Sylvia's Lovers

'Is ta sure?' she asked, breathless in her turn; for though she did

not know by the aspect of the different ships on what trade they

were bound, yet she was well aware of the paramount interest

attached to whaling vessels.

'Three o'clock! and it's not high water till five!' said Molly. 'If

we're sharp we can sell our eggs, and be down to the staithes before

she comes into port. Be sharp, lass!'

And down the steep long hill they went at a pace that was almost a

run. A run they dared not make it; and as it was, the rate at which

they walked would have caused destruction among eggs less carefully

packed. When the descent was ended, there was yet the long narrow

street before them, bending and swerving from the straight line, as

it followed the course of the river. The girls felt as if they

should never come to the market-place, which was situated at the

crossing of Bridge Street and High Street. There the old stone cross

was raised by the monks long ago; now worn and mutilated, no one

esteemed it as a holy symbol, but only as the Butter Cross, where

market-women clustered on Wednesday, and whence the town crier made

all his proclamations of household sales, things lost or found,

beginning with 'Oh! yes, oh! yes, oh! yes!' and ending with 'God

bless the king and the lord of this manor,' and a very brisk 'Amen,'

before he went on his way and took off the livery-coat, the colours

of which marked him as a servant of the Burnabys, the family who

held manorial rights over Monkshaven.

Of course the much frequented space surrounding the Butter Cross was

the favourite centre for shops; and on this day, a fine market day,

just when good housewives begin to look over their winter store of

blankets and flannels, and discover their needs betimes, these shops

ought to have had plenty of customers. But they were empty and of

even quieter aspect than their every-day wont. The three-legged

creepie-stools that were hired out at a penny an hour to such

market-women as came too late to find room on the steps were

unoccupied; knocked over here and there, as if people had passed by

in haste.

Molly took in all at a glance, and interpreted the signs, though she

had no time to explain their meaning, and her consequent course of

action, to Sylvia, but darted into a corner shop.

'T' whalers is coming home! There's one lying outside t' bar!'

This was put in the form of an assertion; but the tone was that of

eager cross-questioning.