"What, no provocation! not in the wrong done to Nora!"
"There has been no intentional wrong done to Nora!"
"What! no wrong in all that villainy?"
"There has been no villainy, Reuben!"
"Then if that wasn't villainy, there's none in the world; and never was
any in the world, that's all I have got to say!"
"Reuben, Nora was married to the father of her child. He loved her
dearly, and meant her well. You must believe this, for it is as true as
Heaven!" said Hannah solemnly.
Reuben pricked up his ears; perhaps he was not sorry to be entirely
relieved from the temptation of killing and the danger of hanging.
And Hannah gave him as satisfactory an explanation of Nora's case as she
could give, without breaking her promise and betraying Herman Brudenell
as the partner of Nora's misfortunes.
At the close of her narrative Reuben Gray took her hand, and holding it,
said gravely: "Well, my dear girl, I suppose the affair must rest where it is for the
present. But this makes one thing incumbent upon us." And having said
this, Reuben hesitated so long that Hannah took up the word and asked: "This makes what incumbent upon us, lad?"
"To get married right away!" blurted out the man.
"Pray, have you come into a fortune, Reuben?" inquired Hannah coolly.
"No, child, but--"
"Neither have I," interrupted Hannah.
"I was going to say," continued the man, "that I have my hands to work
with--"
"For your large family of sisters and brothers--"
"And for you and that poor orphan boy as well! And I'm willing to do it
for you all! And we really must be married right away, Hannah! I must
have a lawful right to protect you against the slights as you'll be sure
to receive after what's happened, if you don't have a husband to take
care of you."
He paused and waited for her reply; but as she did not speak, he began
again: "Come, Hannah, my dear, what do you say to our being married o' Sunday?"
She did not answer, and he continued: "I think as we better had get tied together arter morning service! And
then, you know, I'll take you and the bit of a baby home long o' me,
Hannah. And I'll be a loving husband to you, my girl; and I'll be a
father to the little lad with as good a will as ever I was to my own
orphan brothers and sisters. And I'll break every bone in the skin of
any man that looks askance at him, too! Don't you fear for yourself or
the child. The country side knows me for a peaceable-disposed man; but
it had rather not provoke me for all that, because it knows when I have
a just cause of quarrel, I don't leave my work half done! Come, Hannah,
what do you say, my dear? Shall it be o' Sunday? You won't answer me?
What, crying, my girl, crying! what's that for?"