“Aye; and we talked a deal about thee, for he says he never saw a woman a bit like thee.  ‘I shall turn Methodist some day,’ he said, ’when she preaches out of doors, and go to hear her.’  And I said, ’Nay, sir, you can’t do that, for Conference has forbid the women preaching, and she’s given it up, all but talking to the people a bit in their houses.’”

“Ah,” said Seth, who could not repress a comment on this point, “and a sore pity it was o’ Conference; and if Dinah had seen as I did, we’d ha’ left the Wesleyans and joined a body that ’ud put no bonds on Christian liberty.”

“Nay, lad, nay,” said Adam, “she was right and thee wast wrong.  There’s no rules so wise but what it’s a pity for somebody or other.  Most o’ the women do more harm nor good with their preaching—­they’ve not got Dinah’s gift nor her sperrit—­and she’s seen that, and she thought it right to set th’ example o’ submitting, for she’s not held from other sorts o’ teaching.  And I agree with her, and approve o’ what she did.”

Seth was silent.  This was a standing subject of difference rarely alluded to, and Dinah, wishing to quit it at once, said, “Didst remember, Adam, to speak to Colonel Donnithorne the words my uncle and aunt entrusted to thee?”

“Yes, and he’s going to the Hall Farm with Mr. Irwine the day after to-morrow.  Mr. Irwine came in while we were talking about it, and he would have it as the Colonel must see nobody but thee to-morrow.  He said—­and he’s in the right of it—­as it’ll be bad for him t’ have his feelings stirred with seeing many people one after another.  ’We must get you strong and hearty,’ he said, ’that’s the first thing to be done Arthur, and then you shall have your own way.  But I shall keep you under your old tutor’s thumb till then.’  Mr. Irwine’s fine and joyful at having him home again.”

Adam was silent a little while, and then said, “It was very cutting when we first saw one another.  He’d never heard about poor Hetty till Mr. Irwine met him in London, for the letters missed him on his journey.  The first thing he said to me, when we’d got hold o’ one another’s hands was, ’I could never do anything for her, Adam—­she lived long enough for all the suffering—­and I’d thought so of the time when I might do something for her.  But you told me the truth when you said to me once, “There’s a sort of wrong that can never be made up for."’”

“Why, there’s Mr. and Mrs. Poyser coming in at the yard gate,” said Seth.

“So there is,” said Dinah.  “Run, Lisbeth, run to meet Aunt Poyser.  Come in, Adam, and rest; it has been a hard day for thee.”

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Other Works by George Eliot

Scenes of Clerical Life 1857 Stories
Adam Bede 1859 Novel
The Mill on the Floss 1860 Novel
Silas Marner 1861 Novel
Romola 1863 Novel
Felix Holt the Radical 1866 Novel
How Lisa Loved the King 1867 Poems
The Spanish Gypsy 1868 Poem
Middlemarch 1872 Novel
The Legend of Jubal 1874 Poem
Daniel Deronda 1876 Novel
Impressions of Theophrastus Such 1879 Essays