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Next week, come what may, I'll speak to him and tell him the truth, like a plain, blunt man." "Do 'e that very thing," urged Chris. "Say we'm lovers these two year an' more; an' that you'd be glad to wed me if your way o' life was bettered. Ban't beggin', as he knaws, for nobody doubts you'm the most book-learned man in Chagford after parson."
He shouted, put the letter into his breast pocket, rose up and strode off to Chagford as fast as his legs would carry him. He thought what his mother and wife would feel upon such news. Then he swore heartily swore down blessings innumerable on Miller Lyddon, whistled to his dog, and so journeyed on.
"What's the wisdom o' talkin' like that? Who 's gwaine to hide the thing, even if they wanted to? God knaws I ban't. I'd like, so well as not, to go up Chagford next market-day an' shout out the business afore the world." "You can't now. You must wait. You promised. I thought about it with every inch of my brain last night, an' I got a sort of feeling I caan't explain, but wait.
It added not a little to the solid splendour of the apartment, and Mrs. Blanchard viewed it with placid but genuine satisfaction. Its tarnished veneer and red face looked like an old honest friend, so Will declared, and he doubted not that his wife would rejoice as he did. Presently the cart destined to bring Phoebe's boxes started for Chagford under Ted Chown's direction.
Other sounds also fretted the air, for a hundred yards distant in a hut-circle the Chagford drum-and-fife band lent its throb and squeak to the hour, and struggled amain to increase universal joy. So the fire flourished, and the plutonian rock-mass of the tor arose, the centre of a scene itself plutonian.
"Awnly the youth and fieriness of 'e." "Me fiery! I lay you wouldn't find a cooler chap in Chagford." "You 'm a dinky bit comical-tempered now and again, dear heart." He flushed, and the corners of his jaw thickened. "If a man was to say that, I'd knock his words down his throat." "I knaw you would, my awn Will; an' that's bein' comical-tempered, ban't it?"
It had been a tremendous task to him to speak on this delicate theme, and regard for John alone actuated him; now he departed without another word and went blankly to the little new stone house he had taken and furnished on the outskirts of Chagford under Middledown. He walked along the straight street of whitewashed cots that led him to his home, and reflected with dismay on this catastrophe.
The question was not asked with the least idea of its enormous significance. Grimbal had no notion that any mystery hung over that autumn time during which he made love to Phoebe and Will was absent from Chagford. He doubted not that for the asking he could learn how Will had occupied himself; but the subject did not interest him, and he never dreamed the period held a secret.
From the knowledge gleaned by him that morning he suspected the meaning of this action, and thought that Chris was running away. And she, at the same moment, divined that he guessed the truth in so far as the present position was concerned. Still she did not speak, and he grew calmer and took her silence as an admission. "You're going away from Chagford? Is it wise?" "Ess, Martin, 'tis best so.
The latter had come to Monks Barton about a triumphal arch, already in course of erection at Chagford market-place, and his presence it was that precipitated her confession, and brought Phoebe's news like a thunderbolt upon the company. Mr. Chapple, looking up suddenly from the saucer that rested upon his outspread fingers and thumb, made a discovery, and spoke with some concern.
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