“Wimmen,” said Hedges, giving an extra hard scrape at the pig, who responded Humph—humph!
“Wimmen,” repeated Ruck still more emphatically.
“There be worse thengs about,” said a voice behind. It was the clerk, who, having put the rector’s surplice ready, had slipped out for a minute into the churchyard to communicate a piece of news. He was a little shrivelled old fellow.
“Nash was allus a gay man,” said Ruck.
“So was his father afore un,” added Hedges. “It runs in the family.”
“Summut in the blood, summut in the blood,” said Nash, not to appear to value the hereditary propensity too highly. “Did ee never notice that shart men be a’most sure to get on with th’ wimmen? I got summut to tell ee.”
“What be it?” from both listeners at once.
If the Athenians were eager for something new, those that dwell in the fields are ten times more so.
“You knows Mr Valentine Browne as built the new stables?”
“Sartainly.”