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wish for me to stay is not a call of duty which I refuse to hearken to
because it is against my own desires； it is a temptation that I must
resist； lest the love of the creature should become like a mist in my
soul shutting out the heavenly light。”
“It passes my cunning to know what you mean by ease and
luxury；” said Mrs。 Poyser； as she cut the bread and butter。 “It’s
true there’s good victual enough about you； as nobody shall ever
say I don’t provide enough and to spare； but if there’s ever a bit o’
odds an’ ends as nobody else ’ud eat； you’re sure to pick it out 。 。 。
but look there！ There’s Adam Bede a…carrying the little un in。 I
wonder how it is he’s come so early。”
Mrs。 Poyser hastened to the door for the pleasure of looking at
her darling in a new position； with love in her eyes but reproof on
her tongue。
“Oh for shame； Totty！ Little gells o’ five year old should be
ashamed to be carried。 Why； Adam； she’ll break your arm； such a
big gell as that； set her down—for shame！”
“Nay； nay；” said Adam； “I can lift her with my hand—I’ve no
need to take my arm to it。”
Totty； looking as serenely unconscious of remark as a fat white
puppy； was set down at the door…place； and the mother enforced
her reproof with a shower of kisses。
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“You’re surprised to see me at this hour o’ the day；” said Adam。
“Yes； but come in；” said Mrs。 Poyser； making way for him；
“there’s no bad news； I hope？”
“No； nothing bad；” Adam answered； as he went up to Dinah
and put out his hand to her。 She had laid down her work and
stood up； instinctively； as he approached her。 A faint blush died
away from her pale cheek as she put her hand in his and looked up
at him timidly。
“It’s an errand to you brought me； Dinah；” said Adam；
apparently unconscious that he was holding her hand all the
while； “mother’s a bit ailing； and she’s set her heart on your
coming to stay the night with her； if you’ll be so kind。 I told her I’d
call and ask you as I came from the village。 She overworks herself；
and I can’t persuade her to have a little girl t’ help her。 I don’t
know what’s to be done。”
Adam released Dinah’s hand as he ceased speaking； and was
expecting an answer； but before she had opened her lips Mrs。
Poyser said； “Look there now！ I told you there was folks enow t’
help i’ this parish； wi’out going further off。 There’s Mrs。 Bede
getting as old and cas’alty as can be； and she won’t let anybody but
you go a…nigh her hardly。 The folks at Snowfield have learnt by
this time to do better wi’out you nor she can。”
“I’ll put my bonnet on and set off directly； if you don’t want
anything done first； Aunt；” said Dinah； folding up her work。
“Yes； I do want something done。 I want you t’ have your tea；
child； it’s all ready—and you’ll have a cup； Adam； if y’ arena in too
big a hurry。”
“Yes； I’ll have a cup； please； and then I’ll walk with Dinah。 I’m
going straight home； for I’ve got a lot o’ timber valuations to write
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Adam Bede 628
out。”
“Why； Adam； lad； are you here？” said Mr。 Poyser； entering
warm and coatless； with the two black…eyed boys behind him； still
looking as much like him as two small elephants are like a large
one。 “How is it we’ve got sight o’ you so long before foddering…
time？”
“I came on an errand for Mother；” said Adam。 “She’s got a
touch of her old complaint； and she wants Dinah to go and stay
with her a bit。”
“Well； we’ll spare her for your mother a little while；” said Mr。
Poyser。 “But we wonna spare her for anybody else； on’y her
husband。”
“Husband！” said Marty； who was at the most prosaic and literal
period of the boyish mind。 “Why； Dinah hasn’t got a husband。”
“Spare her？” said Mrs。 Poyser； placing a seed…cake on the table
and then seating herself to pour out the tea。 “But we must spare
her； it seems； and not for a husband neither； but for her own
megrims。 Tommy； what are you doing to your little sister’s doll？
Making the child naughty； when she’d be good if you’d let her。 You
shanna have a morsel o’ cake if you behave so。”
Tommy； with true brotherly sympathy； was amusing himself by
turning Dolly’s skirt over her bald head and exhibiting her
truncated body to the general scorn—an indignity which cut Totty
to the heart。
“What do you think Dinah’s been a…telling me since dinner…
time？” Mrs。 Poyser continued； looking at her husband。
“Eh！ I’m a poor un at guessing；” said Mr。 Poyser。
“Why； she means to go back to Snowfield again； and work i’ the
mill； and starve herself； as she used to do； like a creatur as has got
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no friends。”
Mr。 Poyser did not readily find words to express his unpleasant
astonishment； he only looked from his wife to Dinah； who had now
seated herself beside Totty； as a bulwark against brotherly
playfulness； and was busying herself with the children’s tea。 If he
had been given to making general reflections； it would have
occurred to him that there was certainly a change come over
Dinah； for she never used to change colour； but； as it was； he
merely observed that her face was flushed at that moment。 Mr。
Poyser thought she looked the prettier for it： it was a flush no
deeper than the petal of a monthly rose。 Perhaps it came because
her uncle was looking at her so fixedly； but there is no knowing；
for just then Adam was saying； with quiet surprise； “Why； I hoped
Dinah was settled among us for life。 I thought she’d given up the
notion o’ going back to her old country。”
“Thought！ yes；” said Mrs。 Poyser； “and so would anybody else
ha’ thought； as had got their right end up’ards。 But I suppose you
must be a Methodist to know what a Methodist ’ull do。 It’s ill
guessing what the bats are flying after。”
“Why； what have we done to you。 Dinah； as you must go away
from us？” said Mr。 Poyser； still pausing over his tea…cup。 “It’s like
breaking your word； welly； for your aunt never had no thought but
you’d make this your home。”
“Nay； Uncle；” said Dinah； trying to be quite calm。 “When I first
came； I said it was only for a time； as long as I could be of any
comfort to my aunt。”
“Well； an’ who said you’d ever left off being a comfort to me？”
said Mrs。 Poyser。 “If you didna mean to stay wi’ me； you’d better
never ha’ come。 Them as ha’ never had a cushion don’t miss it。”
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“Nay； nay；” said Mr。 Poyser； who objected to exaggerated
views。 “Thee mustna say so； we should ha’ been ill off wi’out her；
Lady day was a twelvemont’。 We mun be thankful for that；
whether she stays or no。 But I canna think what she mun leave a
good home for； to go back int’ a country where the land； most on’t；
isna worth ten shillings an acre； rent and profits。”
“Why； that’s just the reason she wants to go； as fur as she can
give a reason；” said Mrs。 Poyser。 “She says this country’s too
comfortable； an’ there’s too much t’ eat； an’ folks arena miserable
enough。 And she’s going next week。 I