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Scantlands； we should have no outlying fields； and I should be
glad of it； for if ever anything happens； he’s sure to be gone to the
Scantlands。 Things allays happen so contrairy； if they’ve a chance；
and it’s an unnat’ral thing to have one bit o’ your farm in one
county and all the rest in another。”
“Ah； the Scantlands would go much better with Choyce’s farm；
especially as he wants dairy…land and you’ve got plenty。 I think
yours is the prettiest farm on the estate； though； and do you know；
Mrs。 Poyser； if I were going to marry and settle； I should be
tempted to turn you out； and do up this fine old house； and turn
farmer myself。”
“Oh； sir；” said Mrs。 Poyser； rather alarmed； “you wouldn’t like
it at all。 As for farming； it’s putting money into your pocket wi’
your right hand and fetching it out wi’ your left。 As fur as I can see；
it’s raising victual for other folks and just getting a mouthful for
yourself and your children as you go along。 Not as you’d be like a
poor man as wants to get his bread—you could afford to lose as
much money as you liked i’ farming—but it’s poor fun losing
money； I should think； though I understan’ it’s what the great folks
i’ London play at more than anything。 For my husband heard at
market as Lord Dacey’s eldest son had lost thousands upo’
thousands to the Prince o’ Wales； and they said my lady was going
to pawn her jewels to pay for him。 But you know more about that
than I do； sir。 But； as for farming； sir； I canna think as you’d like it；
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and this house—the draughts in it are enough to cut you through；
and it’s my opinion the floors upstairs are very rotten； and the rats
i’ the cellar are beyond anything。”
“Why； that’s a terrible picture； Mrs。 Poyser。 I think I should be
doing you a service to turn you out of such a place。 But there’s no
chance of that。 I’m not likely to settle for the next twenty years； till
I’m a stout gentleman of forty； and my grandfather would never
consent to part with such good tenants as you。”
“Well； sir； if he thinks so well o’ Mr。 Poyser for a tenant I wish
you could put in a word for him to allow us some new gates for the
Five closes； for my husband’s been asking and asking till he’s
tired； and to think o’ what he’s done for the farm； and ’s never had
a penny allowed him； be the times bad or good。 And as I’ve said to
my husband often and often； I’m sure if the captain had anything
to do with it； it wouldn’t be so。 Not as I wish to speak disrespectful
o’ them as have got the power i’ their hands； but it’s more than
flesh and blood ’ull bear sometimes； to be toiling and striving； and
up early and down late； and hardly sleeping a wink when you lie
down for thinking as the cheese may swell； or the cows may slip
their calf； or the wheat may grow green again i’ the sheaf—and
after all； at th’ end o’ the year； it’s like as if you’d been cooking a
feast and had got the smell of it for your pains。”
Mrs。 Poyser； once launched into conversation； always sailed
along without any check from her preliminary awe of the gentry。
The confidence she felt in her own powers of exposition was a
motive force that overcame all resistance。
“I’m afraid I should only do harm instead of good； if I were to
speak about the gates； Mrs。 Poyser；” said the captain； “though I
assure you there’s no man on the estate I would sooner say a word
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for than your husband。 I know his farm is in better order than any
other within ten miles of us； and as for the kitchen；” he added；
smiling； “I don’t believe there’s one in the kingdom to beat it。 By
the by； I’ve never seen your dairy： I must see your dairy； Mrs。
Poyser。”
“Indeed； sir； it’s not fit for you to go in； for Hetty’s in the middle
o’ making the butter； for the churning was thrown late； and I’m
quite ashamed。” This Mrs。 Poyser said blushing； and believing
that the captain was really interested in her milk…pans； and would
adjust his opinion of her to the appearance of her dairy。 “Oh； I’ve
no doubt it’s in capital order。 Take me in；” said the captain；
himself leading the way； while Mrs。 Poyser followed。
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Chapter VII
The Dairy
he dairy was certainly worth looking at： it was a scene to
sicken for with a sort of calenture in hot and dusty
T
streets—such coolness； such purity； such fresh fragrance
of new…pressed cheese； of firm butter； of wooden vessels
perpetually bathed in pure water； such soft colouring of red
earthenware and creamy surfaces； brown wood and polished tin；
grey limestone and rich orange…red rust on the iron weights and
hooks and hinges。 But one gets only a confused notion of these
details when they surround a distractingly pretty girl of seventeen；
standing on little pattens and rounding her dimpled arm to lift a
pound of butter out of the scale。
Hetty blushed a deep rose…colour when Captain Donnithorne
entered the dairy and spoke to her； but it was not at all a
distressed blush； for it was inwreathed with smiles and dimples；
and with sparkles from under long； curled； dark eyelashes； and
while her aunt was discoursing to him about the limited amount of
milk that was to be spared for butter and cheese so long as the
calves were not all weaned； and a large quantity but inferior
quality of milk yielded by the shorthorn； which had been bought
on experiment； together with other matters which must be
in