am unmarried," I said in reply.

"Oh!" he answered--only he pronounced it "Aw!"

"Well now, miss, you must excuse _me_, for I mostly speaks straight and
no offence meant, and I hope none taken; but isn't this just a little
bit daft-like? 'Marry in 'aste an' repent at leisure,' as t' Owd Book
says. I'm thinkin' this'll be summat o' t' same sort. Hadn't you
better sleep on it, think ye? It'll happen be a mucky day to-morrow,
an' Windyridge 'll hev t' polish ta'en off it."

I have written this down with Mother Hubbard's assistance, and I
required a little help from her at the time in the interpretation of
it. But the farmer's candour pleased me.

"If the rent is more than I can afford to pay I shall return to London
early to-morrow," I said; "but if it is within my means I shall
certainly stay--at any rate for twelve months," I added guardedly.

"Now look you here, miss," returned the farmer; "I've got this cottage
to let, an' if you take it for three months, _or_ for six months, _or_
for twelve months--for three months _or_ for six months _or_ for twelve
months you'll hev it to pay for. Right's right, an' a bargain's a
bargain all the world over. Frenchman, Scotchman _or_ Yorkshireman, a
bargain's a bargain. But nob'dy shall say 'at Reuben Goodenough took
advantage of a woman. I won't let you this cottage, if you like it so
as never, an' whether you can afford it or no, not until to-morrow I
won't. An' I'll tell you why.

"You've just come an' seen Windyridge when all t' glory o' t'
sunshine's on it, an' t' birds is singin' an' t' flowers is bloomin';
but it isn't allus like that. Not 'at I'm runnin' Windyridge down.
_I_'m content here, but then I were born here, an' my work's here, an'
t' missus an' t' youngsters were brought up here. But when you've
slept on it you'll happen see different. Now you've no 'casion to
speak"--as I was about to protest--"I've made up my mind, an' I'm as
stupid as a mule when I set myself, an' there can be no harm done by
waiting a toathree hours. Come, I'll show you what I can let you have
for a ten-pun' note a year, if so be as you decide to take it at t'
finish."

He unlocked the door and stepped aside to let us enter. The kitchen
was almost a duplicate of Mother Hubbard's, but longer. There were the
same oak rafters, the same oak sideboard, the same huge fireplace, the
same cupboard. A horrible contrivance of cocoa-matting covered the
floor, and a hearthrug, neat