’Oh，dear，yes，’Ireplied；’itisofverygreatconsequence；andIunderstandthewholeofit。YouwanttogivethatstupidAnnie，whohaslostyouahundredthousandpounds，andwhoisgoingtobemarriedbeforeus，dear——Godonlycantellwhy，beingmyyoungersister——youwanttogiveheraweddingpresent。
Andyoushalldoit，darling；becauseitissogoodofyou。Don’tyouknowyourtitle，love？Howhumbleyouarewithushumblefolk。YouareLadyLornasomething，sofarasIcanmakeoutyet：andyououghtnoteventospeaktous。Youwillgoawayanddisdainus。’
’Ifyouplease，talknotlikethat，John。Iwillhavenothingtodowithit，ifitcomesbetweenyouandme，John。’
’Youcannothelpyourself，’saidI。Andthenshevowedthatshecouldandwould。Andrankandbirthwerebanishedfrombetweenourlipsinnotime。
’WhatcanIgethergoodenough？IamsureIdonotknow，’sheasked：’shehasbeensokindandgoodtome，andsheissuchadarling。HowIshallmissher，tobesure!Bythebye，youseemtothink，John，thatIshallberichsomeday。’
’Ofcourseyouwill。AsrichastheFrenchKingwhokeepsours。WouldtheLordChancellortroublehimselfaboutyou，ifyouwerepoor？’
’ThenifIamrich，perhapsyouwouldlendmetwentypounds，dearJohn。Tenpoundswouldbeverymeanforawealthypersontogiveher。’
TothisIagreed，uponconditionthatIshouldmakethepurchasemyself，whateveritmightbe。FornothingcouldbeeasierthantocheatLornaaboutthecost，untiltimeshouldcomeforherpayingme。Andthiswasbetterthantocheatherforthebenefitofourfamily。
Forthisend，andformanyothers，IsetofftoDulverton，bearingmorecommissions，moremessages，andmorequestionsthanamanofthricemymemorymightcarrysofarasthecornerwherethesawpitis。Andtomakethingsworse，onegirlorotherwouldkeeponrunninguptome，orevenaftermewhenstartedwithsomethingorothershehadjustthoughtof，whichshecouldnotpossiblydowithout，andwhichImustbesuretoremember，asthemostimportantofthewhole。
Tomydearmother，whohadpartlyoutlivedtheexceedingvalueoftrifles，themostimportantmatterseemedtoensureUncleReuben’scountenanceandpresenceatthemarriage。AndifIsucceededinthis，Imightwellforgetallthemaidens’trumpery。Thisshewouldhavebeenwisertotellmewhentheywereoutofhearing；forIlefthertofightherownbattlewiththem；andlaughingatherpredicament，promisedtodothebestIcouldforall，sofarasmywitswouldgo。
UncleReubenwasnotathome，butRuth，whoreceivedmeverykindly，althoughwithoutanyexpressionsofjoy，wassureofhisreturnintheafternoon，andpersuadedmetowaitforhim。AndbythetimethatIhadfinishedallIcouldrecollectofmyorders，evenwithpapertohelpme，theoldgentlemanrodeintotheyard，andwasmoresurprisedthanpleasedtoseeme。Butifhewassurprised，Iwasmorethanthat——IwasutterlyastonishedatthechangeinhisappearancesincethelasttimeIhadseenhim。Fromahale，andratherheavyman，gray-haired，butplump，andruddy，hewasalteredtoashrunken，wizened，trembling，andalmostdecrepitfigure。Insteadofcurlyandcomelylocks，grizzledindeed，butplentiful，hehadonlyafewlankwhitehairsscatteredandflatteneduponhisforehead。
Butthegreatestchangeofallwasintheexpressionofhiseyes，whichhadbeensokeen，andrestless，andbright，andalittlesarcastic。Brightindeedtheystillwere，butwithaslowunhealthylustre；theirkeennesswasturnedtoperpetualoutlook，theirrestlessnesstoahaggardwant。Asforthehumourwhichoncegleamedtherewhichpeoplewhofearitcallsarcasmithadbeensucceededbystaresofterror，andthenmistrust，andshrinking。Therewasnoneoftheinterestinmankind，whichisneedfulevenforsatire。
