"Doesn't—" "Not by any means." "Peter—ye're jokin'." "No, Ancient." "But I—I be all took aback—mazed I be—not love ye, an' me wi' my 'eart set on it—are ye sure?" "Certain." "'Ow d'ye know?" "She told me so." "But—why—why shouldn't she love ye?" "Why should she?" "But I—I'd set my 'eart on it, Peter." "It is very unfortunate!" said I, and began blowing up the fire. "Peter." "Yes, Ancient?" "Do 'ee love she?" "No, Ancient." The old man rose, and, hobbling forward, tapped me upon the breast with the handle of his stick. "Then who was you a-talkin' of, a while back—'bout 'er eyes, an' 'er 'air, an' 'er dress, an' bein' afraid o' them?" "To be exact, I don't know, Ancient." "Oh, Peter!" exclaimed the old man, shaking his head, "I wonders at ye; arter me a-thinkin' an' a-thinkin', an' a-plannin' an' a-plannin' all these months—arter me a-sendin' Black Jarge about 'is business—" "Ancient, what do you mean?" "Why, didn't I out an' tell un as you was sweet on Prue—" "Did you tell him that?" I cried. "Ay, to be sure I did; an' what's more, I says to un often an' often, when you wasn't by: 'Jarge,' I'd say, 'Prue's a lovely maid, an' Peter's a fine young chap, an' they 'm beginnin' to find each other out, they be all'us a-talkin' to each other an' a-lookin' at each other, mornin', noon an' night!' I says; 'like as not we'll 'ave 'em marryin' each other afore very long!' an' Jarge 'ud just wrinkle up 'is brows, an' walk away, an' never say a word. But now—it be tur'ble 'ard to be disapp'inted like this, Peter—arter I'd set my 'eart on it—an' me such a old man such a very ancient man. Oh, Peter! you be full o' disapp'intments, an' all manner o' contrariness; sometimes I a'most wishes as I'd never took the trouble to find ye at all!" And, with this Parthian shot, the old man sighed, and turned his back upon me, and tottered out of the forge. CHAPTER XXIII HOW GABBING DICK, THE PEDLER, SET A HAMMER GOING IN MY HEAD Having finished my bars, with four strong brackets to hold them, I put away my tools, and donned hat and coat. It was yet early, and there was, besides, much work waiting to be done, but I felt unwontedly tired and out of sorts, wherefore, with my bars and brackets beneath my arm, I set out for the Hollow. From the hedges, on either side of me, came the sweet perfume of the honeysuckle, and beyond the hedges the fields stood high with ripening corn—a yellow, heavy-headed host, nodding and swaying lazily. I stood awhile to listen to its whisper as the gentle wind swept over it, and to look down the long green alleys of the hop-gardens beyond; and at the end of one of these straight arched vistas there shone a solitary, great star. And presently, lifting my eyes to the sky, already deepening to evening, and remembering how I had looked round me ere I faced Black George, I breathed a sigh of thankfulness that I was yet alive with strength to walk within a world so beautiful.