"Because she told me so."
"Told you so, did she?" said George, and immediately plunged his
head into the bucket.
"She did," I answered.
"And supposin'," said George, coming up very red in the face, and
with the water streaming from his sodden curls, "supposin' she is
goin' to the Fair, what's that to me? I don't care wheer she
comes, no, nor wheer she goes, neither!" and he shook the water
from him as a dog might.
"Are you quite sure, George?"
"Ah! sartin sure. I've been sure of it now ever since she called
me--"
"Pooh, nonsense, man! she didn't mean it--women especially young
ones--often say things they do not mean--at least, so I am given
to understand."
"Ay, but she did mean it," said George, frowning and nodding his
head; "but it ain't that, Peter, no, it aren't that, it's the
knowin' as she spoke truth when she called me 'coward,' and
despisin' me for it in 'er heart, that's wheer it is, Peter."
"Nevertheless, I'm sure she never meant it, George."
"Then let 'er come and tell me so."
"I don't think she'll do that," said I.
"No more do I, Peter." Saying which, he fell to work with the
towel even as I had done.
"George," said I after a silence.
"Well, Peter?"
"Has it ever struck you that Prudence is an uncommonly handsome
girl?"
"To be sure it 'as, Peter--I were blind else."
"And that other men may see this too?"
"Well, Peter?"
"And some one--even tell her so?" His answer was a long time
coming, but come it did at last: "Well, Peter?"
"And--ask her to marry him, George?" This time he was silent so
long that I had tied my neckerchief and drawn on my coat ere he
spoke, very heavily and slowly, and without looking at me.
"Why, then, Peter, let 'im. I've told 'ee afore, I don't care
wheer she comes nor wheer she goes, she bean't nothin' to me no
more, nor I to she. If so be some man 'as a mind to ax 'er for
'isself, all open an' aboveboard, I say again--let 'im. And now,
let's talk o' summat else."
"Willingly. There's to be boxing, and single-stick, and
wrestling at the Fair, I understand."
"Ay."
"And, they tell me, there is a famous wrestler coming all the way
from Cornwall to wrestle the best man for ten guineas."