’Nowwhatcanthisbe？’thoughtItomyself，’hastheoldmanlostallhisproperty，ortakentoomuchtostrongwaters？’
’Comeinside，JohnRidd，’hesaid；’Iwillhaveatalkwithyou。Itiscoldouthere；anditistoolight。
Comeinside，JohnRidd，boy。’
Ifollowedhimintoalittledarkroom，quitedifferentfromRuthHuckaback’s。Itwasclosedfromtheshopbyanolddivisionofboarding，hungwithtannedcanvas；
andthesmellwasverycloseandfaint。Heretherewasaledgerdesk，andacoupleofchairs，andalong-leggedstool。
’Takethestool，’saidUncleReuben，showingmeinveryquietly，’itisfitterforyourheight，John。Waitamoment；thereisnohurry。’
Thenheslippedoutbyanotherdoor，andclosingitquicklyafterhim，toldtheforemanandwaiting-menthatthebusinessofthedaywasdone。Theyhadbetterallgohomeatonce；andhewouldseetothefastenings。Ofcoursetheywereonlytoogladtogo；
butIwonderedathissendingthem，withatleasttwohoursofdaylightleft。
However，thatwasnobusinessofmine，andIwaited，andponderedwhetherfairRuthevercameintothisdirtyroom，andifso，howshekeptherhandsfromit。
ForAnniewouldhavehaditupsidedowninabouttwominutes，andscrubbed，andbrushed，anddusted，untilitlookedquiteanotherplace；andyetallthisdonewithoutscoldingandcrossness；whicharethecurseofcleanwomen，andtentimesworsethanthedustiestdust。
UncleBencamereelingin，notfromanypowerofliquor，butbecausehewasstifffromhorseback，andweakfromworkandworry。
’Letmebe，John，letmebe，’hesaid，asIwenttohelphim；’thisisanunkinddrearyplace；butmanyahundredofgoodgoldCarolushasbeenturnedinthisplace，John。’
’Notadoubtaboutit，sir，’Iansweredinmyloudandcheerfulmanner；’andmanyanotherhundred，sir；andmayyoulongenjoythem!’
’Myboy，doyouwishmetodie？’heasked，comingupclosetomystool，andregardingmewithashrewdthoughblear-eyedgaze；’manydo。Doyou，John？’
’Come，’saidI，’don’tasksuchnonsense。Youknowbetterthanthat，UncleBen。Orelse，Iamsorryforyou。Iwantyoutoliveaslongaspossible，forthesakeof——’HereIstopped。
’Forthesakeofwhat，John？Iknewitisnotformyownsake。Forthesakeofwhat，myboy？’
’ForthesakeofRuth，’Ianswered；’ifyoumusthaveallthetruth。Whoistomindherwhenyouaregone？’
’ButifyouknewthatIhadgold，oramannerofgettinggold，farmorethaneverthesailorsgotoutoftheSpanishgalleons，farmorethaneverwasheardof；
andthesecretwastobeyours，John；yoursaftermeandnoothersoul’s——thenyouwouldwishmedead，John。’Hereheeyedmeasifaspeckofdustinmyeyesshouldnotescapehim。
’Youarewrong，UncleBen；altogetherwrong。Forallthegoldeverheardordreamedof，notawishwouldcrossmyhearttorobyouofonedayoflife。’
Atlasthemovedhiseyesfrommine；butwithoutanyword，orsign，toshowwhetherhebelieved，ordisbelieved。Thenhewenttoachair，andsatwithhischinupontheledger-desk；asiftheeffortofprobingmehadbeentoomuchforhiswearybrain。’Dreamedof!Allthegoldeverdreamedof!Asifitwerebutadream!’hemuttered；andthenheclosedhiseyestothink。
’GoodUncleReuben，’Isaidtohim，’youhavebeenalongwayto-day，sir。Letmegoandgetyouaglassofgoodwine。CousinRuthknowswheretofindit。’
’HowdoyouknowhowfarIhavebeen？’heasked，withaviciouslookatme。’AndCousinRuth!Youareverypatwithmygranddaughter’sname，youngman!’
