urney.
I smelt the blood ... but, it's not there, the pain ...
It's in my side ... I must have dunched my side
Against a stone in falling ... I could fancy
A rib or so's gone smash.

JUDITH (_putting an arm about her and helping her to rise_):
Come and lie down,
And I'll see what ...

BELL:
Nay: but I'll not lie down:
I'm not that bad ... and, anyhow, I swore
I'd not lie down again at Krindlesyke.
If I lay down, the walls would close on me,
And scrunch the life out ... But I'm havering--
Craitching and craking like a doitered crone.
Lightheaded from the tumble ... mother-wit's
Jirbled and jumbled ... I came such a flam.
I'm not that bad ... I say, I'll not lie down ...
Just let me rest a moment by the hearth,
Until ...

(_JUDITH leads her to a chair, fetches a basin of water and some linen,
and bathes the wound on BELL's brow._)

JUDITH:
I wish ...

BELL:
I'm better here. I'll soon
Be fit again ... Bell isn't done for, yet:
She's a tough customer--she's always been
A banging, bobberous bletherskite, has Bell--
No fushenless, brashy, mim-mouthed mealy-face,
Fratished and perished in the howl-o'-winter.
No wind has ever blown too etherish,
Too snell to fire her blood: she's always relished
A gorly, gousty, blusterous day that sets
Her body alow and birselling like a whinfire.
But what a windyhash! My wit's wool-gathering;
And I'm waffling like a ... But I'd best be stepping,
Before he comes: I've far to travel to-night:
And I'm not so young ... And Michael mustn't find
His tinker-mother, squatted by the hearth,
Nursing a bloody head. But, mind you, Judith:
I stumbled; and I hurt my side in falling:
Whatever they may say, you stick to that:
Swear that I told you that upon my oath--
So help me God, and all--my bible-oath.
I'm better ... already ... I fancy ... and I'll go
Before ... What was I saying? Well, old hob,
I little ettled I'd look on you again.
The times I've polished you, the elbow-grease
I've wasted on you: but I never made
You shine like that ... You're winking red eyes at me:
And well you may, to see ... I little guessed
You'd see me sitting ... I've watched many fires
Since last I sat beside this hearth--good fires:
Coal, coke, and peat, but wood-fires in the main.
There's naught like izles for dancing flames and singing:
Birch kindles best, and has the liveliest flames:
But elm just smoulders--it's the coffin