ofa
better
.
The
boy
sings
pretty
,
do
n't
he
,
Master
Marner
?
"
"
Yes
,
"
said
Silas
,
absently
,
"
very
pretty
.
"
The
Christmas
carol
,
with
its
hammer-like
rhythm
,
had
fallen
on
his
ears
as
strange
music
,
quite
unlike
a
hymn
,
and
could
have
none
of
the
effect
Dolly
contemplated
.
But
he
wanted
to
show
her
that
he
was
grateful
,
and
the
only
mode
that
occurred
to
him
was
to
offer
Aaron
a
bit
more
cake
.
"
O
,
no
,
thank
you
,
Master
Marner
,
"
said
Dolly
,
holding
down
Aaron
's
willing
hands
.
"
We
must
be
going
home
now
.
And
so
I
wish
you
good-by
,
Master
Marner
;
and
if
you
ever
feel
anyways
bad
in
your
inside
,
as
you
ca
n't
fend
for
yourself
,
I
'll
come
and
clean
up
for
you
,
and
get
you
a
bit
o
'
victual
,
and
willing
.
But
I
beg
and
pray
of
you
to
leave
off
weaving
of
a
Sunday
,
for
it
's
bad
for
soul
and
body
—
and
the
money
as
comes
i
'
that
way'ull
be
a
bad
bed
to
lie
down
on
at
the
last
,
if
it
does
n't
fly
away
,
nobody
knows
where
,
like
the
white
frost
.
And
you
'll
excuse
me
being
that
free
with
you
,
Master
Marner
,
for
I
wish
you
well
—
I
do
.
Make
your
bow
,
Aaron
.
"
Silas
said
"
Good-by
,
and
thank
you
,
kindly
,
"
as
he
opened
the
door
for
Dolly
,
but
he
could
n't
help
feeling
relieved
when
she
was
gone
—
relieved
that
he
might
weave
again
and
moan
at
his
case
.
Her
simple
view
of
life
and
its
comforts
,
by
which
she
had
tried
to
cheer
him
,
was
only
like
a
report
of
unknown
objects
,
which
his
imagination
could
not
fashion
.
The
fountains
of
human
love
and
divine
faith
had
not
yet
been
unlocked
,
and
his
soul
was
still
the
shrunken
rivulet
,
with
only
this
difference
,
that
its
little
groove
of
sand
was
blocked
up
,
and
it
wandered
confusedly
against
dark
obstruction
.
And
so
,
notwithstanding
the
honest
persuasions
of
Mr
Macey
and
Dolly
Winthrop
,
Silas
spent
his
Christmas-day
in
loneliness
,
eating
his
meat
in
sadness
of
heart
,
though
the
meat
had
come
to
him
as
a
neighbourly
present
.
In
the
morning
he
looked
out
on
the
black
frost
that
seemed
to
press
cruelly
on
every
blade
of
grass
,
while
the
half-icy
red
pool
shivered
under
the
bitter
wind
;
but
towards
evening
the
snow
began
to
fall
,
and
curtained
from
him
even
that
dreary
outlook
,
shutting
him
close
up
with
his
narrow
grief
.
And
he
sat
in
his
robbed
home
through
the
livelong
evening
,
not
caring
to
close
his
shutters
or
lock
his
door
,
pressing
his
head
between
his
hands
and
moaning
,
till
the
cold
grasped
him
and
told
him
that
his
fire
was
grey
.
Nobody
in
this
world
but
himself
knew
that
he
was
the
same
Silas
Marner
who
had
once
loved
his
fellow
with
tender
love
,
and
trusted
in
an
unseen
goodness
.
Even
to
himself
that
past
experience
had
become
dim
.
But
in
Raveloe
village
the
bells
rang
merrily
,
and
the
church
was
fuller
than
all
through
the
rest
of
the
year
,
with
red
faces
among
the
abundant
dark-green
boughs
—
faces
prepared
for
a
longer
service
than
usual
by
an
odorous
breakfast
of
toast
and
ale
.
Those
green
boughs
,
the
hymn
and
anthem
never
heard
but
at
Christmas
—
even
the
Athanasian
Creed
,
which
was
discriminated
from
the
others
only
as
being
longer
and
of
exceptional
virtue
,
since
it
was
only
read
on
rare
occasions
—
brought
a
vague
exulting
sense
,
for
which
the
grown
men
could
as
little
have
found
words
as
the
children
,
that
something
great
and
mysterious
had
been
done
for
them
in
heaven
above
,
and
in
earth
below
,
which
they
were
appropriating
by
their
presence
.
