"Then tell it!" said I, stopping again, struck by the fellow's
manner, "and tell it quickly."
"I'm a-comin' to it as fast as I can, ain't I? Very well then!
You're a fine, up-standin' young cove, and may 'ave white 'ands
(which I don't see myself, but no matter) and may likewise be
chock-full o' taking ways (which, though not noticin', I won't go
for to deny)--but a Eve's a Eve, and always will be--you'll mind
as I warned you again' 'em last time I see ye?--very well then!"
"Well?" said I impatiently.
"Well," nodded the Pedler, and his eyes twinkled malevolently.
"I says it again--I warns you again. You're a nice, civil-spoke
young cove, and quiet (though I don't like the cock o' your eye),
and, mind, I don't bear you no ill-will--though you did turn me
from your door on a cold, dark night--"
"It was neither a cold nor a dark night!" said I.
"Well, it might ha' been, mightn't it?--very well then! Still, I
don't," said the Pedler, spitting dejectedly into the ditch, "I
don't bear you no 'ard feelin's for it, no'ow--me always makin'
it a pint to forgive them as woefully oppresses me, likewise them
as despitefully uses me--it might ha' been cold, and dark, wi'
ice and snow, and I might ha' froze to death--but we won't say no
more about it."
"You've said pretty well, I think," said I; "supposing you tell
me what you have to tell me--otherwise--good night!"
"Very well then!" said the Pedler, "let's talk o' summ'at else;
still livin' in the 'Oller, I suppose?"
"Yes."
"Ah, well! I come through there today," said he, grinning, and
again his eyes grew malevolent.
"Indeed?"
"Ah!--indeed! I come through this 'ere very arternoon, and
uncommon pretty everythin' was lookin', wi' the grass so green,
and the trees so--so--"
"Shady."
"Shady's the word!" nodded the Pedler, glancing up at me through
his narrowed eyelids, and chuckling. "A paradise you might call
it--ah! a paradise or a--garden of Eden, wi' Eve and the serpent
and all!" and he broke out into a cackling laugh. And, in the
look and the laugh, indeed about his whole figure, there was
something so repellent, so evil, that I was minded to kick and
trample him down into the ditch, yet the leering triumph in his
eyes held me.
"Yes?" said I.