Page:Dickens - A Child s History of England, 1900.djvu/754



" why Tom Tiddler's Ground?" asked the traveller. "Because he scatters half-pence to tramps and such-like," returned the landlord, "and of course they pick 'em up. And this being done on his own land (which it is his own land, you observe, and were his family's before him), why it is but regarding the half-pence as gold and silver, and turning the ownership of the property a bit round your finger, and there you have the name of the children's game complete. And it's appropriate too," said the landlord, with his favorite action of stooping a little, to look across the table out of window at vacancy, under the window-blind which was half drawn down. "Leastwise it has been so considered by many gentlemen which have partook of chops and tea in the present humble parlor."

The traveller was partaking of chops and tea in the present humble parlor, and the landlord's shot was fired obliquely at him.

"And you call him a hermit?" said the traveller.

"They call him such," returned the landlord, evading personal responsibility; "he is in general so considered."

"What is a hermit?" asked the traveller.

"What is it?" repeated the landlord, drawing his hand across his chin.

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