And
then
the
red
faces
made
their
way
through
the
black
biting
frost
to
their
own
homes
,
feeling
themselves
free
for
the
rest
of
the
day
to
eat
,
drink
,
and
be
merry
,
and
using
that
Christian
freedom
without
diffidence
.
At
Squire
Cass
's
family
party
that
day
nobody
mentioned
Dunstan
—
nobody
was
sorry
for
his
absence
,
or
feared
it
would
be
too
long
.
The
doctor
and
his
wife
,
uncle
and
aunt
Kimble
,
were
there
,
and
the
annual
Christmas
talk
was
carried
through
without
any
omissions
,
rising
to
the
climax
of
Mr
Kimble
's
experience
when
he
walked
the
London
hospitals
thirty
years
back
,
together
with
striking
professional
anecdotes
then
gathered
.
Whereupon
cards
followed
,
with
aunt
Kimble
's
annual
failure
to
follow
suit
,
and
uncle
Kimble
's
irascibility
concerning
the
odd
trick
which
was
rarely
explicable
to
him
,
when
it
was
not
on
his
side
,
without
a
general
visitation
of
tricks
to
see
that
they
were
formed
on
sound
principles
:
the
whole
being
accompanied
by
a
strong
steaming
odour
of
spirits-and-water
.
But
the
party
on
Christmas-day
,
being
a
strictly
family
party
,
was
not
the
pre-eminently
brilliant
celebration
of
the
season
at
the
Red
House
.
It
was
the
great
dance
on
New
Year
's
Eve
that
made
the
glory
of
Squire
Cass
's
hospitality
,
as
of
his
forefathers
'
,
time
out
of
mind
.
This
was
the
occasion
when
all
the
society
of
Raveloe
and
Tarley
,
whether
old
acquaintances
separated
by
long
rutty
distances
,
or
cooled
acquaintances
separated
by
misunderstandings
concerning
runaway
calves
,
or
acquaintances
founded
on
intermittent
condescension
,
counted
on
meeting
and
on
comporting
themselves
with
mutual
appropriateness
.
This
was
the
occasion
on
which
fair
dames
who
came
on
pillions
sent
their
bandboxes
before
them
,
supplied
with
more
than
their
evening
costume
;
for
the
feast
was
not
to
end
with
a
single
evening
,
like
a
paltry
town
entertainment
,
where
the
whole
supply
of
eatables
is
put
on
the
table
at
once
,
and
bedding
is
scanty
.
The
Red
House
was
provisioned
as
if
for
a
siege
;
and
as
for
the
spare
feather-beds
ready
to
be
laid
on
floors
,
they
were
as
plentiful
as
might
naturally
be
expected
in
a
family
that
had
killed
its
own
geese
for
many
generations
.
Godfrey
Cass
was
looking
forward
to
this
New
Year
's
Eve
with
a
foolish
reckless
longing
,
that
made
him
half
deaf
to
his
importunate
companion
,
Anxiety
.
"
Dunsey
will
be
coming
home
soon
:
there
will
be
great
blow-up
,
and
how
will
you
bribe
his
spite
to
silence
?
"
said
Anxiety
.
"
O
,
he
wo
n't
come
home
before
New
Year
's
Eve
,
perhaps
,
"
said
Godfrey
;
"
and
I
shall
sit
by
Nancy
then
,
and
dance
with
her
,
and
get
a
kind
look
from
her
in
spite
of
herself
.
"
"
But
money
is
wanted
in
another
quarter
,
"
said
Anxiety
,
in
a
louder
voice
,
"
and
how
will
you
get
it
without
selling
your
mother
's
diamond
pin
?
And
if
you
do
n't
get
it
.
...
?
"
"
Well
,
but
something
may
happen
to
make
things
easier
.
At
any
rate
,
there
's
one
pleasure
for
me
close
at
hand
:
Nancy
is
coming
.
"
"
Yes
,
and
suppose
your
father
should
bring
matters
to
a
pass
that
will
oblige
you
to
decline
marrying
her
—
and
to
give
your
reasons
?
"
"
Hold
your
tongue
,
and
do
n't
worry
me
.
I
can
see
Nancy
's
eyes
,
just
as
they
will
look
at
me
,
and
feel
her
hand
in
mine
already
.
"
But
Anxiety
went
on
,
though
in
noisy
Christmas
company
;
refusing
to
be
utterly
quieted
even
by
much
drinking
.
CHAPTER
XI
.
