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should like to allow Mrs。 Poyser a pension for life； and wanted to
invite her to the parsonage that she might hear an account of the
scene from Mrs。 Poyser’s own lips。
“No； no； Mother；” said Mr。 Irwine； “it was a little bit of irregular
justice on Mrs。 Poyser’s part； but a magistrate like me must not
countenance irregular justice。 There must be no report spread
that I have taken notice of the quarrel； else I shall lose the little
good influence I have over the old man。”
“Well； I like that woman even better than her cream…cheeses；”
said Mrs。 Irwine。 “She has the spirit of three men； with that pale
face of hers。 And she says such sharp things too。”
“Sharp！ Yes； her tongue is like a new…set razor。 She’s quite
original in her talk too； one of those untaught wits that help to
stock a country with proverbs。 I told you that capital thing I heard
her say about Craig—that he was like a cock； who thought the sun
had risen to hear him crow。 Now that’s an AEsop’s fable in a
sentence。”
“But it will be a bad business if the old gentleman turns them
out of the farm next Michaelmas； eh？” said Mrs。 Irwine。
“Oh； that must not be； and Poyser is such a good tenant that
Donnithorne is likely to think twice； and digest his spleen rather
than turn them out。 But if he should give them notice at Lady Day；
Arthur and I must move heaven and earth to mollify him。 Such old
parishioners as they are must not go。”
“Ah； there’s no knowing what may happen before Lady day；”
said Mrs。 Irwine。 “It struck me on Arthur’s birthday that the old
man was a little shaken： he’s eighty…three； you know。 It’s really an
unconscionable age。 It’s only women who have a right to live as
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long as that。”
“When they’ve got old…bachelor sons who would be forlorn
without them；” said Mr。 Irwine； laughing； and kissing his mother’s
hand。
Mrs。 Poyser； too； met her husband’s occasional forebodings of a
notice to quit with “There’s no knowing what may happen before
Lady Day”—one of those undeniable general propositions which
are usually intended to convey a particular meaning very far from
undeniable。 But it is really too hard upon human nature that it
should be held a criminal offence to imagine the death even of the
king when he is turned eighty…three。 It is not to be believed that
any but the dullest Britons can be good subjects under that hard
condition。
Apart from this foreboding； things went on much as usual in the
Poyser household。 Mrs。 Poyser thought she noticed a surprising
improvement in Hetty。 To be sure； the girl got “closer tempered；
and sometimes she seemed as if there’d be no drawing a word
from her with cart…ropes；” but she thought much less about her
dress； and went after the work quite eagerly； without any telling。
And it was wonderful how she never wanted to go out now—
indeed； could hardly be persuaded to go； and she bore her aunt’s
putting a stop to her weekly lesson in fine…work at the Chase
without the least grumbling or pouting。 It must be； after all； that
she had set her heart on Adam at last； and her sudden freak of
wanting to be a lady’s maid must have been caused by some little
pique or misunderstanding between them； which had passed by。
For whenever Adam came to the Hall Farm； Hetty seemed to be in
better spirits and to talk more than at other times； though she was
almost sullen when Mr。 Craig or any other admirer happened to
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pay a visit there。
Adam himself watched her at first with trembling anxiety；
which gave way to surprise and delicious hope。 Five days after
delivering Arthur’s letter； he had ventured to go to the Hall Farm
again—not without dread lest the sight of him might be painful to
her。 She was not in the house…place when he entered； and he sat
talking to Mr。 and Mrs。 Poyser for a few minutes with a heavy fear
on his heart that they might presently tell him Hetty was ill。 But
by…and…by there came a light step that he knew； and when Mrs。
Poyser said； “Come； Hetty； where have you been？” Adam was
obliged to turn round； though he was afraid to see the changed
look there must be in her face。 He almost started when he saw her
smiling as if she were pleased to see him—looking the same as
ever at a first glance； only that she had her cap on； which he had
never seen her in before when he came of an evening。 Still； when
he looked at her again and again as she moved about or sat at her
work； there was a change： the cheeks were as pink as ever； and
she smiled as much as she had ever done of late； but there was
something different in her eyes； in the expression of her face； in all
her movements； Adam thought—something harder； older； less
child…like。 “Poor thing！” he said to himself； “that’s allays likely。 It’s
because she’s had her first heartache。 But she’s got a spirit to bear
up under it。 Thank God for that。”
As the weeks went by； and he saw her always looking pleased to
see him—turning up her lovely face towards him as if she meant
him to understand that she was glad for him to come—and going
about her work in the same equable way； making no sign of
sorrow； he began to believe that her feeling towards Arthur must
have been much slighter than he had imagined in his first
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indignation and alarm； and that she had been able to think of her
girlish fancy that Arthur was in love with her and would marry her
as a folly of which she was timely cured。 And it perhaps was； as he
had sometimes in his more cheerful moments hoped it would be—
her heart was really turning with all the more warmth towards the
man she knew to have a serious love for her。
Possibly you think that Adam was not at all sagacious in his
interpretations； and that it was altogether extremely unbecoming
in a sensible man to behave as he did—falling in love with a girl
who really had nothing more than her beauty to recommend her；
attributing imaginary virtues to her； and even condescending to
cleave to her after she had fallen in love with another man； waiting
for her kind looks as a patient trembling dog waits for his master’s
eye to be turned upon him。 But in so complex a thing as human
nature； we must consider； it is hard to find rules without
exceptions。 Of course； I know that； as a rule； sensible men fall in
love with the most sensible women of their acquaintance； see
through all the pretty deceits of coquettish beauty； never imagine
themselves loved when they are not loved； cease loving on all
proper occasions； and marry the woman most fitted for them in
every respect—indeed； so as to compel the approbation of all the
maiden ladies in their neighbourhood。 But even to this rule an
exception will occur now and then in the lapse of centuries； and
my friend Adam was one。 For my own part； however； I respect him
none the less—nay； I think the deep love he had for that sweet；
rounded； blossom…like； dark…eyed Hetty； of whose inward self he
was really very ignorant； came out of the very strength of his
nature and not out of any inconsistent weakness。 Is it any
weakness； pray； to be wrought on by exquisite music？ To feel its
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