.

Mrs. Berry bumped a curtsey to him in her chair, continuing: "I wished
afore I spoke to say how thankful am I bound to be for my pension not
cut short, as have offended so, but that I know Sir Austin Feverel,
Raynham Abbey, ain't one o' them that likes to hear their good deeds
pumlished. And a pension to me now, it's something more than it were.
For a pension and pretty rosy cheeks in a maid, which I was--that's a
bait many a man'll bite, that won't so a forsaken wife!"

"If you will speak to the point, ma'am, I will listen to you," the
baronet interrupted her.

"It's the beginnin' that's the worst, and that's over, thank the Lord!
So I'll speak, Sir Austin, and say my say:--Lord speed me! Believin' our
idees o' matrimony to be sim'lar, then, I'll say, once married--married
for life! Yes! I don't even like widows. For I can't stop at the grave.
Not at the tomb I can't stop. My husband's my husband, and if I'm a body
at the Resurrection, I say, speaking humbly, my Berry is the husband o'
my body; and to think of two claimin' of me then--it makes me hot all
over. Such is my notion of that state 'tween man and woman. No givin' in
marriage, o' course I know; and if so I'm single."

The baronet suppressed a smile. "Really, my good woman, you wander very
much."

"Beggin' pardon, Sir Austin; but I has my point before me all the same,
and I'm comin' to it. Ac-knowledgin' our error, it'd done, and bein'
done, it's writ aloft. Oh! if you ony knew what a sweet young creature
she be! Indeed; 'taint all of humble birth that's unworthy, Sir Austin.
And she got her idees, too: She reads History! She talk that sensible
as would surprise ye. But for all that she's a prey to the artful o'
men--unpertected. And it's a young marriage--but there's no fear for
her, as far as she go. The fear's t'other way. There's that in a man--at
the commencement--which make of him Lord knows what if you any way
interferes: whereas a woman bides quiet! It's consolation catch her,
which is what we mean by seduein'. Whereas a man--he's a savage!"

Sir Austin turned his face to Adrian, who was listening with huge
delight.

"Well, ma'am, I see you have something in your mind, if you would only
come to it quickly."

"Then here's my point, Sir Austin. I say you bred him so as there ain't
another young gentleman like him in England, and proud he make me. And
as for her, I'll risk sayin'--it's done, and no harm--you might search
England through, and n