Some
women
,
I
grant
,
would
not
appear
to
advantage
seated
on
a
pillion
,
and
attired
in
a
drab
joseph
and
a
drab
beaver-bonnet
,
with
a
crown
resembling
a
small
stew-pan
;
for
a
garment
suggesting
a
coachman
's
greatcoat
,
cut
out
under
an
axiguity
of
cloth
that
would
only
allow
of
miniature
capes
,
is
not
well
adapted
to
conceal
deficiencies
of
contour
,
nor
is
drab
a
colour
that
will
throw
sallow
cheeks
into
lively
contrast
.
It
was
all
the
greater
triumph
to
Miss
Nancy
Lammeter
's
beauty
that
she
looked
thoroughly
bewitching
in
that
costume
,
as
seated
on
the
pillion
behind
her
tall
,
erect
father
,
she
held
one
arm
round
him
,
and
looked
down
,
with
open-eyed
anxiety
,
at
the
treacherous
snow-covered
pools
and
puddles
,
which
sent
up
formidable
splashings
of
mud
under
the
stamp
of
Dobbin
's
foot
.
A
painter
would
,
perhaps
,
have
preferred
her
in
those
moments
when
she
was
free
from
self-consciousness
;
but
certainly
the
bloom
on
her
cheeks
was
at
its
highest
point
of
contrast
with
the
surrounding
drab
when
she
arrived
at
the
door
of
the
Red
House
,
and
saw
Mr
Godfrey
Cass
ready
to
lift
her
from
the
pillion
.
She
wished
her
sister
Priscilla
had
come
up
at
the
same
time
with
the
servant
,
for
then
she
would
have
contrived
that
Mr
Godfrey
should
have
lifted
off
Priscilla
first
,
and
,
in
the
mean
time
,
she
would
have
persuaded
her
father
to
go
round
to
the
horseblock
instead
of
alighting
at
the
door-steps
.
It
was
very
painful
,
when
you
had
made
it
quite
clear
to
a
young
man
that
you
were
determined
not
to
marry
him
,
however
much
he
might
wish
it
,
that
he
would
still
continue
to
pay
you
marked
attentions
;
besides
,
why
did
n't
he
always
show
the
same
attentions
,
if
he
meant
them
sincerely
,
instead
of
being
so
strange
as
Mr
Godfrey
Cass
was
,
sometimes
behaving
as
if
he
did
n't
want
to
speak
to
her
,
and
taking
no
notice
of
her
for
weeks
and
weeks
,
and
then
,
all
on
a
sudden
,
almost
making
love
again
?
Moreover
,
it
was
quite
plain
he
had
no
real
love
for
her
,
else
he
would
not
let
people
have
that
to
say
of
him
which
they
did
say
.
Did
he
suppose
that
Miss
Nancy
Lammeter
was
to
be
won
by
any
man
,
squire
or
no
squire
,
who
led
a
bad
life
?
That
was
not
what
she
had
been
used
to
see
in
her
own
father
,
who
was
the
soberest
and
best
man
in
that
country-side
,
only
a
little
hot
and
hasty
now
and
then
,
if
things
were
not
done
to
the
minute
.
All
these
thoughts
rushed
through
Miss
Nancy
's
mind
,
in
their
habitual
succession
,
in
the
moments
between
her
first
sight
of
Mr
Godfrey
Cass
standing
at
the
door
and
her
own
arrival
there
.
Happily
,
the
Squire
came
out
too
,
and
gave
a
loud
greeting
to
her
father
,
so
that
,
somehow
,
under
cover
of
this
noise
,
she
seemed
to
find
concealment
for
her
confusion
and
neglect
of
any
suitably
formal
behaviour
,
while
she
was
being
lifted
from
the
pillion
by
strong
arms
,
which
seemed
to
find
her
ridiculously
small
and
light
.
And
there
was
the
best
reason
for
hastening
into
the
house
at
once
,
since
the
snow
was
beginning
to
fall
again
,
threatening
an
unpleasant
journey
for
such
guests
as
were
still
on
the
road
.
These
were
a
small
minority
;
for
already
the
afternoon
was
beginning
to
decline
,
and
there
would
not
be
too
much
time
for
the
ladies
who
came
from
a
distance
to
attire
themselves
in
readiness
for
the
early
tea
which
was
to
inspirit
them
for
the
dance
.
There
was
a
buzz
of
voices
through
the
house
,
as
Miss
Nancy
entered
,
mingled
with
the
scrape
of
a
fiddle
preluding
in
the
kitchen
;
but
the
Lammeters
were
guests
whose
arrival
had
evidently
been
thought
of
so
much
that
it
had
been
watched
for
from
the
windows
,
for
Mrs
Kimble
,
who
did
the
honours
at
the
Red
House
on
these
great
occasions
,
came
forward
to
meet
Miss
Nancy
in
the
hall
,
and
conduct
her
upstairs
.
