nifold petty tyrannies
that he knew they underwent, came from use of his eyes and ears in daily
contact with a class among whom he had been more or less brought up. In
sympathy with, and yet not of them, he had the queer privilege of feeling
their slights as if they were his own, together with feelings of
protection, and even of contempt that they should let themselves be
slighted. He was near enough to understand how they must feel; not near
enough to understand why, feeling as they did, they did not act as he
would have acted. In truth, he knew them no better than he should.

He found Tryst washing at his pump. In the early morning light the big
laborer's square, stubborn face, with its strange, dog-like eyes, had a
sodden, hungry, lost look. Cutting short ablutions that certainly were
never protracted, he welcomed Derek, and motioned him to pass into the
kitchen. The young man went in, and perched himself on the window-sill
beside a pot of Bridal Wreath. The cottage was one of the Mallorings',
and recently repaired. A little fire was burning, and a teapot of stewed
tea sat there beside it. Four cups and spoons and some sugar were put
out on a deal table, for Tryst was, in fact, brewing the morning draught
of himself and children, who still lay abed up-stairs. The sight made
Derek shiver and his eyes darken. He knew the full significance of what
he saw.

"Did you ask him again, Bob?"

"Yes, I asked 'im."

"What did he say?"

"Said as orders was plain. 'So long as you lives there,' he says, 'along
of yourself alone, you can't have her come back.'"

"Did you say the children wanted looking after badly? Did you make it
clear? Did you say Mrs. Tryst wished it, before she--"

"I said that."

"What did he say then?"

"'Sorry for you, m'lad, but them's m'lady's orders, an' I can't go
contrary. I don't wish to go into things,' he says; 'you know better'n I
how far 'tis gone when she was 'ere before; but seein' as m'lady don't
never give in to deceased wife's sister marryin', if she come back 'tis
certain to be the other thing. So, as that won't do neither, you go
elsewhere,' he says."

Having spoken thus at length, Tryst lifted the teapot and poured out the
dark tea into the three cups.

"Will 'ee have some, sir?"

Derek shook his head.

Taking the cups, Tryst departed up the narrow stairway. And Derek
remained motionless, staring at the Bridal Wreath, till the big man came
down again and, re