"My lord," saith she, "well and nobly hast thou spoken, and with all my
soul do I honor thee for it, and I thank thee with all my heart and
soul. But, my lord, even were there not thy rank and position atween
us, there is atween us," saith she, "which would hold us as far apart as
the sea doth hold this England which we live in and th' new country o'
which thou didst speak. For," saith she--and she speaks in a steady
voice, howbeit 'tis very low, and she keeps her sun-like eyes on
his--"for, my lord," saith she, "all the love that was mine to give hath
been another man's these many years."
Then saith he never another word, but bends his knee and kisses her long
brown hand as though 't had been th' Queen's; and he gets him from th'
cottage.
Now, two more years were sped since that Ruth had left us, and sometimes
would we hear through friends o' th' little lad and 's mother and
father, and always was Ruth a-sending of pretty messages to Keren--her
love, and her thanks, and how happy she was, and th' boy so like his
father--and more than I remember.
A full year had th' lass been at work in my shop, and my arm no more
fit to hammer than afore. So I looks about to get a lad to help her in
her work, seeing as 'twere too much for one wench. And, Lord! th'
trouble I had! Ten lads did I try, one right after th' other; and one
would be saucy, and another dull, and another would take 't into his
pumpkin head to fall in love wi' th' lass; and all o' 'em lazy. But,
God-a-mercy! how's a man to tell a lazy lad till he ha' tried
him?--unless it be old Butter. Ha! ha! I ha' just minded me o' th' way
he used to treat th' lads that came to Amhurste to hire for
under-gardeners. He would stand with 's owlish old visage a-set on 's
hoe-handle, for all th' world like a fantastic head carved out o' a
turnip and set on a stick, and a would let th' lad go on with 's story
o' how Dame This commended him for that, and o' how Dame That commended
him for this, and o' how a had worked under my lord So-and-So's
head-gardener and in my lady So-and-So's own hot-houses; and when a had
got through, never a word would old Butter say, but a would just step
round behind th' lad, as solemn as a gravedigger on a cold day, and a
would lift up th' tail o' 's doublet and look at th' seat o' 's
breeches. And if they were fairly worn a would hire th' lad; but if an
they were much worn a would say, "No work dost thou get from me, my
lad," would a say, "thou sittest down too often to work for Anthony
Butter"--so would a say--every word o't just as I ha' told thee. Ha! ha!
And all the time as sober as a coroner inspecting a corse. Ha! ha! ha!
Methinks I can see him now--th' old zany.
Well, well, a was a good man, was Anthony Butter; and if a was a bit
puffed up with 's own importance, a's charity ne'er got in a like
condition that it did not bring forth some kind act.
Well, th' months swung round, and 'twas nigh to Martlemas in that same
year, and one day as I sat i' th' forge door, a-swearing roundly to
myself concerning my lame arm, and how that 'twould not mend, up comes
galloping a man, like one distraught, and a child on th' saddle afore
him, and a flings himself down with th' child in 's arms (making no
shift whate'er to hold th' horse, which gallops on with th' reins
swinging), and a cries out, a-setting of th' child on my knee--a cries
out,
"For God's sake, help me! My child hath been bit by a mad dog! Help me
in some way, for th' love of God!"
And I saw that 'twas Robert Hacket that crouched and quivered at my knee
like a hurt hound, and th' child as like to him as one leaf on a tree is
to th' other. But ere I could do or say aught, comes that lass o' mine,
and ups with th' babe in her arms, and he roaring as lustily as any
bull-calf with th' wound in 's little brown arm, and she sees where the
beast hath bitten him. Then sets she him down again on my lap, and runs
and fetches a bar o' iron and heats it i' th' forge till 'tis white-hot,
and all th' time th' poor father a-sobbing, and kissing of th' babe, and
calling on me to help him, like as though I were God Almighty. And while
he was so doing, and the babe like to burst with weeping, and I gone mad
with not knowing what to be at, comes that wench, comrade, and jerks up
th' babe, and sets th' white-hot metal in 's soft flesh.
Ay, comrade, a did, and a held it there till where th' dog's fangs had
been was burned as black as th' anvil. And then, when 'tis done, and th'
babe again upon 's feet, and we two for praising and blessing o' her,
down drops she all in a heap on th' floor atween us, like a hawk that
hath been smitten in mid-heaven. Then 'twas, comrade, that th' babe was
left to endure his pain as best he might; never thought more did 's
father give him that day; but he runs and lifts th' lass in 's strong
arms, and bears her out into th' fresh air, and he calls her his
"dear," and his "own," and "his life," and his "Keren," till, had 't not
been for my lass's coming back to life, I would 'a' struck him on th'
mouth for a-speaking so unto her, and he th' husband o' another woman.
But no sooner opes she her eyes than he hath both her hands hid in one
o' his, and close against his breast, and she lying back in 's arms as
though she were any chrisom child, and her big eyes wide on his, and he
saith to her,
"Lass! lass!" saith he, "I ha' come to marry thee, an thou wilt have
me," quoth he. "I ha' come to marry thee; and may God bless thee for
saving th' child!"
Then did I understand; but she saith, with her great eyes not
moving--saith she--only one word--"Ruth?" saith she, even so, once, low
like that--"Ruth?"
"Ay, lass, I know," he saith unto her. "I know," he saith. "But all's
well with Ruth. Ruth is in heaven."
Then saith she, while a light leaps out o' her tearful eyes, like as
when the sun doth shine suddenly through April rain--saith she, as she
were breathing her life into th' words,
"Methinks I be there too."
And also did I understand her, how that she meant that to be lying in
th' arms o' him she loved, after all those weary years, was like being
in heaven; but he questions her.
"How, lass?" saith he. "Where dost thou think thou art? Thou art in thy
true love's arms," saith he.
"Ay, there is heaven," she saith.
And I stole away to get th' babe some kickshaws i' th' village, that
they twain might be alone together.
Well, well, all that was two year ago, comrade--two year ago; and now
that lass o' mine hath a babe o' her own, and as valiant a rogue as ever
bellowed. Thou must come and sup with us to-night. Na, na, I'll take no
refusal--dost hear? I will not. And a word o' persuasion i' thy ear,
comrade: Mistress Lemon hath been dead this twelvemonth, comrade. Ah ha!
Wilt a-come the now? That's well. And thou shalt hear that lass o' mine
troll thee "Jog on, jog on," and "Mistress mine, where art thou
roaming?" and "Listen, Robin, while I woo." Come, comrade, come. But
stay; let's crack another drink together ere we go. Joel! What there!
Joel, I say! Another quart o' sack for Master Turnip!