“Aye, aye, man,” said Bartle, with a tone of sarcastic consolation, “you talk the right language for you.  When Mike Holdsworth’s goat says ba-a-a, it’s all right—­it ’ud be unnatural for it to make any other noise.”

The rest of the party being Loamsnire men, Mr. Casson had the laugh strongly against him, and wisely fell back on the previous question, which, far from being exhausted in a single evening, was renewed in the churchyard, before service, the next day, with the fresh interest conferred on all news when there is a fresh person to hear it; and that fresh hearer was Martin Poyser, who, as his wife said, “never went boozin’ with that set at Casson’s, a-sittin’ soakin’ in drink, and looking as wise as a lot o’ cod-fish wi’ red faces.”

It was probably owing to the conversation she had had with her husband on their way from church concerning this problematic stranger that Mrs. Poyser’s thoughts immediately reverted to him when, a day or two afterwards, as she was standing at the house-door with her knitting, in that eager leisure which came to her when the afternoon cleaning was done, she saw the old squire enter the yard on his black pony, followed by John the groom.  She always cited it afterwards as a case of prevision, which really had something more in it than her own remarkable penetration, that the moment she set eyes on the squire she said to herself, “I shouldna wonder if he’s come about that man as is a-going to take the Chase Farm, wanting Poyser to do something for him without pay.  But Poyser’s a fool if he does.”

Something unwonted must clearly be in the wind, for the old squire’s visits to his tenantry were rare; and though Mrs. Poyser had during the last twelvemonth recited many imaginary speeches, meaning even more than met the ear, which she was quite determined to make to him the next time he appeared within the gates of the Hall Farm, the speeches had always remained imaginary.

“Good-day, Mrs. Poyser,” said the old squire, peering at her with his short-sighted eyes—­a mode of looking at her which, as Mrs. Poyser observed, “allays aggravated me:  it was as if you was a insect, and he was going to dab his finger-nail on you.”

However, she said, “Your servant, sir,” and curtsied with an air of perfect deference as she advanced towards him:  she was not the woman to misbehave towards her betters, and fly in the face of the catechism, without severe provocation.

“Is your husband at home, Mrs. Poyser?”

“Yes, sir; he’s only i’ the rick-yard.  I’ll send for him in a minute, if you’ll please to get down and step in.”

“Thank you; I will do so.  I want to consult him about a little matter; but you are quite as much concerned in it, if not more.  I must have your opinion too.”

“Hetty, run and tell your uncle to come in,” said Mrs. Poyser, as they entered the house, and the old gentleman bowed low in answer to Hetty’s curtsy; while Totty, conscious of a pinafore stained with gooseberry jam, stood hiding her face against the clock and peeping round furtively.