They both of
them married, and went out a good bit, and were gayer than we were.
We used to ask them, and then they'd look in sometimes: but never
except when they were asked, and always seemed to wish to get away.
We never had nothing to show anybody, nor nothing to give anybody;
for we didn't drink and I never smoked. They went away too, both of
them, from Liverpool, somewhere towards London."
"But when you broke down didn't you inform them?"
"No. I hadn't heard anything of them for so long. I thought I might
as well get into the House. It will do very well."
"Didn't you know anybody belonging to your church or chapel?"
"Well, we went to church; but when the business dropped we left off
going, for nothing much seemed to come of it, and nobody ever spoke
to us."
"Wouldn't you like to get out of this place?"
"No--I don't know as I should now; I shouldn't know what to do, and
it won't last long."
"How old are you?"
"Sixty-five."
It puzzled Zachariah that the man's story of his life was so short--
all told in five minutes.
"But did you never have any adventures? Did you never hear about
anything, or see anybody worth remembering? Tell me all about
yourself.
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