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Adam Bede 628
out。”
“Why； Adam； lad； are you here？” said Mr。 Poyser； entering
warm and coatless； with the two black…eyed boys behind him； still
looking as much like him as two small elephants are like a large
one。 “How is it we’ve got sight o’ you so long before foddering…
time？”
“I came on an errand for Mother；” said Adam。 “She’s got a
touch of her old complaint； and she wants Dinah to go and stay
with her a bit。”
“Well； we’ll spare her for your mother a little while；” said Mr。
Poyser。 “But we wonna spare her for anybody else； on’y her
husband。”
“Husband！” said Marty； who was at the most prosaic and literal
period of the boyish mind。 “Why； Dinah hasn’t got a husband。”
“Spare her？” said Mrs。 Poyser； placing a seed…cake on the table
and then seating herself to pour out the tea。 “But we must spare
her； it seems； and not for a husband neither； but for her own
megrims。 Tommy； what are you doing to your little sister’s doll？
Making the child naughty； when she’d be good if you’d let her。 You
shanna have a morsel o’ cake if you behave so。”
Tommy； with true brotherly sympathy； was amusing himself by
turning Dolly’s skirt over her bald head and exhibiting her
truncated body to the general scorn—an indignity which cut Totty
to the heart。
“What do you think Dinah’s been a…telling me since dinner…
time？” Mrs。 Poyser continued； looking at her husband。
“Eh！ I’m a poor un at guessing；” said Mr。 Poyser。
“Why； she means to go back to Snowfield again； and work i’ the
mill； and starve herself； as she used to do； like a creatur as has got
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Adam Bede 629
no friends。”
Mr。 Poyser did not readily find words to express his unpleasant
astonishment； he only looked from his wife to Dinah； who had now
seated herself beside Totty； as a bulwark against brotherly
playfulness； and was busying herself with the children’s tea。 If he
had been given to making general reflections； it would have
occurred to him that there was certainly a change come over
Dinah； for she never used to change colour； but； as it was； he
merely observed that her face was flushed at that moment。 Mr。
Poyser thought she looked the prettier for it： it was a flush no
deeper than the petal of a monthly rose。 Perhaps it came because
her uncle was looking at her so fixedly； but there is no knowing；
for just then Adam was saying； with quiet surprise； “Why； I hoped
Dinah was settled among us for life。 I thought she’d given up the
notion o’ going back to her old country。”
“Thought！ yes；” said Mrs。 Poyser； “and so would anybody else
ha’ thought； as had got their right end up’ards。 But I suppose you
must be a Methodist to know what a Methodist ’ull do。 It’s ill
guessing what the bats are flying after。”
“Why； what have we done to you。 Dinah； as you must go away
from us？” said Mr。 Poyser； still pausing over his tea…cup。 “It’s like
breaking your word； welly； for your aunt never had no thought but
you’d make this your home。”
“Nay； Uncle；” said Dinah； trying to be quite calm。 “When I first
came； I said it was only for a time； as long as I could be of any
comfort to my aunt。”
“Well； an’ who said you’d ever left off being a comfort to me？”
said Mrs。 Poyser。 “If you didna mean to stay wi’ me； you’d better
never ha’ come。 Them as ha’ never had a cushion don’t miss it。”
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Adam Bede 630
“Nay； nay；” said Mr。 Poyser； who objected to exaggerated
views。 “Thee mustna say so； we should ha’ been ill off wi’out her；
Lady day was a twelvemont’。 We mun be thankful for that；
whether she stays or no。 But I canna think what she mun leave a
good home for； to go back int’ a country where the land； most on’t；
isna worth ten shillings an acre； rent and profits。”
“Why； that’s just the reason she wants to go； as fur as she can
give a reason；” said Mrs。 Poyser。 “She says this country’s too
comfortable； an’ there’s too much t’ eat； an’ folks arena miserable
enough。 And she’s going next week。 I canna turn her； say what I
will。 It’s allays the way wi’ them meek…faced people； you may’s
well pelt a bag o’ feathers as talk to ’em。 But I say it isna religion；
to be so obstinate—is it now； Adam？”
Adam saw that Dinah was more disturbed than he had ever
seen her by any matter relating to herself； and； anxious to relieve
her； if possible； he said； looking at her affectionately； “Nay； I can’t
find fault with anything Dinah does。 I believe her thoughts are
better than our guesses； let ’em be what they may。 I should ha’
been thankful for her to stay among us； but if she thinks well to go；
I wouldn’t cross her； or make it hard to her by objecting。 We owe
her something different to that。”
As it often happens； the words intended to relieve her were just
too much for Dinah’s susceptible feelings at this moment。 The
tears came into the grey eyes too fast to be hidden and she got up
hurriedly； meaning it to be understood that she was going to put
on her bonnet。
“Mother； what’s Dinah crying for？” said Totty。 “She isn’t a
naughty dell。”
“Thee’st gone a bit too fur；” said Mr。 Poyser。 “We’ve no right t’
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interfere with her doing as she likes。 An’ thee’dst be as angry as
could be wi’ me； if I said a word against anything she did。”
“Because you’d very like be finding fault wi’out reason；” said
Mrs。 Poyser。 “But there’s reason i’ what I say； else I shouldna say
it。 It’s easy talking for them as can’t love her so well as her own
aunt does。 An’ me got so