’Youkeepyouropinionstoyourself，’Ireplied；
becauseIknewthedear，andherlittlebitsofjealousy；’ithappensthatyouarequitewrong，thistime。Lorna，comewithme，mydarling。’
’Ohyes，Lorna；gowithhim，’criedLizzie，droppingherlip，inawaywhichyoumustseetoknowitsmeaning；’Johnwantsnobodynowbutyou；andnonecanfindfaultwithhistaste，dear。’
’Youlittlefool，Ishouldthinknot，’Ianswered，veryrudely；for，betwixtthelotofthem，myLorna’seyelasheswerequivering；’now，dearestangel，comewithme；andsnapyourhandsatthewholeofthem。’
Myangeldidcome，withasigh，andthenwithasmile，whenwewerealone；butwithoutanyunangelicattemptatsnappinghersweetwhitefingers。
TheselittlethingsareenoughtoshowthatwhileeveryonesoadmiredLorna，andsokindlytooktoher，stilltherewould，justnowandthen，bepettyandpaltryflashesofjealousyconcerningher；andperhapsitcouldnotbeotherwiseamongsomanywomen。However，wewerealwaysdoublykindtoherafterwards；andalthoughhermindwassosensitiveandquickthatshemusthavesuffered，sheneverallowedustoperceiveit，norloweredherselfbyresentingit。
PossiblyImayhavementionedthatlittleRuthHuckabackhadbeenasked，andhadevenpromisedtospendherChristmaswithus；andthiswasthemoredesirable，becauseshehadleftusthroughsomeoffence，orsorrow，aboutthingssaidofher。Nowmydearmother，beingthekindestandbest-heartedofallwomen，couldnotbearthatpoordearRuthwhowouldsomedayhavesuchafortune，shouldbeentirelylosttous。’Itisourduty，mydearchildren，’shesaidmorethanonceaboutit，’toforgiveandforget，asfreelyaswehopetohaveitdonetous。IfdearlittleRuthhasnotbehavedquiteaswemighthaveexpected，greatallowanceshouldbemadeforagirlwithsomuchmoney。Designingpeoplegetholdofher，andflatterher，andcoaxher，toobtainabaseinfluenceoverher；sothatwhenshefallsamongsimplefolk，whospeakthehonesttruthofher，nowonderthepoorchildisvexed，andgivesherselfairs，andsoon。
Ruthcanbeveryusefultousinanumberoflittleways；andIconsideritquiteadutytopardonherfreakofpetulance。’
NowoneofthelittlewaysinwhichRuthhadbeenveryuseful，wasthepurchaseofthescarletfeathersoftheflamingbird；andnowthatthehousewasquitesafefromattack，andthemarkonmyforeheadwashealing，I
wasbegged，overandoveragain，togoandseeRuth，andmakeallthingsstraight，andpayforthegorgeousplumage。ThislastIwasverydesiroustodo，thatI
mightknowthepriceofit，havingmadeasmallbetonthesubjectwithAnnie；andhavingheldcounselwithmyself，whetherornotitwerepossibletogetsomethingofthekindforLorna，ofstillmoredistinguishedappearance。Ofcourseshecouldnotwearscarletasyet，evenifIhadwishedit；butIbelievedthatpeopleoffashionoftenworepurpleformourning；
purpletoowastheroyalcolour，andLornawasbyrightaqueen；thereforeIwasquiteresolvedtoransackUncleReuben’sstores，insearchofsomebrightpurplebird，ifnaturehadkindlyprovidedone。
Allthis，however，Ikepttomyself，intendingtotrustRuthHuckaback，andnooneelseinthematter。Andso，onebeautifulspringmorning，whenalltheearthwaskissedwithscent，andalltheaircaressedwithsong，upthelaneIstoutlyrode，wellarmed，andwellprovided。
Nowthoughitispartofmylifetoheed，itisnopartofmytaletotell，howthewheatwascomingon。I
reckonthatyou，whoreadthisstory，afterIamdeadandgoneandbeforethatnoneshallreadit，willsay，’Tush!Whatishiswheattous？Wearenotwheat：
wearehumanbeings：andallwecareforishumandoings。’Thismaybeverygoodargument，andinthemain，Ibelievethatitisso。Nevertheless，ifamanistotellonlywhathethoughtanddid，andnotwhatcamearoundhim，hemustnotmentionhisownclothes，whichhisfatherandmotherboughtforhim。Andmorethanmyownclothestome，ay，andasmuchasmyownskin，aretheworksofnatureroundabout，whereofamanisthesmallest。
