‘Yi, it is,’ responded Mrs. Fletcher.  ’He geet rheumatic fayver six year sin’, when he poo’d it aat o’ Green Fowd Lodge; and now he’s getten welly worried to deeath by savin’ it fro’ that bull-terrier o’ Oliver’s o’ Deaf Martha’s.’

’Ay! they’n welly done for us both this time, hevn’t they, Captain?’ faintly said Moses, addressing the dog, and extending his hand wearily for a canine caress.  ’But aar time ’ll come.  Wee’n nobbud to wait, and we’ll mak’ it even wi’ ’em yet.’

’But you must not forget the Divine injunction, Mr. Fletcher.  “Avenge not yourselves; vengeance is Mine, I will repay."’

‘Ay! bless yo’,’ interrupted the wife, ‘they think as he’s mad’ ‘em pay too mich already.’

‘Who, Mrs. Fletcher?’ asked the minister.  ‘The Almighty?’

‘Nay; I mean our Moses there.  They say as he’s awlus makin’ ’em pay.’

‘Thee howd thi tung.  I know mi business baat bein’ helped or hindered by thee, or onybody else.’

This last with biting emphasis, as though to include the pastor.

Then, turning to Mr. Penrose, he continued: 

’Hoo’d let ’em off if hoo’d her way, but that’s noan o’ my creed.’

’I think her creed is the better of the two, though, Mr. Fletcher.  If thine enemy hunger, give him—­’

‘A summons if he willn’d pay for what he gets.’

‘Nay, the Bible does not say so.’

‘Ne’er mind th’ Bible—­it’s what aw say.’

After another painful pause, Mrs. Fletcher continued: 

’Eh, Mr. Penrose, I do wish aar Moses ’ud find summat else to do nor lendin’ brass and collectin’ debts.  We haven’t a friend i’ th’ world naa, and we used never bein’ baat.  Mi own fo’k wernd look at me naa, ‘cose he caanty-courted aar Bella’s husband.’

’Thee howd thi tung, aw tell thee.  Aw know mi wark; and if fo’k willn’d pay for what they get, then they mun be made to.’

‘But supposing they cannot pay, Mr. Fletcher—­what then?’

‘What then?  Then they mun go up yon,’ and Moses extended his bandaged hand in the direction of the Union workhouse.

’But you know there was One who said, “Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that borroweth turn not away."’

‘Yi, but He didn’d live at Rehoboth.  Th’ pulpit’s th’ place for that mak’ o’ talk.  It’ll do for Sundo; but fo’k as hes their livin’ to ged want noan on’t i’ th’ week.’

’But is getting a living more essential than doing right?  If it came to a choice between the two, which would you select?’

‘Aw durnd know as that’s ony business o’ yours.  Th’ owd Book yo’ quote fro’ says summat abaat a man stonnin’ and falling to his own Judge—­doesn’d it?’

’Why keep all your kindness for your dog, Mr. Fletcher?  Why not extend the same acts of mercy to those who are of more value than many dogs?  If you did that your dog would not be your only friend, nor would it be called upon to suffer for you as it does.’