CHAPTER XXIX 429
After a pause she said , " I dunnut understand that : you ' ve like no house , nor no brass , I guess ?"
" The want of house or brass ( by which I suppose you mean money ) does not make a beggar in your sense of the word ."
" Are you book-learned ?" she inquired presently . " Yes , very ." " But you ' ve never been to a boarding-school ?" " I was at a boarding-school eight years ." She opened her eyes wide . " Whatever cannot ye keep yourself for , then ?"
" I have kept myself ; and , I trust , shall keep myself again . What are you going to do with these gooseberries ?" I inquired , as she brought out a basket of the fruit .
" Mak ' ' em into pies ." " Give them to me and I ' ll pick them ." " Nay ; I dunnut want ye to do nought ." " But I must do something . Let me have them ."
She consented ; and she even brought me a clean towel to spread over my dress , " lest ," as she said , " I should mucky it ."
" Ye ' ve not been used to sarvant ' s wark , I see by your hands ," she remarked . " Happen ye ' ve been a dressmaker ?"
" No , you are wrong . And now , never mind what I have been : don ' t trouble your head further about me ; but tell me the name of the house where we