'How dreadful!' said Mrs. Garland.
'We could keep him in the mill,' suggested the miller. 'It won't matter about the grinder hearing him, for he can't learn to cuss worse than he do already!'
'The grinder shall have him, then,' said Bob. 'The one I have given you, ma'am, has no harm in him at all. You might take him to church o' Sundays as far as that goes.'
The sailor now untied a small wooden box about a foot square, perforated with holes. 'Here are two marmosets,' he continued.
'You can't see them tonight; but they are beauties--the tufted sort.'
'What's a marmoset?' said the miller.
'O, a little kind of monkey. They bite strangers rather hard, but you'll soon get used to 'em.'
'They are wrapped up in something, I declare,' said Mrs. Garland, peeping in through a chink.
'Yes, that's my flannel shirt,' said Bob apologetically. 'They suffer terribly from cold in this climate, poor things! and I had nothing better to give them. Well, now, in this next box I've got things of different sorts.'
The latter was a regular seaman's chest, and out of it he produced shells of many sizes and colours, carved ivories, queer little caskets, gorgeous feathers, and several silk handkerchiefs, which articles were spread out upon all the available tables and chairs till the house began to look like a bazaar.
'What a lovely shawl!' exclaimed Widow Garland, in her interest forestalling the regular exhibition by looking into the box at what was coming.
'O yes,' said the mate, pulling out a couple of the most bewitching shawls that eyes ever saw. 'One of these I am going to give to that young lady I am shortly to be married to, you know, Mrs. Garland.
Has father told you about it. Matilda Johnson, of Southampton, that's her name.'
'Yes, we know all about it,' said the widow.
'Well, I shall give one of these shawls to her--because, of course, I ought to.'
'Of course,' said she.
'But the other one I've got no use for at all; and,' he continued, looking round, 'will you have it, Miss Anne. You refused the parrot, and you ought not to refuse this.'
'Thank you,' said Anne calmly, but much distressed; 'but really I don't want it, and couldn't take it.'
'But do have it!' said Bob in hurt tones, Mrs. Garland being all the while on tenter-hooks lest Anne should persist in her absurd refusal.
'Why, there's another reason why you ought to!' said he, his face lighting up with recollections. 'It never came into my head till this moment that I used to be your beau in a humble sort of way.
Faith, so I did, and we used to meet at places sometimes, didn't we--that is, when you were not too proud; and once I gave you, or somebody else, a bit of my hair in fun.'
'It was somebody else,' said Anne quickly.
'Ah, perhaps it was,' said Bob innocently. 'But it was you I used to meet, or try to, I am sure. Well, I've never thought of that boyish time for years till this minute. I am sure you ought to accept some one gift, dear, out of compliment to those old times!'
Anne drew back and shook her head, for she would not trust her voice.
'Well, Mrs. Garland, then you shall have it,' said Bob, tossing the shawl to that ready receiver. 'If you don't, upon my life I will throw it out to the first beggar I see. Now, here's a parcel of cap ribbons of the splendidest sort I could get. Have these--do, Anne!'
'Yes, do,' said Mrs. Garland.
'I promised them to Matilda,' continued Bob; 'but I am sure she won't want 'em, as she has got some of her own. and I would as soon see them upon your head, my dear, as upon hers.'
'I think you had better keep them for your bride if you have promised them to her,' said Mrs. Garland mildly.
'It wasn't exactly a promise. I just said, "Til, there's some cap ribbons in my box, if you would like to have them.. But she's got enough things already for any bride in creation. Anne, now you shall have 'em--upon my soul you shall--or I'll fling them down the mill-tail!'
Anne had meant to be perfectly firm in refusing everything, for reasons obvious even to that poor waif, the meanest capacity; but when it came to this point she was absolutely compelled to give in, and reluctantly received the cap ribbons in her arms, blushing fitfully, and with her lip trembling in a motion which she tried to exhibit as a smile.
'What would Tilly say if she knew!' said the miller slily.
'Yes, indeed--and it is wrong of him!' Anne instantly cried, tears running down her face as she threw the parcel of ribbons on the floor. 'You'd better bestow your gifts where you bestow your l--l-- love, Mr. Loveday--that's what I say!. And Anne turned her back and went away.
