“’Ees, as I often did say,” resumed Mrs. Domeny, “it did seem from the very beginnin’ as though ‘twas meant to be.  She was a-livin’ next door to Susannah—­hadn’t long come, d’ye see, and didn’t know any of the neighbours to speak on.  But she an’ me took to each other fro’ the beginnin’.  She were a staid women then, an’ not over an’ above well-lookin’—­nay, I can’t say as she was.  But she was dressed very fayshionable an’ nice, an’ she was very pleasant to speak to, an’ as for me, you know I’m of a very affectionate disposition; ’tis my natur’ to cling, d’ye see.  ’Ees, as I often do say to my ’usband, I am as clingin’ as—­as a worm.  So, as I tell ye, we did take to each other fro’ the first.  Well, when Susannah was a-gettin’ about, after the ninth day, ye know, I went home along, and Sarah did say to I, ’I’ll come and see you, Mrs. Domeny, if I mid make so bold,’ she says in her lady-like way.

“‘To be sure, Mrs. Maidment,’ says I—­”

“Oh, she was a widow then?” interrupted Mrs. Cross.  “There now, what notions folks do get in their heads.  I al’ays made sure and certain as your sister-in-law was a single woman afore she was your sister-in-law.”

“No, my dear,” said Mrs. Domeny impressively.  “She was a widow, Mrs. Cross, that’s what she was.  She’d a-buried her first poor husband—­an’ a very fine man he was by all accounts—­nigh upon six year afore ever she took up wi’ brother John.”

“Indeed!” ejaculated Mrs. Cross, in a tone which signified that the fact redounded greatly to the credit of the late Mrs. John Domeny.

“’Ees, indeed,” repeated the narrator triumphantly.  “But where was I?  ‘To be sure, Mrs. Maidment,’ says I, ’I’ll be main glad to see you whenever ye can anyway make it convenient to come.’  Well, one Sunday she did drap in just as my husband and myself was a-sitting down to our tea.  So of course I did make her so welcome as I could, and did get out the best cups an’ heat up a bit o’ toast, and we was all as comfortable an’ friendly as could be.  But I noticed, Mrs. Cross, as how Mrs. Maidment’s eyes was a-fixed constant on my husband; there, I couldn’t choose but notice it, it seemed as if she had to look at him, d’ye understand.  I thought at first maybe he had a spot on his face or some sich thing, but, no, it weren’t that; and she did speak to en so respectful, and hearken so interested-like when he did say a word, which warn’t often, ye mid be sure, for Robert bain’t no talker.”

“Dear to be sure, how strange,” put in Mrs. Cross, again pausing in the act of mastication, and preparing to listen to further details with heightened interest.

“Strange!” echoed the other.  “Wait till ye hear the rest, then ye’ll think it strange.  By-and-by Robert pushed away his cup, ’I think I’ll step out for a bit of a pipe, Mary,’ says he to I.  ’I wish ye good day, ma’am,’ says he, noddin’ his head at Mrs. Maidment.  The door had no sooner shut behind en,” she continued, leaning forward and speaking slowly and with great unction, “than Sarah she looks me full in the face, and says she, ‘Mrs. Domeny,’ she says, ’I do admire your husband.  I think,’ she says, ‘he be a beautiful man.’”