William.  There’s young beans and peas and a spring cabbage too, within the basket.  I do grow a little of most everything.

Laura.  O shall we sit down and look at the vegetables together?

William. [Visibly relieved.] We might do worse nor that. [They sit down side by side with the basket between them.

Laura. [Lifting the cabbage.] O, this is quite a little picture!  See how the leaves do curl backwards—­so fresh and green!

William.  Ah, and that one has a rare white heart to it, it has.

Laura.  I do love the taste of a spring cabbage, when it has a slice of fat bacon along with it.

William.  I might have brought a couple of pounds with me if I’d have thought.  Mother do keep some rare mellow jowls a-hanging in the pantry.

Laura. [Shyly.] Next time, maybe.

William. [Eagerly.] ’Twouldn’t take ten minutes for me to run back.

Laura.  Not now—­O no master—­not now.  Do you bide a little longer here and tell me about—­about t’other things in the basket.

William. [Mopping his face with a handkerchief.] Well—­there’s the beans—­I count that yours haven’t come up very smart this year.

Laura.  That they’ve not.  The whole place has been let to run dreadful wild.

William.  I’d—­I’d like to show you how ’tis in my garden, one of these days.

Laura.  I’d be very pleased to walk along with you there.

William. [Hurriedly.] Ah—­you should see it later on when the—­the--the parsnips are a bit forrarder.

Laura.  I’d like to see the flower garden now, where this nosegay came from.

William. [Looking round uneasily.] I don’t know what the folks would say if they were to see you and me a-going on the road in broad day—­I’m sure I don’t.

Laura.  Why, what should they say, Master Gardner?

William.  They might get saying—­they might say as—­as I’d got a-courting, or sommat foolish.

Laura.  Well—­and would that be untrue?

William. [Looking at her very uncomfortably.] I’m blessed if I do know—­I mean —

Laura.  This nosegay—­and look, those young carrots—­and the turnips and beans, why did you bring them for me, master, unless it was that you intended something by it?

William. [Very confused.] That’s so.  So ’tis.  That’s true.  I count you have got hold of the sow by the ear right enough this time.  And the less said about it the better. [A slight silence.

Laura. [Looking up shyly in WILLIAM’s face.] What was it drew you to me first, master?

William.  I believe ’twas in Church on Sunday that I chanced to take notice of you, like.

Laura.  Yes, but what was it about me that took your fancy in Church on Sunday?