Mrs
Kimble
was
the
Squire
's
sister
,
as
well
as
the
doctor
's
wife
—
a
double
dignity
,
with
which
her
diameter
was
in
direct
proportion
;
so
that
,
a
journey
up-stairs
being
rather
fatiguing
to
her
,
she
did
not
oppose
Miss
Nancy
's
request
to
be
allowed
to
find
her
way
alone
to
the
Blue
Room
,
where
the
Miss
Lammeters
'
bandboxes
had
been
deposited
on
their
arrival
in
the
morning
.
There
was
hardly
a
bedroom
in
the
house
where
feminine
compliments
were
not
passing
and
feminine
toilettes
going
forward
,
in
various
stages
,
in
space
made
scanty
by
extra
beds
spread
upon
the
floor
;
and
Miss
Nancy
,
as
she
entered
the
Blue
Room
,
had
to
make
her
little
formal
curtsy
to
a
group
of
six
.
On
the
one
hand
,
there
were
ladies
no
less
important
than
the
two
Miss
Gunns
,
the
wine
merchant
's
daughters
from
Lytherly
,
dressed
in
the
height
of
fashion
,
with
the
tightest
skirts
and
the
shortest
waists
,
and
gazed
at
by
Miss
Ladbrook
(
of
the
Old
Pastures
)
with
a
shyness
not
unsustained
by
inward
criticism
.
Partly
,
Miss
Ladbrook
felt
that
her
own
skirt
must
be
regarded
as
unduly
lax
by
the
Miss
Gunns
,
and
partly
,
that
it
was
a
pity
the
Miss
Gunns
did
not
show
that
judgment
which
she
herself
would
show
if
she
were
in
their
place
,
by
stopping
a
little
on
this
side
of
the
fashion
.
On
the
other
hand
,
Mrs
Ladbrook
was
standing
in
skullcap
and
front
,
with
her
turban
in
her
hand
,
curtsying
and
smiling
blandly
and
saying
"
After
you
,
ma'am
"
to
another
lady
in
similar
circumstances
,
who
had
politely
offered
the
precedence
at
the
looking-glass
.
But
Miss
Nancy
had
no
sooner
made
her
curtsy
than
an
elderly
lady
came
forward
,
whose
full
white
muslin
kerchief
,
and
mob-cap
round
her
curls
of
smooth
grey
hair
,
were
in
daring
contrast
with
the
puffed
yellow
satins
and
top-knotted
caps
of
her
neighbours
.
She
approached
Miss
Nancy
with
much
primness
,
and
said
,
with
a
slow
,
treble
suavity
—
"
Niece
,
I
hope
I
see
you
well
in
health
.
"
Miss
Nancy
kissed
her
aunt
's
cheek
dutifully
,
and
answered
,
with
the
same
sort
of
amiable
primness
,
"
Quite
well
,
I
thank
you
,
aunt
,
and
I
hope
I
see
you
the
same
.
"
"
Thank
you
,
niece
,
I
keep
my
health
for
the
present
.
And
how
is
my
brother-in-law
?
"
These
dutiful
questions
and
answers
were
continued
until
it
was
ascertained
in
detail
that
the
Lammeters
were
all
as
well
as
usual
,
and
the
Osgoods
likewise
,
also
that
niece
Priscilla
must
certainly
arrive
shortly
,
and
that
travelling
on
pillions
in
snowy
weather
was
unpleasant
,
though
a
joseph
was
a
great
protection
.
Then
Nancy
was
formally
introduced
to
her
aunt
's
visitors
,
the
Miss
Gunns
,
as
being
the
daughters
of
a
mother
known
to
their
mother
,
though
now
for
the
first
time
induced
to
make
a
journey
into
these
parts
;
and
these
ladies
were
so
taken
by
surprise
at
finding
such
a
lovely
face
and
figure
in
an
out-of-the-way
country
place
,
that
they
began
to
feel
some
curiosity
about
the
dress
she
would
put
on
when
she
took
off
her
joseph
.
Miss
Nancy
,
whose
thoughts
were
always
conducted
with
the
propriety
and
moderation
conspicuous
in
her
manners
,
remarked
to
herself
that
the
Miss
Gunns
were
rather
hard-featured
than
otherwise
,
and
that
such
very
low
dresses
as
they
wore
might
have
been
attributed
to
vanity
if
their
shoulders
had
been
pretty
,
but
that
,
being
as
they
were
,
it
was
not
reasonable
to
suppose
that
they
showed
their
necks
from
a
love
of
display
,
but
rather
from
some
obligation
not
inconsistent
with
sense
and
modesty
.
