her
as he could. He felt sure he should sleep now: he had had enough to tire
him, and there was no more need for him to think.

Chapter XIV

The Return Home

WHILE that parting in the wood was happening, there was a parting in the
cottage too, and Lisbeth had stood with Adam at the door, straining her
aged eyes to get the last glimpse of Seth and Dinah, as they mounted the
opposite slope.

"Eh, I'm loath to see the last on her," she said to Adam, as they turned
into the house again. "I'd ha' been willin' t' ha' her about me till
I died and went to lie by my old man. She'd make it easier dyin'--she
spakes so gentle an' moves about so still. I could be fast sure that
pictur' was drawed for her i' thy new Bible--th' angel a-sittin' on the
big stone by the grave. Eh, I wouldna mind ha'in a daughter like that;
but nobody ne'er marries them as is good for aught."

"Well, Mother, I hope thee WILT have her for a daughter; for Seth's got
a liking for her, and I hope she'll get a liking for Seth in time."

"Where's th' use o' talkin' a-that'n? She caresna for Seth. She's goin'
away twenty mile aff. How's she to get a likin' for him, I'd like to
know? No more nor the cake 'ull come wi'out the leaven. Thy figurin'
books might ha' tould thee better nor that, I should think, else thee
mightst as well read the commin print, as Seth allays does."

"Nay, Mother," said Adam, laughing, "the figures tell us a fine deal,
and we couldn't go far without 'em, but they don't tell us about folks's
feelings. It's a nicer job to calculate THEM. But Seth's as good-hearted
a lad as ever handled a tool, and plenty o' sense, and good-looking too;
and he's got the same way o' thinking as Dinah. He deserves to win her,
though there's no denying she's a rare bit o' workmanship. You don't see
such women turned off the wheel every day."

"Eh, thee't allays stick up for thy brother. Thee'st been just the
same, e'er sin' ye war little uns together. Thee wart allays for halving
iverything wi' him. But what's Seth got to do with marryin', as is on'y
three-an'-twenty? He'd more need to learn an' lay by sixpence. An' as
for his desarving her--she's two 'ear older nor Seth: she's pretty
near as old as thee. But that's the way; folks mun allays choose by
contrairies, as if they must be sorted like the pork--a bit o' good meat
wi' a bit o' offal."

To the feminine mind in some of its moods, all things that might be
receive a temporary charm from co