To the left hand lay a wide lawn, on which some score or two of youngsters were disporting themselves in the twilight, while the “parents and guardians,” as the newspapers say, of these small gentry were lolling at their ease in certain cots, or arbours, made waterproof with pitch, which bounded the sides of the green. In one of these Colin soon found the individual of whom he was in search. Having communicated to Peter some general idea that his assistance was required in a very important enterprise. “True,” replied Veriquear, “it may be of great consequence to you; but that, you know, is your own affair. It is no business of mine.” “But you will be well rewarded by Mr. Woodruff afterwards, I doubt not,” replied Colin. “Do you think so? Oh, then, in that case, it begins to look more like my own affair than I thought it was. Yes, yes; good pay, you know, always makes a thing a man's business directly.” And hereupon the matter was discussed at leisure, and in a manner which clearly proved that, upon sufficient reason given, Peter could take quite as much interest in other people's business as ever he had taken in his own. While Colin thus sat in discourse with his old employer, his attention had several times been partially attracted by a voice in the next adjoining arbour, but which now elevated itself to a distinctly audible pitch in the expression of the following sentiment:-- “Upon my word, those little dears are delightful to look on! The satisfaction of having children to bring up--ay, dear!--the pleasure and delight, Mr. Palethorpe, of leading them as it were by the nose, symbolically speaking:--oh! the delight of it must be--must be--I hardly know what to call it--but something which, in an unmarried state, the imagination can scarcely attempt to soar up to. And then their tiny voices--some ill-tempered people may call it squealing if they please--but to a father's ears, I should think, it must be welcome night and day,--that is, if he has the common feelings of a father about him. It is really astonishing how happy some people might be, if they did but take something of a determination at some time or other of their lives to adopt some course with respect to somebody or other, which might--what shall I say?--might--might--however, I mean, which might lead to something final and decisive.” “Sartinly, meesis,” replied the individual thus addressed, “I don't dispoot all that; only, when a man has a good appetite hisself, and can eat most of what's put before him, it seems natteral enough that his children would go and do the same; and that would take a little more mainteaning than some of us can exactly afford. I can't see myself how _we_ could go all that length, with a proper eye to our own old age.” “Ah!” replied the lady, “there it is! I really think there is not a grain of filial feeling left in any farmer in Yorkshire.”