And as for spinning, why, you've wasted
as much as your wage i' the flax you've spoiled learning to spin.
And you've a right to feel that, and not to go about as gaping and as
thoughtless as if you was beholding to nobody. Comb the wool for the
whittaws, indeed! That's what you'd like to be doing, is it? That's the
way with you--that's the road you'd all like to go, headlongs to ruin.
You're never easy till you've got some sweetheart as is as big a fool as
yourself: you think you'll be finely off when you're married, I daresay,
and have got a three-legged stool to sit on, and never a blanket to
cover you, and a bit o' oat-cake for your dinner, as three children are
a-snatching at."
"I'm sure I donna want t' go wi' the whittaws," said Molly, whimpering,
and quite overcome by this Dantean picture of her future, "on'y we
allays used to comb the wool for 'n at Mester Ottley's; an' so I just
axed ye. I donna want to set eyes on the whittaws again; I wish I may
never stir if I do."
"Mr. Ottley's, indeed! It's fine talking o' what you did at Mr.
Ottley's. Your missis there might like her floors dirted wi' whittaws
for what I know. There's no knowing what people WONNA like--such ways as
I've heard of! I never had a gell come into my house as seemed to know
what cleaning was; I think people live like pigs, for my part.
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