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