone near Brudenell Hall!"
Morris slapped his knee with satisfaction, saying: "Just what I thought, Miss Hannah! which made me the more willing to
bring de message. So now if you'll jest take de money an' give me de
cloth, I'll be off. I has got some clocks and umberell's to mend
to-night. And dat minds me! if you'll give me dat broken coffee-mill o'
yourn I'll fix it at de same time," said the professor.
Hannah complied with all his requests, and he took his departure.
He had scarcely got out of sight when Hannah had another visitor, Reuben
Gray, who entered the hut with looks of deprecation and words of
apology.