ignorant; but even if he knew ever so, of course he couldn't come
here. I suppose I'd better keep the key till you're suited, Mr Dale."

Then for a fortnight there was an interregnum in the gardens,
terrible in the annals of Allington. Hopkins lived in his cottage
indeed, and looked most sedulously after the grapes. In looking after
the grapes, too, he took the greenhouses under his care; but he would
have nothing to do with the outer gardens, took no wages, returning
the amount sent to him back to the squire, and insisted with
everybody that he had been dismissed. He went about with some
terrible horticultural implement always in his hand, with which it
was said that he intended to attack Jolliffe; but Jolliffe prudently
kept out of his way.

As soon as it had been resolved by Mrs Dale and Lily that the
flitting from the Small House at Allington was not to be
accomplished, Lily communicated the fact to Hopkins.

"Miss," said he, "when I said them few words to you and your mamma, I
knew that you would listen to reason."

This was no more than Lily had expected; that Hopkins should claim
the honour of having prevailed by his arguments was a matter of
course.

"Yes," said Lily; "we've made up our minds to stay. Uncle wishes it."

"Wishes it! Laws, miss; it ain't only wishes. And we all wishes it.
Why, now, look at the reason of the thing. Here's this here house--"

"But, Hopkins, it's decided. We're going to stay. What I want to know
is this; can you come at once and help me to unpack?"

"What! this very evening, as is--"

"Yes, now; we want to have the things about again before they come
back from Guestwick."

Hopkins scratched his head and hesitated, not wishing to yield to any
proposition that could be considered as childish; but he gave way at
last, feeling that the work itself was a good work. Mrs Dale also
assented, laughing at Lily for her folly as she did so, and in this
way the things were unpacked very quickly, and the alliance between
Lily and Hopkins became, for the time, very close. This work of
unpacking and resettling was not yet over, when the battle of the
manure broke out, and therefore it was that Hopkins, when his
feelings had become altogether too much for him "about the doong,"
came at last to Lily, and laying down at her feet all the weight and
all the glory of his sixty odd years of life, implored her to make
matters straight for him. "It's been a killing me, miss, so it has;
to see t