human
It's shameful! she exclaimed, over and over again.
gpt
I call it downright wicked of the squire to suspect you of such a thing.
human
Well, mother, it does look very bad against me, Reuben said, wiping his eyes at last,
gpt
I will go at once and speak to his father,
human
No, mother, you can't do that, Reuben exclaimed.
gpt
We have got nothing against him. The squire has ten times as good reason to suspect me, as I have to suspect Tom Thorne; so as we know the squire's wrong, it's ten times as likely we shall be wrong. Besides, if he did it, of course he would deny it, he is the worst liar in the village; and then folks would say I wasn't satisfied with doing it myself, but I wanted to throw the blame on to him, just as he did on me before. No, it won't do, mother.
human
I must go away, mother, he said at last.
gpt
I can't stop here. Every one in the village will get to know of it, and they will point at me as the boy as poisoned the squire's dog, and then lied about it. I couldn't stand that, mother.
human
And you sha'n't stand it, my boy, Mrs. Whitney said,
gpt
No, mother, you stop here, and I will go up to London. They say there is lots of work there, and I suppose I can get on as well as another.
human
I will not hear of your doing such a thing. I should never expect to hear of you again. I should always be thinking that you had got run over, or were starving in the streets, or dying in a workhouse. No, Reuben, my plan's best. It's just silliness my not liking to settle in Lewes; for of course it's better going where one is known, and I should be lost in a strange place. No; I daresay I shall find a cottage there, and I shall manage to get a living somehow--perhaps open a little shop like this, and then you can be apprenticed, and live at home.