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‘For the matter o’ that； Phil！’ observed Mr Willet； blowing a
long； thin； spiral cloud of smoke out of the corner of his mouth；
and staring at it abstractedly as it floated away； ‘For the matter o’
that； Phil； argeyment is a gift of Natur。 If Natur has gifted a man
with powers of argeyment； a man has a right to make the best of
’em； and has not a right to stand on false delicacy； and deny that
he is so gifted； for that is a turning of his back on Natur； a flouting
of her； a slighting of her precious caskets； and a proving of one’s
self to be a swine that isn’t worth her scattering pearls before。’
The landlord pausing here for a very long time； Mr Parkes
naturally concluded that he had brought his discourse to an end；
and therefore； turning to the young man with some austerity；
exclaimed：
‘You hear what your father says； Joe？ You wouldn’t much like
to tackle him in argeyment； I’m thinking； sir。’
‘If；’ said John Willet； turning his eyes from the ceiling to the
face of his interrupter； and uttering the monosyllable in capitals；
to apprise him that he had put in his oar； as the vulgar say； with
unbecoming and irreverent haste； ‘If； sir； Natur has fixed upon me
the gift of argeyment； why should I not own to it； and rather glory
in the same？ Yes； sir； I am a tough customer that way。 You are
right； sir。 My toughness has been proved； sir； in this room many
and many a time； as I think you know； and if you don’t know；’
added John； putting his pipe in his mouth again； ‘so much the
better； for I an’t proud and am not going to tell you。’
A general murmur from his three cronies； and a general
shaking of heads at the copper boiler； assured John Willet that
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they had had good experience of his powers and needed no further
evidence to assure them of his superiority。 John smoked with a
little more dignity and surveyed them in silence。
‘It’s all very fine talking；’ muttered Joe； who had been fidgeting
in his chair with divers uneasy gestures。 ‘But if you mean to tell
me that I’m never to open my lips—’
‘Silence； sir！’ roared his father。 ‘No； you never are。 When your
opinion’s wanted； you give it。 When you’re spoke to； you speak。
When your opinion’s not wanted and you’re not spoke to； don’t
you give an opinion and don’t you speak。 The world’s undergone a
nice alteration since my time； certainly。 My belief is that there an’t
any boys left—that there isn’t such a thing as a boy—that there’s
nothing now between a male baby and a man—and that all the
boys went out with his blessed Majesty King George the Second。’
‘That’s a very true observation； always excepting the young
princes；’ said the parish…clerk； who； as the representative of
church and state in that company； held himself bound to the nicest
loyalty。 ‘If it’s godly and righteous for boys； being of the ages of
boys； to behave themselves like boys； then the young princes must
be boys and cannot be otherwise。’
‘Did you ever hear tell of mermaids； sir？’ said Mr Willet。
‘Certainly I have；’ replied the clerk。
‘Very good；’ said Mr Willet。 ‘According to the constitution of
mermaids； so much of a mermaid as is not a woman must be a fish。
According to the constitution of young princes； so much of a young
prince （if anything） as is not actually an angel； must be godly and
righteous。 Therefore if it’s becoming and godly and righteous in
the young princes （as it is at their ages） that they should be boys；
they are and must be boys； and cannot by possibility be anything
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else。’
This elucidation of a knotty point being received with such
marks of approval as to put John Willet into a good humour； he
contented himself with repeating to his son his command of
silence； and addressing the stranger； said：
‘If you had asked your questions of a grown…up person—of me
or any of these gentlemen—you’d have had some satisfaction； and
wouldn’t have wasted breath。 Miss Haredale is Mr Geoffrey
Haredale’s niece。’
‘Is her father alive？’ said the man； carelessly。
‘No；’ rejoined the landlord； ‘he is not alive； and he is not dead—’
‘Not dead！’ cried the other。
‘Not dead in a common sort of way；’ said the landlord。
The cronies nodded to each other； and Mr Parkes remarked in
an undertone； shaking his head meanwhile as who should say； ‘let
no man contradict me； for I won’t believe him；’ that John Willet
was in amazing force to…night； and fit to tackle a Chief Justice。
The stranger suffered a short pause to elapse； and then asked
abruptly； ‘What do you mean？’
‘More than you think for； friend；’ returned John Willet。
‘Perhaps there’s more meaning in them words than you suspect。’
‘Perhaps there is；’ said the strange man； gruffly； ‘but what the
devil do you speak in such mysteries for？ You tell me； first； that a
man is not alive； nor yet dead—then； that he’s not dead in a
common sort of way—then； that you mean a great deal more than
I think for。 To tell you the truth； you may do that easily； for so far
as I can make out； you mean nothing。 What do you mean； I ask
again？’
‘That；’ returned the landlord； a little brought down from his
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dignity by the stranger’s surliness； ‘is a Maypole story； and has
been any time these four…and…twenty years。 That story is Solomon
Daisy’s story。 It belongs to the house； and nobody but Solomon
Daisy has ever told it under this roof； or ever shall—that’s more。’
The man glanced at the parish…clerk； whose air of
consciousness and importance plainly betokened him to be the
person referred to； and； observing that he had taken his pipe from
his lips； after a very long whiff to keep it alight； and was evidently
about to tell his story without further solicitation； gathered his
large coat about him； and shrinking further back was almost lost
in the gloom of the spacious chimney…corner； except when the
flame； struggling from under a great faggot； whose weight almost
crushed it for the time； shot upward with a strong and sudden
glare； and illumining his figure for a moment； seemed afterwards
to cast it into deeper obscurity than before。
By this flickering light； which made the old room； with its heavy
timbers and panelled walls； look as if it were built of polished
ebony—the wind roaring and howling without； now rattling the
latch and creaking the hinges of the stout oaken door； and now
driving at the casement as though it would beat it in—by this light；
and under circumstances so auspicious； Solomon Daisy began his
tale：
‘It was Mr Reuben Haredale； Mr Geoffrey’s elder brother—’
Here he came to a dead stop； and made so long a pause that
even John Willet grew impatient and asked why he did not
proceed。
‘Cobb；’ said Solomon Daisy； dropping his voice and appealing
to the post…office keeper； ‘what day of the month is this？’
‘The nineteenth。’
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‘Of March；’ said the clerk； bending forward； ‘the nineteenth of
March； that’s very strange。’
In a low voice they all acquiesced； and Solomon went