OftenIwasmuchinclinedtospeaktoheraboutit，andputheronherguardagainsttheapproachesofTomFaggus；butIcouldnotfindhowtobegin，andfearedtomakeabreachbetweenus；knowingthatifhermindwasset，nowordsofminewouldalterit；althoughtheyneedsmustgrieveherdeeply。Moreover，Ifeltthat，inthiscase，acertainhomelyDevonshireproverbwouldcomehometome；thatone，Imean，whichrecordsthatthecrockwascallingthekettlesmutty。Not，ofcourse，thatIcomparedmyinnocentmaidtoahighwayman；butthatAnniemightthinkherworse，andwouldbetooapttodoso，ifindeedshelovedTomFaggus。AndourCousinTom，bythistime，waslivingaquietandgodlylife；havingretiredalmostfromthetradeexceptwhenheneededexcitement，orcameacrosspublicofficers，andhavingwontheesteemofallwhosepurseswereinhispower。
Perhapsitisneedlessformetosaythatallthistimewhilemymonthwasrunning——orrathercrawling，fornevermonthwentsoslowasthatwithme——neitherweed，norseed，norcattle，normyownmother’sanxiety，noranycareformysister，keptmefromlookingonceeveryday，andeventwiceonaSunday，foranysignofLorna。
Formyheartwaseverweary；inthebuddingvalleys，andbythecrystalwaters，lookingatthelambsinfold，ortheheifersonthemill，labouringintrickledfurrows，oramongthebeadedblades；haltingfreshtoseethesunliftoverthegolden-vapouredridge；ordoffinghat，fromsweatofbrow，towatchhimsinkinthelowgraysea；beitasitwouldofday，ofwork，ornight，orslumber，itwasawearyheartIbore，andfearwasonthebrinkofit。
Allthebeautyofthespringwentforhappymentothinkof；alltheincreaseoftheyearwasforothereyestomark。Notasignofanysunriseformefrommyfountoflife，notabreathtostirthedeadleavesfallenonmyheart’sSpring。
AlthoughIhad，forthemostpart，soverystoutanappetite，thatnonebutmothersawanyneedofencouragingmetoeat，Icouldonlymanageonetruegoodmealinaday，atthetimeIspeakof。Motherwasindespairatthis，andtemptedmewiththewholeoftherack，andeventalkedofsendingtoPorlockforadruggistwhocametheretwiceinaweek；andAnniespentallhertimeincooking，andevenLizziesangsongstome；forshecouldsingverysweetly。ButmyconsciencetoldmethatBettyMuxworthyhadsomereasonuponherside。
’Latttheyoungozebirdaloun，zayI。Makkzuchadoaboutun，wi’hogs’-puddens，andhock-bits，andlambs’-mate，andwhatenbraddindade，andbrewers’aleavoredinner-time，andhernottozitwi’nowinderaupen——draivememad’edoo，theov’ee，zuchapasselofvoouls。Do’ungoodtostarveabit；andtakkzomeon’swackednessoutovun。’
Butmotherdidnotseeitso；andsheevensentforNicholasSnowetobringhisthreedaughterswithhim，andhavealeandcakeintheparlour，andadviseaboutwhatthebeesweredoing，andwhenaswarmmightbelookedfor。Beingvexedaboutthisandhavingtostopathomenearlyhalftheevening，Ilostgoodmannerssomuchastoaskhimeveninourownhouse!whathemeantbynotmendingtheswing-hurdlewheretheLynnstreamflowsfromourlandintohis，andwhichheisboundtomaintain。Buthelookedatmeinasuperiormanner，andsaid，’Business，youngman，inbusinesstime。’
IhadotherreasonforbeingvexedwithFarmerNicholasjustnow，viz。thatIhadheardarumour，afterchurchoneSunday——whenmostofallwesorrowoverthesinsofoneanother——thatMasterNicholasSnowehadbeenseentogazetenderlyatmymother，duringapassageofthesermon，whereintheparsonspokewellandwarmlyaboutthedutyofChristianlove。Now，puttingonethingwithanother，aboutthebees，andaboutsomeducks，andabullockwithabrokenknee-cap，ImorethansuspectedthatFarmerNicholaswascastingsheep’seyesatmymother；notonlytosaveallfurthertroubleinthematterofthehurdle，buttooverridemealtogetheruponthedifficultquestionofdamming。AndIknewquitewellthatJohnFry’swifenevercametohelpatthewashingwithoutdeclaringthatitwasasinforawell-lookingwomanlikemother，withplentytoliveon，andonlythreechildren，tokeepallthefarmersformilesaroundsounsettledintheirmindsabouther。
