“That old case in chancery is decided,” said he, “and I am to get my father’s share of the confiscated property. I may have yet to wait for it, though. My great-grandfather was Bow of Bow. He was accused of resisting the Act of Uniformity, and his property was withheld.”
Asenath lifted her brows.
“Bow of Bow,” she repeated. “He was a brave man, I suppose. Resisted the Act of Uniformity? How much did he leave?”
“An estate estimated at £20,000.”
“Heavens be praised!” said the suddenly impressible Asenath. She added: “I always knew that you had good blood in you, and was an honest man, Asahel, just like your father; nobody could ever turn him from the right, no more than you could the side of a house; no Act of Uniformity could ever shape the course of old Seth Bow. And you are a capable man, Asahel; your poor father had limitations and circumstances to contend with, but you are capable of doing all that he meant to do. I always did think a deal of your father, and I think considerable of your grandfather now. I always was just like a mother to you, now wasn’t I, Asahel, good as two or more ordinary stepmothers and the like?
“‘Bow of Bow,’ ‘Bow of Bow,’” continued Asenath. “Well, I have prayed that Amanda might marry well, and your part of £20,000 would be just about twenty times the value of the Smith farm, as I see it. That farm isn’t anything but a bush pastur’, anyhow.
“‘Bow of Bow,’ what a sort of grand sound that has! ‘Bow of Bow.’ I once had an uncle that was a stevedore, an English stevedore, or a cavalier, or something of the kind, but he didn’t leave any estate like Bow of Bow. I think he uniformed in the time of the Uniformity.
“Asahel, you just put that there courtin’ stick up to your ear once more and let me say a word, now that I have new light and understand things better.”
Asahel obeyed. There came a response that could be heard outside of the hollow tube: “Amen!” A murmurous sound followed which was understood only by Asahel. “You will overlook my imperfections now, won’t you, Asahel? Pride is a deceitful thing, and it got the better of me. I only meant well for Amandy, same as you do. I’m sorry for what I said, Asahel. Marry Mandy, and I’ll be a mother to you as I always have been. As good as two common mothers, or more, same as I have always been to Kalub.”