University of Virginia Library

II. PART II.

Scene, the Front Parlour at the Lodge. Time, Five Minutes later. Speaker, Mrs. Chapman. Hearer, Maurice.
Come, come, Mr. Maurice, now don't ye look so;
I meant ye no harm, sir, but how should I know?
She walks in straight-forrard, and asks for your letter;
I puts on my glasses to see her the better:
The room's rayther dark, for they boughs be so shady;
Thinks I to myself though, “You looks like a lady!”
She didn't speak pleasant; I can't say she did.
(Let them as belongs to her do as they're bid!)
I gives her the letter, and curcheys, ye know:
She takes it like this now; and looks at it so:
No “thankee,” no nothing; not even “Good day”;
But picks up her flounces, and marches away!
I felt myself quite colour up, I declare!
Thinks I, “If they marry, they won't be no pair!
And what shall I do if the match turns out bad?
I doubt it's no kindness to screen him, poor lad!”
A great mind I had to set off to the Hall,
And ask for the Squire, and confess to it all!
Well, then I bethought me—I hadn't afore,
“He said she wa'n't twenty. She ain't, for she's more.
Not twenty? She's that, and the rest, if she's ten!
I'm out if she'll see five-and-thirty agen!
Why, what will she make that poor boy believe next?
Not twenty, indeed!” I was properly vexed.
She'd got a smart hat on, like I don't know what,
They now-a-days dresses so young, when they're not;
As if you could put back your age with a hat!
I goes by the face, and they can't put back that!
I watcht her a bit; and she hadn't got fur,
When all of a sudden says I, “It aint her”—
That's Roger goes there, lookee, out by the deer;
I'd give him a call, but I don't think he'd hear.
The wind sets this way, and he's deafer than me;
He's out in all weathers, is Roger, ye see.
We've let off the Holt, but that don't touch the game;
Our squire kep' the shootin', ye know, all the same;
So Roger he just takes and goes his old rounds,
And he's seen them ladies, odd times, in the grounds.
And so I was thinking he maybe could say
Which lady it was as come in here to-day.
Go you now and ask him. I think, sir, you'd better.
It runs in my head that the aunt got that letter.