“Well, Poyser,” said the squire, shifting his tactics and looking as if he thought Mrs. Poyser had suddenly withdrawn from the proceedings and left the room, “you can turn the Hollows into feeding-land.  I can easily make another arrangement about supplying my house.  And I shall not forget your readiness to accommodate your landlord as well as a neighbour.  I know you will be glad to have your lease renewed for three years, when the present one expires; otherwise, I daresay Thurle, who is a man of some capital, would be glad to take both the farms, as they could be worked so well together.  But I don’t want to part with an old tenant like you.”

To be thrust out of the discussion in this way would have been enough to complete Mrs. Poyser’s exasperation, even without the final threat.  Her husband, really alarmed at the possibility of their leaving the old place where he had been bred and born—­for he believed the old squire had small spite enough for anything—­was beginning a mild remonstrance explanatory of the inconvenience he should find in having to buy and sell more stock, with, “Well, sir, I think as it’s rether hard...” when Mrs. Poyser burst in with the desperate determination to have her say out this once, though it were to rain notices to quit and the only shelter were the work-house.

“Then, sir, if I may speak—­as, for all I’m a woman, and there’s folks as thinks a woman’s fool enough to stan’ by an’ look on while the men sign her soul away, I’ve a right to speak, for I make one quarter o’ the rent, and save another quarter—­I say, if Mr. Thurle’s so ready to take farms under you, it’s a pity but what he should take this, and see if he likes to live in a house wi’ all the plagues o’ Egypt in’t—­wi’ the cellar full o’ water, and frogs and toads hoppin’ up the steps by dozens—­and the floors rotten, and the rats and mice gnawing every bit o’ cheese, and runnin’ over our heads as we lie i’ bed till we expect ’em to eat us up alive—­as it’s a mercy they hanna eat the children long ago.  I should like to see if there’s another tenant besides Poyser as ‘ud put up wi’ never having a bit o’ repairs done till a place tumbles down—­and not then, on’y wi’ begging and praying and having to pay half—­and being strung up wi’ the rent as it’s much if he gets enough out o’ the land to pay, for all he’s put his own money into the ground beforehand.  See if you’ll get a stranger to lead such a life here as that:  a maggot must be born i’ the rotten cheese to like it, I reckon.  You may run away from my words, sir,” continued Mrs. Poyser, following the old squire beyond the door—­for after the first moments of stunned surprise he had got up, and, waving his hand towards her with a smile, had walked out towards his pony.  But it was impossible for him to get away immediately, for John was walking the pony up and down the yard, and was some distance from the causeway when his master beckoned.