like--like any of ours
now? I know all the people hereabouts, and maybe could give a guess at
the man, if I had anything to guide me.'

Dolly faltered and turned paler yet; then answered that he was wrapped
in a loose coat and had his face hidden by a handkerchief and that she
could give no other description of him.

'You wouldn't know him if you saw him then, belike?' said Hugh with a
malicious grin.

'I should not,' answered Dolly, bursting into tears again. 'I don't wish
to see him. I can't bear to think of him. I can't talk about him any
more. Don't go to look for these things, Mr Joe, pray don't. I entreat
you not to go with that man.'

'Not to go with me!' cried Hugh. 'I'm too rough for them all. They're
all afraid of me. Why, bless you mistress, I've the tenderest heart
alive. I love all the ladies, ma'am,' said Hugh, turning to the
locksmith's wife.

Mrs Varden opined that if he did, he ought to be ashamed of himself;
such sentiments being more consistent (so she argued) with a benighted
Mussulman or wild Islander than with a stanch Protestant. Arguing from
this imperfect state of his morals, Mrs Varden further opined that he
had never studied the Manual. Hugh admitting that he never had, and
moreover that he couldn't read, Mrs Varden declared with much severity,
that he ought to be even more ashamed of himself than before, and
strongly recommended him to save up his pocket-money for the purchase
of one, and further to teach himself the contents with all convenient
diligence. She was still pursuing this train of discourse, when Hugh,
somewhat unceremoniously and irreverently, followed his young master
out, and left her to edify the rest of the company. This she proceeded
to do, and finding that Mr Willet's eyes were fixed upon her with an
appearance of deep attention, gradually addressed the whole of her
discourse to him, whom she entertained with a moral and theological
lecture of considerable length, in the conviction that great workings
were taking place in his spirit. The simple truth was, however, that Mr
Willet, although his eyes were wide open and he saw a woman before
him whose head by long and steady looking at seemed to grow bigger
and bigger until it filled the whole bar, was to all other intents and
purposes fast asleep; and so sat leaning back in his chair with his
hands in his pockets until his son's return caused him to wake up with
a deep sigh, and a faint impression that he had been dreami