“A most commendable and Christian resolution,” said Rachel, decisively.
“Very nice and kind of you to say so, mum,” Snac answered, setting his hat a little more on one side, and bending both knees with a rakish swagger. “You can tell the governor as I called, mother. The pony's as genuine a bit of blood as is to be found in Heydon Hay. The p'ints of a hoss and a dog is a thing as every child thinks he knows about, but bless your heart theer's nothing i' the world as is half so difficult t' understand, unless it is the ladies.” There was such an air of compliment about the saving clause that Rachel involuntarily inclined her head to it. “You'll tell the governor as I was here, mother,” Snac concluded, stooping down to kiss her.
“You mustn't ask me to do that, Snac,” she answered. “I dar' not name your name.”
“Rubbidge!” said Snac, genially. “Does he bite?”
“It's for your sake, Snac,” said his mother, “not for mine. But I dar' not do it.”
“Well, well, mayhap I shall light upon him i' the village. If I shouldn't, I'll look in again. Good-mornin', mother, and good-day to you, mum. I'm just goin' to drop in on Mr. Ezra Gold, seein' as I'm this way. I'm told he wants to part with that shorthorn cow of hisn, and I'm allays game for a bit o' trade.”
“Ah!” said Mrs. Sennacherib, shaking her doleful head. “He'll part with everythin' earthly, poor man, afore he's much older.”
“Why,” cried Snac, “what's the matter with the man?”
“The young uns see nothin', Miss Blythe,” said Mrs. Sennacherib, shaking her head again, but this time with a sort of relish. “But old experienced folks can tell when any poor feller-creetur's time is drawing nigh. His father went just at his time o' life by the same road as he's a-takin'.”
“Well, what road is he takin'?” her son demanded.
“Look at his poor hands,” said Mrs. Sennacherib, with a pitying gusto. “As thin as egg-shells, and with no more color in 'em than there is in that cha-ney saucer. Hark to that dry cough as keeps on a hack-hack-hackin' at him.”
“Pooh!” cried young Sennacherib. “He's been like that as long as I can remember him.”
“Mark my words,” his mother answered, with a stronger air of doleful relish than before, “he'll niver be like that much longer.”