Motherusedtoanswer’Ohfie，MistressFry!begoodenoughtomindyourownbusiness。’Butwealwayssawthatshesmoothedherapron，anddidherhairupafterwards，andthatMistressFrywenthomeatnightwithacoldpig’sfootorabowlofdripping。
Therefore，onthatverynight，asIcouldnotwellspeaktomotheraboutit，withoutseemingundutiful，afterlightingthethreeyoungladies——forsoinsooththeycalledthemselves——allthewayhomewithourstable-lanthorn，IbeggedgoodleaveofFarmerNicholaswhohadhungsomewaybehindustosayawordinprivatetohim，beforeheenteredhisownhouse。
’Wi’alltheplaisureinlaife，myzon，’heansweredverygraciously，thinkingperhapsthatIwaspreparedtospeakconcerningSally。
’Now，FarmerNicholasSnowe，’Isaid，scarceknowinghowtobeginit，’youmustpromisenottobevexedwithme，forwhatIamgoingtosaytoyou。’
’Vaxedwi’thee!Noo，noo，mylad。I’aveaknowedtheetoolongforthat。Andthyveytherweremybestfriend，aforethee。Neverwrongedhisneighbours，neverspakanunkindword，neverhadnomanenessinhim。Tukavancytoaniceyoung’ooman，andneverkepherindoubtaboutit，thoughtherewadn’tmoochtozettleonher。Spakhismaindlaikeaman，hedid，andrighthappyhewerewi’her。Ah，welladay!Ah，Godknowethbest。Inevershallzeehislaikeagain。Andhewerethebestjudgeofadung-heapanywhereinthiscounty。’
’Well，MasterSnowe，’Iansweredhim，’itisveryhandsomeofyoutosayso。AndnowIamgoingtobelikemyfather，Iamgoingtospeakmymind。’
’Raightthere，lad；raightenough，Ireckon。Ushashadenoughofpralimbinary。’
’ThenwhatIwanttosayisthis——Iwon’thaveanyonecourtingmymother。’
’Coortin’ofthymother，lad？’criedFarmerSnowe，withasmuchamazementasifthethingwereimpossible；
’why，whoeverhathbeendooin’ofit？’
’Yes，courtingofmymother，sir。Andyouknowbestwhocomesdoingit。’
’Wull，wull!Whatwillboysbeuptonext？Zhuda’
thoughtherzelfwortheproperjudge。Nothank’ee，lad，noneedofthylight。Knowthewaitomyowndoor，atlaste；andhavearaighttogoothere。’Andheshutmeoutwithoutsomuchasofferingmeadrinkofcider。
Thenextafternoon，whenworkwasover，Ihadseentothehorses，fornowitwasfoolishtotrustJohnFry，becausehehadsomanychildren，andhiswifehadtakentoscolding；andjustasIwassayingtomyselfthatinfivedaysmoremymonthwouldbedone，andmyselffreetoseekLorna，amancameridingupfromthefordwheretheroadgoesthroughtheLynnstream。AssoonasI
sawthatitwasnotTomFaggus，Iwentnofarthertomeethim，countingthatitmustbesometravellerboundforBrendonorCheriton，andlikelyenoughhewouldcomeandbegforadraughtofmilkorcider；andthenonagain，afteraskingtheway。
Butinsteadofthat，hestoppedatourgate，andstoodupfromhissaddle，andhalloedasifheweresomebody；
andallthetimehewasflourishingawhitethingintheair，likethebandsourparsonweareth。SoI
crossedthecourt-yardtospeakwithhim。
’ServiceoftheKing!’hesaith；’serviceofourlordtheKing!Comehither，thougreatyokel，atriskoffineandimprisonment。’
Althoughnotpleasedwiththis，Iwenttohim，asbecamealoyalman；quiteatmyleisure，however，forthereisnomanbornwhocanhurryme，thoughIhastenforanywoman。
’PloverBarrowsfarm!’saidhe；’GodonlyknowshowtiredIbe。IsthereanywhereinthiscursedcountyacursedplacecalledPloverBarrowsfarm？Forlasttwentymileatleasttheytoldme’twereonlyhalfamilefarther，oronlyjustroundcorner。Nowtellmethat，andIfainwouldthwacktheeifthouwertnotthricemysize。’
’Sir，’Ireplied，’youshallnothavethetrouble。
ThisisPlover’sBarrowsfarm，andyouarekindlywelcome。Sheep’skidneysisforsupper，andthealegotbrightfromthetapping。Butwhydoyouthinkillofus？Welikenottobecursedso。’
’Nay，Ithinknoill，’hesaid；’sheep’skidneysisgood，uncommongood，iftheydothemwithoutburning。
ButIbesogalledinthesaddletendays，andneveracomelymealofit。Andwhentheyhear“King’sservice“
