"
"And--Lady Cleone--is she well, is she happy?"
"Why, sir, she's as 'appy as can be expected--under the circumstances."
"What circumstances?"
"Love, sir."
"Love!" exclaimed Barnabas, "why, Bo'sun--what do you mean?"
"I mean, sir, as she's fell in love at last--
"How do you know--who with--where is she--?"
"Well, sir, I know on account o' 'er lowness o' sperrits,--noticed
it for a week or more. Likewise I've heered 'er sigh very frequent,
and I've seen 'er sit a-staring up at the moon--ah, that I have!
Now lovers is generally low in their sperrits, I've heered tell,
and they allus stare very 'ard at the moon,--why, I don't know,
but they do,--leastways, so I've--"
"But--in love--with whom? Can I see her? Where is she? Are you sure?"
"And sartain, sir. Only t' other night, as I sat a-smoking my pipe
on the lawn, yonder,--she comes out to me, and nestles down under my
lee--like she used to years ago. 'Jerry, dear,' says she, 'er voice
all low and soft-like, 'look at the moon,--how beautiful it is!' says
she, and--she give a sigh. 'Yes, my lady,' says I. 'Oh, Jerry,' says
she, 'call me Clo, as you used to do.
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