Well, as I followed Joe into the kitchen, what between the sinking I felt at having to leave, and the doubt whether I hadn’t made a fool of myself at the last with Miss Lucy, I felt half mad, and the first thing I made up my mind to was to have a good quarrel with Joe.
So when he sat down on one side of the fire, and began lighting his pipe, I kept standing looking at him, and thinking how I should begin.
“There’s your pipe, Dick,” said he, puffing away, “on the settle--why don’t you sit down and light up?”
“I shan’t smoke with you to-night, Joe,” said I, “you ought to be ashamed of yourself!”
“Ashamed o’ myself,” shouted Joe, staring up at me till I could hardly keep from laughing, angry as I was; “what, in the name o’ goodness, have I done to be ashamed of?”
“’Tisn’t what you’ve done, but what you’ve said.”
“Said! what in the world have I said? Precious little I know, for you always get all the talk to yourself.”
“Why, what you said just now to me and Miss Lucy,” said I.
“To you and Lu?” said he, looking puzzled; and then off he went into one of his great laughs. “Oh, I take--well, that’s too much! To be blown up by _you_ for it! Why, if any one is to scold, I should say it’s Lu.”
“Do you think I like to be made the means of giving your sister pain?” said I.
“There now, don’t be a fool, Dick--sit down like a good fellow, and light your pipe. What I said don’t mean any thing down in these parts. Well, I’m very sorry. She’ll never think twice about it, bless you. And besides, you know, there can’t be any harm done, for you didn’t take my advice.”
Well, I began to get cool, and to think I might do something better than quarrel with Joe the last night; so I took my pipe, and filled it, and sat down opposite him, and he began to mix two glasses of grog, twisting his face about all the time to keep himself from laughing.
“Here’s your health, old fellow,” said he, when he had done, “and, mind you, we shall always be glad to see you here when you can come; though I’m afraid the place must be terrible dull for a Londoner.”
“It’s the best place I’ve ever been in,” said I, with a sigh.
This pleased Joe; and he went off about what he would find me to do if I could come down in the winter or the spring; but I didn’t listen much, for I was making up my mind to speak to him about his sister, and I was afraid how he might take it.