The old man was lying on the bed, with his coat and boots off, and a worsted nightcap of his wife's knitting pulled on to his head. She had tried hard to get him to go to bed at once, and take some physic, and his present costume and position was the compromise. His back was turned to them as they entered, and he was evidently in pain, for he drew his breath heavily and with difficulty, and gave a sort of groan at every respiration. He did not seem to notice their entrance; so his wife touched him on the shoulder, and said, "Simon, here's the young ladies come to see how you be." Simon turned himself round, and winced and groaned as he pulled off his nightcap in token of respect. "We didn't like to go home without coming to see how you were, Simon. Has the doctor been?" "Oh, yes, thank'ee, miss. He've a been and feel'd un all over, and listened at the chest on un," said his wife. "And what did he say?" "He zem'd to zay as there wur no bwones bruk--ugh, ugh," put in Simon, who spoke his native tongue with a buzz, imported from farther west, "but a couldn't zay wether or no there warn't som infarnal injury-" "Etarnal, Simon, etarnal!" interrupted his wife; "how canst use such words afore the young ladies?" "I tell'ee wife, as 'twur infarnal--ugh, ugh," retorted the gardener. "Internal injury?" suggested Miss Winter. "I'm very sorry to hear it." "Zummut inside o' me like, as wur got out o' place," explained Simon; "and I thenks a must be near about the mark, for I feels mortal bad here when I tries to move;" and he put his hand on his side. "Hows'm'ever, as there's no bwones bruk, I hopes to be about to-morrow mornin', please the Lord--ugh, ugh." "You mustn't think of it, Simon," said Miss Winter. "You must be quite quiet for a week, at least, till you get rid of this pain." "So I tells un, Miss Winter," put in the wife. "You hear what the young missus says, Simon?" "And wut's to happen to Tiny?" said the contumacious Simon, scornfully. "Her'll cast her calf, and me not by. Her's calving maybe this minut. Tiny's time were up, miss, two days back, and her's never no gurt while arter her time." "She will do very well, I dare say," said Miss Winter, "One of the men can look after her." The notion of anyone else attending Tiny in her interesting situation seemed to excite Simon beyond bearing, for he raised himself on one elbow, and was about to make a demonstration with his other hand, when the pain seized him again, and he sank back groaning. "There, you see, Simon, you can't move without pain. You must be quiet till you have seen the doctor again." "There's the red spider out along the south wall--ugh, ugh," persisted Simon, without seeming to hear her; "and your new g'raniums a'most covered wi' blight. I wur a tacklin' one of 'em just afore you cum in."