Part 46 (1/2)
”A witch! Ey'n teach yo' to ca' me feaw names,” cried the enraged hostess, laying on with greater fury.
”Help! help!” roared Potts.
At this moment Nicholas returned from the stables, and, seeing how matters stood, flew to the attorney's a.s.sistance.
”Come, come, Bess,” he cried, laying hold of her arm, ”you've given him enough. What has Master Potts been about? Not insulting you, I hope?”
”Neaw, ey'd tak keare he didna do that, squoire,” replied the hostess. ”Ey towd him he'd get nowt boh ele here, an' he made free wi't wine bottle, so ey brought down t' whip jist to teach him manners.”
”You teach me! you ignorant and insolent hussy,” cried Potts, furiously; ”do you think I'm to be taught manners by an overgrown Lancas.h.i.+re witch like you? I'll teach you what it is to a.s.sault a gentleman. I'll prefer an instant complaint against you to my singular good friend and client, Master Roger, who is in your house, and you'll soon find whom you've got to deal with-”
”Marry-kem-eawt!” exclaimed Bess; ”who con it be? Ey took yo fo' one o't grooms, mon.”
”Fire and fury!” exclaimed Potts; ”this is intolerable. Master Nowell shall let you know who I am, woman.”
”Nay, I'll tell you, Bess,” interposed Nicholas, laughing. ”This little gentleman is a London lawyer, who is going to Rough Lee on business with Master Roger Nowell. Unluckily, he got pitched into a quagmire in Read Park, and that is the reason why his countenance and habiliments have got begrimed.”
”Eigh! ey thowt he wur i' a strawnge fettle,” replied Bess; ”an so he be a lawyer fro' Lunnon, eh? Weel,” she added, laughing, and displaying two ranges of very white teeth, ”he'll remember Bess Whitaker, t' next time he comes to Pendle Forest.”
”And she'll remember me,” rejoined Potts.
”Neaw more sawce, mon,” cried Bess, ”or ey'n raddle thy boans again.”
”No you won't, woman,” cried Potts, s.n.a.t.c.hing up his horsewhip, which he had dropped in the previous scuffle, and brandis.h.i.+ng it fiercely. ”I dare you to touch me.”
Nicholas was obliged once more to interfere, and as he pa.s.sed his arms round the hostess's waist, he thought a kiss might tend to bring matters to a peaceable issue, so he took one.
”Ha' done wi' ye, squoire,” cried Bess, who, however, did not look very seriously offended by the liberty.
”By my faith, your lips are so sweet that I must have another,” cried Nicholas. ”I tell you what, Bess, you're the finest woman in Lancas.h.i.+re, and you owe it to the county to get married.”
”Whoy so?” said Bess.
”Because it would be a pity to lose the breed,” replied Nicholas. ”What say you to Master Potts there? Will he suit you?”
”He-pooh! Do you think ey'd put up wi' sich pows.e.m.e.nt os he! Neaw; when Bess Whitaker, the lonleydey o' Goldshey, weds, it shan be to a mon, and nah to a ninny-hommer.”
”Bravely resolved, Bess,” cried Nicholas. ”You deserve another kiss for your spirit.”
”Ha' done, ey say,” cried Bess, dealing him a gentle tap that sounded very much like a buffet. ”See how yon jobberknow is grinning at ye.”
”Jobberknow and ninny-hammer,” cried Potts, furiously; ”really, woman, I cannot permit such names to be applied to me.”
”Os yo please, boh ey'st gi' ye nah better,” rejoined the hostess.
”Come, Bess, a truce to this,” observed Nicholas; ”the eggs and bacon are spoiling, and I'm dying with hunger. There-there,” he added, clapping her on the shoulder, ”set the dish before us, that's a good soul-a couple of plates, some oatcakes and b.u.t.ter, and we shall do.”
And while Bess attended to these requirements, he observed, ”This sudden seizure of poor John Law is a bad business.”
”'Deed on it is, squoire,” replied Bess, ”ey wur quite glopp'nt at seet on him. Lorjus o' me! whoy, it's scarcely an hour sin he left here, looking os strong an os 'earty os yersel. Boh it's a kazzardly onsartin loife we lead. Here to-day an gone the morrow, as Parson Houlden says. Wall-a-day!”