Her face wrinkled for crying.

“You didn’t use to spik lik that....”

“Come, mother—be sensible. There aun’t no sense spikking different, things being wot they are. I dudn’t use to be married ... it’s being married that maakes a chap think of wot might happen.”

“You’d want me to taake Thyrza to live here?...”

“Reckon I wouldn’t. She’ll have her liddle bit of money, thank God, and maybe a pension besides. It aun’t money as I’m thinking of—it’s just—it’s just as she’ll break her heart.”

“And I’ll break mine, too, I reckon.”

Tom groaned.

“You’re a valiant help to me, mother. I ask you a thing to maake me a bit easier, and all you do is to vrother me the more.”

“Doan’t you go abusing your mother, Tom—wud your last breath. If Thyrza’s heart gits broke I’ll give her a bit of mine to mend it with—but no good ever caum of talking of such things.”