A full day's work have I just
had of you, and I shall tally the ledger so."
Then, in a much lower voice, with a quick look around of his shifty
eyes, he said to her further, "Sit. Eat; drink! Stay and rest under the
shade of this blessed tree, while I go and get the proper measure due
to your account from the unwilling labors of those slackers over
yonder. Behold I, Geth, Fieldmaster of the House of Rababull, have also
spoken."
So saying, with a crinkle of his eyes at the wry wittiness of his own
mock-pomposity, he held out to her a large coarse-woven drawstring
pouch of food, which was his own portion and a full man's share at
that, and when she had accepted it from him he smiled at her again and
departed. She watched him cross the field with long sure strides which
soon took him away across the low hillock until he was out of sight, as
he went off to supervise the others.
She was so exhausted already! Must she swing this impossibly heavy
scythe day-in and day-out for the rest of her life, as reward for her
worship of the true Invisible God? The thought was a daunting one.
Careful not to spill any of the provender which Geth had given her, she
unfolded and regarded it contemplatively. All must have food, and now
he had none.
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