"They would be very hard to find!" said I, and sighed again.
Whereupon Silas sighed, for company's sake, and nodding, went off
about his many duties, whistling cheerily.
So I presently turned about and crossed the road to the smithy.
But upon the threshold I stopped all at once and drew softly
back, for, despite the early hour, Prudence was there, upon her
knees before the anvil, with George's great hand-hammer clasped
to her bosom, sobbing over it, and, while she sobbed, she kissed
its worn handle. And because such love was sacred and hallowed
that dingy place, I took off my hat as I once more crossed the
road.
Seeing "The Bull" was not yet astir, for the day was still young
(as I say), I sat me down in the porch and sighed.
And after I had sat there for some while, with my chin sunk upon
my breast, and plunged in bitter meditation, I became aware of
the door opening, and next moment a tremulous hand was laid upon
my head, and, looking round, I beheld the Ancient.
"Bless 'ee, Peter--bless 'ee, lad!--an' a old man's blessin' be
no light thing--'specially such a old, old man as I be--an' it
bean't often as I feels in a blessin' sperrit--but oh, Peter!
'twere me as found ye, weren't it?"
"Why, to be sure it was, Ancient, very nearly five months ago."
"An' I be allus ready wi' some noos for ye, bean't I?"
"Yes, indeed!"
"Well, I got more noos for 'ee, Peter--gert noos!"
"And what is it this time?"
"I be allus full up o' noos, bean't I?" he repeated.
"Yes, Ancient," said I, and sighed; "and what is your news?"
"Why, first of all, Peter, jest reach me my snuff-box, will 'ee?
--'ere it be--in my back 'ind pocket--thankee! thankee!" Hereupon
he knocked upon the lid with a bony knuckle. "I du be that full
o' noos this marnin' that my innards be all of a quake, Peter,
all of a quake!" he nodded, saying which, he sat down close
beside me.
"Peter."
"Yes, Ancient?"
"Some day--when that theer old stapil be all rusted away, an'
these old bones is a-restin' in the churchyard over to Cranbrook,
Peter--you'll think, sometimes, o' the very old man as was always
so full o' noos, won't 'ee, Peter?"
"Surely, Ancient, I shall never forget you," said I, and sighed.
"An' now, Peter," said the old man, extracting a pinch of snuff,
"now for the noos--'bout Black Jarge, it be."