human
Home again, an' come to glasses, tu! Well, they clear the sight, an' we must all wear 'em sooner or late. 'T is a longful time since I seed 'e, to be sure.
gpt
All well, I hope?
human
Nothing to grumble at. Billy an' me go down the hill as gradual an' easy as any man 's a right to expect. But he's gettin' so bald as a coot; an' now the shape of his head comes to be knawed, theer 's wonnerful bumps 'pon it. Then your brother's all for sport an' war. A Justice of the Peace they've made un, tu. He's got his volunteer chaps to a smart pitch, theer's no gainsaying. A gert man for wild diversions he is. Gwaine coursin' wi' long-dogs come winter, they tell me.
gpt
And how are Phoebe and her husband?
human
A little under the weather just now; but I'm watchin' 'em unbeknawnst. Theer's a glimmer of hope in the dark if you'll believe it, for Will ackshally comed to me esster-night to ax my advice--_my_ advice--on a matter of stock! What do 'e think of that?
gpt
He was fighting a losing battle in a manly sort of way it seemed to me when last I saw him.
human
So he was, and is. I give him eighteen month or thereabout--then'll come the end of it.
gpt
The 'end'! What end? You won't let them starve? Your daughter and the little children?
human
You mind your awn business, Martin, said Mr. Lyddon, with nods and winks.
gpt
No, they ban't gwaine to starve, but my readin' of Will's carater has got to be worked out. Tribulation's what he needs to sweeten him, same as winter sweetens sloes; an' 't is tribulation I mean him to have. If Phoebe's self caan't change me or hurry me 't is odds you won't. Theer's a darter for 'e! My Phoebe. She'll often put in a whole week along o' me still. You mind this: if it's grawn true an' thrawn true from the plantin', a darter's love for a faither lasts longer 'n any mortal love at all as I can hear tell of. It don't wear out wi' marriage, neither, as I've found, thank God. Phoebe rises above auld age and the ugliness an' weakness an' bad temper of auld age. Even a poor, doddering ancient such as I shall be in a few years won't weary her; she'll look back'ards with butivul clear eyes, an' won't forget. She'll see--not awnly a cracked, shrivelled auld man grizzling an' grumbling in the chimbley corner, but what the man was wance--a faither, strong an' lusty, as dandled her, an' worked for, an' loved her with all his heart in the days of his bygone manhood. Ess, my Phoebe's all that; an' she comes here wi' the child; an' it pleases me, for rightly onderstood, childern be a gert keeper-off of age.
human
I'm sure she's a good daughter to you, Miller. And Will?
gpt
Doan't you fret. We've worked it out in our minds--me an' Billy; an' if two auld blids like us can't hatch a bit o' wisdom, what brains is worth anything? We'm gwaine to purify the awdacious young chap 'so as by fire,' in holy phrase.
human
You're dealing with a curious temperament.
gpt
I'm dealing with a damned fule, said Mr. Lyddon frankly;
human
That's to give him praise, and high praise. How's his sister? I hear she's returned after all.
gpt
Ess--naughty twoad of a gal--runned arter the gypsies! But she'm sobered now. Funny to think her mother, as seemed like a woman robbed of her right hand when Chris went, an' beginned to graw into the sere onusual quick for a widow, took new life as soon as her gal comed back. Just shaws what strength lies in a darter, as I tell 'e.
human
A darter's the thing an'--but't is a secret yet--awnly you'll see what you'll see. Coourse Billy's very well for gathered wisdom and high conversation 'bout the world to come; but he ban't like a woman round the house, an' for all his ripe larnin' he'll strike fire sometimes--mostly when I gives him a bad beating at 'Oaks' of a evenin'. Then he'm so acid as auld rhubarb, an' dots off to his bed wi'out a 'gude-night.'