The
devil's nets was the full wans, 'cause--"
At this moment Thomasin came in, saw a man by Mr. Tregenza, but did not
realize who had returned until she struck a light. Then, approaching, she
gasped her surprise and stood for a moment dumb, looking from her husband
to the sailor, from the sailor back to her husband. The horror on Noy's
face frightened her; indeed he was now strung to a pitch of frantic
excitement. He saw that the woman was altogether clad in black, that her
garments were new, that even her bonnet had a black flower in it; and,
despite his concern, he observed an appearance of prosperity about her,
though her face belied it, for Mrs. Tregenza was very thin, and far grayer
and older too than when he saw her last. He took the hand she stretched
shaking toward him; then a question burst from his lips.
"For God's sake speak an' tell me the worst on it. What terrible evil be
here? He'm--he'm daft seemin'ly; he's spawk the awfulest mad words as ever
comed from lips. An' Joan--doan't 'e say it--doan't 'e say 'tis true she'm
dead--not my lil treasure gone dead; an' me, ever since I went, countin'
the days an' hours 'gainst when I should come back?"
"Ay, my poor lad, 'tis true--all true. An' worse behind, Joe. Hip an' thigh
us be smitten--all gone from us; my awnly wan drownded--my awn bwoy; an'
Michael's brain brawk down along o' it. An' the bwoat an' nets be all sold;
though, thanks to God, they fetched good money.
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