g off the conversation.

"Pretty well, Mrs Greenow; pretty well. Everything will go very well
if I am successful in the object which I have on hand to-day."

"I'm sure I hope you'll be successful in all your undertakings."

"In all my business undertakings I am, Mrs Greenow. There isn't a
shilling due on my land to e'er a bank in Norwich; and I haven't
thrashed out a quarter of last year's corn yet, which is more than
many of them can say. But there ain't many of them who don't have to
pay rent, and so perhaps I oughtn't to boast."

"I know that Providence has been very good to you, Mr Cheesacre, as
regards worldly matters."

"And I haven't left it all to Providence, either. Those who do,
generally go to the wall, as far as I can see. I'm always at work
late and early, and I know when I get a profit out of a man's labour
and when I don't, as well as though it was my only chance of bread
and cheese."

"I always thought you understood farming business, Mr Cheesacre."

"Yes, I do. I like a bit of fun well enough, when the time for it
comes, as you saw at Yarmouth. And I keep my three or four hunters,
as I think a country gentleman should; and I shoot over my own
ground. But I always stick to my work. There are men, like Bellfield,
who won't work. What do they come to? They're always borrowing."

"But he has fought his country's battles, Mr Cheesacre."

"He fight! I suppose he's been telling you some of his old stories.
He was ten years in the West Indies, and all his fighting was with
the mosquitoes."

"But he was in the Crimea. At Inkerman, for instance--"

"He in the Crimea! Well, never mind. But do you inquire before you
believe that story. But as I was saying, Mrs Greenow, you have seen
my little place at Oileymead."

"A charming house. All you want is a mistress for it."

"That's it; that's just it. All I want is a mistress for it. And
there's only one woman on earth that I would wish to see in that
position. Arabella Greenow, will you be that woman?" As he made the
offer he got up and stood before her, placing his right hand upon his
heart.

"I, Mr Cheesacre!" she said.

"Yes, you. Who else? Since I saw you what other woman has been
anything to me; or, indeed, I may say before? Since the first day I
saw you I felt that there my happiness depended."

"Oh, Mr Cheesacre, I thought you were looking elsewhere."

"No, no, no. There never was such a mistake as that. I have the
highest regard and esteem