He could never look very much farther than his own place in the world and the road that led to it.  He did wrong, like all of us, and his faults found him out; which they don’t always do.  But he’s the sort that takes years and years to ripen.  He’s not yet at his best you’ll find; but he’s a learner, and he may learn a great many useful things if he goes into Parliament—­if it’s only what to avoid.”

“There’s one thing that will do him a darned sight more good than going into Parliament, and that’s getting married,” said Sarah.  “In fact, a few of us, that can see further through a milestone than some people, believe it’s in sight.”

“Miss Waldron, of course?” asked Nelly.

“Yes—­her.  And when that happens, she’ll make of Mister Ironsyde a much more understanding man than going into Parliament will.  He’s fair and just—­not one of us, bar Levi Baggs, ever said he wasn’t that—­but she’s more—­she’s just our lady, and our good is her good, and what she’s done for us would fill a book; and if she could work on him to look at us through her eyes, then none of us, that deserved it, as we all do, would lose our good word.”

“What do you say to that, Job?” asked Mrs. Legg.

“I say nothing better could happen,” he answered.  “But don’t feel too hopeful.  The things that promise best to the human eye ain’t the things that Providence very often performs.  To speak in a religious spirit and without feeling, there’s no doubt that Providence does take a delight in turning down the obvious things and bringing us up against the doubtful and difficult and unexpected ones.  That’s why there’s such a gulf between story books and real life.  The story books that I used to read in my youth, always turned out just as a man of good will and good heart and kindly spirit would wish them to do; but you’d be straining civility to Providence and telling a lie if you pretended real life does.  Therefore I say, hope it may happen; but don’t bet on it.”

Job finished his tea and bustled away.

“The wisdom of the man!” said Nicholas.  “He’s the most comforting person I know, because he don’t pretend.  There’s some think that everything that happens to us is our own fault, and they drive you silly with their bleating.  Job knows it ain’t so.”

“A far-seeing man,” admitted Nelly, “and a great reader of the signs of the times.  People used to think he was a simple sort—­God forgive me, I did myself; but I know better now.  All through that business with poor Richard Gurd, Job understood our characters and bided his time and knew that the crash must come between us.  He’s told me since that he never really feared Gurd, because he looked ahead and felt that two such natures as mine and Richard’s were never meant to join in matrimony.  Looking back, I see Job’s every move and the brain behind it.  Talk about Parliament!  If Bridport was to send Legg there, they’d be sending one that’s ten times wiser than Raymond