She
felt
convinced
,
as
she
opened
her
box
,
that
this
must
be
her
aunt
Osgood
's
opinion
,
for
Miss
Nancy
's
mind
resembled
her
aunt
's
to
a
degree
that
everybody
said
was
surprising
,
considering
the
kinship
was
on
Mr
Osgood
's
side
;
and
though
you
might
not
have
supposed
it
from
the
formality
of
their
greeting
,
there
was
a
devoted
attachment
and
mutual
admiration
between
aunt
and
niece
.
Even
Miss
Nancy
's
refusal
of
her
cousin
Gilbert
Osgood
(
on
the
ground
solely
that
he
was
her
cousin
)
,
though
it
had
grieved
her
aunt
greatly
,
had
not
in
the
least
cooled
the
preference
which
had
determined
her
to
leave
Nancy
several
of
her
hereditary
ornaments
,
let
Gilbert
's
future
wife
be
whom
she
might
.
Three
of
the
ladies
quickly
retired
,
but
the
Miss
Gunns
were
quite
content
that
Mrs
Osgood
's
inclination
to
remain
with
her
niece
gave
them
also
a
reason
for
staying
to
see
the
rustic
beauty
's
toilette
.
And
it
was
really
a
pleasure
—
from
the
first
opening
of
the
bandbox
,
where
everything
smelt
of
lavender
and
rose-leaves
,
to
the
clasping
of
the
small
coral
necklace
that
fitted
closely
round
her
little
white
neck
.
Everything
belonging
to
Miss
Nancy
was
of
delicate
purity
and
nattiness
:
not
a
crease
was
where
it
had
no
business
to
be
,
not
a
bit
of
her
linen
professed
whiteness
without
fulfilling
its
profession
;
the
very
pins
on
her
pincushion
were
stuck
in
after
a
pattern
from
which
she
was
careful
to
allow
no
aberration
;
and
as
for
her
own
person
,
it
gave
the
same
idea
of
perfect
unvarying
neatness
as
the
body
of
a
little
bird
.
It
is
true
that
her
lightbrown
hair
was
cropped
behind
like
a
boy
's
,
and
was
dressed
in
front
in
a
number
of
flat
rings
,
that
lay
quite
away
from
her
face
;
but
there
was
no
sort
of
coiffure
that
could
make
Miss
Nancy
's
cheek
and
neck
look
otherwise
than
pretty
;
and
when
at
last
she
stood
complete
in
her
silvery
twilled
silk
,
her
lace
tucker
,
her
coral
necklace
,
and
coral
ear-drops
,
the
Miss
Gunns
could
see
nothing
to
criticise
except
her
hands
,
which
bore
the
traces
of
butter-making
,
cheese-crushing
,
and
even
still
coarser
work
.
But
Miss
Nancy
was
not
ashamed
of
that
,
for
even
while
she
was
dressing
she
narrated
to
her
aunt
how
she
and
Priscilla
had
packed
their
boxes
yesterday
,
because
this
morning
was
baking
morning
,
and
since
they
were
leaving
home
,
it
was
desirable
to
make
a
good
supply
of
meat
pies
for
the
kitchen
;
and
as
she
concluded
this
judicious
remark
,
she
turned
to
the
Miss
Gunns
that
she
might
not
commit
the
rudeness
of
not
including
them
in
the
conversation
.
The
Miss
Gunns
smiled
stiffly
,
and
thought
what
a
pity
it
was
that
these
rich
country
people
,
who
could
afford
to
buy
such
good
clothes
(
really
Miss
Nancy
's
lace
and
silk
were
very
costly
)
,
should
be
brought
up
in
utter
ignorance
and
vulgarity
.
She
actually
said
"
mate
"
for
"
meat
,
"
"
'
appen
"
for
"
perhaps
,
"
and
"
oss
"
for
"
horse
,
"
which
,
to
young
ladies
living
in
good
Lytherly
society
,
who
habitually
said
'
orse
,
even
in
domestic
privacy
,
and
only
said
'
appen
on
the
right
occasions
,
was
necessarily
shocking
.
Miss
Nancy
,
indeed
,
had
never
been
to
any
school
higher
than
Dame
Tedman
's
:
her
acquaintance
with
profane
literature
hardly
went
beyond
the
rhymes
she
had
worked
in
her
large
sampler
under
the
lamb
and
the
shepherdess
;
and
in
order
to
balance
an
account
,
she
was
obliged
to
effect
her
subtraction
by
removing
visible
metallic
shillings
and
sixpences
from
a
visible
metallic
total
.
