'pon me of late days that the married state 's a gude wan, and the
sooner the better."

"But a leap in the dark even for the wisest, Will?"

"So's every other step us takes for that matter. Look at them
grasshoppers. Off they goes to glory and doan't knaw no more 'n the dead
wheer they'll fetch up. I've seed 'em by the river jump slap in the
water, almost on to a trout's back. So us hops along and caan't say
what's comin' next. We 'm built to see just beyond our awn nose-ends and
no further. That's philosophy."

"Ban't comfortin' if 't is," said Phoebe.

"Whether or no, I'll see your faither 'fore night and have a plain
answer. I'm a straight, square man, so's the miller."

"You'll speed poorly, I'm fearin', but 't is a honest thing; and I'll
tell faither you 'm all the world to me. He doan't seem to knaw what it
is for a gal to be nineteen year old somehow."

Solemnly Will rose, almost overweighted with the consciousness of what
lay before him.

"We'll go home-along now. Doan't 'e tell him I'm coming. I'll take him
unbeknawnst. And you keep out the way till I be gone again."

"Does your mother knaw, Will?"

"Ess, she an' Chris both knaw I be gwaine to have it out this night.