or the smiles of beauty,' said Joe Mixet. Ruby chucked up
her head. 'Mr Mixet, if you'll be so good as to stow that! There ain't
no beauty here as I knows of, and if there was it isn't nothing to
you.'

'Except in the way of friendship,' said Mixet.

'I'm just as sick of all this as a man can be,' said Mr Ruggles, who
was sitting low in his chair, with his back bent, and his head
forward. 'I won't put up with it no more.'

'Who wants you to put up with it?' said Ruby. 'Who wants 'em to come
here with their trash? Who brought 'em to-night? I don't know what
business Mr Mixet has interfering along o' me. I never interfere along
o' him.'

'John Crumb, have you anything to say?' asked the old man.

Then John Crumb slowly arose from his chair, and stood up at his full
height. 'I hove,' said he, swinging his head to one side.

'Then say it.'

'I will,' said he. He was still standing bolt upright with his hands
down by his side. Then he stretched out his left to his glass which
was half full of beer, and strengthened himself as far as that would
strengthen him. Having done this he slowly deposited the pipe which he
still held in his right hand.

'Now speak your mind, like a man,' said Mixet.

'I intends it,' said John. But he still stood dumb, looking down upon
old Ruggles, who from his crouched position was looking up at him.
Ruby was standing with both her hands upon the table and her eyes
intent upon the wall over the fire-place.

'You've asked Miss Ruby to be your wife a dozen times;--haven't you,
John?' suggested Mixet.

'I hove.'

'And you mean to be as good as your word?'

'I do.'

'And she has promised to have you?'

'She hove.'

'More nor once or twice?' To this proposition Crumb found it only
necessary to bob his head. 'You're ready?--and willing?'

'I am.'

'You're wishing to have the banns said without any more delay?'

'There ain't no delay 'bout me;--never was.'

'Everything is ready in your own house?'

'They is.'

'And you will expect Miss Ruby to come to the scratch?'

'I sholl.'

'That's about it, I think,' said Joe Mixet, turning to the
grandfather. 'I don't think there was ever anything much more
straightforward than that. You know, I know, Miss Ruby knows all about
John Crumb. John Crumb didn't come to Bungay yesterday nor yet the day
before. There's been a talk of five hundred pounds, Mr Ruggles.' Mr
Ruggles made a slight gesture of assent with his head. 'Five hundred
po