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pity i’ my life afore 。 。 。 an’ I mun begin to be looked down on now；
an’ me turned seventy…two last St。 Thomas’s； an’ all th’ under…
bearers and pall…bearers as I’n picked for my funeral are i’ this
parish and the next to ’t 。 。 。 It’s o’ no use now 。 。 。 I mun be ta’en to
the grave by strangers。”
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Adam Bede 545
“Don’t fret so； father；” said Mrs。 Poyser； who had spoken very
little； being almost overawed by her husband’s unusual hardness
and decision。 “You’ll have your children wi’ you； an’ there’s the
lads and the little un ’ull grow up in a new parish as well as i’ th’
old un。”
“Ah； there’s no staying i’ this country for us now；” said Mr。
Poyser； and the hard tears trickled slowly down his round cheeks。
“We thought it ’ud be bad luck if the old squire gave us notice this
Lady Day； but I must gi’ notice myself now； an’ see if there can
anybody be got to come an’ take to the crops as I’n put i’ the
ground； for I wonna stay upo’ that man’s land a day longer nor I’m
forced to ’t。 An’ me； as thought him such a good upright young
man； as I should be glad when he come to be our landlord。 I’ll
ne’er lift my hat to him again； nor sit i’ the same church wi’ him 。 。 。
a man as has brought shame on respectable folks 。 。 。 an’
pretended to be such a friend t’ everybody 。 。 。 Poor Adam there 。 。 。
a fine friend he’s been t’ Adam； making speeches an’ talking so
fine； an’ all the while poisoning the lad’s life； as it’s much if he can
stay i’ this country any more nor we can。”
“An’ you t’ ha’ to go into court； and own you’re akin t’ her；” said
the old man。 “Why； they’ll cast it up to the little un； as isn’t four
’ear old； some day—they’ll cast it up t’ her as she’d a cousin tried
at the ’sizes for murder。”
“It’ll be their own wickedness； then；” said Mrs。 Poyser； with a
sob in her voice。 “But there’s One above ’ull take care o’ the
innicent child； else it’s but little truth they tell us at church。 It’ll be
harder nor ever to die an’ leave the little uns； an’ nobody to be a
mother to ’em。”
“We’d better ha’ sent for Dinah； if we’d known where she is；”
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Adam Bede 546
said Mr。 Poyser； “but Adam said she’d left no direction where
she’d be at Leeds。”
“Why； she’d be wi’ that woman as was a friend t’ her Aunt
Judith；” said Mrs。 Poyser； comforted a little by this suggestion of
her husbands。 “I’ve often heard Dinah talk of her； but I can’t
remember what name she called her by。 But there’s Seth Bede；
he’s like enough to know； for she’s a preaching woman as the
Methodists think a deal on。”
“I’ll send to Seth；” said Mr。 Poyser。 “I’ll send Alick to tell him to
come； or else to send up word o’ the woman’s name； an’ thee canst
write a letter ready to send off to Treddles’on as soon as we can
make out a direction。”
“It’s poor work writing letters when you want folks to come to
you i’ trouble；” said Mrs。 Poyser。 “Happen it’ll be ever so long on
the road； an’ never reach her at last。”
Before Alick arrived with the message； Lisbeth’s thoughts too
had already flown to Dinah； and she had said to Seth； “Eh； there’s
no comfort for us i’ this world any more； wi’out thee couldst get
Dinah Morris to come to us； as she did when my old man died。 I’d
like her to come in an’ take me by th’ hand again； an’ talk to me。
She’d tell me the rights on’t； belike—she’d happen know some
good i’ all this trouble an’ heart…break comin’ upo’ that poor lad； as
ne’er done a bit o’ wrong in’s life； but war better nor anybody
else’s son； pick the country round。 Eh； my lad 。 。 。 Adam； my poor
lad！”
“Thee wouldstna like me to leave thee； to go and fetch Dinah？”
said Seth； as his mother sobbed and rocked herself to and fro。
“Fetch her？” said Lisbeth； looking up and pausing from her
grief； like a crying child who hears some promise of consolation。
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Adam Bede 547
“Why； what place is ’t she’s at； do they say？”
“It’s a good way off； mother—Leeds； a big town。 But I could be
back in three days； if thee couldst spare me。”
“Nay； nay； I canna spare thee。 Thee must go an’ see thy
brother； an’ bring me word what he’s a…doin’。 Mester Irwine said
he’d come an’ tell me； but I canna make out so well what it means
when he tells me。 Thee must go thysen； sin’ Adam wonna let me
go to him。 Write a letter to Dinah canstna？ Thee ’t fond enough o’
writin’ when nobody wants thee。”
“I’m not sure where she’d be i’ that big town；” said Seth。 “If I’d
gone myself； I could ha’ found out by asking the members o’ the
Society。 But perhaps if I put Sarah Williamson； Methodist
preacher； Leeds； o’ th’ outside； it might get to her； for most like
she’d be wi’ Sarah Williamson。”
Alick came now with the message； and Seth； finding that Mrs。
Poyser was writing to Dinah； gave up the intention of writing
himself； but he went to the Hall Farm to tell them all he could
suggest about the address of the letter； and warn them that there
might be some delay in the delivery； from his not knowing an
exact direction。
On leaving Lisbeth； Mr。 Irwine had gone to Jonathan Burge；
who had also a claim to be acquainted with what was likely to keep
Adam away from business for some time； and before six o’clock
that evening there were few people in Broxton and Hayslope who
had not heard the sad news。 Mr。 Irwine had not mentioned
Arthur’s name to Burge； and yet the story of his conduct towards
Hetty； with all the dark shadows cast upon it by its terrible
consequences； was presently as well known as that his
grandfather was dead； and that he was come into the estate。 For
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Adam Bede 548
Martin Poyser felt no motive to keep silence towards the one or
two neighbours who ventured to come and shake him sorrowfully
by the hand on the first day of his trouble； and Carroll； who kept
his ears open to all that passed at the rectory； had framed an
inferential version of the story； and found early opportunities of
communicating it。
One of those neighbours who came to Martin Poyser and shook
him by the hand without speaking for some minutes was Bartle
Massey。 He had shut up his school； and was on his way to the
rectory； where he arrived about half…past seven in the evening；
and； sending his duty to Mr。 Irwine； begged pardon for troubling
him at that hour； but had something particular on his mind。 He
was shown into the study； where Mr。 Irwine soon joined him。
“Well； Bartle？” said Mr。 Irwine； putting out his hand。 That was
not his usual way of saluting the schoolmaster； but trouble makes
us treat all who feel with us very much alike。 “Sit down。”
“You know what I’m come about as well as I do； sir； I daresay；”
said Bartle。
“You wish to know the truth about the sad news that has
reached you 。 。 。 about Hetty Sorrel？”
“Nay； sir； what I wish to know is about Adam Bede。 I
understand you left him at Stoniton； and I beg the favour of you to
tell me what’s the state of the poor lad’s