rare wines there,
I trow, and perhaps not know the difference.'

Thinking of this the old man sighed, and expected me to sigh after him.
But a sigh is not (like a yawn) infectious; and we are all more prone
to be sent to sleep than to sorrow by one another. Not but what a sigh
sometimes may make us think of sighing.

'Well, sir,' cried I, in my sprightliest manner, which rouses up most
people, 'here's to your health and dear little Ruth's: and may you live
to knock off the cobwebs from every bottle in under the arch. Uncle
Reuben, your life and health, sir?'

With that I took my glass thoughtfully, for it was wondrous good; and
Uncle Ben was pleased to see me dwelling pleasantly on the subject with
parenthesis, and self-commune, and oral judgment unpronounced, though
smacking of fine decision. 'Curia vult advisari,' as the lawyers say;
which means, 'Let us have another glass, and then we can think about
it.'

'Come now, John,' said Uncle Ben, laying his wrinkled hand on my knee,
when he saw that none could heed us, 'I know that you have a sneaking
fondness for my grandchild Ruth. Don't interrupt me now; you have; and
to deny it will only provoke me.'

'I do like Ruth, sir,' I said boldly, for fear of misunderstanding; 'but
I do not love her.'

'Very well; that makes no difference. Liking may very soon be loving (as
some people call it) when the maid has money to help her.'

'But if there be, as there is in my case--'

'Once for all, John, not a word. I do not attempt to lead you into any
engagement with little Ruth; neither will I blame you (though I may be
disappointed) if no such engagement should ever be. But whether you will
have my grandchild, or whether you will not--and such a chance is
rarely offered to a fellow of your standing'--Uncle Ben despised all
farmers--'in any case I have at least resolved to let you know my
secret; and for two good reasons. The first is that it wears me out
to dwell upon it, all alone, and the second is that I can trust you to
fulfil a promise. Moreover, you are my next of kin, except among
the womankind; and you are just the man I want, to help me in my
enterprise.'

'And I will help you, sir,' I answered, fearing some conspiracy, 'in
anything that is true, and loyal, and according to the laws of the
realm.'

'Ha, ha!' cried the old man, laughing until his eyes ran over, and
spreading out his skinny hands upon his shining breeches, 'thou hast
gone the same fools' track