132 WHISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. [ua

and again did Simon knock and repeat the word, but
nothing happened, and he stood aghast for a moment.
Then he turned suddenly to his companion.

‘Martha Pattison, he said, ‘there is something
wrong here. Hap you bean’t a relation after all!’

‘Not a relation, good man!’ replied that worthy
woman in an offended tone: ‘Lauk-a-mercy! who
could go for to say so! No, no, Simon, chaz ain’t the
reason, you may depend upon ’t. I bean’t so sure
about this here Fairy of yours, J bean’t ! Now, wasn’t
you a trying the old Hollands last night, good man?
Just say—wasn’t you a doing of it? ’Twouldn’t
no hows amaze me if that was how you come for to
see Fairies, and there ain’t none here after all! A pack
of nonsense you and your Fairies !’

‘Hold your tongue, Martha Pattison!’ sternly
answered Simon ; ‘this ain’t no place nor no time for
your tantrums. Tis pjain to me these Fairies don’t
hold a man’s wife’s relations to be the same as his
own, and so ’tis Dolly we must have here along
with I.’

‘A man’s wife’s relations not his own!’ retorted
the angry Martha ; ‘who dares to say such athing? If
that’s their ways, drat the Fairies, say I—ah! ah!’
and here the good woman broke off into a scream of
pain, and began violently rubbing her leg. ‘ Lack-a-
daisy me!’ she said, ‘something give me such a
terrible pinch, sure-ly—oh dear! oh dear! I don’t
want no more of this, not no ways ;’ and so saying she
turned her back upon the old piece of furniture and
made the best of her way out of the room, muttering
to herself about fairies and demons in a most dis-