"But hasn't Lucy enough for you both and a large family to
boot?--though to be sure she made a precious bad bargain over that
estate of hers. D'you want her to be snapped up under your very
nose? Why, young Cludde will have her yet, if he has turned out
such a paragon as you would make it appear."
But I corrected him on this point, for on our journey to the Hall
Mistress Lucy told me (what had been a secret hitherto) that Dick
Cludde and Lucetta Gurney would one day make a match of it. In the
end the old gentleman pished and pshawed and called me a young
fool, but I learned from Mistress Allardyce afterwards that in the
bosom of his family he laid this also to my credit.
I stayed at the Hall one night, as did Joe Punchard (who, between
Susan and the cook, spent a merry evening, and made Giles turn
black with jealousy), and then set off with him to see my older
friends in Shrewsbury. Mr. Vetch and his good lady welcomed me
right royally. They were in excellent health, Mistress Vetch fine
in a new magenta-colored cap, and I was right glad to learn that
the lawyer's practice had grown quite to its former prosperity, and
that he was spoken of as mayor for the next year. (This honor,
however, he did not attain to, the election falling on Mr. William
Bowlder the tanner.)
I warrant you I had to tell over my adventures until my tongue was
aweary, my wits being sore put to it, moreover, to avoid the
mention of Cyrus, for I was resolved that the lawyer's declining
years should not be vexed by the knowledge of his nephew's villainy
and dreadful end.
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