'I am her mother, and I am the person to consider her, not you, Olver Dench.'
'No offence meant. But my cat had kittens, and when all were drowned but one, she carried that remaining one about in her mouth everywhere, and never let it go till she had nipped the life out of the kitten; and, I swear, you remind me of that cat.'
Then ensued a silence that lasted for some minutes. The ferryman reopened the conversation.
'I suppose you knew it was coming.'
'Knew what?' asked she.
'That the cottage would go to pieces.'
'Yes. I got it cheap because of the risk.'
'And now, I make bold to ask, what have you done with your furniture?'
'There is not much. What I have is there. I have no house into which to move it. In the parish I am refused—in Seaton they cast me back on the parish, and the parish casts me off altogether.'