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large share in making the rent； so she may well be allowed to have
her opinion on stock and their “keep”—an exercise which
strengthens her understanding so much that she finds herself able
to give her husband advice on most other subjects。
“There’s that short…horned Sally；” she said； as they entered the
Home Close； and she caught sight of the meek beast that lay
chewing the cud and looking at her with a sleepy eye。 “I begin to
hate the sight o’ the cow； and I say now what I said three weeks
ago； the sooner we get rid of her the better； for there’s that little
yallow cow as doesn’t give half the milk； and yet I’ve twice as
much butter from her。”
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Adam Bede 249
“Why； thee ’t not like the women in general；” said Mr。 Poyser；
“they like the shorthorns； as give such a lot o’ milk。 There’s
Chowne’s wife wants him to buy no other sort。”
“What’s it sinnify what Chowne’s wife likes？ A poor soft thing；
wi’ no more head…piece nor a sparrow。 She’d take a big cullender
to strain her lard wi’； and then wonder as the scratchin’s run
through。 I’ve seen enough of her to know as I’ll niver take a
servant from her house again—all hugger…mugger—and you’d
niver know； when you went in； whether it was Monday or Friday；
the wash draggin’ on to th’ end o’ the week； and as for her cheese；
I know well enough it rose like a loaf in a tin last year。 And then
she talks o’ the weather bein’ i’ fault； as there’s folks ’ud stand on
their heads and then say the fault was i’ their boots。”
“Well； Chowne’s been wanting to buy Sally； so we can get rid of
her if thee lik’st；” said Mr。 Poyser； secretly proud of his wife’s
superior power of putting two and two together； indeed； on recent
market…days he had more than once boasted of her discernment in
this very matter of shorthorns。
“Aye； them as choose a soft for a wife may ’s well buy up the
shorthorns； for if you get your head stuck in a bog； your legs may
’s well go after it。 Eh！ Talk o’ legs； there’s legs for you；” Mrs。
Poyser continued； as Totty； who had been set down now the road
was dry； toddled on in front of her father and mother。 “There’s
shapes！ An’ she’s got such a long foot； she’ll be her father’s own
child。”
“Aye； she’ll be welly such a one as Hetty i’ ten years’ time； on’y
she’s got thy coloured eyes。 I niver remember a blue eye i’ my
family； my mother had eyes as black as sloes； just like Hetty’s。”
“The child ’ull be none the worse for having summat as isn’t
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Adam Bede 250
like Hetty。 An’ I’m none for having her so over pretty。 Though for
the matter o’ that； there’s people wi’ light hair an’ blue eyes as
pretty as them wi’ black。 If Dinah had got a bit o’ colour in her
cheeks； an’ didn’t stick that Methodist cap on her head； enough to
frighten the cows； folks ’ud think her as pretty as Hetty。”
“Nay； nay；” said Mr。 Poyser； with rather a contemptuous
emphasis； “thee dostna know the pints of a woman。 The men ’ud
niver run after Dinah as they would after Hetty。”
“What care I what the men ’ud run after？ It’s well seen what
choice the most of ’em know how to make； by the poor draggle…
tails o’ wives you see； like bits o’ gauze ribbin； good for nothing
when the colour’s gone。”
“Well； well； thee canstna say but what I knowed how to make a
choice when I married thee；” said Mr。 Poyser； who usually settled
little conjugal disputes by a compliment of this sort； “and thee
wast twice as buxom as Dinah ten year ago。”
“I niver said as a woman had need to be ugly to make a good
missis of a house。 There’s Chowne’s wife ugly enough to turn the
milk an’ save the rennet； but she’ll niver save nothing any other
way。 But as for Dinah； poor child； she’s niver likely to be buxom as
long as she’ll make her dinner o’ cake and water； for the sake o’
giving to them as want。 She provoked me past bearing sometimes；
and； as I told her； she went clean again’ the Scriptur’； for that says；
‘Love your neighbour as yourself’； ‘but；’ I said； ‘if you loved your
neighbour no better nor you do yourself； Dinah； it’s little enough
you’d do for him。 You’d be thinking he might do well enough on a
half…empty stomach。’ Eh； I wonder where she is this blessed
Sunday！ Sitting by that sick woman； I daresay； as she’d set her
heart on going to all of a sudden。”
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Adam Bede 251
“Ah； it was a pity she should take such megrims into her head；
when she might ha’ stayed wi’ us all summer； and eaten twice as
much as she wanted； and it ’ud niver ha’ been missed。 She made
no odds in th’ house at all； for she sat as still at her sewing as a
bird on the nest； and was uncommon nimble at running to fetch
anything。 If Hetty gets married； theed’st like to ha’ Dinah wi’ thee
constant。”
“It’s no use thinking o’ that；” said Mrs。 Poyser。 “You might as
well beckon to the flying swallow as ask Dinah to come an’ live
here comfortable； like other folks。 If anything could turn her； I
should ha’ turned her； for I’ve talked to her for a hour on end； and
scolded her too； for she’s my own sister’s child； and it behoves me
to do what I can for her。 But eh； poor thing； as soon as she’d said
us ‘good…bye’ an’ got into the cart； an’ looked back at me with her
pale face； as is welly like her Aunt Judith come back from heaven；
I begun to be frightened to think o’ the set…downs I’d given her； for
it comes over you sometimes as if she’d a way o’ knowing the
rights o’ things more nor other folks have。 But I’ll niver give in as
that’s ’cause she’s a Methodist； no more nor a white calf