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have seen that all faces were at present sober； and most of them
serious—it was the regular and respectable thing for those
excellent farm…labourers to do； as much as for elegant ladies and
gentlemen to smirk and bow over their wine…glasses。 Bartle
Massey； whose ears were rather sensitive； had gone out to see
what sort of evening it was at an early stage in the ceremony； and
had not finished his contemplation until a silence of five minutes
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declared that “Drink； boys； drink！” was not likely to begin again
for the next twelvemonth。 Much to the regret of the boys and
Totty： on them the stillness fell rather flat； after that glorious
thumping of the table； towards which Totty； seated on her father’s
knee； contributed with her small might and small fist。
When Bartle re…entered； however； there appeared to be a
general desire for solo music after the choral。 Nancy declared that
Tim the waggoner knew a song and was “allays singing like a lark
i’ the stable；” whereupon Mr。 Poyser said encouragingly； “Come；
Tim； lad； let’s hear it。” Tim looked sheepish； tucked down his
head； and said he couldn’t sing； but this encouraging invitation of
the master’s was echoed all round the table。 It was a
conversational opportunity： everybody could say； “Come； Tim；”
except Alick； who never relaxed into the frivolity of unnecessary
speech。 At last； Tim’s next neighbour； Ben Tholoway； began to
give emphasis to his speech by nudges； at which Tim； growing
rather savage； said； “Let me alooan； will ye？ Else I’ll ma’ ye sing a
toon ye wonna like。” A good…tempered waggoner’s patience has
limits； and Tim was not to be urged further。
“Well； then； David； ye’re the lad to sing；” said Ben； willing to
show that he was not discomfited by this check。 “Sing ‘M’ loove’s a
roos wi’out a thorn。’”
The amatory David was a young man of an unconscious
abstracted expression； which was due probably to a squint of
superior intensity rather than to any mental characteristic； for he
was not indifferent to Ben’s invitation； but blushed and laughed
and rubbed his sleeve over his mouth in a way that was regarded
as a symptom of yielding。 And for some time the company
appeared to be much in earnest about the desire to hear David’s
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song。 But in vain。 The lyricism of the evening was in the cellar at
present； and was not to be drawn from that retreat just yet。
Meanwhile the conversation at the head of the table had taken
a political turn。 Mr。 Craig was not above talking politics
occasionally； though he piqued himself rather on a wise insight
than on specific information。 He saw so far beyond the mere facts
of a case that really it was superfluous to know them。
“I’m no reader o’ the paper myself；” he observed to…night； as he
filled his pipe； “though I might read it fast enough if I liked； for
there’s Miss Lyddy has ’em and ’s done with ’em i’ no time。 But
there’s Mills； now； sits i’ the chimney…corner and reads the paper
pretty nigh from morning to night； and when he’s got to th’ end on
’t he’s more addle…headed than he was at the beginning。 He’s full
o’ this peace now； as they talk on； he’s been reading and reading；
and thinks he’s got to the bottom on’t。 ‘Why； Lor’ bless you； Mills；’
says I； ‘you see no more into this thing nor you can see into the
middle of a potato。 I’ll tell you what it is： you think it’ll be a fine
thing for the country。 And I’m not again’ it—mark my words—I’m
not again’ it。 But it’s my opinion as there’s them at the head o’ this
country as are worse enemies to us nor Bony and all the
mounseers he’s got at ’s back； for as for the mounseers； you may
skewer half…a…dozen of ’em at once as if they war frogs。’”
“Aye； aye；” said Martin Poyser； listening with an air of much
intelligence and edification； “they ne’er ate a bit o’ beef i’ their
lives。 Mostly sallet； I reckon。”
“And says I to Mills；” continued Mr。 Craig； “‘Will you try to
make me believe as furriners like them can do us half th’ harm
them ministers do with their bad government？ If King George ’ud
turn ’em all away and govern by himself； he’d see everything
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righted。 He might take on Billy Pitt again if he liked； but I don’t
see myself what we want wi’ anybody besides King and
Parliament。 It’s that nest o’ ministers does the mischief； I tell
you。’”
“Ah； it’s fine talking；” observed Mrs。 Poyser； who was now
seated near her husband； with Totty on her lap—“it’s fine talking。
It’s hard work to tell which is Old Harry when everybody’s got
boots on。”
“As for this peace；” said Mr。 Poyser； turning his head on one
side in a dubitative manner and giving a precautionary puff to his
pipe between each sentence； “I don’t know。 Th’ war’s a fine thing
for the country； an’ how’ll you keep up prices wi’out it？ An’ them
French are a wicked sort o’ folks； by what I can make out。 What
can you do better nor fight ’em？”
“Ye’re partly right there； Poyser；” said Mr。 Craig； “but I’m not
again’ the peace—to make a holiday for a bit。 We can break it
when we like； an’ I’m in no fear o’ Bony； for all they talk so much o’
his cliverness。 That’s what I says to Mills this morning。 Lor’ bless
you； he sees no more through Bony！ 。 。 。 why； I put him up to more
in three minutes than he gets from ’s paper all the year round。
Says I； ‘Am I a gardener as knows his business； or arn’t I； Mills？
Answer me that。’ ‘To be sure y’ are； Craig；’ says he—he’s not a bad
fellow； Mills isn’t； for a butler； but weak i’ the head。 ‘Well；’ says I；
‘you talk o’ Bony’s cliverness； would it be any use my being a first…
rate gardener if I’d got nought but a quagmire to work on？’ ‘No；’
says he。 ‘Well；’ I says； ’that’s just what it is wi’ Bony。 I’ll not deny
but he may be a bit cliver—he’s no Frenchman born； as I
understand—but what’s he got at’s back but mounseers？’”
Mr。 Craig paused a moment with an emphatic stare after this
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triumphant specimen of Socratic argument； and then added；
thumping the table rather fiercely； “Why； it’s a sure thing—and
there’s them ’ull bear witness to’t—as i’ one regiment where there
was one man a…missing； they put the regimentals on a big monkey；
and they fit him as the shell fits the walnut； and you couldn’t tell
the monkey from the mounseers！”
“Ah！ Think o’ that； now！” said Mr。 Poyser； impressed at once
with the political bearings of the fact and with its striking interest
as an anecdote in natural history。
“Come； Craig；” said Adam； “that’s a little too strong。 You don’t
believe that。 It’s all nonsense about the French being such poor
sticks。 Mr。 Irwine’s seen ’em in their own country； and he says
they’ve plenty o’ fine fellows among ’em。 And as for knowledge；
and contrivances； and manufactures； there’s a many things as
we’re a fine sight behind ’em in。 It’s poor foolishness to run down
your enemi