making his daughter marry him as a condition of her inheritance.

"Three times he's asked her, as I know for certain," said Vennal, the
tenant of Beggar's Bush.

"No, it's four," said Prickett, Joanna's neighbour at Great Ansdore,
"there was that time coming back from the Wild Beast Show."

"I was counting that," said Vennal; "that and the one that Mr. Vine's
looker heard at Lydd market, and then that time in the house."

"How do you know he asked her in the house?--that makes five."

"I don't get that--once indoors and twice out, that's three."

"Well, anyways, whether it's three or four or five, he's asked her quite
enough. It's time he had her now."

"He won't get her. She'll fly higher'n him now she's got Ansdore.
She'll be after young Edward Huxtable, or maybe Parson himself, him
having neglected to keep himself married."

"Ha! Ha! It ud be valiant to see her married to liddle Parson--she'd
forget herself and pick him up under her arm, same as she picks up her
sister. But anyways I don't think she'll get much by flying high. It's
all fine enough to talk of her having Ansdore, but whosumdever wants
Ansdore ull have to take Joanna Godden with it, and it isn't every man
who'd care to do that."

"Surelye. She's a mare that's never bin präaperly broken in. D'you