cried，theygivemetheworstofeverything。AllthewaydownfromLondon，Ihadarogueofafellowinfrontofme，eatingthefatofthelandbeforeme，andeveryonebowingdowntohim。Hecouldgothreemilestomyonethoughheneverchangedhishorse。Hemighthaverobbedmeatanyminute，ifIhadbeenworththetrouble。Aredmareherideth，strongintheloins，andpointedquitesmallinthehead。Ishalllivetoseehimhangedyet。’
Allthistimehewasridingacrossthestrawofourcourtyard，gettinghiswearylegsoutoftheleathers，andalmostafraidtostandyet。Acoarse-grained，hard-facedmanhewas，somefortyyearsofageorso，andofmiddleheightandstature。Hewasdressedinadarkbrownridingsuit，nonethebetterforExmoormud，butfittinghimverydifferentlyfromthefashionofourtailors。Acrosstheholsterslayhiscloak，madeofsomeredskin，andshiningfromthesweatingofthehorse。AsIlookeddownonhisstiffbrighthead-piece，smallquickeyesandblackneedlybeard，heseemedtodespisemetoomuch，asIthoughtforamereignoramusandcountrybumpkin。
’Annie，havedownthecutham，’Ishouted，formysisterwascometothedoorbychance，orbecauseofthesoundofahorseintheroad，’andcutafewrashersofhungdeer’smeat。Thereisagentlemancometosup，Annie。Andfetchthehopsoutofthetapwithaskewerthatitmayrunmoresparkling。’
’IwishImaygotoaplacenevermeantforme，’saidmynewfriend，nowwipinghismouthwiththesleeveofhisbrownridingcoat，’ifeverIfellamongsuchgoodfolk。Youaretherightsort，andnoerrortherein。
Allthisshallgoinyourfavourgreatly，whenImakedeposition。Atleast，Imean，ifitbeasgoodintheeatingasinthehearing。’TisasupperquitefitforTomFaggushimself，themanwhohathstolenmyvictualsso。Andthathungdeer’smeat，nowisitofthereddeerrunningwildintheseparts？’
’Tobesureitis，sir，’Ianswered；’whereshouldwegetanyother？’
’Right，right，youareright，myson。Ihaveheardthattheflavourismarvellous。Someofthemcameandscaredmeso，inthefogofthemorning，thatI
hungeredforthemeversince。Ha，ha，Isawtheirhaunches。Buttheyoungladywillnotforget——artsureshewillnotforgetit？’
’Youmaytrusthertoforgetnothing，sir，thatmaytemptaguesttohiscomfort。’
’Infaith，then，Iwillleavemyhorseinyourhands，andbeoffforit。Halfthepleasureofthemouthisinthenosebeforehand。Butstay，almostIforgotmybusiness，inthehurrywhichthytonguehathspreadthroughmylatelydespairingbelly。HungryIam，andsoreofbody，frommyheelsrightupward，andsorestinfrontofmydoublet，yetmayInotrestnorbitebarley-bread，untilIhaveseenandtouchedJohnRidd。
Godgrantthathebenotfaraway；Imusteatmysaddle，ifitbeso。’
’Havenofear，goodsir，’Ianswered；’youhaveseenandtouchedJohnRidd。Iamhe，andnotonelikelytogobeneathabushel。’
’Itwouldtakealargebusheltoholdthee，JohnRidd。
InthenameoftheKing，HisMajesty，CharlestheSecond，thesepresents!’
HetouchedmewiththewhitethingwhichIhadfirstseenhimwaving，andwhichInowbeheldtobesheepskin，suchastheycallparchment。Itwastiedacrosswithcord，andfasteneddownineverycornerwithunsightlydabsofwax。ByorderofthemessengerforIwasover-frightenednowtothinkofdoinganything，IbrokeenoughofsealstokeepanEasterghostfromrising；andthereIsawmynameinlarge；
Godgrantsuchanothershockmayneverbefallmeinmyoldage。
’Read，myson；read，thougreatfool，ifindeedthoucanstread，’saidtheofficertoencourageme；’thereisnothingtokillthee，boy，andmysupperwillbespoiling。Starenotatmeso，thoufool；thouartbigenoughtoeatme；read，read，read。’
’Ifyouplease，sir，whatisyourname？’Iasked；
thoughwhyIaskedhimIknownot，exceptfromfearofwitchcraft。
’JeremySticklesismyname，lad，nothingmorethanapoorapparitoroftheworshipfulCourtofKing’sBench。
Andatthismomentastarvingone，andnosupperformeunlessthouwiltread。’
Beingcompelledinthisway，Ireadprettynighasfollows；notthatIgivethewholeofit，butonlythegistandtheemphasis，