75 лучших рассказов / 75 Best Short Stories

Elizabeth spoke about this to her husband. �Jabez,’ said she, �I don’t like the looks o’ this; I’ve kept my eye open, and there be no Auntie Joanna hoppin’ about. Whativer can be up? It’s my opinion us ought to go and see.’

�Well, I’ve naught on my hands now,’ said the farmer, �so I reckon we will go.’ The two walked together to the cottage. No smoke issued from the chimney, and the door was shut. Jabez knocked, but there came no answer; so he entered, followed by his wife.

There was in the cottage but the kitchen, with one bedroom at the side. The hearth was cold. �There’s some’ut up,’ said Mrs. Hockin.

�I reckon it’s the old lady be down,’ replied her husband, and, throwing open the bedroom door, he said: �Sure enough, and no mistake – there her be, dead as a dried pilchard.’

And in fact Auntie Joanna had died in the night, after having so confidently affirmed her conviction that she would live to the age of a hundred and twenty-seven.

�Whativer shall we do?’ asked Mrs. Hockin. �I reckon,’ said her husband, �us had better take an inventory of what is here, lest wicked rascals come in and steal anything and everything.’

�Folks bain’t so bad as that, and a corpse in the house,’ observed Mrs. Hockin. �Don’t be sure o’ that – these be terrible wicked times,’ said the husband. �And I sez, sez I, no harm is done in seein’ what the old creetur had got.

�Well, surely,’ acquiesced Elizabeth, �there is no harm in that.’ In the bedroom was an old oak chest, and this the farmer and his wife opened. To their surprise they found in it a silver teapot, and half a dozen silver spoons.

�Well, now,’ exclaimed Elizabeth Hockin, �fancy her havin’ these – and me only Britannia metal[43 - Britannia metal – the alloy composed of tin, antimony and copper, used for making household utensils].’

�I reckon she came of a good family,’ said Jabez.

�And look here!’ exclaimed Elizabeth, �there’s fine and beautiful linen underneath – sheets and pillow-cases.’

�But look here!’ cried Jabez, �blessed if the taypot bain’t chock-full o’ money! Whereiver did she get it from?’

�Her’s been in the way of showing folk the Zennor Quoit, visitors from St.