I be such a poor lass in brains, an'
I could awnly think of trouble 'cause I loved 'e so true. 'Tedn' like the
same plaace when you'm away. Then I thot you'd gone right back to Lunnon,
an' I judged my heart 'ud break for 'e, I did."
"Poor little blue-eyed woman! Could you really think I was such a brute?"
"'Twas awnly wan thot among many. I never thot so much afore in my life.
An' I looked 'bout tu; an' I went up to the lil byre, where your things
was, an' peeped in en. But I seed naught of 'e, awnly a gashly auld rat in
a trap. But 'e won't gaw aways like that ag'in, will 'e?"
"No, no. It was too bad."
"Coorse I knawed that if all was well with 'e, you'd a done the right
thing, but it 'peared as if the right thing couldn' be to leave me, Mister
Jan--not now, now you be my world like; 'cause theer edn' nothin' or nobody
else in the world but you for me. 'Tis wicked, but t'others be all faded
away; an' faither's nort, an' Joe's nort, alongside o' you."
He did not answer, and began to paint. Joan's face was far short of looking
its best; there were dark shadows under her eyes and less color than usual
brightened her cheeks. He tried to work, but circumstances and his own
feelings were alike against him. He was restless and lacked patience, nor
could his eye see color aright. In half an hour he had spoiled not a little
of what was already done. Then he took a palette-knife, made a clean sweep
of much previous labor and began again.
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