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“Perhaps you don’t know the trouble that has just happened to
them？ Their father； Matthias Bede； was drowned in the Willow
Brook last night； not far from his own door。 I’m going now to see
Adam。”
“Ah； their poor aged mother！” said Dinah； dropping her hands
and looking before her with pitying eyes； as if she saw the object of
her sympathy。 “She will mourn heavily； for Seth has told me she’s
of an anxious； troubled heart。 I must go and see if I can give her
any help。”
As she rose and was beginning to fold up her work； Captain
Donnithorne； having exhausted all plausible pretexts for
remaining among the milk…pans； came out of the dairy； followed
by Mrs。 Poyser。 Mr。 Irwine now rose also； and； advancing towards
Dinah； held out his hand； and said； “Good…bye。 I hear you are
going away soon； but this will not be the last visit you will pay your
aunt—so we shall meet again； I hope。”
His cordiality towards Dinah set all Mrs。 Poyser’s anxieties at
rest； and her face was brighter than usual； as she said； “I’ve never
asked after Mrs。 Irwine and the Miss Irwines； sir； I hope they’re as
well as usual。”
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“Yes； thank you； Mrs。 Poyser； except that Miss Anne has one of
her bad headaches to…day。 By the by； we all liked that nice cream…
cheese you sent us—my mother especially。”
“I’m very glad； indeed； sir。 It is but seldom I make one； but I
remembered Mrs。 Irwine was fond of ’em。 Please to give my duty
to her； and to Miss Kate and Miss Anne。 They’ve never been to
look at my poultry this long while； and I’ve got some beautiful
speckled chickens； black and white； as Miss Kate might like to
have some of amongst hers。”
“Well； I’ll tell her； she must come and see them。 Good…bye；” said
the rector； mounting his horse。
“Just ride slowly on； Irwine；” said Captain Donnithorne；
mounting also。 “I’ll overtake you in three minutes。 I’m only going
to speak to the shepherd about the whelps。 Good…bye； Mrs。 Poyser；
tell your husband I shall come and have a long talk with him
soon。”
Mrs。 Poyser curtsied duly； and watched the two horses until
they had disappeared from the yard； amidst great excitement on
the part of the pigs and the poultry； and under the furious
indignation of the bull…dog； who performed a Pyrrhic dance； that
every moment seemed to threaten the breaking of his chain。 Mrs。
Poyser delighted in this noisy exit； it was a fresh assurance to her
that the farm…yard was well guarded； and that no loiterers could
enter unobserved； and it was not until the gate had closed behind
the captain that she turned into the kitchen again； where Dinah
stood with her bonnet in her hand； waiting to speak to her aunt；
before she set out for Lisbeth Bede’s cottage。
Mrs。 Poyser； however； though she noticed the bonnet； deferred
remarking on it until she had disburdened herself of her surprise
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at Mr。 Irwine’s behaviour。
“Why； Mr。 Irwine wasn’t angry； then？ What did he say to you；
Dinah？ Didn’t he scold you for preaching？”
“No； he was not at all angry； he was very friendly to me。 I was
quite drawn out to speak to him； I hardly know how； for I had
always thought of him as a worldly Sadducee。 But his countenance
is as pleasant as the morning sunshine。”
“Pleasant！ And what else did y’ expect to find him but
pleasant？” said Mrs。 Poyser impatiently； resuming her knitting。 “I
should think his countenance is pleasant indeed！ And him a
gentleman born； and ’s got a mother like a picter。 You may go the
country round and not find such another woman turned sixty…six。
It’s summat…like to see such a man as that i’ the desk of a Sunday！
As I say to Poyser； it’s like looking at a full crop o’ wheat； or a
pasture with a fine dairy o’ cows in it； it makes you think the
world’s comfortable…like。 But as for such creaturs as you
Methodisses run after； I’d as soon go to look at a lot o’ bare…ribbed
runts on a common。 Fine folks they are to tell you what’s right； as
look as if they’d never tasted nothing better than bacon…sword and
sour…cake i’ their lives。 But what did Mr。 Irwine say to you about
that fool’s trick o’ preaching on the Green？”
“He only said he’d heard of it； he didn’t seem to feel any
displeasure about it。 But； dear aunt； don’t think any more about
that。 He told me something that I’m sure will cause you sorrow； as
it does me。 Thias Bede was drowned last night in the Willow
Brook； and I’m thinking that the aged mother will be greatly in
need of comfort。 Perhaps I can be of use to her； so I have fetched
my bonnet and am going to set out。”
“Dear heart； dear heart！ But you must have a cup o’ tea first；
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child；” said Mrs。 Poyser； falling at once from the key of B with five
sharps to the frank and genial C。 “The kettle’s boiling—we’ll have
it ready in a minute； and the young uns ’ull be in and wanting
theirs directly。 I’m quite willing you should go and see th’ old
woman； for you’re one as is allays welcome in trouble； Methodist
or no Methodist； but； for the matter o’ that； it’s the flesh and blood
folks are made on as makes the difference。 Some cheeses are
made o’ skimmed milk and some o’ new milk； and it’s no matter
what you call ’em； you may tell which is which by the look and the
smell。 But as to Thias Bede； he’s better out o’ the way nor in—God
forgi’ me for saying so—for he’s done little this ten year but make
trouble for them as belonged to him； and I think it ’ud be well for
you to take a little bottle o’ rum for th’ old woman； for I daresay
she’s got never a drop