第69部分(第6/7 页)

them　all　three。”

“That　proves　you　must　have　been　an　honest　and　faithful　servant。　I　will　say　so　much　for　you；　though　you　have　had　the　incivility　to　call　me　a　beggar。”

She　again　regarded　me　with　a　surprised　stare。　“I　believe；”　she　said；　“I　y　thoughts　of　you：　but　there　is　so　mony　cheats　goes　about；　you　mun　forgie　me。”

“And　though；”　I　continued；　rather　severely；　“you　wished　to　turn　me　from　the　door；　on　a　night　when　you　should　not　have　shut　out　a　dog。”

“Well；　it　was　hard：　but　what　can　a　body　do？　I　thought　more　o’　th’　childer　nor　of　mysel：　poor　things！　They’ve　like　nobody　to　tak’　care　on　‘em　but　me。　I’m　like　to　look　sharpish。”

I　maintained　a　grave　silence　for　some　minutes。

“You　munnut　think　too　hardly　of　me；”　she　again　remarked。

“But　I　do　think　hardly　of　you；”　I　said；　“and　I’ll　tell　you　why—not　so　much　because　you　refused　to　give　me　shelter；　or　regarded　me　as　an　impostor；　as　because　you　just　now　made　it　a　species　of　reproach　that　I　had　no　‘brass’　and　no　house。　Some　of　the　best　people　that　ever　lived　have　been　as　destitute　as　I　am；　and　if　you　are　a　Christian；　you　ought　not　to　consider　poverty　a　crime。”

“No　more　I　ought；”　said　she：　“Mr。　St。　John　tells　me　so　too；　and　I　see　I　wor　wrang—but　I’ve　clear　a　different　notion　on　you　now　to　what　I　had。　You　look　a　raight　down　dacent　little　crater。”

“That　will　do—I　forgive　you　now。　Shake　hands。”

She　put　her　floury　and　horny　hand　into　mine；　another　and　heartier　smile　illumined　her　rough　face；　and　from　that　moment　we　were　friends。

Hannah　was　evidently　fond　of　talking。　While　I　picked　the　fruit；　and　she　made　the　paste　for　the　pies；　she　proceeded　to　give　me　sundry　details　about　her　deceased　master　and　mistress；　and　“the　childer；”　as　she　called　the　young　people。