Well enough, but a poor gawkhammer mortal," the wife replied.
"Heh-heh-heh!" laughed the married man with a hideous effort of appreciation, for he was as irrepressibly good-humoured under ghastly snubs as a parliamentary candidate on the hustings.
The names remaining were called in the same manner.
"Now I think I have done with you," said Bathsheba, closing the book and shaking back a stray twine of hair.

"Has William Smallbury returned ?" "No, ma'am." "The new shepherd will want a man under him," suggested Henery Fray, trying to make himself official again by a sideway approach towards her chair.
"Oh--he will.

Who can he have ?" "Young Cain Ball is a very good lad," Henery said, "and Shepherd Oak don't mind his youth ?" he added, turning with an apologetic smile to the shepherd, who had just appeared on the scene, and was now leaning against the doorpost with his arms folded.
"No, I don't mind that," said Gabriel.
"How did Cain come by such a name ?" asked Bathsheba.
"Oh you see, mem, his pore mother, not being a Scripture-read woman, made a mistake at his christening, thinking 'twas Abel killed Cain, and called en Cain, meaning Abel all the time.

The parson put it right, but 'twas too late, for the name could never be got rid of in the parish.

'Tis very unfortunate for the boy." "It is rather unfortunate." "Yes.