'She is only in the garden,' added his grandmother. 'Why don't ye go out
and speak to her?' Swithin was nothing loth, and strolled out under the apple-trees, where
he arrived just in time to prevent Miss Lark from going off by the back
gate. There was not much difficulty in breaking the ice between them,
and they began to chat with vivacity.
Now all these proceedings occupied time, for somehow it was very charming
to talk to Miss Lark; and by degrees St. Cleeve informed Tabitha of his
great undertaking, and of the voluminous notes he had amassed, which
would require so much rearrangement and recopying by an amanuensis as to
absolutely appal him. He greatly feared he should not get one careful
enough for such scientific matter; whereupon Tabitha said she would be
delighted to do it for him. Then blushing, and declaring suddenly that
it had grown quite late, she left him and the garden for her relation's
house hard by.
Swithin, no less than Tabitha, had been surprised by the disappearance of
the sun behind the hill; and the question now arose whether it would be
advisable to call upon Viviette that night. There was little doubt that
she knew of his coming; but more than that he could not predicate; and
being entirely ignorant of whom she had around her, entirely in the dark
as to her present feelings towards him, he thought it would be better to
defer his visit until the next day.
Walking round to the front of the house he beheld the well-known
agriculturists Hezzy Biles, Haymoss Fry, and some others of the same old
school, passing the gate homeward from their work with bundles of wood at
their backs. Swithin saluted them over the top rail.
'Well! do my eyes and ears--' began Hezzy; and then, balancing his faggot
on end against the hedge, he came forward, the others following.
'Says I to myself as soon as I heerd his voice,' Hezzy continued
(addressing Swithin as if he were a disinterested spectator and not
himself), 'please God I'll pitch my nitch, and go across and speak to
en.' 'I knowed in a winking 'twas some great navigator that I see a standing
there,' said Haymoss. 'But whe'r 'twere a sort of nabob, or a diment-
digger, or a lion-hunter, I couldn't so much as guess till I heerd en
speak.' 'And what changes have come over Welland since I was last at home?' asked
Swithin.
'Well, Mr. San Cleeve,' Hezzy replied, 'when you've said that a few
stripling boys and maidens have busted into blooth, and a few married
women have plimmed and chimped (my lady among 'em), why, you've said
anighst all, Mr. San Cleeve.' The conversation thus began was continued on divers matters till they
were all enveloped in total darkness, when his old acquaintances
shouldered their faggots again and proceeded on their way.