"Ah, that I do—w'at might be the cost of a weskit the like o' that, now?" "I paid forty shillings for it, in the Haymarket, in London, scarcely a week ago," I answered. The fellow very slowly closed one eye at the same time striking his nose three successive raps with his forefinger: "Gammon!" said he. "None the less, it's true," said I. "Any man as would give forty shillin' for a garment as is no mortal good agen the cold—not reachin' fur enough, even if it do be silk, an' all worked wi' little flowers—is a dommed fool!—" "Assuredly!" said I, with a nod. "Howsomever," he continued, "it's a handsome weskit, there's no denyin', an' well worth a woman's lookin' at—a proper man inside of it." "Not a doubt of it," said I. "I mean," said he, scratching his ear, and staring hard at the handle of the pitchfork, "a chap wi' a fine pair o' whiskers, say." "Hum!" said I. "Now, woman," he went on, shifting his gaze to the top button of his left gaiter, "woman is uncommon fond o' a good pair o' whiskers—leastways, so I've heerd." "Indeed," said I, "few women can look upon such things unmoved, I believe, and nothing can set off a pair of fine, black whiskers better than a flowered satin waistcoat." "That's so!" nodded the farmer. "But, unfortunately," said I, passing my hand over my smooth lips and chin, "I have no whiskers." "No," returned the farmer, with a thoughtful shake of the head, "leastways, none as I can observe." "Now, you have," said I. "So they do tell me," he answered modestly. "And the natural inference is that you ought to have a flowered waistcoat to go with them." "Why, that's true, to be sure!" he nodded. "The price of this one is—fifteen shillings," said I. "That's a lot o' money, master," said he, shaking his head. "It's a great deal less than forty," said I. "An' ten is less than fifteen, an' ten shillin' is my price; what d'ye say—come now." "You drive a hard bargain," said I, "but the waistcoat is yours at your own price." So saying, I slipped off knapsack and coat, and removing the garment in question, having first felt through the pockets, handed it to him, whereupon he slowly counted the ten shillings into my hand; which done, he sat down upon the shaft of a cart near by, and, spreading out the waistcoat on his knees, looked it over with glistening eyes. "Forty shillin' you paid for 'un, up to Lunnon," said he, "forty shillin' it were, I think?" "Forty shillings!" said I. "Ecod, it's a sight o' money! But it's a grand weskit—ah, that it is!" "So you believe me now, do you?" said I, pocketing the ten shillings. "Well," he answered slowly, "I won't go so fur as that, but 'tis a mighty fine weskit theer's no denyin', an' must ha' cost a sight o' money—a powerful sight!" I picked up my knapsack and, slipping it on, took my staff, and turned to depart. "Theer's a mug o' homebrewed, an' a slice o' fine roast beef up at th' 'ouse, if you should be so inclined—"