Elijah rubbed his hands, and laughed boisterously.
'Ha!' shouted he, 'that is my Glory! I tell you, Goppin, she'd have drove the prongs of the fork into your flesh as I dig this into the meat,' and he stabbed at the joint fiercely with his carving fork.
'I dare say,' grumbled the farmer, wincing and rubbing his leg. 'I'd for my part rather have a more peacable mate; but there's no choosing fat beasts for others, as the saying goes.'
'What do you think of her?' asked Rebow, turning round with exultation on Bunting and Grout.
'She came to my old woman,' said the latter, 'and asked her to take her in and give her work. She wanted to leave you.'
'She did,' exclaimed Rebow. 'And what did your old woman say to that?'
'She said she durstn't do it. She durstn't do it.'
'She durstn't do it!' echoed Elijah with a great laugh. 'That was fine. She durstn't do it!'
'No,' pursued Grout, 'without your leave.'
'And you wouldn't have dared to do it neither,' turning to Bunting, who shook his head.