“T’ch, t’ch, t’ch,” commented the listener, clicking her tongue, for her astonishment at the sudden development was too great to find vent in mere words.

“‘I do admire your husband,’” repeated Mrs. Domeny impressively.  “That was what she said, ‘he be a beautiful man.’  ‘Well,’ said I, ’I’ll not say nay to that, Mrs. Maidment.  Him an’ me have been married now goin’ on fifteen year, an’ all I can say about en is as if I were free to choose again, I’d choose the same.’

“‘Ah,’ says she, giving a kind of sigh, this way, ye know” (here Mrs. Domeny sighed noisily). “’Ah, I knowed he was good by the very looks of him.  I am sure,’ says she, ’he must come of a very respectable family.’  So of course I did tell her as the Domenys was well known and respected in all the country round, and was real good old Darset stock.  ‘There never was a Domeny yet,’ says I, ’as wasn’t a credit to the country.’  ‘Ah,’ says she, sighin’ again, ‘and I d’ ’low, ma’am, they do make very good husbands.’

“‘Ye mid be sure they do,’ says I; ’I can speak up for my own man, and I think Mrs. Tom and Mrs. Ned can do the same for theirs.’

“‘Be they all married?’ axes she, very quick.

“Well, I looked at her—­it did seem a particular kind of question, so to speak, an’ she took a fit of coughin’” (here Mrs. Domeny simulated a genteel and hesitating attack of the infirmity in question), “an’ at last, says she, very earnest, ’Bain’t there one of them at all as hasn’t got a wife?’

“‘There is Brother John,’ says I; ’his missus died two years ago, come Michaelmas.  He’s a very quiet man,’ says I, ‘very quiet.’

“‘Has he got a nice place?’ says she.

“‘Dear, to be sure,’ says I, ’Brother John be very comfortable.  He’s got a good-sized house wi’ a big garden, an’ he do bring up a sight o’ pigs an’ chicken.’

“’That ‘ud do me very well,’ says Sarah.  ’I’ve got a bank-book what is worth lookin’ at!’ And then she stood up.  ’I should like to meet your brother John,’ she did say; ’perhaps ye’ll think it over, Mrs. Domeny?’

“’Oh, ‘e—­es, I’ll do that,’ said I. She did bid me good-bye then, an’ so soon as ever she was gone I called Robert in and telled en the whole tale.”

“I d’ ‘low he were pleased,” put in Mrs. Cross, “about her admirin’ of en, ye know.”

“Well, he be a very modest man, Robert be; he didn’t take much notice.  ‘Fancy that!’ says he, when I did tell en.”

“Fancy that!” had also been Mrs. Cross’s inward comment, on first hearing of the effect produced by Mr. Robert Domeny on the impressionable Mrs. Maidment; for if truth be told he was anything but an Adonis.  But she wisely kept her surprise to herself, and now once more clicked her tongue in token of appreciation.

“‘Now, Robert,’ says I,” continued Mrs. Domeny, resuming her narrative tone, “‘how would it be if we was to write to Brother John?’