human
Did ye find her, squoire?
gpt
Oh, yes, Mr. Crumb, I found her. She's living with her aunt, Mrs. Pipkin, at Islington.
human
Eh, now;--look at that.
gpt
You knew she had an aunt of that name up in London.
human
Ye-es; I knew'd it, squoire. I a' heard tell of Mrs. Pipkin, but I never see'd her.
gpt
I wonder it did not occur to you that Ruby would go there. John Crumb scratched his head, as though acknowledging the shortcoming of his own intellect.
human
Of course if she was to go to London it was the proper thing for her to do.
gpt
I knew she'd do the thing as was right. I said that all along. Darned if I didn't. You ask Mixet, squoire,--him as is baker down Bardsey Lane. I allays guv' it her that she'd do the thing as was right. But how about she and the Baro-nite?
human
I suppose the old man down here did ill use her?
gpt
Oh, dreadful;--there ain't no manner of doubt o' that. Dragged her about awful;--as he ought to be took up, only for the rumpus like. D'ye think she's see'd the Baro-nite since she's been in Lon'on, Muster Carbury?
human
I think she's a good girl, if you mean that.
gpt
I'm sure she be. I don't want none to tell me that, squoire. Tho', squoire, it's better to me nor a ten pun' note to hear you say so. I allays had a leaning to you, squoire; but I'll more nor lean to you, now. I've said all through she was good, and if e'er a man in Bungay said she warn't--; well, I was there, and ready.
human
I hope nobody has said so.
gpt
You can't stop them women, squoire. There ain't no dropping into them. But, Lord love 'ee, she shall come and be missus of my house to-morrow, and what 'll it matter her then what they say? But, squoire,--did ye hear if the Baro-nite had been a' hanging about that place?
human
About Islington, you mean.
gpt
He goes a hanging about; he do. He don't come out straight forrard, and tell a girl as he loves her afore all the parish. There ain't one in Bungay, nor yet in Mettingham, nor yet in all the Ilketsals and all the Elmhams, as don't know as I'm set on Ruby Ruggles. Huggery-Muggery is pi'son to me, squoire.
human
We all know that when you've made up your mind, you have made up your mind.
gpt
I hove. It's made up ever so as to Ruby. What sort of a one is her aunt now, squoire?
human
She keeps lodgings;--a very decent sort of a woman I should say.
gpt
She won't let the Baro-nite come there?
human
Certainly not, said Roger, who felt that he was hardly dealing sincerely with this most sincere of mealmen. Hitherto he had shuffled off every question that had been asked him about Felix, though he knew that Ruby had spent many hours with her fashionable lover.
gpt
Mrs. Pipkin won't let him come there.
human
If I was to give her a ge'own now,--or a blue cloak;--them lodging-house women is mostly hard put to it;--or a chest of drawers like, for her best bedroom, wouldn't that make her more o' my side, squoire?
gpt
I think she'll try to do her duty without that.
human
They do like things the like o' that; any ways I'll go up, squoire, arter Sax'nam market, and see how things is lying.
gpt
I wouldn't go just yet, Mr. Crumb, if I were you. She hasn't forgotten the scene at the farm yet.
human
I said nothing as warn't as kind as kind.
gpt
But her own perversity runs in her own head. If you had been unkind she could have forgiven that; but as you were good-natured and she was cross, she can't forgive that. John Crumb again scratched his head, and felt that the depths of a woman's character required more gauging than he had yet given to it.
human
And to tell you the truth, my friend, I think that a little hardship up at Mrs. Pipkin's will do her good.
gpt
Don't she have a bellyful o' vittels?
human
I don't quite mean that. I dare say she has enough to eat. But of course she has to work for it with her aunt. She has three or four children to look after.
gpt
That moight come in handy by-and-by;--moightn't it, squoire?
human
As you say, she'll be learning something that may be useful to her in another sphere. Of course there is a good deal to do, and I should not be surprised if she were to think after a bit that your house in Bungay was more comfortable than Mrs. Pipkin's kitchen in London.
gpt
My little back parlour;--eh, squoire! And I've got a four-poster, most as big as any in Bungay.
human
I am sure you have everything comfortable for her, and she knows it herself. Let her think about all that,--and do you go and tell her again in a month's time. She'll be more willing to settle matters then than she is now.
gpt
But,--the Baro-nite!
human
Mrs. Pipkin will allow nothing of that.
gpt
Girls is so 'cute. Ruby is awful 'cute. It makes me feel as though I had two hun'erd weight o' meal on my stomach, lying awake o' nights and thinking as how he is, may be,--pulling of her about! If I thought that she'd let him--; oh! I'd swing for it, Muster Carbury. They'd have to make an eend o' me at Bury, if it was that way. They would then.