t pleasantry, made me stop and look closely
at her: but she pretended not to know it. "There is something in this
child," I thought, "very different from other girls. What it is I cannot
tell; for one very seldom gets at it."

At any rate the upshot was that the good horse went back to stable, and
had another feed of corn, while my wrath sank within me. There are two
things, according to my experience (which may not hold with another man)
fitted beyond any others to take hot tempers out of us. The first is
to see our favourite creatures feeding, and licking up their food, and
happily snuffling over it, yet sparing time to be grateful, and showing
taste and perception; the other is to go gardening boldly, in the spring
of the year, without any misgiving about it, and hoping the utmost of
everything. If there be a third anodyne, approaching these two in power,
it is to smoke good tobacco well, and watch the setting of the moon; and
if this should only be over the sea, the result is irresistible.

Master Huckaback showed no especial signs of joy at my return; but
received me with a little grunt, which appeared to me to mean, "Ah, I
thought he would hardly be fool enough to go." I told him how sorry I
was for having in some way offended him; and he answered that I did well
to grieve for one at least of my offences. To this I made no reply, as
behoves a man dealing with cross and fractious people; and presently he
became better-tempered, and sent little Ruth for a bottle of wine. She
gave me a beautiful smile of thanks for my forbearance as she passed;
and I knew by her manner that she would bring the best bottle in all the
cellar.

As I had but little time to spare (although the days were long and
light) we were forced to take our wine with promptitude and rapidity;
and whether this loosened my uncle's tongue, or whether he meant
beforehand to speak, is now almost uncertain. But true it is that he
brought his chair very near to mine, after three or four glasses, and
sent Ruth away upon some errand which seemed of small importance. At
this I was vexed, for the room always looked so different without her.

"Come, Jack," he said, "here's your health, young fellow, and a good and
obedient wife to you. Not that your wife will ever obey you though; you
are much too easy-tempered. Even a bitter and stormy woman might live
in peace with you, Jack. But never you give her the chance to try. Marry
some sweet little thing, if you ca