"But stop, hear me out, my dear girl! I was about to say you might come
to my store and get whatever you want, at any time, without payment, if
you will let me drop in and see you sometimes of evenings," whispered
the dealer.
"Sir!" said Hannah, looking up in innocent perplexity.
The man repeated his proposal with a look that taught even Hannah's
simplicity that she had received the deepest insult a woman could
suffer. Hannah was a rude, honest, high-spirited old maid. And she
immediately obeyed her natural impulses, which were to raise her strong
hands and soundly box the villain's ears right and left, until he saw
more stars in the firmament than had ever been created. And before he
could recover from the shock of the assault she picked up her basket and
strode from the shop. Indignation lent her strength and speed, and she
walked home in double-quick time. But once in the shelter of her own hut
she sat down, threw her apron over her head, and burst into passionate
tears and sobs, crying: "It's all along of poor Nora and that child, as I'm thought ill on by
the women and insulted by the men! Yes, it is, you miserable little
wretch!" she added, speaking to the baby, who had opened his big eyes to
see the cause of the uproar. "It's all on her account and yourn, as I'm
treated so! Why do you keep on living, you poor little shrimp? Why don't
you die? Why can't both of us die? Many people die who want to live! Why
should we live who want to die? Tell me that, little miserable!" But the
baby defiantly sucked his thumb, as if it held the elixir of life, and
looked indestructible vitality from his great, bright eyes.
Hannah never ventured to ask another favor from mortal man, except the
very few in whom she could place entire confidence, such as the pastor
of the parish, the Professor of Odd Jobs, and old Jovial. Especially she
shunned Nutt's shop as she would have shunned a pesthouse; although this
course obliged her to go two miles farther to another village to procure
necessaries whenever she had money to pay for them.
Nutt, on his part, did not think it prudent to prosecute Hannah for
assault. But he did a base thing more fatal to her reputation. He told
his wife how that worthless creature, whose sister turned out so badly,
had come running after him, wanting to get goods from his shop, and
teasing him to come to see her; but that he had promptly ordered her out
of the shop and threatened her with a constable if ever she dared to
show her face there again.