NowOak，withmarvellousingenuity，hadbeengoingtointroducethegallantsergeantthroughthechannelof`badcharacters’。Butallatoncetheschemebrokedown，itsuddenlyoccurringtohimthatthiswasratheraclumsyway，andtoobarefacedtobeginwith。Hetriedanotherpreamble。
`Andasthemanwhowouldnaturallycometomeetyouisawayfromhome，too-ImeanFarmerBoldwood-why，thinksI，I’llgo，hesaid。
`Ah，yes。’Shewalkedonwithoutturningherhead，andformanystepsnothingfartherwasheardfromherquarterthantherustleofherdressagainsttheheavycorn-ears。Thensheresumedrathertartly——
`Idon’tquiteunderstandwhatyoumeantbysayingthatMrBoldwoodwouldnaturallycometomeetme。
`Imeantonaccountoftheweddingwhichtheysayislikelytotakeplacebetweenyouandhim，miss。Forgivemyspeakingplainly。’