he sofa he now got on his legs again. Then he
sat down beside her once more and courageously set his yellow muzzle
against her red cheek. The widow remained passive under this caress, and
Mr. Blee, having kissed her thrice, rubbed his mouth and spoke.

"Theer! 'T is signed and sealed, an' I'll have no drawin' back now."

"But--but--Lezzard, Billy. I do like 'e--I caan't hide it from 'e, try
as I will--but him--"

"I knawed he was t'other. I tell you, forget un. His marryin' days be
awver. Dammy, the man's 'most chuckle headed wi' age! Let un go his way
an' say his prayers 'gainst the trump o' God. An' it'll take un his time
to pass Peter when all 's done--a bad auld chap in his day. Not that I'd
soil your ears with it."

"He said much the same 'bout you. When you was at Drewsteignton, twenty
year agone--"

"A lie--a wicked, strammin', gert lie, with no more truth to it than a
auld song! He 'm a venomous beast to call home such a thing arter all
these years."

"If I did take 'e, you'd be a gude an' faithful husband, Billy, not a
gad-about?"

"Cut my legs off if I go gaddin' further than to do your errands."

"An' you'll keep these here buzzin' parties off me? Cuss 'em! They make
my life a burden."

"Doan't fear that. I'll larn 'em!"

"Theer 's awnly wan I can bide of the whole lot--an' that's my awn
nephew, Clem Hicks. He'll drink his drop o' liquor an' keep his mouth
shut, an' listen to me a-talkin' as a young man should. T'others are
allus yelpin' out how fond they be of me, and how they'd go to the
world's end for me. I hate the sight of 'em."

"A time-servin' crew, Mary; an' Clement Hicks no better 'n the rest,
mark my word, though your sister's son. 'T is cupboard love wi' all. But
money ban't nothin' to me. I've been well contented with enough all my
life, though 't is few can say with truth that enough satisfies 'em."

"Lezzard said money was nothin' to him neither, having plenty of his
awn. 'T was my pusson, not my pocket, as he'd falled in love with."

"Burnish it all! Theer 's a shameful speech! 'Your pusson'! Him! I'll
tell you what Lezzard is--just a damn evil disposition kep' in by skin
an' bones--that's Lezzard. 'Your pusson'!"

"I'm afraid I've encouraged him a little. You've been so backward in
mentioning the subject of late. But I'm sure I didn't knaw as he'd got a
evil disposition."

"Well, 't is so. An' 't is awnly your bigness of heart, as wouldn't
hurt a beetle, makes you speak kin