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Chapter 3
Thetablewaslaidwithtwobowlsandtwohornspoons,butthesamesinglemeasureofsmallbeer.Perhapsmyeyerestedonthisparticularwithsomesurprise,andperhapsmyuncleobservedit;forhespokeupasifinanswertomythought,askingmeifIwouldliketodrinkale—forsohecalledit.
Itoldhimsuchwasmyhabit,butnottoputhimselfabout.
“Na,na,”saidhe;“I’lldenyyounothinginreason.”
Hefetchedanothercupfromtheshelf;andthen,tomygreatsurprise,insteadofdrawingmorebeer,hepouredanaccuratehalffromonecuptotheother.Therewasakindofnoblenessinthisthattookmybreathaway;ifmyunclewascertainlyamiser,hewasoneofthatthoroughbreedthatgoesneartomakethevicerespectable.
Whenwehadmadeanendofourmeal,myuncleEbenezerunlockedadrawer,anddrewoutofitaclaypipeandalumpoftobacco,fromwhichhecutonefillbeforehelockeditupagain.Thenhesatdowninthesunatoneofthewindowsandsilentlysmoked.Fromtimetotimehiseyescamecoastingroundtome,andheshotoutoneofhisquestions.
