DORA. What of that? Eva told me that he was taking her likeness. He's an artist. DOBSON. What's a hartist? I doänt believe he's iver a 'eart under his waistcoat. And I tells ye what, Miss Dora: he's no respect for the Queen, or the parson, or the justice o' peace, or owt. I ha' heärd 'im a-gawin' on 'ud make your 'air--God bless it!--stan' on end. And wuss nor that. When theer wur a meeting o' farmers at Littlechester t'other daäy, and they was all a-crying out at the bad times, he cooms up, and he calls out among our oän men, 'The land belongs to the people!' DORA. And what did _you_ say to that? DOBSON. Well, I says, s'pose my pig's the land, and you says it belongs to the parish, and theer be a thousand i' the parish, taäkin' in the women and childer; and s'pose I kills my pig, and gi'es it among 'em, why there wudn't be a dinner for nawbody, and I should ha' lost the pig. DORA. And what did he say to that? DOBSON. Nowt--what could he saäy? But I taäkes 'im fur a bad lot and a burn fool, and I haätes the very sight on him. DORA. (_Looking at_ DOBSON.) Master Dobson, you are a comely man to look at. DOBSON. I thank you for that, Miss Dora, onyhow. DORA. Ay, but you turn right ugly when you're in an ill temper; and I promise you that if you forget yourself in your behaviour to this gentleman, my father's friend, I will never change word with you again. _Enter_ FARMING MAN _from barn_. FARMING MAN. Miss, the farming men 'ull hev their dinner i' the long barn, and the master 'ud be straänge an' pleased if you'd step in fust, and see that all be right and reg'lar fur 'em afoor he coöm. [_Exit_. DORA. I go. Master Dobson, did you hear what I said? DOBSON. Yeas, yeas! I'll not meddle wi' 'im if he doänt meddle wi' meä. (_Exit_ DORA.) Coomly, says she. I niver thowt o' mysen i' that waäy; but if she'd taäke to ma i' that waäy, or ony waäy, I'd slaäve out my life fur 'er. 'Coomly to look at,' says she--but she said it spiteful-like. To look at--yeas, 'coomly'; and she mayn't be so fur out theer. But if that be nowt to she, then it be nowt to me. (_Looking off stage_.) Schoolmaster! Why if Steer han't haxed schoolmaster to dinner, thaw 'e knaws I was hallus ageän heving schoolmaster i' the parish! fur him as be handy wi' a book bean't but haäfe a hand at a pitchfork. _Enter_ WILSON. Well, Wilson. I seed that one cow o' thine i' the pinfold ageän as I wur a-coomin' 'ere. WILSON. Very likely, Mr. Dobson. She _will_ break fence. I can't keep her in order. DOBSON. An' if tha can't keep thy one cow i' horder, how can tha keep all thy scholards i' horder? But let that goä by. What dost a knaw o' this Mr. Hedgar as be a-lodgin' wi' ye? I coom'd upon 'im t'other daäy lookin' at the coontry, then a-scrattin upon a bit o' paäper, then a-lookin' ageän; and I taäked 'im fur soom sort of a land-surveyor--but a beänt. WILSON. He's a Somersetshire man, and a very civil-spoken gentleman.