cur belonging to the German sitting in front, and then she drives out
alone. I don't think it's at all proper for a woman to drive out alone; I
wouldn't allow it if she was my sister. The other morning, I don't know
how it happened, I was going in the way from which she was coming, and that
little beast--they call him Doss--began to bark when he saw me--he always
does, the little wretch--and the horses began to spring, and kicked the
splashboard all to pieces. It was a sight to see Jemima! She has got the
littlest hands I ever saw--I could hold them both in one of mine, and not
know that I'd got anything except that they were so soft; but she held
those horses in as though they were made of iron. When I wanted to help
her she said, 'No thank you: I can manage them myself. I've got a pair of
bits that would break their jaws if I used them well,' and she laughed and
drove away. It's so unwomanly.

"Tell father my hire of the ground will not be out for six months, and
before that Em and I will be married. My pair of birds is breeding now,
but I haven't been down to see them for three days. I don't seem to care
about anything any more. I don't know what it is; I'm not well. If I go
into town on Saturday I will let the doctor examine me; but perhaps she'll
go in herself. It's a very strange thing, Jemima, but she never will send
her letters to post by me. If I ask her she has none, and the very next
day she goes in and posts them herself. You mustn't say anything about it,
Jemima, but twice I've brought her letters from the post in a gentleman's
hand, and I'm sure they were both from the same person, because I noticed
every little mark, even the dotting of the i's.

"Of course it's nothing to me; but for Em's sake I can't help feeling an
interest in her, however much I may dislike her myself; and I hope she's up
to nothing. I pity the man who marries her; I wouldn't be him for
anything. If I had a wife with pride I'd make her give it up, sharp. I