“It wor born in me, Swithin, same as t’ talent to make verses,” broke in Ambrose in a pleased voice. “They both run together, as you may say, and I take no credit for’t.”
“But I gie you credit for’t,” returned Swithin, stoutly, “and I don’t match my-sen alongside o’ you, Ambrus; not for a minute, when it comes to seeing what’s i’ folks’ minds. I’ve never ta’en to t’ lad, and I shouldn’t wonder if there isn’t a deal o’ trewth i’ what you say. T’ more I dwell on’t, and t’ less I like t’ lewk on’t, I will admit. They say he’s lent Baldwin all his own brass to tide him over while he can turn his-sen round; and if all’s to be believed ’at’s tell’d he got Keturah to put her bit in when Baldwin couldn’t move her. Now you heard what t’ lad said for his-sen that first night when he come into t’ bar and crushed t’ life out o’ t’ spider: ‘there’s no mercy i’ Natur’ ’ he said, ‘for the man what stands i’ t’ way o’ progress,’ I ask you if them wasn’t his varry words; and now I’m asking my-sen, if he’s having mercy on Baldwin, what’s he doin’ it for?”
“Aye, and I’ll ask you something,” interposed the same young man who had defied Inman to his face on one occasion;—“he’s got Baldwin to sell all his property; turned every stick and stone into brass to save t’ business, so they say; but who’s bought all t’ property? Now, can any of you tell me that?”
He looked round upon the faces of those whose eyes were turned inquiringly towards him; but there was no answer to be read on any of them. Only old Ambrose replied:
“T’ farm our Robin leases wor bought in by some lawyer chap; but who he was I can’t bethink me, though I seed it i’ t’ paper.”
“Aye, we’ve all seen it i’ t’ paper,” Jack went on savagely; “t’ first lot was bought by this lawyer from Airlee; t’ next it was a’ auctioneer from Airlee; them three cottages went to another man from Airlee, and that other man was a clerk i’ t’ same lawyer’s office, and t’ same lawyer’s name is on t’ bottom of all t’ auctioneer’s bills. If you can’t smoke aught after that, I’ll help you; but them ’at’s both years and wisdom’ll happen put two and two together.”
Swithin was eyeing the speaker unkindly, as he did any young man who promised to score at the expense of his elders; but Ambrose was less sensitive.
“You’ll be meanin’ I reckon ’at all t’ property has getten into t’ same hands? Well, it’s a sayin’ ’at all things has a’ end and a pudden has two; but what end there is i’ cloakin’ a thing up so as you don’t know whose brass is payin’ for t’ property I don’t see just at this minute. But it’s trew enough ’at
‘There’s things out o’ seet
What’ll come to the leet