"And why should you no be willing, you contrairy young jade, you?"
"You've been a' drinking, grandfather."
He turned round at her sharp, and threw his old hat at her head;—nothing to Ruby's consternation, as it was a practice to which she was well accustomed. She picked it up, and returned it to him with a cool indifference which was intended to exasperate him. "Look ye here, Ruby," he said, "out o' this place you go. If you go as John Crumb's wife you'll go with five hun'erd pound, and we'll have a dinner here, and a dance, and all Bungay."
"Who cares for all Bungay,—a set of beery chaps as knows nothing but swilling and smoking;—and John Crumb the main of 'em all? There never was a chap for beer like John Crumb."
"Never saw him the worse o' liquor in all my life." And the old farmer, as he gave this grand assurance, rattled his fist down upon the table.
"It ony just makes him stoopider and stoopider the more he swills. You can't tell me, grandfather, about John Crumb. I knows him."
"Didn't ye say as how ye'd have him? Didn't ye give him a promise?"
"If I did, I ain't the first girl as has gone back of her word,—and I shan't be the last."
"You means you won't have him?"
"That's about it, grandfather."