an' if I'd my way I'd wring that old heathen of a Barjona
his neck for 'im, that I would; the good-for-nowt, graspin' old
money-lender 'at he is."

"He wants hoss-whippin'," said Sar'-Ann's mother, "an' if I were a man
I'd do it! But our men fowk are no more use nor two penn'orth o' cowd
gin, an' I'll be bound ther' isn't one on 'em 'at'll lift a little
finger agen 'im."

"An' I'm sure anyone 'at can find it in their 'eart to do ought wrong
to poor old Ted isn't fit to bide in t' village," said Martha Treffit;
"an' one 'ud ha' thought wi' 'avin' been in t' same trade, like,
Barjona 'ud never ha' tried to 'urt Ted."

"They may have been in t' same trade, Martha," interposed Susannah,
"but Ted comes off a better pastur' nor ivver Barjona wa' raised on.
'E's as keen as mustard, is Barjona, an' 'ud mor'gage his soul for owt
he took a fancy tul."

"He's as 'ard as iron in his 'eart," snapped Mrs. Smithies, "but as
soft as a boiled turnup in his 'ead. I'd like to put 'im through t'
wringin' machine, an' squeeze 'im for once, as is so ready to squeeze
other fowk. 'Ere comes Reuben. What'll Reuben 'ave to say about it, I
wonder?"

Reuben shook his head. "It's a sad job, neighbours, but law's law, an'
we shall have to make t' best on 't."

"Hark to him!" said Sar'-Ann's mother; "didn't I tell you there isn't a
man in t' village wi' as mich sperrit as a kitlin'? If Reuben won't do
nowt ye can go bail 'at t' rest 'll noan stir."

"Right's right, an' law's law, all the world over," said Reuben,
shaking his head; "an' it'll be no manner o' use tryin' to persuade
Barjona ought different. I could easy throw him on t' midden, but that
wouldn't mend matters. 'Ye can take t' horse to t' water, but ye can't
make 'im drink,' as t' Owd Book says. It'll be a trial to t' owd man,
but Ted 'll have to make up 'is mind to flit."

Reuben walked home with me and gave me a connected account of what had
happened. "You see, Ted's lived i' yon cottage ever sin' I can
remember, Miss 'Olden. I mind him bringin' his wife to it, maybe forty
year sin', though I were just a lad at t' time, an' it'll be 'appen
five year sin' she died. They were neither on 'em chickens when they
were wed, an' they never 'ad any childer; but they allus seemed to get
on right enough, an' I don't know 'at I ever 'eard tell of 'em 'aving a
wrong word wi' one another, or wi' anyone else, for that matter. They
lived peaceable wi' all men, as t' Owd Book puts