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"Nay, sir, he's no gift at stringin' the words together wi'out book; he'd be stuck fast like a coet clay But he's got tongue enough to speak disrespectful about's neebors, for he said as I was a blind Pharisee--a-usin' the Bible i' that way to find nick-names for folks as are his elders an' betters!--and what's worse, he's been heard to say very unbeco the,' an' a 'idle shepherd' You'll forgi'e ain"

"Better not, better not, Joshua Let evil words die as soon as they're spoken Will Maskery reat deal worse fellow than he is He used to be a wild drunken rascal, neglecting his work and beating his wife, they told me; now he's thrifty and decent, and he and his wife look co hbours and creates any disturbance, I shall think it istrate to interfere But it wouldn't beco a fuss about trifles, as if we thought the Church was in danger because Will Maskery lets his tongue wag rather foolishly, or a young woman talks in a serious way to a handful of people on the Green We ion as well as in other things You go on doing your duty, as parish clerk and sexton, as well as you've always done it, and hbours, and things won't go far wrong in Hayslope, depend upon it"

"Your Reverence is very good to say so; an' I'm sensable as, you not livin' i' the parish, there's more upo' my shoulders"

"To be sure; and youto be frightened about it for a little thing, Joshua I shall trust to your good sense, now to take no notice at all of what Will Maskery says, either about you oryour pot of beer soberly, when you've done your day's work, like good churcho to a prayer- at Treddleston instead, let hi as he doesn't hinder you fro a few idle words about us, we must not mind that, anyabout it Will Maskery coht's business steadily in the weekdays, and as long as he does that he must be let alone"