"There ain't no grass grows under the feet of the talkers in this town, I tell you."
"Dear me! a body can't turn aroun' without settin' a whole forest of tongues a-waggin' every which way."
"Oh, well, Miss Hester, we got to 'low that to yore sex. The women folks must talk."
"My sex! It ain't my sex only: I know plenty o' men in this town who air bigger gossips 'n the women. I 'll warrant you did n't git this piece o' news from no woman."
"Well, mebbe I did n't, but I ca'c'late there wa'n't no men there to git it fust hand."
"Oh, I 'll be bound some o' the women had to go an' tell a man the fust thing: some women can't git along without the men."
"An' then, ag'in, some of 'em kin, Miss Hester; some of 'em kin."
"You 'd jest as well start out an' say what you want to say without a-beatin' about the bush. I know, jest as well as I know I 'm
a-livin', that you 've come to tell me that I was a fool fur takin' that child. 'Liphalet, don't pertend: I know it."
"Oh, no, Miss Hester; I would n't dast do nothin' like that; you know, 'He that calleth his brother a fool is in danger o' hell fire,' an' I 'low the Lord don't make it no easier when it happens to be a sister. No, Miss Hester, you know yore own business best, an' you 've got along this fur without bein' guided by people. I guess you 'll git through; but a child, Miss Hester, don't you think that it 's a leetle bit resky?"