thought him mad, but he bore him
company, nevertheless. When they were shrouded from observation, Trotty
told him what he knew, and what character he had received, and all about
it.

The subject of his history listened to it with a calmness that surprised
him. He did not contradict or interrupt it once. He nodded his head now
and then--more in corroboration of an old and worn-out story, it
appeared, than in refutation of it; and once or twice threw back his
hat, and passed his freckled hand over a brow, where every furrow he
had ploughed seemed to have set its image in little. But he did no more.

"It's true enough in the main," he said, "master, I could sift grain
from the husk here and there, but let it be as 'tis. What odds? I have
gone against his plans; to my misfortun'. I can't help it; I should do
the like to-morrow. As to character, them gentlefolks will search and
search, and pry and pry, and have it as free from spot or speck in us,
afore they'll help us to a dry good word!--Well! I hope they don't lose
good opinion as easy as we do, or their lives is strict indeed, and
hardly worth the keeping. For myself, master, I never took with that
hand"--holding it before him--"what wasn't my own; and never held it
back from work, however hard, or poorly paid. Whoever can deny it, let
him chop it off! But when work won't maintain me like a human creetur;
when my living is so bad, that I am Hungry, out of doors and in; when I
see a whole working life begin that way, go on that way, and end that
way, without a chance or change; then I say to the gentlefolks 'Keep
away from me! Let my cottage be. My doors is dark enough without your
darkening of 'em more. Don't look for me to come up into the Park to
help the show when there's a Birthday, or a fine Speechmaking, or what
not. Act your Plays and Games without me, and be welcome to 'em and
enjoy 'em. We've now to do with one another. I'm best let alone!'"

Seeing that the child in his arms had opened her eyes, and was looking
about in wonder, he checked himself to say a word or two of foolish
prattle in her ear, and stand her on the ground beside him. Then slowly
winding one of her long tresses round and round his rough forefinger
like a ring, while she hung about his dusty leg, he said to Trotty,

"I'm not a cross-grained man by natur', I believe; and easy satisfied,
I'm sure. I bear no ill will against none of 'em. I only want to live
like one of the Almighty's creeturs