 | Dorothy |  |
Then, when the guests were gone, and Robert and Dolly departed,
And in the kitchen remain'd Missis and Mary alone;
Then, with triumphant air, did the good wife say to her daughter,
‘Didn't I tell it thee, lass? Didn't I say it was him?
‘Dost not remember them gloves our Dorothy left at the Squire's,
‘What Mrs. Jellifer brought home in her pocket, to-day?
‘Well—I had known all along, Dolly had 'em upstairs in her attic:
‘They was her father's gloves; all 'at was left her of him.
‘Ay, for I kept 'em for her; never thinking, nor never expecting,
‘He would turn up like this: him, and his Griffin, an' all!
‘He had a Griffin, you know, on the seal what he put to his letters:
‘Well—when I look'd i' them gloves, there was the Griffin, inside!
‘Nay, there it was, sure enough; I could tell it, as easy as ever:
‘And there was writing as well; C., and a bonny St. Q.!
‘What does that stand for, eh? Why, of course it stands for the Colonel:
‘Didn't they call him Charles? Isn't St. Quentin his name?
‘Look—for I've gotten 'em here; I kept 'em, to show to the master:
‘This 'll persuade him, I lay; this 'll speak out if it's true!
‘Well—as our parson says, its wonderful, even in this world,
‘How many things comes out, folks 'd be glad to keep in:
‘Think of a man such as him, a Parliament man and a Colonel,
‘Having a daughter like her, bred to the work of a farm!
‘Lass, it's a senseless thing, and clean contrary to Natur:
‘Ay, an' he's rued it, an' all; you may be certain o' that.
‘Still, he's behaved this day like a gentleman born, has the Colonel:
‘Giving such money as yon: making her happy for life.
‘Money? What more could he do, for a wench 'at is only a servant?
‘Married above her, indeed! What's a head-keeper to him?
‘No! An' I'll never no more have the heart to say nothing again him;
‘Never! I reckon he's done all such a father could do.
‘And I ha' settled in mind, an' thou must promise me, Mary,
‘Never to tell o' this tale; not to let Dorothy know.
‘Why, she was fit to burst out, if ever one spoke of her father;
‘Maybe, she'd think it a sin, touching his money at all.
‘Telling 'ud do her no good: a father she couldn't get on with;
‘Him and his gentlefolks' ways, what are they good for, to her?
‘Ay, and our Robert as well, he wouldn't be glad of it, neither:
‘Keeper, and him with a wife known to be kin to the Squire!
No—we must leave 'em alone wi' their luck; and well they deserve it:
‘Dolly was daughter, almost—more nor a servant—to me;
‘Almost a sister to thee: and one thing I'll tell thee, Miss Mary;
‘We shall be lucky indeed, finding her equal again!’
And in the kitchen remain'd Missis and Mary alone;
Then, with triumphant air, did the good wife say to her daughter,
‘Didn't I tell it thee, lass? Didn't I say it was him?
‘Dost not remember them gloves our Dorothy left at the Squire's,
‘What Mrs. Jellifer brought home in her pocket, to-day?
80
‘They was her father's gloves; all 'at was left her of him.
‘Ay, for I kept 'em for her; never thinking, nor never expecting,
‘He would turn up like this: him, and his Griffin, an' all!
‘He had a Griffin, you know, on the seal what he put to his letters:
‘Well—when I look'd i' them gloves, there was the Griffin, inside!
‘Nay, there it was, sure enough; I could tell it, as easy as ever:
‘And there was writing as well; C., and a bonny St. Q.!
‘What does that stand for, eh? Why, of course it stands for the Colonel:
‘Didn't they call him Charles? Isn't St. Quentin his name?
‘Look—for I've gotten 'em here; I kept 'em, to show to the master:
‘This 'll persuade him, I lay; this 'll speak out if it's true!
‘Well—as our parson says, its wonderful, even in this world,
‘How many things comes out, folks 'd be glad to keep in:
‘Think of a man such as him, a Parliament man and a Colonel,
‘Having a daughter like her, bred to the work of a farm!
‘Lass, it's a senseless thing, and clean contrary to Natur:
‘Ay, an' he's rued it, an' all; you may be certain o' that.
‘Still, he's behaved this day like a gentleman born, has the Colonel:
‘Giving such money as yon: making her happy for life.
‘Money? What more could he do, for a wench 'at is only a servant?
‘Married above her, indeed! What's a head-keeper to him?
‘No! An' I'll never no more have the heart to say nothing again him;
‘Never! I reckon he's done all such a father could do.
‘And I ha' settled in mind, an' thou must promise me, Mary,
‘Never to tell o' this tale; not to let Dorothy know.
‘Why, she was fit to burst out, if ever one spoke of her father;
‘Maybe, she'd think it a sin, touching his money at all.
‘Telling 'ud do her no good: a father she couldn't get on with;
‘Him and his gentlefolks' ways, what are they good for, to her?
‘Ay, and our Robert as well, he wouldn't be glad of it, neither:
‘Keeper, and him with a wife known to be kin to the Squire!
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‘Dolly was daughter, almost—more nor a servant—to me;
‘Almost a sister to thee: and one thing I'll tell thee, Miss Mary;
‘We shall be lucky indeed, finding her equal again!’
| Dorothy | |