MRS. GARDNER. You’ll please to come indoors with me, William, and I’ll brush you down and make you look more presentable than you appear just now. Susan, you’ll get a cap to you head at once, do you hear me! And John, take and water master’s seedlings. Any one can stand with their mouths open and their eyes as big as gooseberries if they’ve a mind. ’Tis not particular sharp to do so. Come, William. WILLIAM. I’d like a word or two with John first, Mother. MRS. GARDNER. You come along with me this moment, William. ’Tis a too many words by far that you’ve had with John already, and much good they’ve done to you. Come you in with me. WILLIAM. O I’m blessed if I do know whether ’tis on my head or on my feet that I’m standing. [WILLIAM _follows his mother slowly and gloomily into the house_. JOHN. Well—if ever there was a poor, tormented animal ’tis the master. SUSAN. Ah, mistress should have been born a drover by rights. ’Tis a grand nagging one as her’d have made, and sommat what no beast would ever have got the better of. JOHN. I wouldn’t stand in Master William’s shoes, not if you was to put me knee deep in gold. SUSAN. Nor I. JOHN. Ah, this courting business, ’tis a rare caddling muddle when ’tis all done and said. SUSAN. ’Tis according as some folks do find it, Master John. JOHN. ’Tis a smartish lot as you’ll get of it come Sunday night, my wench. You wait and see. SUSAN. That shews how little you do know. ’Twill be better nor ever with me then. JOHN. ’Twill be alone by yourself as you’ll go walking, Su. SUSAN. We’ll see about that when the time comes, John. JOHN. All I says is that I baint a-going walking with you. SUSAN. I never walk with two, John. JOHN. You’ll have to learn to go in your own company. SUSAN. I shall go by the side of my husband by then, very likely. JOHN. Your husband? What tales be you a-giving out now? SUSAN. ’Tis to Nat as I’m to be wed come Saturday. JOHN. Get along with you, Susan, and put a cap to your head. Mistress will be coming out presently, and then you know how ’twill be if her catches you so. Get along in with you. SUSAN. Now you don’t believe what I’m telling you—but it’s true, O it’s true. JOHN. Look here—There’s company at the gate, and you a-standing there like any rough gipsy wench on the road. Get you in and make yourself a decenter appearance and then go and tell the mistress as they be comed. SUSAN. [_Preparing to go indoors and speaking over her shoulder_.] ’Tis in the parson’s gown as you should be clothed, Master John. Ah, ’tis a wonderful wordy preacher as you would make, to be sure. And ’tis a rare crop as one might raise with the seed as do fall from your mouth. [_She goes indoors_. JULIA _comes leisurely into the garden_. JULIA. Well, John, and how are you feeling now? JOHN. Nicely, thank you, mistress. See yon arbour? JULIA. And that I do, John.