Chapter Twenty Seven.
Missed and Mourned.
“Nor deem the irrevocable Past
As wholly wasted, wholly vain.”
Longfellow.
“Be they Gobblealls not coming home?” asked Nanny Barton, as she stood at her gate, while some of her neighbours came slowly out of church, about two years later.
“My man, he did ask Shepherd Tomkins,” said Betsy Seddon, “and all the answer he got was, ‘You don’t desarve it, not you.’ As if my man had gone out with that there rabble rout!”
“And I’m sure mine only went up to see what they were after, and helped to put out the fire beside.”
“Ay,” said Cox, behind her, “but not till the soldiers were come.”
“Time they did come!” said Seddon. “Rain comes through the roof, and that there Lawyer Brent won’t have nothing done to it till the captain comes home.”