There
is
hardly
a
servant-maid
in
these
days
who
is
not
better
informed
than
Miss
Nancy
;
yet
she
had
the
essential
attributes
of
a
lady
—
high
veracity
,
delicate
honour
in
her
dealings
,
deference
to
others
,
and
refined
personal
habits
,
—
and
lest
these
should
not
suffice
to
convince
grammatical
fair
ones
that
her
feelings
can
at
all
resemble
theirs
,
I
will
add
that
she
was
slightly
proud
and
exacting
,
and
as
constant
in
her
affection
towards
a
baseless
opinion
as
towards
an
erring
lover
.
The
anxiety
about
sister
Priscilla
,
which
had
grown
rather
active
by
the
time
the
coral
necklace
was
clasped
,
was
happily
ended
by
the
entrance
of
that
cheerful-looking
lady
herself
,
with
a
face
made
blowsy
by
cold
and
damp
.
After
the
first
questions
and
greetings
,
she
turned
to
Nancy
,
and
surveyed
her
from
head
to
foot
—
then
wheeled
her
round
,
to
ascertain
that
the
back
view
was
equally
faultless
.
"
What
do
you
think
o
'
these
gowns
,
aunt
Osgood
?
"
said
Priscilla
,
while
Nancy
helped
her
to
unrobe
.
"
Very
handsome
indeed
,
niece
,
"
said
Mrs
Osgood
,
with
a
slight
increase
of
formality
.
She
always
thought
niece
Priscilla
too
rough
.
"
I
'm
obliged
to
have
the
same
as
Nancy
,
you
know
,
for
all
I
'm
five
years
older
and
it
makes
me
look
yallow
;
for
she
never
will
have
anything
without
I
have
mine
just
like
it
,
because
she
wants
us
to
look
like
sisters
.
And
I
tell
her
folks
'
ull
think
it
's
my
weakness
makes
me
fancy
as
I
shall
look
pretty
in
what
she
looks
pretty
in
.
For
I
am
ugly
—
there
's
no
denying
that
:
I
feature
my
father
's
family
.
But
,
law
!
I
do
n't
mind
,
do
you
?
"
Priscilla
here
turned
to
the
Miss
Gunns
,
rattling
on
in
too
much
preoccupation
with
the
delight
of
talking
,
to
notice
that
her
candour
was
not
appreciated
.
"
The
pretty
uns
do
for
fly-catchers
—
they
keep
the
men
off
us
.
I
've
no
opinion
o
'
the
men
,
Miss
Gunn
—
I
do
n't
know
what
you
have
.
And
as
for
fretting
and
stewing
about
what
they
'
ll
think
of
you
from
morning
till
night
,
and
making
your
life
uneasy
about
what
they
're
doing
when
they
're
out
o'your
sight
—
as
I
tell
Nancy
,
it
's
a
folly
no
woman
need
be
guilty
of
,
if
she
's
got
a
good
father
and
a
good
home
:
let
her
leave
it
to
them
as
have
got
no
fortin
,
and
ca
n't
help
themselves
.
As
I
say
,
Mr
Have-your-own-way
is
the
best
husband
,
and
the
only
one
I
'd
ever
promise
to
obey
.
I
know
it
is
n't
pleasant
,
when
you
've
been
used
to
living
in
a
big
way
,
and
managing
hogsheads
and
all
that
,
to
go
and
put
your
nose
in
by
somebody
else
's
fireside
,
or
to
sit
down
by
yourself
to
a
scrag
or
a
knuckle
;
but
,
thank
God
!
my
father
's
a
sober
man
and
likely
to
live
;
and
if
you
've
got
a
man
by
the
chimney-corner
,
it
does
n't
matter
if
he
's
childish
—
the
business
need
n't
be
broke
up
.
"
The
delicate
process
of
getting
her
narrow
gown
over
her
head
without
injury
to
her
smooth
curls
,
obliged
Miss
Priscilla
to
pause
in
this
rapid
survey
of
life
,
and
Mrs
Osgood
seized
the
opportunity
of
rising
and
saying
—
"
Well
,
niece
,
you
'll
follow
us
.
The
Miss
Gunns
will
like
to
go
down
.
"
"
Sister
,
"
said
Nancy
,
when
they
were
alone
,
"
you
've
offended
the
Miss
Gunns
,
I
'm
sure
.
"
"
What
have
I
done
,
child
?
"
said
Priscilla
,
in
some
alarm
.
"
Why
,
you
asked
them
if
they
minded
about
being
ugly
—
you
're
so
very
blunt
.
"
"
Law
,
did
I
?
Well
,
it
popped
out
:
it
's
a
mercy
I
said
no
more
,
for
I
'm
a
bad
un
to
live
with
folks
when
they
do
n't
like
the
truth
.
