“Aw believe they are;—­a chap wod have to goa a far way to find one at this day.”

“He’d have to travel a deeal farther to find a gooid husband,—­aw can tell thi that!  An if tha arn’t satisfied wi thi wife tha’s getten tha’rt at liberty to goa an find a better.  It’s noa use a woman tryin to be a gooid wife at this day, for they get noa better thowt on.  If they did, tha’d think moor o’ me nor tha does!”

“Aw dooant see ha aw could do that, lass, for tha nivver gives me a chonce to forget thi unless its when awm asleep, an net oft then, for if tha doesn’t want one thing tha wants another, an awm allus fain to do what aw con for thi, but tha’rt nivver satisfied for long together.  Aw wonder sometimes what aw gate wed for.”

“Aw’ve been wonderin that for a deal o’ years.  Th’ fact is aw dooant know what sich chaps live for.  If aw wor a man aw should like to be able to luk back an think awd done a gooid turn to mi fellow-man.”

“Aw think aw did that when aw wed thee.”

“It wor th’ best thing tha ivver did for thisen, an tha knows it!  But awm net gooin to waste mi time tawkin to thee for tha arn’t worth it.  Has ta made up thi mind what tha’rt baan to have for thi supper?”

“Owt ’ll do for me.”

“As tha seems to care soa little abaat it, suppooas tha gooas withaat for a change.”

“All reight, lass.  Just do as tha likes.”

“Aw connot do as aw like, if aw could aw should have summat to ait, for aw’ve hardly put a bite into mi heead this day, an ther’s nowt ith’ haase aw can touch, an awm too tired to goa aght for owt, an aw’ve nubdy to send, soa aw’st ha to do withaat as usual.”

“If tha’ll nobbut say what tha wants aw’ll fotch it for thi if its to be had; tha knows that.”

“Well, if tha doesn’t mind.  Aw think we could booath enjoy a bowlful o’ mussles,—­but they mun be gooid ens an aw dooant think tha knows th’ shop.  They call th’ chap ’at keeps it Jim Nation, but aw dooant know whear it is, but tha can easy find aght.”

“Willn’t onny other shop do just as weel?”

“Noa, another shop willn’t do becoss aw want th’ best.  We allus pay ready brass for awr stuff an aw dooant like to think at other fowk get better sarved; an when aw went for th’ milk this mornin aw heeard Mistress Whitin tawkin to Widdy Baystey an shoo sed, ’my husband’s getten mussels twice as big sin he went to Jim Nation’s shop,’ an aw want some oth’ same sooart.”

“Gie me summat to put ’em in,” sed Grimes, “aw’st sooin find it for ther isn’t monny fish-shops i’ Bradforth.”

“Well, luk as sharp as tha can,” sed Mally, “an be sewer they’re fresh.”

Grimes set off an Mally began at once to get th’ table laid for th’ supper.

Befoor Grimes had gooan varry far he thowt his wisest plan wod be to ax somdy.  Soa seein a poleeceman he made enquiries.

“Aw dooant know exactly,” sed th’ bobby, “but aw fancy ther’s a chap o’ that name keeps a shop somewhere up Manningham way.”