Well! at length he
clears his throat uncommon loud; so I spreads my duster, and
shuts my eyes all ready; but when nought comed of it, I opened my
eyes a little bit to see what he were about. My word! if there he
wasn't down on his knees right facing me, staring as hard as he
could. Well! I thought it would be hard work to stand that, if he
made a long ado; so I shut my eyes again, and tried to think
serious, as became what I fancied were coming; but forgive me!
but I thought why couldn't the fellow go in and pray wi' Master
Thurstan, as had always a calm spirit ready for prayer, instead
o' me who had my dresser to scour, let alone an apron to iron. At
last he says, says he, 'Sally! will you oblige me with your
hand?' So I thought it were, maybe, Methodee fashion to pray hand
in hand; and I'll not deny but I wished I'd washed it better
after blackleading the kitchen fire. I thought I'd better tell
him it were not so clean as I could wish, so says I, 'Master
Dixon, you shall have it, and welcome, if I may just go and wash
'em first.' But, says he, 'My dear Sally, dirty or clean, it's
all the same to me, seeing I'm only speaking in a figuring way.
What I'm asking on my bended knees is, that you'd please to be so
kind as to be my wedded wife; week after next will suit me, if
it's agreeable to you!' My word! I were up on my feet in an
instant! It were odd now, weren't it? I never thought of taking
the fellow, and getting married; for all, I'll not deny, I had
been thinking it would be agreeable to be axed.
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