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he was； he didn’t mean to give in。 With his left hand he snatched
the brush from his powerless right； and made a movement as if he
would perform the feat of writing with his left。 In a moment Adam
turned him round； seized his other shoulder； and； pushing him
along； pinned him against the wall。 But now Seth spoke。
“Let be； Addy； let be。 Ben will be joking。 Why； he’s i’ the right to
laugh at me—I canna help laughing at myself。”
“I shan’t loose him till he promises to let the door alone；” said
Adam。
“Come； Ben； lad；” said Seth； in a persuasive tone； “don’t let’s
have a quarrel about it。 You know Adam will have his way。 You
may ’s well try to turn a waggon in a narrow lane。 Say you’ll leave
the door alone； and make an end on ’t。”
“I binna frighted at Adam；” said Ben； “but I donna mind sayin’
as I’ll let ’t alone at your askin’； Seth。”
“Come； that’s wise of you； Ben；” said Adam； laughing and
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relaxing his grasp。
They all returned to their work now； but Wiry Ben； having had
the worst in the bodily contest； was bent on retrieving that
humiliation by a success in sarcasm。
“Which was ye thinkin’ on； Seth；” he began—“the pretty
parson’s face or her sarmunt； when ye forgot the panels？”
“Come and hear her； Ben；” said Seth； good…humouredly； “she’s
going to preach on the Green to…night； happen ye’d get something
to think on yourself then； instead o’ those wicked songs you’re so
fond on。 Ye might get religion； and that ’ud be the best day’s
earnings y’ ever made。”
“All i’ good time for that； Seth； I’ll think about that when I’m a…
goin’ to settle i’ life； bachelors doesn’t want such heavy earnin’s。
Happen I shall do the coortin’ an’ the religion both together； as ye
do； Seth； but ye wouldna ha’ me get converted an’ chop in atween
ye an’ the pretty preacher； an’ carry her aff？”
“No fear o’ that； Ben； she’s neither for you nor for me to win； I
doubt。 Only you come and hear her； and you won’t speak lightly
on her again。”
“Well； I’m half a mind t’ ha’ a look at her to…night； if there isn’t
good company at th’ Holly Bush。 What’ll she take for her text？
Happen ye can tell me； Seth； if so be as I shouldna come up i’ time
for ’t。 Will ’t be—what come ye out for to see？ A prophetess？ Yea； I
say unto you； and more than a prophetess—a uncommon pretty
young woman。”
“Come； Ben；” said Adam； rather sternly； “you let the words o’
the Bible alone； you’re going too far now。”
“What！ Are ye a…turnin’ roun’； Adam？ I thought ye war dead
again th’ women preachin’； a while agoo？”
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“Nay； I’m not turnin’ noway。 I said nought about the women
preachin’。 I said； You let the Bible alone： you’ve got a jest…book；
han’t you； as you’re rare and proud on？ Keep your dirty fingers to
that。”
“Why； y’ are gettin’ as big a saint as Seth。 Y’are goin’ to th’
preachin’ to…night； I should think。 Ye’ll do finely t’ lead the singin’。
But I don’ know what Parson Irwine ’ull say at his gran’ favright
Adam Bede a…turnin’ Methody。”
“Never do you bother yourself about me； Ben。 I’m not a…going
to turn Methodist any more nor you are—though it’s like enough
you’ll turn to something worse。 Mester Irwine’s got more sense
nor to meddle wi’ people’s doing as they like in religion。 That’s
between themselves and God； as he’s said to me many a time。”
“Aye； aye； but he’s none so fond o’ your dissenters； for all that。”
“Maybe； I’m none so fond o’ Josh Tod’s thick ale； but I don’t
hinder you from making a fool o’ yourself wi’t。”
There was a laugh at this thrust of Adam’s； but Seth said； very
seriously。 “Nay； nay； Addy； thee mustna say as anybody’s
religion’s like thick ale。 Thee dostna believe but what the
dissenters and the Methodists have got the root o’ the matter as
well as the church folks。”
“Nay； Seth； lad； I’m not for laughing at no man’s religion。 Let
’em follow their consciences； that’s all。 Only I think it ’ud be better
if their consciences ’ud let ’em stay quiet i’ the church—there’s a
deal to be learnt there。 And there’s such a thing as being over…
speritial； we must have something beside Gospel i’ this world。
Look at the canals； an’ th’ aqueducs； an’ th’ coal…pit engines； and
Arkwright’s mills there at Cromford； a man must learn summat
beside Gospel to make them things； I reckon。 But t’ hear some o’
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them preachers； you’d think as a man must be doing nothing all’s
life but shutting’s eyes and looking what’s agoing on inside him。 I
know a man must have the love o’ God in his soul； and the Bible’s
God’s word。 But what does the Bible say？ Why； it says as God put
his sperrit into the workman as built the tabernacle； to make him
do all the carved work and things as wanted a nice hand。 And this
is my way o’ looking at it： there’s the sperrit o’ God in all things
and all times—weekday as well as Sunday—and i’ the great works
and inventions； and i’ the figuring and the mechanics。 And God
helps us with our headpieces and our hands as well as with our
souls； and if a man does bits o’ jobs out o’ working hours—builds a
oven for ’s wife to save her from going to the bakehouse； or scrats
at his bit o’ garden and makes two potatoes grow istead o’ one；
he’s doin’ more good； and he’s just as near to God； as if he was
running after some preacher and a…praying and a…groaning。”
“Well done； Adam！” said Sandy Jim； who had paused from his
planing to shift his planks while Adam was speaking； “that’s the
best sarmunt I’ve heared this long while。 By t