“ ’Tis no comfort,” he remarked, “though I be the man I be for cossetting they jealous dead, to think that ‘in a time and half a time,’ as Scripture says, I’ll be chipping ‘Rest in the Lord’ on me wone son-in-law’s moniment. But since us be talking smug and quiet, mister, on this sorrowful theme”⁠— Mr. Torp’s voice assumed his undertaker’s-tone, which long usage had rendered totally different from his normal one⁠—“ ’twould be a mighty help, mister, to I, for a day to come, if ye’d gie us a tip as to what word⁠—out of Book or out of plain speech⁠—ye’d like best for I to put above ’ee?”

The plump rogue looked up so grave, as he said this, touching the stone with the point of the tool and staring at his interlocutor, that Wolf hadn’t the heart to treat it as the man’s form of humour.