AndnowIwilltellyou，althoughmostlikelyonlytobelaughedat，becauseIcannotputitinthestyleofMr。Dryden——whomtocomparetoShakespeare!butifonceIbeginuponthat，youwillneverhearthelastofme——nevertheless，Iwilltellyouthis；notwishingtoberude，butonlyjustbecauseIknowit；themoreamancanflinghisarmssotosayroundNature’sneck，themorehecanuponherbosom，likeaninfant，lieandsuck，——themorethatmanshallearnthetrustandloveofallhisfellowmen。
Inthismatterisnojealousywhenthemanisdead；
becausethereafterallothersknowhowmuchofthemilkbehad；andhecansucknolonger；andtheyvaluehimaccordingly，forthenourishmentheistothem。Evenaswhenwekeeparoasterofthesucking-pigs，wechoose，andpraiseattablemost，thefavouriteofitsmother。FiftytimeshaveIseenthis，andsmiled，andpraisedourpeople’staste，andofferedthemmoreofthevitals。
NowhereamIuponShakespearewhodied，ofhisownfruition，attheageoffifty-two，yetlivedmorethanfiftythousandmen，withinhislittlespanoflife，whenallthewhileIoughttoberidingashardasI
cantoDulverton。But，totellthetruth，Icouldnotridehard，beingheldateveryturn，andoftenwithoutanyturnatall，bythebeautyofthingsaroundme。
Thesethingsgrowuponamanifoncehestopstonoticethem。
Itwantedyettwohourstonoon，whenIcametoMasterHuckaback’sdoor，andstruckthepanelssmartly。
Knowingnothingoftheirmanners，onlythatpeopleinatowncouldnotbeexpectedtoentertainaswedoinfarm-houses，having，moreover，keenexpectationofMasterHuckaback’savarice，Ihadbroughtsomestufftoeat，madebyAnnie，andpackedbyLorna，andrequiringnothinkingaboutit。
Ruthherselfcameandletmein，blushingveryheartily；forwhichcolourIpraisedherhealth，andmypraisesheightenedit。Thatlittlethinghadlovelyeyes，andcouldbetrustedthoroughly。Idolikeanobstinatelittlewoman，whensheissurethatsheisright。AndindeediflovehadneverspedmestraighttotheheartofLornacomparedtowhom，Ruthwasnomorethanthethiefistothecandle，whoknowsbutwhatImighthaveyieldedtothelawofnature，thatthoroughtrimmerofbalances，andverifiedtheproverbthatthegiantlovesthedwarf？
’Itaketheprivilege，MistressRuth，ofsalutingyouaccordingtokinship，andtheorderingoftheCanons。’
AndtherewithIbussedherwell，andputmyarmaroundherwaist，beingsoterriblyrestrictedinthematterofLorna，andknowingtheuseofpractice。NotthatI
hadanywarmth——allthatwasdarlingLorna’s——onlyoutofpuregallantry，andmyknowledgeofLondonfashions。
Ruthblushedtosuchapitchatthis，andlookedupatmewithsuchagleam；asifImusthavemyownway；
thatallmyloveofkissingsunk，andIfeltthatIwaswrongingher。Onlymymotherhadtoldme，whenthegirlswereoutoftheway，todoallIcouldtopleasedarlingRuth，andIhadgoneaboutitaccordingly。
NowRuthasyethadneverheardawordaboutdearLorna；andwhensheledmeintothekitchenwhereeverythinglookedbeautiful，andtoldmenottomind，foramoment，aboutthescrubbingofmyboots，becauseshewouldonlybetoogladtocleanitallupafterme，andtoldmehowgladshewastoseeme，blushingmoreateveryword，andrecallingsomeofthem，andstoopingdownforpotsandpans，whenIlookedathertooruddily——allthesethingscameuponmeso，withoutanylegalnotice，thatIcouldonlylookatRuth，andthinkhowverygoodshewas，andhowbrightherhandleswere；
andwonderifIhadwrongedher。Onceortwice，I
