"And if Jack got a good post somewhere, and made a nice sum of money, they wouldn't need to wait so very long."
"Well, that must depend. Jack won't get so very much at first, you may be sure. He's only been in this little country place, and if he goes to London or some biggish town, he'll have to begin low down, and work his way up. But it's time he should do it. I don't like the thought of parting with Jack, but, all the same, he's got to do it. People can't always have things just as they'd like 'em; and I s'pose it wouldn't be good for us if we could.
"As for marrying yet awhile, Jack is young, and Jessie is younger, and there's no manner of haste. If they had to wait three or four years, that wouldn't be any sort of hardship—no, nor four or five years. Neither of 'em 'll be any the worse for having to learn patience. A deal better put off, and begin life, when they do begin it, in comfort and ease."
"Jack told me last week that he did wish he could get something to do in London. He said he wasn't wanted here, and he thought it would be right."
"No more he isn't. There's nothing that you and I can't manage by way of helping father. It's just wasting our Jack to keep him here. I mean to have a talk with Mr. Gilbert, and see what he thinks. Maybe that 'ud bring things to a point."
"Mother, there's the bells ringing. It's the Vicar come back."
Mimy flew out to the front of the house, and Mrs. Groates followed with hardly less speed. Old Maxham Church had a small but tuneful old peal of bells, and they were now clashing vigorously. A number of boys came racing along the street, and then an open fly from the railway station, with the Vicar seated inside, and his sister beside him. Both were nodding and smiling, and the Vicar leant out, as they passed, to call to Mrs. Groates, "How do you do? How do you do? Glad to see you again."
"And I'm sure we're glad," responded Mrs. Groates.
She finished the sentence, though he was out of hearing before she reached the end of two syllables. "Dear me, now, that is a nice man, Mimy. So kind and hearty, ain't he? Not a bit of pride in him."
But Miss Sophy, standing on the other side, was deeply injured because the Vicar had happened to turn his head towards the Groates' Store and not towards the Coxens' little dwelling. It would have been hard for him, poor man, to look both ways at once, or even to look both ways in succession, for the fly went fast, and there was very little time. But Miss Sophy, like a great many people who are much occupied with themselves, was not always reasonable.