’Itwouldbeharduponme，sir，nottoknowmyowncousin’sname。’
’Verywell。Letthatgoby。YouhavebehavedverybadlytoRuth。Shelovesyou；andyoulovehernot。’
AtthisIwassowhollyamazed——notatthethingitself，Imean，butathisknowledgeofit——thatI
couldnotsayasingleword；butlooked，nodoubt，veryfoolish。
’Youmaywellbeashamed，youngman，’hecried，withsometriumphoverme，’youarethebiggestofallfools，aswellasaconceitedcoxcomb。WhatcanyouwantmorethanRuth？Sheisalittledamsel，truly；
butfinermenthanyou，JohnRidd，withallyourboastedstrengthandwrestling，haveweddedsmallermaidens。Andasforquality，andvalue——bots!oneinchofRuthisworthallyoursevenfeetputtogether。’
NowIamnotsevenfeethigh；noreverwassixfeeteightinches，inmyveryprimeoflife；andnothingvexesmesomuchastomakemeoutagiant，andabovehumansympathy，andhumanscaleofweakness。Itcostmehardtoholdmytongue；whichluckilyisnotinproportiontomystature。AndonlyforRuth’ssakeI
heldit。ButUncleBenbeingoldandwornwasvexedbynothavinganyanswer，almostasmuchasawomanis。
’Youwantmetogoon，’hecontinued，withalookofspiteatme，’aboutmypoorRuth’sloveforyou，tofeedyourcursedvanity。BecauseasetofassescallyouthefinestmaninEngland；thereisnomaidI
supposewhoisnotinlovewithyou。Ibelieveyouareasdeepasyouarelong，JohnRidd。ShallIevergettothebottomofyourcharacter？’
Thiswasalittletoomuchforme。AnyinsultIcouldtakewithgoodwillfromawhite-hairedman，andonewhowasmyrelative；unlessittouchedmyloveforLorna，ormyconsciousmodesty。Nowbothoftheseweretouchedtothequickbythesentencesoftheoldgentleman。Therefore，withoutaword，Iwent；onlymakingabowtohim。
Butwomenwhoarebeyondalldoubtthemothersofallmischief，alsonursethatbabetosleep，whenheistoonoisy。AndtherewasRuth，asItookmyhorsewithatrunkoffripperyonhim，poorlittleRuthwasatthebridle，andrustingalltheknopsofourtown-goingharnesswithtears。
’Good-byedear，’Isaid，asshebentherheadawayfromme；’shallIputyouuponthesaddle，dear？’
’CousinRidd，youmaytakeitlightly，’saidRuth，turningfulluponme，’andverylikelyyouareright，accordingtoyournature’——thiswastheonlycuttingthingthelittlesouleversaidtome——’butoh，CousinRidd，youhavenoideaofthepainyouwillleavebehindyou。’
’Howcanthatbeso，Ruth，whenIamasgoodasorderedtobeoffthepremises？’
’Inthefirstplace，CousinRidd，grandfatherwillbeangrywithhimself，forhavingsoill-usedyou。Andnowheissoweakandpoorly，thatheisalwaysrepenting。InthenextplaceIshallscoldhimfirst，untilheadmitshissorrow；andwhenhehasadmittedit，Ishallscoldmyselfforscoldinghim。Andthenhewillcomeroundagain，andthinkthatIwashardonhim；andendperhapsbyhatingyou——forheislikeawomannow，John。’
Thatlastlittletouchofself-knowledgeinRuth，whichshedeliveredwithagleamofsomesecretpleasantry，mademestopandlookcloselyather：butshepretendednottoknowit。’Thereissomethinginthischild，’I
thought，’verydifferentfromothergirls。WhatitisIcannottell；foroneveryseldomgetsatit。’
Atanyratetheupshotwasthatthegoodhorsewentbacktostable，andhadanotherfeedofcorn，whilemywrathsankwithinme。Therearetwothings，accordingtomyexperiencewhichmaynotholdwithanotherman
fittedbeyondanyotherstotakehottempersoutofus。
Thefirstistoseeourfavouritecreaturesfeeding，andlickinguptheirfood，andhappilysnufflingoverit，yetsparingtimetobegrateful，andshowingtasteandperception；theotheristogogardeningboldly，inthespringoftheyear，withoutanymisgivingaboutit，andhopingtheutmostofeverything。Iftherebeathirdanodyne，approachingthesetwoinpower，itistosmokegoodtobaccowell，andwatchthesettingofthemoon；andifthisshouldonlybeoverthesea，theresultisirresistible。
MasterHuckabackshowednoespecialsignsofjoyatmyreturn；butreceivedmewithalittlegrunt，whichappearedtometomean，’Ah，Ithoughthewouldhardlybefoolenoughtogo。’ItoldhimhowsorryIwasforhavinginsomewayoffendedhim；andheansweredthatI
didwelltogrieveforoneatleastofmyoffences。TothisImadenoreply，asbehovesamandealingwithcrossandfractiouspeople；andpresentlyhebecamebetter-tempered，andsentlittleRuthforabottleofwine。Shegavemeabeautifulsmileofthanksformyforbearanceasshepassed；andIknewbyhermannerthatshewouldbringthebestbottleinallthecellar。
AsIhadbutlittletimetosparealthoughthedayswerelongandlightwewereforcedtotakeourwinewithpromptitudeandrapidity；andwhetherthisloosenedmyuncle’stongue，orwhetherhemeantbeforehandtospeak，isnowalmostuncertain。Buttrueitisthathebroughthischairveryneartomine，afterthreeorfourglasses，andsentRuthawayuponsomeerrandwhichseemedofsmallimportance。AtthisIwasvexed，fortheroomalwayslookedsodifferentwithouther。
’Come，Jack，’hesaid，’here’syourhealth，youngfellow，andagoodandobedientwifetoyou。Notthatyourwifewilleverobeyyouthough；youaremuchtooeasy-tempered。Evenabitterandstormywomanmightliveinpeacewithyou，Jack。Butneveryougiveherthechancetotry。Marrysomesweetlittlething，ifyoucan。Ifnot，don’tmarryany。Ah，wehavethemaidtosuityou，mylad，inthisoldtownofDulverton。’