Sir John: Thank you, Mr. Potter, I rejoice to hear it.
Mr. Potter: But—ki—hist! He be pretty big and pretty fierce, sir, an’ you, axing y’r pardon, ain’t exactly——
Sir John: An elephant or a tiger—and yet I feel myself perfectly able to accomplish one or the other, Mr. Potter.
Mr. Potter: Well, love my eyes! He be a fightin’ man too, sir! Somebody stuck a sword into him lately, I hear, but it didn’t do no good; he be as well and ’earty as ever. Now if—hist!
(Here Mr. Potter paused, finger on lip, to glance stealthily around.)
Sir John: If what, Mr. Potter?
Mr. Potter: (Drawing near and speaking in hushed voice) If you be ... set on a-doin’ of it ... very determined on ... the deed, sir, your best way is to—hist! A pistol ... no, a musket ... some good dark night. Hist—Potter’s mum!
Sir John: You don’t love him, I think?
Mr. Potter: Love him? Well, there be things ’as ’appened ’ereabouts as no one can’t swear agin nobody, d’ye see, an’ yet ... old Pen knows more than she dare speak, I rackon, an’ Potter ain’t blind nor yet deaf.
Sir John: What kind of things?