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a little sunny…haired girl between three and four； who； seated on a
high chair at the end of the ironing table； was arduously clutching
the handle of a miniature iron with her tiny fat fist； and ironing
rags with an assiduity that required her to put her little red tongue
out as far as anatomy would allow。
“Cold； is it； my darling？ Bless your sweet face！” said Mrs。
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Poyser； who was remarkable for the facility with which she could
relapse from her official objurgatory to one of fondness or of
friendly converse。 “Never mind！ Mother’s done her ironing now。
She’s going to put the ironing things away。”
“Munny； I tould ’ike to do into de barn to Tommy； to see de
whittawd。”
“No； no； no； Totty ’ud get her feet wet；” said Mrs。 Poyser；
carrying away her iron。 “Run into the dairy and see cousin Hetty
make the butter。”
“I tould ’ike a bit o’ pum…take；” rejoined Totty； who seemed to
be provided with several relays of requests； at the same time；
taking the opportunity of her momentary leisure to put her fingers
into a bowl of starch； and drag it down so as to empty the contents
with tolerable completeness on to the ironing sheet。
“Did ever anybody see the like？” screamed Mrs。 Poyser；
running towards the table when her eye had fallen on the blue
stream。 “The child’s allays i’ mischief if your back’s turned a
minute。 What shall I do to you； you naughty； naughty gell？”
Totty； however； had descended from her chair with great
swiftness； and was already in retreat towards the dairy with a sort
of waddling run； and an amount of fat on the nape of her neck
which made her look like the metamorphosis of a white suckling
pig。
The starch having been wiped up by Molly’s help； and the
ironing apparatus put by； Mrs。 Poyser took up her knitting which
always lay ready at hand； and was the work she liked best； because
she could carry it on automatically as she walked to and fro。 But
now she came and sat down opposite Dinah； whom she looked at
in a meditative way； as she knitted her grey worsted stocking。
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“You look th’ image o’ your Aunt Judith； Dinah； when you sit a…
sewing。 I could almost fancy it was thirty years back； and I was a
little gell at home； looking at Judith as she sat at her work； after
she’d done the house up； only it was a little cottage； Father’s was；
and not a big rambling house as gets dirty i’ one corner as fast as
you clean it in another—but for all that； I could fancy you was your
Aunt Judith； only her hair was a deal darker than yours； and she
was stouter and broader i’ the shoulders。 Judith and me allays
hung together； though she had such queer ways； but your mother
and her never could agree。 Ah； your mother little thought as she’d
have a daughter just cut out after the very pattern o’ Judith； and
leave her an orphan； too； for Judith to take care on； and bring up
with a spoon when she was in the graveyard at Stoniton。 I allays
said that o’ Judith； as she’d bear a pound weight any day to save
anybody else carrying a ounce。 And she was just the same from
the first o’ my remembering her； it made no difference in her； as I
could see； when she took to the Methodists； only she talked a bit
different and wore a different sort o’ cap； but she’d never in her
life spent a penny on herself more than keeping herself decent。”
“She was a blessed woman；” said Dinah； “God had given her a
loving； self…forgetting nature； and He perfected it by grace。 And
she was very fond of you too； Aunt Rachel。 I often heard her talk of
you in the same sort of way。 When she had that bad illness； and I
was only eleven years old； she used to say； ‘You’ll have a friend on
earth in your Aunt Rachel； if I’m taken from you； for she has a
kind heart；’ and I’m sure I’ve found it so。”
“I don’t know how； child； anybody ’ud be cunning to do
anything for you； I think； you’re like the birds o’ th’ air； and live
nobody knows how。 I’d ha’ been glad to behave to you like a
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mother’s sister； if you’d come and live i’ this country where there’s
some shelter and victual for man and beast； and folks don’t live on
the naked hills； like poultry a…scratching on a gravel bank。 And
then you might get married to some decent man； and there’d be
plenty ready to have you； if you’d only leave off that preaching； as
is ten times worse than anything your Aunt Judith ever did。 And
even if you’d marry Seth Bede； as is a poor wool…gathering
Methodist and ’s never like to have a penny beforehand； I know
your uncle ’ud help you with a pig； and very like a cow； for he’s
allays been good…natur’d to my kin； for all they’re poor； and made
’em welcome to the house； and ’ud do for you； I’ll be bound； as
much as ever he’d do for Hetty； though she’s his own niece。 And
there’s linen in the house as I could well spare you； for I’ve got lots
o’ sheeting and table…clothing； and towelling； as isn’t made up。
There’s a piece o’ sheeting I could give you as that squinting Kitty
spun—she was a rare girl to spin； for all she squinted； and the
children couldn’t abide her； and； you know； the spinning’s going
on constant； and there’s new linen wove twice as fast as the old
wears out。 But where’s the use o’ talking； if ye wonna be
persuaded； and settle down like any other woman in her senses；
i’stead o’ wearing yourself out with walking and preaching； and
giving away every penny you get； so as you’ve nothing saved
against sickness； and all the things you’ve got i’ the world； I verily
believe； ’ud go into a bundle no bigger nor a double cheese。 And
all because you’ve got notions i’ your head about religion more nor
what’s i’ the Catechism and the Prayer…book。”
“But not more than what’s in the Bible； Aunt；” said Dinah。
“Yes； and the Bible too； for that matter；” Mrs。 Poyser rejoined；
rather sharply； “else why shouldn’t them as know best what’s in
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the Bible—the parsons and people as have got nothing to do but
learn it—do the same as you do？ But； for the matter o’ that； if
everybody was to do like you； the world must come to a standstill；
for if everybody tried to do without house and home； and with
poor eating and drinking； and was allays talking as we must
despise the things o’ the world as you say； I should like to know
where the pick o’ the stock； and the corn； and the best new…milk
cheeeses ’ud have to go。 Everybody ’ud be wanting bread made o’
tail ends and everybody ’ud be running after everybody else to
preach to ’em； istead o’ bringing up their families； and laying by
against a bad harvest。 It stands to sense as that can’t be the right
religion。”
“Nay； dear aunt； you never heard me say that all people are
called to forsake their work and their families。 It’s quite right the
land should be ploughed and sowed； and the precious corn stored；
and the things of this life cared for； and right that people should
rejoice in their families； and provide for them； so that this is done
in the fear of the Lord； and that they are not unmindful of the
soul’s wants while