y be that stupid and foreright (awkward)
we shall be drove mad, both of us, somewhen."

"Do you see that window-pane?" he asked, pointing to a gap in the
casement. "Polly put her broom handle through. There was not one
pane broke all the time you was with us, and now there be three
gone, and no glazier in the village to put 'em to rights. You
mind the blue pranked (striped) chiney taypot? Mother set great
store on that. Polly's gone and knocked the spout off. Mother's
put about terrible over that taypot. As for the best sheets,
Polly's burnt a hole through one, let a cinder fly out on it, when
airing. Mother's in a pretty way over that sheet. I don't know
what there'll be to eat, Polly left the larder open, and the dog
has carried off a leg of mutton. It has been all cross and contrary
ever since you went."

Simon mused a while, holding Mehetabel's hand, and said after a
pause, "It never ort to a' been. You was well placed here and never
ort to a' left. It was all mother's doing. She drove you into
weddin' that there Broom-Squire. Women can't be easy unless they
be hatchin' weddin's; just like as broody hens must be sittin' on
somethin'. If that had never been brought about, then the taypot
spout would not have been knocked off, nor the winder-pane broken,
nor the sheet riddled wi' a cinder, nor the dog gone off wi' the
leg o' mutton."

Mehetabel was unable to suppress a sigh.

"Winter be comin' on," pursued the old man, "and mother's gettin'
infirm, and a bit contrary. When Polly worrits her, then I ketches
it. That always wos her way. I don't look forward to winter. I
don't look forward to nuthin' now--" He became sorrowful. "All be
gone to sixes and sevens, now that you be gone, Matabel. What will
happen I dun' know, I dun' know."

"What may happen," said Mehetabel, "is not always what we expect.
But one thing is certain--lost happiness is past recovery."

CHAPTER XX.

GONE.

During the evening Iver was hardly able to take his eyes off
Mehetabel, as she passed to and fro in the kitchen.

She knew where was every article that was needed for the gentlemen.
She moved noiselessly, did everything without fuss, without haste.

He thought over the words she had uttered, and he had overheard:
Lost happiness is past recovery. Not only was she bereft of
happiness, but so was he. His father and mother, when too late,
had found that they also had parted with theirs when they had let
Mehetabel leave the hou