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meaning in context - What grammar pattern is used here and what does it mean?


This excerpt is from The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells. I can't figure out the italicized part. The excerpt follows:



"But they take long enough to get well, don't they? ... There was my sister's son, Tom, jest cut his arm with a scythe, tumbled on it in the 'ayfield, and, bless me! he was three months tied up sir. You'd hardly believe it. It's regular given me a dread of a scythe, sir."


"I can quite understand that," said the visitor.


"He was afraid, one time, that he'd have to have an op'ration—he was that bad, sir."


The visitor laughed abruptly, a bark of a laugh that he seemed to bite and kill in his mouth. "Was he?" he said.


"He was, sir. And no laughing matter to them as had the doing for him, as I had—my sister being took up with her little ones so much. There was bandages to do, sir, and bandages to undo. So that if I may make so bold as to say it, sir—"


"Will you get me some matches?" said the visitor, quite abruptly. "My pipe is out."





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