Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 3.djvu/317

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OF WILDFELL HALL.
307

own—none but a nephew he'd quarrelled with—and he always had a partiality for this one. And then his wife advised him to it, they say: she'd brought most of the property, and it was her wish that this lady should have it."

"Humph!—She'll be a fine catch for somebody."

"She will so. She's a widow, but quite young yet, and uncommon handsome—a fortune of her own, besides, and only one child—and she's nursing a fine estate for him in **** There'll be lots to speak for her!—'fraid there's no chance for uz'—(facetiously jogging me with his elbow, as well as his companion)—"ha, ha, ha! No offence, sir, I hope?" (to me) "Ahem!—I should think she'll marry none but a nobleman, myself. Look ye sir," resumed he, turning to his other neighbour, and pointing past me with his umbrella, "that's the hall—grand park, you see—and all them woods—plenty of timber there, and lots of game—hallo! what now?"

This exclamation was occasioned by the sudden stoppage of the coach at the park gates.