he
was slow of speech, and what the world calls stupid in regard to all
forms of expression. He knew good meal from bad as well as any man,
and the price at which he could buy it so as to leave himself a fair
profit at the selling. He knew the value of a clear conscience, and
without much argument had discovered for himself that honesty is in
truth the best policy. Joe Mixet, who was dapper of person and glib of
tongue, had often declared that any one buying John Crumb for a fool
would lose his money. Joe Mixet was probably right; but there had been
a want of prudence, a lack of worldly sagacity, in the way in which
Crumb had allowed his proposed marriage with Ruby Ruggles to become a
source of gossip to all Bungay. His love was now an old affair; and,
though he never talked much, whenever he did talk, he talked about
that. He was proud of Ruby's beauty, and of her fortune, and of his
own status as her acknowledged lover,--and he did not hide his light
under a bushel. Perhaps the publicity so produced had some effect in
prejudicing Ruby against the man whose offer she had certainly once
accepted. Now when he came to settle the day,--having heard more than
once or twice that there was a difficulty with Ruby,--he brought his
friend Mixet with him as though to be present at his triumph. 'If here
isn't Joe Mixet,' said Ruby to herself. 'Was there ever such a stoopid
as John Crumb? There's no end to his being stoopid.'

The old man had slept off his anger and his beer while Ruby had been
preparing the feast, and now roused himself to entertain his guests.
'What, Joe Mixet; is that thou? Thou'rt welcome. Come in, man. Well,
John, how is it wi' you? Ruby's stewing o' something for us to eat a
bit. Don't e' smell it?'--John Crumb lifted up his great nose, sniffed
and grinned.

'John didn't like going home in the dark like,' said the baker, with
his little joke. 'So I just come along to drive away the bogies.'

'The more the merrier;--the more the merrier. Ruby'll have enough for
the two o' you, I'll go bail. So John Crumb's afraid of bogies;--is he?
The more need he to have some 'un in his house to scart 'em away.'

The lover had seated himself without speaking a word; but now he was
instigated to ask a question. 'Where be she, Muster Ruggles?' They
were seated in the outside or front kitchen, in which the old man and
his granddaughter always lived; while Ruby was at work in the back
kitchen. As John Crumb asked this questi