But
as
for
being
ugly
,
look
at
me
,
child
,
in
this
silver-coloured
silk
—
I
told
you
how
it
'
ud
be
—
I
look
as
yallow
as
a
daffadil
.
Anybody
'
ud
say
you
wanted
to
make
a
mawkin
of
me
.
"
"
No
,
Priscy
,
do
n't
say
so
.
I
begged
and
prayed
of
you
not
to
let
us
have
this
silk
if
you
'd
like
another
better
.
I
was
willing
to
have
your
choice
,
you
know
I
was
,
"
said
Nancy
,
in
anxious
self-vindication
.
"
Nonsense
,
child
,
you
know
you
'd
set
your
heart
on
this
;
and
reason
good
,
for
you
're
the
colour
o
'
cream
.
It
'
ud
be
fine
doings
for
you
to
dress
yourself
to
suit
my
skin
.
What
I
find
fault
with
,
is
that
notion
o
'
yours
as
I
must
dress
myself
just
like
you
.
But
you
do
as
you
like
with
me
—
you
always
did
,
from
when
first
you
begun
to
walk
.
If
you
wanted
to
go
the
field
's
length
,
the
field
's
length
you
'd
go
;
and
there
was
no
whipping
you
,
for
you
looked
as
prim
and
innicent
as
a
daisy
all
the
while
.
"
"
Priscy
,
"
said
Nancy
,
gently
,
as
she
fastened
a
coral
necklace
,
exactly
like
her
own
,
round
Priscilla
's
neck
,
which
was
very
far
from
being
like
her
own
,
"
I
'm
sure
I
'm
willing
to
give
way
as
far
as
is
right
,
but
who
should
n't
dress
alike
if
it
is
n't
sisters
?
Would
you
have
us
go
about
looking
as
if
we
were
no
kin
to
one
another
—
us
that
have
got
no
mother
and
not
another
sister
in
the
world
?
I
'd
do
what
was
right
,
if
I
dressed
in
a
gown
dyed
with
cheese-colouring
;
and
I
'd
rather
you
'd
choose
,
and
let
me
wear
what
pleases
you
.
"
"
There
you
go
again
!
You
'd
come
round
to
the
same
thing
if
one
talked
to
you
from
Saturday
night
till
Saturday
morning
.
It
'll
be
fine
fun
to
see
how
you
'll
master
your
husband
and
never
raise
your
voice
above
the
singing
o
'
the
kettle
all
the
while
.
I
like
to
see
the
men
mastered
!
"
"
Do
n't
talk
so
,
Priscy
,
"
said
Nancy
,
blushing
.
"
You
know
I
do
n't
mean
ever
to
be
married
.
"
"
O
,
you
never
mean
a
fiddlestick
's
end
!
"
said
Priscilla
,
as
she
arranged
her
discarded
dress
,
and
closed
her
bandbox
.
"
Who
shall
I
have
to
work
for
when
father
's
gone
,
if
you
are
to
go
and
take
notions
in
your
head
and
be
an
old
maid
,
because
some
folks
are
no
better
than
they
should
be
?
I
have
n't
a
bit
o
'
patience
with
you
—
sitting
on
an
addled
egg
for
ever
,
as
if
there
was
never
a
fresh
un
in
the
world
.
One
old
maid
's
enough
out
o
'
two
sisters
;
and
I
shall
do
credit
to
a
single
life
,
for
God
A'mighty
meant
me
for
it
.
Come
,
we
can
go
down
now
.
I
'm
as
ready
as
a
mawkin
can
be
—
there
's
nothing
awanting
to
frighten
the
crows
,
now
I
've
got
my
ear-droppers
in
.
"
As
the
two
Miss
Lammeters
walked
into
the
large
parlour
together
,
any
one
who
did
not
know
the
character
of
both
,
might
certainly
have
supposed
that
the
reason
why
the
square-shouldered
,
clumsy
,
high-featured
Priscilla
wore
a
dress
the
facsimile
of
her
pretty
sister
's
,
was
either
the
mistaken
vanity
of
the
one
,
or
the
malicious
contrivance
of
the
other
in
order
to
set
off
her
own
rare
beauty
.
But
the
good-natured
self-forgetful
cheeriness
and
commonsense
of
Priscilla
would
soon
have
dissipated
the
one
suspicion
;
and
the
modest
calm
of
Nancy
's
speech
and
manners
told
clearly
of
a
mind
free
from
all
disavowed
devices
.
