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I've a bit of business to do, so I'm takin' a holiday; in style, as you see." "I wonder now," Geake suggested, forgetting all about the coffin, "if you'd give me a lift. I was just thinkin' this moment that I'd a bit o' business there that had clean slipped my mind this week." This was transparently false to any one acquainted with Geake's methodical habits. Long Oliver screwed up his eyes.
"William Geake's an odd-fangled man, but you might give 'en credit for good-feelin'. An', what's more, though I don't hold wi' Christian talk, if a man have a got beliefs, I respect 'en for standin' to 'em without shame." "But I thought, a moment ago " her mother began, and then subsided.
A mile, and a trifle more, beyond Geake's cottage, he came in sight of a man clad in blue sailor's cloth, trudging briskly ahead. Long Oliver's lips shaped themselves as if to whistle; but he made no sound until he overtook the pedestrian, when he pulled up, looked round in the man's face, and said "Abe Bricknell!" The sailor came to a sudden halt, and went very white in the face.
The Chy-pons is the narrowest street in Troy, and Colliver's driver could hardly pass now, except over William Geake's legs. "Draw in your feet, brother Geake," he called out, "or else pray short." One or two women giggled at this. But Geake did not seem to hear.
"Well, I reckoned I'd take a hand in the responses," he answered; and seemed about to say more, but turned on his heel and went back to his room, shutting the door behind him. We pass to a Saturday morning, two years later, and to William Geake's cottage at the western end of Gantick village.
Austell, an' while we're there you shall do up Geake's notes in an envelope with a note sayin' your compliments, but on second thoughts you couldn't think o' takin' his money." Bricknell's face fell somewhat. "You gowk! You'll have twenty-five pound' o' mine in exchange: solid money, an' my own earnin's. I've more 'n that in my pocket here." "But I don't see why you should want to give me money."
An hysterical merriment twinkled in Naomi's eyes. But the strength of Geake's passion saved the situation. He stepped up to Naomi, laid a hand on each shoulder, and shook her gently to and fro. "Listen to me! As I hold 'ee now, so I take your fate in my hands. Naomi Bricknell, you've got to be my wife, so make up your mind to that."
'Tis terrible puzzlin'. You don't know me, I dessay." "No, I don't." "I be called Abe Bricknell A-bra-ham Bricknell. I used to be Na'mi's husband, one time. There now" with an accent of genuine contrition "I felt sure 'twould put you out." The tongue grew dry in William Geake's mouth, and the sunlight died off the road before him.
But I reckon it don't soothe me. I reckon it rubs me the wrong way. There's times, when I hears a body prayin', that I wishes we was Papists again and worshipped images, that I might throw stones at 'em!" She paused, looked up into Geake's devouring eyes, and added, with a poor attempt at a laugh: "So you see, I'm wicked, an' don't want to be saved." Then the man broke forth: "Saved?
There was no help for it; and so easy is the descent of Avernus Geake's unaccustomed wits were already wandering in a wilderness of improbable falsehoods, when he heard the sound of wheels up the road, and Long Oliver came along in Farmer Lear's red-wheeled trap and behind Farmer Lear's dun-coloured mare.
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