'I think she'll try to do her duty without that.'

'They do like things the like o' that; any ways I'll go up, squoire, arter Sax'nam market, and see how things is lying.'

'I wouldn't go just yet, Mr Crumb, if I were you. She hasn't forgotten the scene at the farm yet.'

'I said nothing as wasn't as kind as kind.'

'But her own perversity runs in her own head. If you had been unkind she could have forgiven that; but as you were good-natured and she was cross, she can't forgive that.' John Crumb again scratched his head, and felt that the depths of a woman's character required more gauging than he had yet given to it. 'And to tell you the truth, my friend, I think that a little hardship up at Mrs Pipkin's will do her good.'

'Don't she have a bellyful o' vittels?' asked John Crumb, with intense anxiety.

'I don't quite mean that. I dare say she has enough to eat. But of course she has to work for it with her aunt. She has three or four children to look after.'

'That moight come in handy by-and-by;--moightn't it, squoire?' said John Crumb grinning.

'As you say, she'll be learning something that may be useful to her in another sphere. Of course there is a good deal to do, and I should not be surprised if she were to think after a bit that your house in Bungay was more comfortable than Mrs Pipkin's kitchen in London.'

'My little back parlour;--eh, squoire! And I've got a four-poster, most as big as any in Bungay.'

'I am sure you have everything comfortable for her, and she knows it herself. Let her think about all that,--and do you go and tell her again in a month's time. She'll be more willing to settle matters then than she is now.'

'But the Baro-nite!'

'Mrs Pipkin will allow nothing of that.'

'Girls is so 'cute. Ruby is awful 'cute. It makes me feel as though I had two hun'erdweight o' meal on my stomach, lying awake o' nights and thinking as how he is, may be,--pulling of her about! If I thought that she'd let him--; oh! I'd swing for it, Muster Carbury. They'd have to make an eend o' me at Bury, if it was that way. They would then.'

Roger assured him again and again that he believed Ruby to be a good girl, and promised that further steps should be taken to induce Mrs Pipkin to keep a close watch upon her niece. John Crumb made no promise that he would abstain from his journey to London after Saxmundham fair; but left the squire with a conviction that his purpose of doing so was shaken. He was still however resolved to send Mrs Pipkin the price of a new blue cloak, and declared his purpose of getting Mixet to write the letter and enclose the money order. John Crumb had no delicacy as to declaring his own deficiency in literary acquirements. He was able to make out a bill for meal or pollards, but did little beyond that in the way of writing letters.




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