Page:Eliot - Adam Bede, vol. I, 1859.djvu/302

290 fit to break her heart by the far horse-pit. But Hetty niver minded it, I could see, though she's been at the nussin' o' the chikl iver since it was a babby. It's my belief her heart's as hard as a pibble."

"Nay, nay," said Mr Poyser, "thee mustn't judge Hetty too hard. Them young gells are like th' unripe grain; they'll make good meal by-and-by, but they're squashy as yit. Thee 't see Hetty 'll be all right when she's got a good husband an' children of her own."

"I don't want to be hard upo' the gell. She's got cliver fingers of her own, and can be useful enough when she likes, and I should miss her wi' the butter, for she's got a cool hand. An' let be what may, I'd strive to do my part by a niece o' yours, an' that I've done: for I've taught her everything as belongs to a house, an' I've told her her duty often enough, though, God knows, I've no breath to spare, an' that catchin' pain comes on dreadful by times. Wi' them three gells in the house I'd need have twice the strength, to keep 'em up to their work. It's like having roast meat at three fires; as soon as you've basted one, another's burnin'."