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you to take a little bottle o’ rum for th’ old woman； for I daresay
she’s got never a drop o’ nothing to comfort her inside。 Sit down；
child； and be easy； for you shan’t stir out till you’ve had a cup o’
tea； and so I tell you。”
During the latter part of this speech； Mrs。 Poyser had been
reaching down the tea…things from the shelves； and was on her
way towards the pantry for the loaf （followed close by Totty； who
had made her appearance on the rattling of the tea…cups）； when
Hetty came out of the dairy relieving her tired arms by lifting them
up； and clasping her hands at the back of her head。
“Molly；” she said； rather languidly； “just run out and get me a
bunch of dock…leaves： the butter’s ready to pack up now。”
“D’ you hear what’s happened； Hetty？” said her aunt。
“No； how should I hear anything？” was the answer； in a pettish
tone。
“Not as you’d care much； I daresay； if you did hear； for you’re
too feather…headed to mind if everybody was dead； so as you could
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stay upstairs a…dressing yourself for two hours by the clock。 But
anybody besides yourself ’ud mind about such things happening to
them as think a deal more of you than you deserve。 But Adam
Bede and all his kin might be drownded for what you’d care—
you’d be perking at the glass the next minute。”
“Adam Bede—drowned？” said Hetty； letting her arms fall and
looking rather bewildered； but suspecting that her aunt was as
usual exaggerating with a didactic purpose。
“No； my dear； no；” said Dinah kindly； for Mrs。 Poyser had
passed on to the pantry without deigning more precise
information。 “Not Adam。 Adam’s father； the old man； is drowned。
He was drowned last night in the Willow Brook。 Mr。 Irwine has
just told me about it。”
“Oh； how dreadful！” said Hetty； looking serious； but not deeply
affected； and as Molly now entered with the dock…leaves； she took
them silently and returned to the dairy without asking further
questions。
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Chapter IX
Hetty’s World
hile she adjusted the broad leaves that set off the pale
Wfragrant butter as the primrose is set off by its nest of
green I am afraid Hetty was thinking a great deal more
of the looks Captain Donnithorne had cast at her than of Adam
and his troubles。 Bright； admiring glances from a handsome young
gentleman with white hands； a gold chain； occasional regimentals；
and wealth and grandeur immeasurable—those were the warm
rays that set poor Hetty’s heart vibrating and playing its little
foolish tunes over and over again。 We do not hear that Memnon’s
statue gave forth its melody at all under the rushing of the
mightiest wind； or in response to any other influence divine or
human than certain short…lived sunbeams of morning； and we
must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some
of those cunningly fashioned instruments called human souls have
only a very limited range of music； and will not vibrate in the least
under a touch that fills others with tremulous rapture or quivering
agony。
Hetty was quite used to the thought that people liked to look at
her。 She was not blind to the fact that young Luke Britton of
Broxton came to Hayslope Church on a Sunday afternoon on
purpose that he might see her； and that he would have made
much more decided advances if her uncle Poyser； thinking but
lightly of a young man whose father’s land was so foul as old Luke
Britton’s； had not forbidden her aunt to encourage him by any
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civilities。 She was aware； too； that Mr。 Craig； the gardener at the
Chase； was over head and ears in love with her； and had lately
made unmistakable avowals in luscious strawberries and
hyperbolical peas。 She knew still better； that Adam Bede—tall；
upright； clever； brave Adam Bede—who carried such authority
with all the people round about； and whom her uncle was always
delighted to see of an evening； saying that “Adam knew a fine
sight more o’ the natur o’ things than those as thought themselves
his betters”—she knew that this Adam； who was often rather stern
to other people and not much given to run after the lasses； could
be made to turn pale or red any day by a word or a look from her。
Hetty’s sphere of comparison was not large； but she couldn’t help
perceiving that Adam was “something like” a man； always knew
what to say about things； could tell her uncle how to prop the
hovel； and had mended the churn in no time； knew； with only
looking at it； the value of the chestnut…tree that was blown down；
and why the damp came in the walls； and what they must do to
stop the rats； and wrote a beautiful hand that you could read off；
and could do figures in his head—a degree of accomplishment
totally unknown among the richest farmers of that countryside。
Not at all like that slouching Luke Britton； who； when she once
walked with him all the way from Broxton to Hayslope； had only
broken silence to remark that the grey goose had begun to lay。
And as for Mr。 Craig； the gardener； he was a sensible man enough；
to be sure； but he was knock…kneed； and had a queer sort of sing…
song in his talk； moreover； on the most charitable supposition； he
must be far on the way to forty。
Hetty was quite certain her uncle wanted her to encourage
Adam； and would be pleased for her to marry him。 For those were
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