There was another silence. Then suddenly Reuben went to the door and opened it.Thus, in a very small way, and with continual hard work and anxiety, the farm was beginning to revive. Reuben felt that he was recapturing his prestige in the neighbourhood, and, when his labours allowed him, assisted the good work by drinking slow glasses of sherry in the bar of the Cocks, and making patronising remarks about his neighbours' concerns.
ONE:"I can't say as I'm pleased at his marrying Miss Bardon," Reuben would say. "She's ten year older than he if she's a day. 'Twas she who asked him, I reckon. He could have done better fur himself if he'd stayed at h?ame.""Well, liddle Rose."
TWO:"Darest thou, rash man, to defile the holy place?why art thou not in thy prison?" said Sudbury, whose glance fell proudly and scornfully on the monk."How d'you mean?"
TWO:"II must be gitting back home.""Six boys, have you? Are they grown up?"
THREE:In October a steam-thresher came to Odiam. The wheat had been bad, but there was still plenty of grain to thresh, and for a whole day the machine sobbed and sang under the farmhouse walls"Urrr-umUrrr-umUrrr-um."
