"I thank you for the frank comparison, Cripps. Well, help me, if you must--ah, I see you can carve." "I am better at the raw mate, sir; but I can make shift when roasted. Butcher Numbers my brother, your Worship--but perhaps you never heered on him?" "Oh yes, I know, Cripps. A highly respectable thriving man he is too. All your family thrive, and everybody speaks so well of them. Why, look at Leviticus! They tell me he has three hundred pigs!" Like most men who have the great gift of gaining good will and popularity, Russel Overshute loved a bit of gossip about his neighbours. "Your Worship," said Cripps, disappointing him of any new information, "pigs is out of my way altogether. When I was a young man of tender years, counteracted I was for to carry a pig. Three pounds twelve shillings and four pence he cost me, in less than three-quarters of a mile of road; and squeak, squeak, all the way, as if I was a-killing of him, and not he me. Seemeth he smelled some apples somewhere, and he went through a chaney clock, and a violin, and a set of first-born babby-linen for Squire Corser's daughter; grown up now she is, your Worship must a met her riding. And that was not the worst of it nother----" "Well, Cripps, you must tell me another time. It was terribly hard upon you. But, my friend, the gentleman who lives here will be back for his hat, when the clock strikes two. Cap and gown off, when the clock strikes two. From two until five he walks fifteen miles, whatever the state of the weather is." "Lord bless me, your Worship, I could not travel that, with an empty cart, and all downhill!" "Never mind, Cripps. Will you try to listen, and offer no observation?" "To say nort,--does your Worship mean? Well, all our family be esteemed for that." "Then prove the justice of that esteem; for I have a long story to tell you, Cripps, and no long time to do it in." CHAPTER XVIII. A FLASH OF LIGHT. The Carrier, with a decisive gesture, ceased from both solid and liquid food, and settled his face, and whole body, and members into a grim and yet flexible aspect, as if he were driving a half-broken horse, and must be prepared for any sort of start. And yet with all this he reconciled a duly receptive deference, and a pleasant readiness, as if he were his own Dobbin, just fresh from stable. "I need not tell you, Master Cripps," said Russel, "how I have picked up the many little things, which have been coming to my knowledge lately. And I will not be too positive about any of them; because I made such a mistake in the beginning of this inquiry. All my suspicions at first were set on a man who was purely innocent--a legal gentleman of fair repute, to whom I have now made all honourable amends. In the most candid manner he has forgiven me, and desires no better than to act in the best faith with us." "Asking your pardon for interrupting--did the gentleman happen to have a sharp name?"