human
You ax me--how much it were, Miss Anthea?
gpt
Yes, Adam.
human
Well,--it were a goodish sum.
gpt
Was it--fifty pounds?
human
Fifty pound! repeated Adam, in a tone of lofty disdain,
gpt
Do you mean it was--more?
human
Ah! nodded Adam,
gpt
I mean as it were a sight more. If you was to take the fifty pound you mention, add twenty more, and then another twenty to that, and then come ten more to that,--why then--you'd be a bit nigher the figure--
human
A hundred pounds!
gpt
Ah! a hundred pound! nodded Adam, rolling the words upon his tongue with great gusto,--
human
Oh, Adam!
gpt
Lord love you, Miss Anthea!--that weren't nothing,--that were only a flea-bite, as you might say,--he give more--ah! nigh double as much as that for the side-board.
human
Nonsense, Adam!
gpt
It be gospel true, Miss Anthea. That there sideboard were the plum o' the sale, so to speak, an' old Grimes had set 'is 'eart on it, d'ye see. Well, it were bid up to eighty-six pound, an' then Old Grimes 'e goes twenty more, making it a hundred an' six. Then--jest as I thought it were all over, an' jest as that there Old Grimes were beginning to swell hisself up wi' triumph, an' get that red in the face as 'e were a sight to behold,--Mr. Belloo, who'd been lightin' 'is pipe all this time, up and sez,--'Fifty up!' 'e sez in his quiet way, making it a hundred an' fifty-six pound, Miss Anthea,--which were too much for Grimes,--Lord! I thought as that there man were going to burst, Miss Anthea!
human
A hundred and fifty-six pounds! she repeated in an awed voice,
gpt
Steepish! admitted Adam,
human
But, Adam, why did he do it! Why did he buy--all that furniture?
gpt
Well,--to keep it from being took away, p'raps!
human
Oh, Adam!--what am I to do?
gpt
Do, Miss Anthea?
human
The mortgage must be paid off--dreadfully soon--you know that, and--I can't--Oh, I can't give the money back--
gpt
Why--give it back!--No, a course not, Miss Anthea!
human
But I--can't--keep it!
gpt
Can't keep it, Miss Anthea mam,--an' why not?
human
Because I'm very sure he doesn't want all those things,--the idea is quite--absurd! And yet,--even if the hops do well, the money they bring will hardly be enough by itself, and so--I was selling my furniture to make it up, and--now--Oh! what am I to do?