und Arabella insensible
on the ground, and Egremont vanished!

Book 3 Chapter 3

It was a wet morning; there had been a heavy rain since dawn, which
impelled by a gusty south-wester came driving on a crowd of women and
girls who were assembled before the door of a still unclosed shop. Some
protected themselves with umbrellas; some sought shelter beneath a
row of old elms that grew alongside the canal that fronted the house.
Notwithstanding the weather, the clack of tongues was incessant.

"I thought I saw the wicket of the yard gates open," said a woman.

"So did I," said her neighbour; "but it was shut again immediately."

"It was only Master Joseph," said a third. "He likes to see us getting
wet through."

"If they would only let us into the yard and get under one of the
workshop sheds, as they do at Simmon's," said another.

"You may well say Simmon's, Mrs Page; I only wish my master served in
his field."

"I have been here since half-past four, Mrs Grigsby, with this chilt at
my breast all the time. It's three miles for me here, and the same back,
and unless I get the first turn, how are my poor boys to find their
dinner ready when they come out of the pit?"

"A very true word, Mrs Page; and by this token, that last Thursday I was
here by half-past eleven, certainly afore noon, having only called at my
mother-in-law's in the way, and it was eight o'clock before I got home.
Ah! it's cruel work, is the tommy shop."

"How d'ye do neighbour Prance?" said a comely dame with a large white
basket, "And how's your good man? They was saying at Belfy's he had
changed his service. I hear there's a new butty in Mr Parker's field;
but the old doggy kept on; so I always thought, he was always a
favourite, and they do say measured the stints very fair. And what
do you hear bacon is in town? They do tell me only sixpence and
real home-cured. I wonder Diggs has the face to be selling still at
nine-pence, and so very green! I think I see Dame Toddles; how wonderful
she do wear! What are you doing here, little dear; very young to fetch
tommy; keeping place for mother, eh! that's a good girl; she'd do well
to be here soon, for I think the strike's on eight. Diggs is sticking it
on yellow soap very terrible. What do you think--Ah! the doors are going
to open. No--a false alarm."

"How fare you neighbour?" said a pale young woman carrying an infant
to the comely dame. "Here's an awful crowd, surely. The women will