began——thisIsayuponmyhonour——toendeavourtoexplainexactly，howwewereatPlover’sBarrows；howweallhadbeenboundtofight，andhaddefeatedtheenemy，keepingtheirqueenamongstus。ButRuthwouldmakesomegreatmistakebetweenLornaandGwennyCarfax，andgavemenochancetosetheraright，andcaredaboutnothingmuch，exceptsomenewsofSallySnowe。
WhatcouldIdowiththislittlething？Allmysenseofmodesty，andvalueformydinner，wereagainstmyover-pressingallthegracefulhintsIhadgivenaboutLorna。Ruthwasjustagirlofthatsort，whowillnotbelieveoneword，exceptfromherownseeing；notsomuchfromanydoubt，asfromthepracticeofusingeyeswhichhavebeeninbusiness。
IaskedCousinRuthasweusedtocallher，thoughthecousinshipwasdistantwhatwasbecomeofUncleBen，andhowitwasthatweneverheardanythingoforfromhimnow。Sherepliedthatshehardlyknewwhattomakeofhergrandfather’smannerofcarryingon，forthelasthalf-yearormore。Hewasapttoleavehishome，shesaid，atanyhourofthedayornight；goingnoneknewwhither，andreturningnoonemightsaywhen。Andhisdress，inheropinion，wasenoughtofrightenahodman，ofascavengeroftheroads，insteadofthedecentsuitofkersey，orofSabbathdoeskins，suchashadwontherespectandreverenceofhisfellow-
townsmen。Buttheworstofallthingswas，assheconfessedwithtearsinhereyes，thatthepooroldgentlemanhadsomethingweighingheavilyonhismind。
’Itwillshortenhisdays，CousinRidd，’shesaid，forsheneverwouldcallmeCousinJohn；’hehasnoenjoymentofanythingthatheeatsordrinks，norevenincountinghismoney，asheusedtodoallSunday；
indeednopleasureinanything，unlessitbesmokinghispipe，andthinkingandstaringatbitsofbrownstone，whichhepulls，everynowandthen，outofhispockets。Andthebusinessheusedtotakesuchprideinisnowleftalmostentirelytotheforeman，andtome。’
’Andwhatwillbecomeofyou，dearRuth，ifanythinghappenstotheoldman？’
’IamsureIknownot，’sheansweredsimply；’andI
cannotbeartothinkofit。Itmustdepend，Isuppose，upondeargrandfather’spleasureaboutme。’
’Itmustratherdepend，’saidI，thoughhavingnobusinesstosayit，’uponyourowngoodpleasure，Ruth；
foralltheworldwillpaycourttoyou。’
’ThatistheverythingwhichInevercouldendure。I
havebeggeddeargrandfathertoleavenochanceofthat。Whenhehasthreatenedmewithpoverty，ashedoessometimes，Ihavealwaysmethimtruly，withtheanswerthatIfearedonethingagreatdealworsethanpoverty；namely，tobeanheiress。ButIcannotmakehimbelieveit。Onlythinkhowstrange，CousinRidd，I
cannotmakehimbelieveit。’
’Itisnotstrangeatall，’Ianswered；’consideringhowhevaluesmoney。Neitherwouldanyoneelsebelieveyou，exceptbylookingintoyourtrue，andveryprettyeyes，dear。’
NowIbegthatnoonewillsuspectforasinglemoment，eitherthatIdidnotmeanexactlywhatIsaid，ormeantasingleatommore，orwouldnothavesaidthesame，ifLornahadbeenstandingby。WhatIhadalwayslikedinRuth，wasthecalm，straightforwardgaze，andbeautyofherlargebrowneyes。IndeedIhadspokenofthemtoLorna，astheonlyonestobecomparedthoughnotformorethanamomenttoherown，fortruthandlight，butneverfordepthandsoftness。Butnowthelittlemaidendroppedthem，andturnedaway，withoutreply。
’Iwillgoandseetomyhorse，’Isaid；’theboythathastakenhimseemedsurprisedathishavingnohornsonhisforehead。Perhapshewillleadhimintotheshop，andfeedhimuponbroadcloth。’
’Oh，heissuchastupidboy，’Ruthansweredwithgreatsympathy：’howquickofyoutoobservethatnow：andyoucallyourself“SlowJohnRidd!“Ineverdidseesuchastupidboy：sometimeshespoilsmytemper。Butyoumustbebackinhalfanhour，atthelatest，CousinRidd。YouseeIrememberwhatyouare；whenonceyougetamonghorses，orcows，orthingsofthatsort。’
’Thingsofthatsort!Welldone，Ruth!OnewouldthinkyouwerequiteaCockney。’