But she knew and Essy knew that she knew.

“Doan yo saay it, Assy.  Doan yo saay it.”

Essy said nothing.

“D’yo ‘ear mae speaakin’ to yo?  Caann’t yo aanswer?  Is it thot, Assy?  Is it thot?”

“Yas, moother, yo knaw ’tis thot.”

“An’ yo dare to coom ’ear and tell mae!  Yo dirty ‘oossy!  Toorn an’ lat’s ’ave a look at yo.”

Now that the innocence of her face was gone, Mrs. Gale had a stern duty to perform by Essy.

“They’ve gien yo t’ saack?”

“T’ Vicar give it mae.”

“Troost’im!  Whan did ’e gie it yo?”

“Yasterda’.”

“T’moonth’s nawtice?”

“Naw.  I aassked ‘im t’ kape me anoother two moonths an’ ’e woonna. 
I aassked ‘im t’ kape me over Christmas an’ ’e woonna.  I’m to leaave
Saturda’.”

“Did yo expact ‘im t’ kape yo, yo gawpie?  Did yo think you’d nowt to do but t’ laay oop at t’ Vicarage an’ ‘ave th yoong laadies t’ do yore wark for yo, an’ t’ waait on yo ‘and an’ foot?  Miss Gwanda t’ mak’ yore bafe-tae an’ chicken jally and t’ Vicar t’ daandle t’ baaby?

“‘Oo’s goan t’ kape yo?  Mae?  I woonna kape yo an’ I canna’ kape yo.  Yo ain’ t’ baaby!  I doan’ waant naw squeechin’, squallin’ brats mookin’ oop t’ plaace as faast as I clanes it, An’ ’E woonna kape yo—­ef yo’re raakonin’ on ‘im.  Yo need na tall mae oo t’ maan is.  I knaw.”

“’Tis’n ’im, Moother.  ’Tis’n ’im.”

“Yo lil blaack liar! ’Tis ’im.  Ooo alse could it bae?  Yo selly!  Whatten arth possessed yo t’ goa an’ tak oop wi’ Jim Greatorex?  Ef yo mun get into trooble yo medda chawsen battern Jim.  What for did I tak’ yo from t’ Farm an’ put yo into t’ Vicarage ef ‘t wasn’t t’ get yo out o’ Jimmy’s road? ’E’ll naver maarry yo.  Nat ’e!  Did ’e saay as ’e’d maarry yo?  Naw, I warrant yo did na waat fer thot.  Yo was mad t’ roon affter ’im afore ’e called yo.  Yo dirty cat!”

That last taunt drew blood.  Essy spoke up.

“Naw, naw.  ’E looved mae.  ’E wanted mae bad.”

“’E wanted yo?  Coorse ’e wanted yo.  Yo sud na ’ave gien in to ’im, yo softie.  D’yo think yo’re the only woon thot’s tampted?  Look at mae.  I could ’a got into trooble saven times to yore woonce, ef I ’ad’n kaped my ‘ead an’ respected mysel.  Yore Jim Greatorex!  Ef a maan like Jim ’ad laaid a ’and on mae, ‘e’d a got soomthin’ t’ remamber afore I’d ’a gien in to ‘im.  An’ yo’ve naw ‘scuse for disgracin’ yoresel.  Yo was brought oop ralegious an’ respactable.  Did yo aver ’ear saw mooch aa a bad woord?”

“It’s doon, Moother, it’s doon.  There’s naw good taalkin’.”

“Eh!  Yo saay it’s doon, it’s doon, an’ yo think nowt o’ ‘t.  An’ nowt yo think o’ t’ trooble yo’re brengin’ on mae.  I sooppawse yo’ll be tallin’ mae naxt yo looved ’im!  Yo looved’im!”

At that Essy began to cry, softly, in her manner.

“Doan’ yo tall mae thot taale.”