And that's all I ask or want."
I didn't see how the man could say fairer than that, and more did my wife.
And it all went very suent I'm sure. They was wedded, and spent eight
fairly happy years together, and Bob knew his place till Mary's dying day.
He didn't kill himself with work after he'd got her; and he wasn't at
church as regular as of old; but he pleasured her very willing most times,
and was always kind and considerate and attentive; and if ever they had a
word, only them and their Maker knew about it.
She loved him, and she loved the ring he put on her finger, and she loved
signing herself "Mary Battle"--never tired of that. And then she died, and
he bided on till he was a very old, ancient man, with my son to help him.
And then he died too, and was buried along with his wife. He was always
self-contained and self-respecting. He took his luck for granted and never
made no fuss about it; and such was his character that no man ever envied
him his good fortune. In fact, I do believe that everybody quite agreed
with his own opinion: that he hadn't got any more than he deserved--if as
much.
No. V
WHEN FOX WAS FERRYMAN
We Dittisham folk live beside Dart river and at what you may call a
crossing. For there's a lot of people go back and forth over the water
between us and Greenway on t'other bank, and so the ferryman is an
important member of the community, and we often date things that happen by
such a man who reigned over the ferry at the time, just as we think of
what fell out when such a king reigned over the country.
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