Book Two The Woman - Chapter 32 How We Set Out for Burnham Hall

"Peter," said the Ancient, after we had gone a little way,
"Peter, I do 'opes as you aren't been an' gone an' rose my Prue's
'opes only to dash 'em down again."

"I can but do my best, Ancient."

"Old Un," said Simon, "'tweren't Peter as rose 'er 'opes,
'twere you; Peter never said nowt about bringin' Jarge 'ome--"

"Simon," commanded the Ancient, "hold thy tongue, lad; I says
again, if Peter's been an' rose Prue's 'opes only to dash 'em 't
will be a bad day for Prue, you mark my words; Prue's a lass as
don't love easy, an' don't forget easy."

"Why, true, Gaffer, true, God bless 'er!"

"She be one as 'ud pine--slow an' quiet, like a flower in the
woods, or a leaf in autumn--ah! fade, she would, fade an' fade!"

"Well, she bean't a-goin' to do no fadin', please the Lord!"

"Not if me an' Peter an' you can 'elp it, Simon, my bye--but we
'm but poor worms, arter all, as the Bible says; an' if Peter 'as
been an' rose 'er 'opes o' freein' Jarge, an' don't free Jarge
--if Jarge should 'ave to go a convic' to Austrayley, or--or t'
other place, why then--she'll fade, fade as ever was, an' be laid
in the churchyard afore 'er poor old grandfeyther!"