Alls Well | Page 3

Sens Bradbridge."
"And I'll come to see her this even. Good-morrow."
And Emmet Wilson walked on further to her home, where her husband
was the village baker and corn-monger.
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Note 1. Emmet is a very old variation of Emma, and sometimes spelt
Emmot; Sens is a corruption of Sancha, naturalised among us in the
thirteenth century; and Collet or Colette, the diminutive of Nichola, a
common and favourite name in the Middle Ages.
CHAPTER TWO.
CHRISTABEL.
Alice Benden had reached Cranbrook, and was busied with her various
errands. Her position was slightly superior to that of Emmet and Collet,
for she was the wife of a man who "lived upright," which enigmatical
expression signified that he had not to work for his living. Edward
Benden's father had made a little money, and his son, who had no
children to whom to leave his property, chose to spend it rather than
bequeath it to distant relatives who were strangers to him. He owned
some half-dozen houses at Staplehurst, one of which was occupied by
the Pardues, and he lived on the rents of these, and the money saved by
his thrifty father. The rents he asked were not unreasonable, but if a
tenant failed to pay, out he must go. He might as well appeal to the

door-posts as to Edward Benden.
This agreeable gentleman treated his wife much as he did his tenants.
He gave a sum of money into her hands for certain purchases, and with
that sum those purchases must be made. It was not of the least use to
explain failure by an unexpected rise in prices, or the fact that the
article required could not be had at a given time. Mr Benden expected
perfection--in every one but himself. Excuses, many and often very
poor, were admitted for that favoured individual, but no other had a
chance to offer any.
On the present occasion, Alice had ten shillings for her marketing, with
which she was expected to provide six rabbits, a dozen pigeons,
twenty-four eggs, five yards of buckram, a black satin cap and a brown
silk doublet for her husband, a pair of shoes for herself, and sundry
things at the spicer's. The grocer, or grosser, as the word was originally
spelt, only sold wholesale, and his stock as we have it was divided
among the spicer, pepperer, and treacle-monger. That her money would
not stretch thus far Alice well knew, and she knew also that if she were
to avoid a scolding, Mr Benden's personal wants must be supplied,
whatever became of her own. Her first call, therefore, was at the
capper's for the satin cap, which cost one shilling and eightpence; then
at the tailor's for the doublet, which took four and sixpence; then she
paid ninepence for the pigeons, which were for Mr Benden's personal
eating; and next she went to the spicer's. A sugarloaf she must have,
expensive as it was, for her tyrant required his dishes sweet, and
demanded that the result should be effected by dainty sugar, not like
common people by honey or treacle: nor did she dare to omit the
currants, since he liked currant cake with his cheese and ale. Two
pounds of prunes, and four of rice, she meant to add; but those were not
especially for him, and must be left out if needful. When she had
reached this point, Alice paused, and counted up what money she had
left.
"Doublet, 4 shillings 6 pence; cap, 1 shilling 8 pence; pigeons, 9 pence;
sugarloaf, 7 pence; currants, 1 shilling: total, 8 shillings 6 pence." Thus
ran Alice's calculations. "Only eighteenpence left. The other things I

wanted will come to 6 shillings 9 pence. What can I do without?"
The buckram must go: that was the heaviest article in the list, five yards
at ninepence a yard. Alice's Sunday gown must be worn without a new
lining for a while longer. Two rabbits instead of six, at twopence a
piece; three pennyworth of eggs at eight a penny: these she could
scarcely do without. The shoes, too, were badly wanted. Rice and
prunes could not be had to-day. Alice bought a pair of cheaper shoes
than she intended, paying tenpence instead of a shilling; purchased the
two rabbits and the eggs; and found that she had one penny left. She
decided that this would answer her purpose--nay, it must do so. Mr
Benden was not likely to ask if she had all she needed, so long as she
did not fail to supply his own requirements. She arranged with the
poulterer to put by the rabbits, pigeons, and eggs, for which she would
send a boy in the afternoon; and carrying the rest of her parcels, with
which she was well laden, she took the road