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〃Coolly and practically；〃 he said。 〃How would that kind of love be
taken？〃
〃Not anxiously； and yet not indifferently； neither blushing nor
pale； nor religiously nor yet quite wickedly。〃
〃Not at all。〃
Geoffrey Day's storehouse at the back of his dwelling was hung with
bunches of dried horehound； mint； and sage； brown…paper bags of
thyme and lavender； and long ropes of clean onions。 On shelves were
spread large red and yellow apples； and choice selections of early
potatoes for seed next year；vulgar crowds of commoner kind lying
beneath in heaps。 A few empty beehives were clustered around a nail
in one corner； under which stood two or three barrels of new cider
of the first crop； each bubbling and squirting forth from the yet
open bunghole。
Fancy was now kneeling beside the two inverted hives； one of which
rested against her lap； for convenience in operating upon the
contents。 She thrust her sleeves above her elbows； and inserted her
small pink hand edgewise between each white lobe of honeycomb；
performing the act so adroitly and gently as not to unseal a single
cell。 Then cracking the piece off at the crown of the hive by a
slight backward and forward movement； she lifted each portion as it
was loosened into a large blue platter； placed on a bench at her
side。
〃Bother these little mortals！〃 said Geoffrey； who was holding the
light to her； and giving his back an uneasy twist。 〃I really think
I may as well go indoors and take 'em out； poor things！ for they
won't let me alone。 There's two a stinging wi' all their might now。
I'm sure I wonder their strength can last so long。〃
〃All right； friend； I'll hold the candle whilst you are gone；〃 said
Mr。 Shiner； leisurely taking the light； and allowing Geoffrey to
depart； which he did with his usual long paces。
He could hardly have gone round to the house…door when other
footsteps were heard approaching the outbuilding； the tip of a
finger appeared in the hole through which the wood latch was lifted；
and Dick Dewy came in； having been all this time walking up and down
the wood； vainly waiting for Shiner's departure。
Fancy looked up and welcomed him rather confusedly。 Shiner grasped
the candlestick more firmly； and； lest doing this in silence should
not imply to Dick with sufficient force that he was quite at home
and cool； he sang invincibly …
〃'King Arthur he had three sons。'〃
〃Father here？〃 said Dick。
〃Indoors； I think；〃 said Fancy； looking pleasantly at him。
Dick surveyed the scene； and did not seem inclined to hurry off just
at that moment。 Shiner went on singing
〃'The miller was drown'd in his pond；
The weaver was hung in his yarn；
And the d… ran away with the little tail…or；
With the broadcloth under his arm。'〃
〃That's a terrible crippled rhyme； if that's your rhyme！〃 said Dick；
with a grain of superciliousness in his tone。
〃It's no use your complaining to me about the rhyme！〃 said Mr。
Shiner。 〃You must go to the man that made it。〃
Fancy by this time had acquired confidence。
〃Taste a bit； Mr。 Dewy；〃 she said； holding up to him a small
circular piece of honeycomb that had been the last in the row of
layers； remaining still on her knees and flinging back her head to
look in his face； 〃and then I'll taste a bit too。〃
〃And I； if you please；〃 said Mr。 Shiner。 Nevertheless the farmer
looked superior； as if he could even now hardly join the trifling
from very importance of station； and after receiving the honeycomb
from Fancy； he turned it over in his hand till the cells began to be
crushed； and the liquid honey ran down from his fingers in a thin
string。
Suddenly a faint cry from Fancy caused them to gaze at her。
〃What's the matter； dear？〃 said Dick。
〃It is nothing； but O…o！ a bee has stung the inside of my lip！ He
was in one of the cells I was eating！〃
〃We must keep down the swelling； or it may be serious！〃 said Shiner；
stepping up and kneeling beside her。 〃Let me see it。〃
〃No； no！〃
〃Just let ME see it；〃 said Dick； kneeling on the other side： and
after some hesitation she pressed down her lip with one finger to
show the place。 〃O； I hope 'twill soon he better！ I don't mind a
sting in ordinary places； hut it is so bad upon your lip；〃 she added
with tears in her eyes； and writhing a little from the pain。
Shiner held the light above his head and pushed his face close to
Fancy's； as if the lip had been shown exclusively to himself； upon
which Dick pushed closer； as if Shiner were not there at all。
〃It is swelling；〃 said Dick to her right aspect。
〃It isn't swelling；〃 said Shiner to her left aspect。
〃Is it dangerous on the lip？〃 cried Fancy。 〃I know it is dangerous
on the tongue。〃
〃O no； not dangerous！〃 answered Dick。
〃Rather dangerous；〃 had answered Shiner simultaneously。
〃I must try to bear it！〃 said Fancy； turning again to the hives。
〃Hartshorn…and…oil is a good thing to put to it； Miss Day；〃 said
Shiner with great concern。
〃Sweet…oil…and…hartshorn I've found to be a good thing to cure
stings； Miss Day；〃 said Dick with greater concern。
〃We have some mixed indoors； would you kindly run and get it for
me？〃 she said。
Now； whether by inadvertence； or whether by mischievous intention；
the individuality of the YOU was so carelessly denoted that both
Dick and Shiner sprang to their feet like twin acrobats； and marched
abreast to the door； both seized the latch and lifted it； and
continued marching on； shoulder to shoulder； in the same manner to
the dwelling…house。 Not only so； but entering the room； they
marched as before straight up to Mrs。 Day's chair； letting the door
in the oak partition slam so forcibly； that the rows of pewter on
the dresser rang like a bell。
〃Mrs。 Day； Fancy has stung her lip； and wants you to give me the
hartshorn； please；〃 said Mr。 Shiner； very close to Mrs。 Day's face。
〃O； Mrs。 Day； Fancy has asked me to bring out the hartshorn； please；
because she has stung her lip！〃 said Dick； a little closer to Mrs。
Day's face。
〃Well； men alive！ that's no reason why you should eat me； I
suppose！〃 said Mrs。 Day； drawing back。
She searched in the corner…cupboard； produced the bottle； and began
to dust the cork； the rim； and every other part very carefully；
Dick's hand and Shiner's hand waiting side by side。
〃Which is head man？〃 said Mrs。 Day。 〃Now； don't come mumbudgeting
so close again。 Which is head man？〃
Neither spoke； and the bottle was inclined towards Shiner。 Shiner；
as a high…class man； would not look in the least triumphant； and
turned to go off with it as Geoffrey came downstairs after the
search in his linen for concealed bees。
〃Othat you； Master Dewy？〃
Dick assured the keeper that it was； and the young man then
determined upon a bold stroke for the attainment of his end；
forgetting that the worst of bold strokes is th