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woman preaching just under his nose？”
“Parson Irwine； sir； doesn’t live here； he lives at Brox’on； over
the hill there。 The parsonage here’s a tumble…down place； sir； not
fit for gentry to live in。 He comes here to preach of a Sunday
afternoon； sir； an’ puts up his hoss here。 It’s a grey cob； sir； an’ he
sets great store by’t。 He’s allays put up his hoss here； sir； iver since
before I hed the Donnithorne Arms。 I’m not this countryman； you
may tell by my tongue； sir。 They’re cur’ous talkers i’ this country；
sir； the gentry’s hard work to hunderstand ’em。 I was brought hup
among the gentry； sir； an’ got the turn o’ their tongue when I was a
bye。 Why； what do you think the folks here says for ‘hevn’t you？’—
the gentry； you know； says； ‘hevn’t you’—well； the people about
here says ‘hanna yey。’ It’s what they call the dileck as is spoke
hereabout； sir。 That’s what I’ve heard Squire Donnithorne say
many a time； it’s the dileck； says he。”
“Aye； aye；” said the stranger； smiling。 “I know it very well。 But
you’ve not got many Methodists about here； surely—in this
agricultural spot？ I should have thought there would hardly be
such a thing as a Methodist to be found about here。 You’re all
farmers； aren’t you？ The Methodists can seldom lay much hold on
them。”
“Why； sir； there’s a pretty lot o’ workmen round about； sir。
There’s Mester Burge as owns the timber…yard over there； he
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underteks a good bit o’ building an’ repairs。 An’ there’s the stone…
pits not far off。 There’s plenty of emply i’ this countryside； sir。 An’
there’s a fine batch o’ Methodisses at Treddles’on—that’s the
market town about three mile off—you’ll maybe ha’ come through
it； sir。 There’s pretty nigh a score of ’em on the Green now； as
come from there。 That’s where our people gets it from； though
there’s only two men of ’em in all Hayslope： that’s Will Maskery；
the wheelwright； and Seth Bede； a young man as works at the
carpenterin’。”
“The preacher comes from Treddleston； then； does she？”
“Nay； sir； she comes out o’ Stonyshire； pretty nigh thirty mile
off。 But she’s a…visitin’ hereabout at Mester Poyser’s at the Hall
Farm—it’s them barns an’ big walnut…trees； right away to the left；
sir。 She’s own niece to Poyser’s wife； an’ they’ll be fine an’ vexed at
her for making a fool of herself i’ that way。 But I’ve heared as
there’s no holding these Methodisses when the maggit’s once got i’
their head： many of ’em goes stark starin’ mad wi’ their religion。
Though this young woman’s quiet enough to look at； by what I can
make out； I’ve not seen her myself。”
“Well； I wish I had time to wait and see her； but I must get on。
I’ve been out of my way for the last twenty minutes to have a look
at that place in the valley。 It’s Squire Donnithorne’s； I suppose？”
“Yes； sir； that’s Donnithorne Chase； that is。 Fine hoaks there；
isn’t there； sir？ I should know what it is； sir； for I’ve lived butler
there a…going i’ fifteen year。 It’s Captain Donnithorne as is th’ heir；
sir—Squire Donnithorne’s grandson。 He’ll be comin’ of hage this
’ay…’arvest； sir； an’ we shall hev fine doin’s。 He owns all the land
about here； sir； Squire Donnithorne does。”
“Well； it’s a pretty spot； whoever may own it；” said the traveller；
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mounting his horse； “and one meets some fine strapping fellows
about too。 I met as fine a young fellow as ever I saw in my life；
about half an hour ago； before I came up the hill—a carpenter； a
tall； broad…shouldered fellow with black hair and black eyes；
marching along like a soldier。 We want such fellows as he to lick
the French。”
“Aye； sir； that’s Adam Bede； that is； I’ll be bound—Thias Bede’s
son everybody knows him hereabout。 He’s an uncommon clever
stiddy fellow； an’ wonderful strong。 Lord bless you； sir—if you’ll
hexcuse me for saying so—he can walk forty mile a…day； an’ lift a
matter o’ sixty ston’。 He’s an uncommon favourite wi’ the gentry；
sir： Captain Donnithorne and Parson Irwine meks a fine fuss wi’
him。 But he’s a little lifted up an’ peppery…like。”
“Well； good evening to you； landlord； I must get on。”
“Your servant； sir； good evenin’。”
The traveller put his horse into a quick walk up the village； but
when he approached the Green； the beauty of the view that lay on
his right hand； the singular contrast presented by the groups of
villagers with the knot of Methodists near the maple； and perhaps
yet more； curiosity to see the young female preacher； proved too
much for his anxiety to get to the end of his journey； and he
paused。
The Green lay at the extremity of the village； and from it the
road branched off in two directions； one leading farther up the hill
by the church； and the other winding gently down towards the
valley。 On the side of the Green that led towards the church； the
broken line of thatched cottages was continued nearly to the
churchyard gate； but on the opposite north…western side； there
was nothing to obstruct the view of gently swelling meadow； and
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wooded valley； and dark masses of distant hill。 That rich
undulating district of Loamshire to which Hayslope belonged lies
close to a grim outskirt of Stonyshire； overlooked by its barren
hills as a pretty blooming sister may sometimes be seen linked in
the arm of a rugged； tall； swarthy brother； and in two or three
hours’ ride the traveller might exchange a bleak treeless region；
intersected