I Never
Heard Such A Foolish Thing Said In My Life!" And, Being Now Quite
Angry, She Looked Round For
Her basket and shawl so as to get away as
quickly as possible from that insulting woman; but the other,
Guessing
her intention, was too quick for her and started at once to the gate,
but after going four or five steps turned and delivered her last shot:
"Say what you like about your son, and I don't doubt he's been good to
you, and I only hope it'll always be the same; but what I say is, give
me a daughter, and I know, ma'am, that if you had a daughter you'd be
easier in your mind!"
Having spoken, she made for the gate, and the other, stung in some
vital part by the last words, stood motionless, white with anger,
staring after her, first in silence, but presently she began talking
audibly to herself. "My son - my son pick up with a girl! My son leave
his mother to go on the parish!" - but I stayed to hear no more; it made
me laugh and - it was too sad.
XXXV
A HAUNTER OF CHURCHYARDS
I said a little while ago that when staying at a village I am apt to
become a haunter of its churchyard; but I go not to it in the spirit of
our well-beloved Mr. Pecksniff. He, it will be remembered, was
accustomed to take an occasional turn among the tombs in the graveyard
at Amesbury, or wherever it was, to read and commit to memory the pious
and admonitory phrases he found on the stones, to be used later as a
garnish to his beautiful, elevating talk.
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