Hewasamanwhohadroamedaboutagooddeal——beensailor，smuggler，horse—dealer，andfarmerinturns;asortoffellowpossessedbyaspiritofadventureandloveofchange，whichdidhimandhisownfamilymoreharmthananybodyelse。Hewasjustthekindofmanthatallhisneighboursfoundfaultwith，andallhisneighboursliked。Lateinlife（forsuchanimprudentmanashewas，oneofaclasswhogenerallywed，trustingtochanceandluckfortheprovisionforafamily），farmerRobsonmarriedawomanwhoseonlywantofpracticalwisdomconsistedintakinghimforahusband。ShewasPhilipHepburn\'saunt，andhadhadthechargeofhimuntilshemarriedfromherwidowedbrother\'shouse。HeitwaswhohadletherknowwhenHaytersbankFarmhadbeentolet;esteemingitalikelypieceoflandforhisuncletosettledownupon，afterasomewhatunprosperouscareerofhorse—dealing。
Thefarmhouselayintheshelterofaveryslightgreenhollowscarcelyscoopedoutofthepasturefieldbywhichitwassurrounded;theshortcrispturfcamecreepinguptotheverydoorandwindows，withoutanyattemptatayardorgarden，oranynearerenclosureofthebuildingsthanthestonedykethatformedtheboundaryofthefielditself。Thebuildingswerelongandlow，inordertoavoidtheroughviolenceofthewindsthatsweptoverthatwild，bleakspot，bothinwinterandsummer。Itwaswellfortheinhabitantsofthathousethatcoalwasextremelycheap;otherwiseasouthernermighthaveimaginedthattheycouldneverhavesurvivedthecuttingofthebittergalesthatpipedallroundandseemedtoseekouteverycreviceforadmissionintothehouse。Buttheinteriorwaswarmenoughwhenonceyouhadmountedthelongbleaklane，fullofroundroughstones，enoughtolameanyhorseunaccustomedtosuchroads，andhadcrossedthefieldbythelittledry，hardfootpath，whichtackedaboutsoastokeepfromdirectlyfacingtheprevailingwind。
MrsRobsonwasaCumberlandwoman，andassuch，wasacleanerhousewifethanthefarmers\'wivesofthatnorth—easterncoast，andwasoftenshockedattheirways，showingitmorebyherlooksthanbyherwords，forshewasnotagreattalker。Thisfastidiousnessinsuchmattersmadeherownhouseextremelycomfortable，butdidnottendtorenderherpopularamongherneighbours。Indeed，BellRobsonpiquedherselfonherhousekeepinggenerally，andoncein—doorsinthegray，barestonehouse，therewereplentyofcomfortstobehadbesidescleanlinessandwarmth。Thegreatrackofclap—breadhungoverhead，andBellRobson\'spreferenceofthiskindofoat—cakeovertheleavenedandpartlysourkindusedinYorkshirewasanothersourceofherunpopularity。Flitchesofbaconand\'hands\'（i。e。，shouldersofcuredpork，thelegsorhamsbeingsold，asfetchingabetterprice）abounded;andforanyvisitorwhocouldstay，neithercreamnorfinestwheatenflourwaswantingfor\'turfcakes\'and\'singinghinnies，\'
withwhichitisthedelightofthenorthernhousewivestoregalethehonouredguest，ashesipstheirhigh—pricedtea，sweetenedwithdaintysugar。ThisnightfarmerRobsonwasfidgetinginandoutofhishouse—door，climbingthelittleeminenceinthefield，andcomingdowndisappointedinastateoffretfulimpatience。Hisquiet，taciturnwifewasalittleputoutbySylvia\'snon—appearancetoo;butsheshowedheranxietybybeingshorterthanusualinherrepliestohisperpetualwondersastowherethelasscouldhavebeentarrying，andbyknittingawaywithextradiligence。\'I\'veavasto\'mindtogodowntoMonkshavenmysen，andseeaftert\'child。
It\'swellonforseven。\'\'No，Dannel，\'saidhiswife;\'thou\'dbestnot。Thyleghasbeenpainingtheethisweekpast，andthou\'rtnotuptosuchawalk。I\'llrouseKester，andsendhimoff，ifthouthink\'stthere\'sneedonit。\'\'A\'llnoanha\'Kesterroused。Who\'stogo，afieldbetimesaftert\'sheepint\'morn，ifhe\'sca\'edupto—neet？He\'dmisst\'lass，andfindapublic—house，areckon，\'saidDaniel，querulously。\'I\'mnotafeardo\'Kester，\'repliedBell。\'He\'sagoodoneforknowingfolki\'th\'dark。Butifthou\'drather，I\'llputonmyhoodandcloakandjustgototh\'endo\'th\'lane，ifthou\'lthaveaneyetoth\'milk，andseeasitdoesna\'boilo\'er，forshecannastomachitifit\'sbishoppede\'ersolittle。\'BeforeMrsRobson，however，hadputawayherknitting，voiceswereheardatagooddistancedownthelane，butcomingnearereverymoment，andoncemoreDanielclimbedthelittlebrowtolookandtolisten。\'It\'sa\'reet！\'saidhe，hobblingquicklydown。\'Niverfidgettheesel\'