Читать книгу Pastorals of Dorset онлайн

19 страница из 43

“We’ll be like to repent it, too. Abel be wonderful handy about the place. ’Tis but his j’ints as is straggled. He be no Sammy, shepherd bain’t; his head’s wise enough yet if his body be tewly.”

“I do ’low ye didn’t take him the right way,” said Mrs. Joyce, looking at her husband with severe disapproval. “Men-folk be all alike, they’ve no notion o’ things. I’ll lay a shillin’ ye took en rough like—told en he weren’t good for nothin’, an’ vexed en so that he were fair dathered. Leave en to me, I’ll talk to en a bit, an’ see what I can make of en.”

Then she banged another plate upon the table and added somewhat inconsequently, “I’ve no patience with en—nor you neither”.

Later in the day she was standing, knitting in hand, watching a brood of very young chickens which had made their appearance at an astonishingly early date. Despite this fact they were hardy, healthy little things, and Mrs. Joyce smiled as she watched them running in and out from under their mother, picking up the meal she threw them with great alertness and enjoyment.