第80章

’Haveyouso，sir？Butperhapsthemaidmighthavenodesiretosuitme。’

’Thatyoumaytakemywordshehas。Thecolourofthiswinewillproveit。Thelittleslyhussyhasbeentothecobwebbedarchofthecellar，whereshehasnorighttogo，foranyoneunderamagistrate。However，Iamgladtoseeit，andwewillnotspareit，John。

Aftermytime，somebody，whoevermarrieslittleRuth，willfindsomerarewinesthere，Itrow，andperhapsnotknowthedifference。’

Thinkingofthistheoldmansighed，andexpectedmetosighafterhim。Butasighisnot(likeayawn)

infectious；andweareallmorepronetobesenttosleepthantosorrowbyoneanother。Notbutwhatasighsometimesmaymakeusthinkofsighing。

’Well，sir，’criedI，inmysprightliestmanner，whichrousesupmostpeople，’here’stoyourhealthanddearlittleRuth’s：andmayyoulivetoknockoffthecobwebsfromeverybottleinunderthearch。UncleReuben，yourlifeandhealth，sir？’

WiththatItookmyglassthoughtfully，foritwaswondrousgood；andUncleBenwaspleasedtoseemedwellingpleasantlyonthesubjectwithparenthesis，andself-commune，andoraljudgmentunpronounced，thoughsmackingoffinedecision。’Curiavultadvisari，’asthelawyerssay；whichmeans，’Letushaveanotherglass，andthenwecanthinkaboutit。’

’Comenow，John，’saidUncleBen，layinghiswrinkledhandonmyknee，whenhesawthatnonecouldheedus，’IknowthatyouhaveasneakingfondnessformygrandchildRuth。Don’tinterruptmenow；youhave；andtodenyitwillonlyprovokeme。’

’IdolikeRuth，sir，’Isaidboldly，forfearofmisunderstanding；’butIdonotloveher。’

’Verywell；thatmakesnodifference。Likingmayverysoonbeloving(assomepeoplecallit)whenthemaidhasmoneytohelpher。’

’Butiftherebe，asthereisinmycase——’

’Onceforall，John，notaword。IdonotattempttoleadyouintoanyengagementwithlittleRuth；neitherwillIblameyou(thoughImaybedisappointed)ifnosuchengagementshouldeverbe。Butwhetheryouwillhavemygrandchild，orwhetheryouwillnot——andsuchachanceisrarelyofferedtoafellowofyourstanding’——UncleBendespisedallfarmers——’inanycaseIhaveatleastresolvedtoletyouknowmysecret；andfortwogoodreasons。Thefirstisthatitwearsmeouttodwelluponit，allalone，andthesecondisthatIcantrustyoutofulfilapromise。Moreover，youaremynextofkin，exceptamongthewomankind；andyouarejustthemanIwant，tohelpmeinmyenterprise。’

’AndIwillhelpyou，sir，’Ianswered，fearingsomeconspiracy，’inanythingthatistrue，andloyal，andaccordingtothelawsoftherealm。’

’Ha，ha!’criedtheoldman，laughinguntilhiseyesranover，andspreadingouthisskinnyhandsuponhisshiningbreeches，’thouhastgonethesamefools’trackastherest；evenasspyStickleswent，andallhisprecioustroopers。LandingofarmsatGlenthorne，andLynmouth，wagonsescortedacrossthemoor，soundsofmetalandboomingnoises!Ah，butwemanageditcleverly，tocheateventhosesoneartous。

DisaffectionatTaunton，signsofinsurrectionatDulverton，revolutionarytanneratDunster!Wesetitallabroad，rightwell。Andnotevenyoutosuspectourwork；thoughwethoughtatonetimethatyouwatchedus。Nowwho，doyousuppose，isatthebottomofallthisExmoorinsurgency，allthiswesternrebellion——notthatIsaythereisnone，mind——butwhoisatthebottomofit？’

’EitherMotherMelldrum，’saidI，beingnowalittleangry，’orelseoldNickhimself。’

’Nay，oldUncleReuben!’Sayingthis，MasterHuckabackcastbackhiscoat，andstoodup，andmadethemostofhimself。

’Well!’criedI，beingnowquitecometothelimitsofmyintellect，’then，afterall，CaptainStickleswasrightincallingyouarebel，sir!’

’Ofcoursehewas；couldsokeenamanbewrongaboutanoldfoollikeme？Butcome，andseeourrebellion，John。Iwilltrustyounowwitheverything。Iwilltakenooathfromyou；onlyyourwordtokeepsilence；

andmostofallfromyourmother。’

’Iwillgiveyoumyword，’Isaid，althoughlikingnotsuchpledges；whichmakeamanthinkbeforehespeaksinordinarycompany，againsthisusualpractices。

However，Iwasnowsocurious，th