[GEORGE _comes into the room_. _He carefully rubs his feet on the mat as he enters_. _Then he advances to the table_. MAGGIE _dries her eyes with the back of her hand_. JESSIE _is standing with her arm in_ MAGGIE’S. EMILY. Well, and where have you been all this while, I’d like to know? GEORGE. To Brook Farm, mam, and home. EMILY. You’ve been up to some mischief on the way, I warrant. THOMAS. Come, Emily. [GEORGE _looks calmly into_ EMILY’S _face_. _Then his gaze travels leisurely round the room_. GEORGE. I was kept waiting while they did pluck and dress the chicken. EMILY. [_Lifting the cloth covering the basket_, _and looking within it_.] I’d best have gone myself. Of all the thick-headed men I ever did see, you’re the thickest. Upon my word you are. GEORGE. What’s wrong now, mistress? EMILY. ’Taint chicken at all what you’ve been and fetched me. GEORGE. I’ll be blowed if I do know what ’tis then. EMILY. If I’d been given a four arms and legs at birth same as th’ horses, I’d have left a pair of them at home and gone and done the job myself, I would. And then you should see what I’d have brought back. GEORGE. You can’t better what I’ve got here. From the weight it might be two fat capons. So it might. EMILY. [_Seizing the basket roughly_.] Here, Mag, off into the pantry with them. A couple of skinny frogs from out the road ditch would have done as well. And you, Jess, upstairs with these clean curtains and lay them careful on the bed. I’ll put them to the windows later. THOMAS. George, my boy, did you meet with any one on the way, like? EMILY. You’d best ask no questions if you don’t want to be served with lies, Thomas. GEORGE. [_Throwing a glance of disdain at_ EMILY.] Miles Hooper and Farmer Jenner was taking the air ’long of one another in the wood, master. THOMAS. Miles Hooper and Luke a-taking of the air, and of a weekday morning! GEORGE. That they was, master. And they did stop I— EMILY. Ah, now you’ve got it, Thomas. Now we shall know why George was upon the road the best part of the day and me kept waiting for the chicken. GEORGE. [_Steadily_.] Sunday clothes to the back of both of them. And, when was Miss Clara expected up at home. THOMAS. Ah, ’tis a fair commotion all over these parts already, I warrant. There wasn’t nothing else spoke of in market last time, but how as sister Clara with all her money was to come home. JESSIE. [_Coming back_.] I’ve laid the curtains on the bed, shall I gather some flowers and set them on the table, mother? EMILY. I’d like to see you! Flowers in the bedroom? I never heard tell of such senseless goings on. What next, I’d like to know? GEORGE. Miss Clara always did fill a mug of clover blooms and set it aside of her bed when her was a little thing—so high. JESSIE. Do you remember our fine aunt, then, Georgie? GEORGE. I remembers Miss Clara right enough.