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Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir, 1863-1944

"The Astonishing History of Troy Town"


"Little maid!"
Before he could say more she had stepped to him, and, sitting on the
chair-arm, had flung her arms around his neck and drawn his head
towards her, that he might not look into her face.
"I hate him," she sobbed--"I hate him! I wish I had never seen him.
He despises us, and--and I was so happy before he came."
The Twin set down his pipe upon his knee, and stared into the fire.
"As for hatin', Tamsin," he said gravely, "'tain't right. Us shud
love our neighbours, Scriptur' says; an' I reckon that includes
tenants. I' the matter o' hes despisin' us, I dunno as you'm right
nuther. He's fash'nubble, o' cou'se; but very conformable,
considerin'--very conformable. You bain't sorry us let Kit's House,
eh, Tamsin? Not hankerin'--"
"No, no."
"I doubt, my dear, we'm poor hands to take care of 'ee, Paul an' me.
Us talks et over togither at times, an' agrees 'twas wrong not to ha'
sent 'ee away to school. Us got a whack o' handbills down, wan time,
from different places. You wudn' believe et, my dear," he went on,
with something like a laugh, "but Paul an' me a'most came to words
over they handbills. 'Tes a curious fac', but at the places where
they allowed most holidays, they was most partic'lar about takin'
your own spoon and fork, an' Paul was a stickler agen that.


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