"
"But, John, why did God let me be brought up by a shepherd, then?" asked
Fairy. "You see He does not always mean people to remain what they are
born or I should not be here, should I?"
This was an argument to which John's slow mind could not supply an
answer. Conservative to the backbone in all his notions, like most
Sussex people, be their politics what they may, the law of progress was
no law to him, but rather rebellion to the divine appointments, and that
Jack should wish to be anything else but a shepherd like his ancestors
was to him as inexplicable and incomprehensible as it was profane and
wicked.
Fairy's presence among them had often been an enigma to him. Accustomed
to work in a groove himself, his mind never travelling beyond the downs
on which his life was spent, he could not fathom the divine purpose in
placing her under his care, but yet being quite clear in his own mind it
was God's will for her at present, he did his duty towards her without
questioning; but the idea of Jack rising out of his own sphere of life
into a higher was another matter altogether.
"I don't know," said John, at last, as Fairy repeated her question.
"By the bye, how long have I been here exactly?" asked Fairy.
"Let me see; twelve years last shearing-time," said the shepherd, whose
dates were few and simple, sheep-washing, shearing, lambing, and next
and last sheepfair being the principal.
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