Places
of
honour
had
been
kept
for
the
Miss
Lammeters
near
the
head
of
the
principal
teatable
in
the
wainscoted
parlour
,
now
looking
fresh
and
pleasant
with
handsome
branches
of
holly
,
yew
,
and
laurel
,
from
the
abundant
growths
of
the
old
garden
;
and
Nancy
felt
an
inward
flutter
,
that
no
firmness
of
purpose
could
prevent
,
when
she
saw
Mr
Godfrey
Cass
advancing
to
lead
her
to
a
seat
between
himself
and
Mr
Crackenthorp
,
while
Priscilla
was
called
to
the
opposite
side
between
her
father
and
the
Squire
.
It
certainly
did
make
some
difference
to
Nancy
that
the
lover
she
had
given
up
was
the
young
man
of
quite
the
highest
consequence
in
the
parish
—
at
home
in
a
venerable
and
unique
parlour
,
which
was
the
extremity
of
grandeur
in
her
experience
,
a
parlour
where
she
might
one
day
have
been
mistress
,
with
the
consciousness
that
she
was
spoken
of
as
"
Madam
Cass
,
"
the
Squire
's
wife
.
These
circumstances
exalted
her
inward
drama
in
her
own
eyes
,
and
deepened
the
emphasis
with
which
she
declared
to
herself
that
not
the
most
dazzling
rank
should
induce
her
to
marry
a
man
whose
conduct
showed
him
careless
of
his
character
,
but
that
,
"
love
once
,
love
always
,
"
was
the
motto
of
a
true
and
pure
woman
,
and
no
man
should
ever
have
any
right
over
her
which
would
be
a
call
on
her
to
destroy
the
dried
flowers
that
she
treasured
,
and
always
would
treasure
,
for
Godfrey
Cass
's
sake
.
And
Nancy
was
capable
of
keeping
her
word
to
herself
under
very
trying
conditions
.
Nothing
but
a
becoming
blush
betrayed
the
moving
thoughts
that
urged
themselves
upon
her
as
she
accepted
the
seat
next
to
Mr
Crackenthorp
;
for
she
was
so
instinctively
neat
and
adroit
in
all
her
actions
,
and
her
pretty
lips
met
each
other
with
such
quiet
firmness
,
that
it
would
have
been
difficult
for
her
to
appear
agitated
.
It
was
not
the
rector
's
practice
to
let
a
charming
blush
pass
without
an
appropriate
compliment
.
He
was
not
in
the
least
lofty
or
aristocratic
,
but
simply
a
merry-eyed
,
small-featured
,
grey-haired
man
,
with
his
chin
propped
by
an
ample
,
many-creased
white
neckcloth
,
which
seemed
to
predominate
over
every
other
point
in
his
person
,
and
somehow
to
impress
its
peculiar
character
on
his
remarks
;
so
that
to
have
considered
his
amenities
apart
from
his
cravat
,
would
have
been
a
severe
,
and
perhaps
a
dangerous
,
effort
of
abstraction
.
"
Ha
,
Miss
Nancy
,
"
he
said
,
turning
his
head
within
his
cravat
,
and
smiling
down
pleasantly
upon
her
,
"
when
anybody
pretends
this
has
been
a
severe
winter
,
I
shall
tell
them
I
saw
the
roses
blooming
on
New
Year
's
Eve
—
eh
,
Godfrey
,
what
do
you
say
?
"
Godfrey
made
no
reply
,
and
avoided
looking
at
Nancy
very
markedly
;
for
though
these
complimentary
personalities
were
held
to
be
in
excellent
taste
in
old-fashioned
Raveloe
society
,
reverent
love
has
a
politeness
of
its
own
which
it
teaches
to
men
otherwise
of
small
schooling
.
But
the
Squire
was
rather
impatient
at
Godfrey
's
showing
himself
a
dull
spark
in
this
way
.
By
this
advanced
hour
of
the
day
,
the
Squire
was
always
in
higher
spirits
than
we
have
seen
him
in
at
the
breakfast-table
,
and
felt
it
quite
pleasant
to
fulfil
the
hereditary
duty
of
being
noisily
jovial
and
patronising
:
the
large
silver
snuff-box
was
in
active
service
,
and
was
offered
without
fail
to
all
neighbours
from
time
to
time
,
however
often
they
might
have
declined
the
favour
.
At
present
,
the
Squire
had
only
given
an
express
welcome
to
the
heads
of
families
as
they
appeared
;
but
always
as
the
evening
deepened
,
his
hospitality
rayed
out
more
widely
,
till
he
had
tapped
the
youngest
guests
on
the
back
and
shown
a
peculiar
fondness
for
their
presence
,
in
the
full
belief
that
they
must
feel
their
lives
made
happy
by
their
belonging
to
a
parish
where
there
was
such
a
hearty
man
as
Squire
Cass
to
invite
them
and
wish
them
well
.
Even
in
this
early
stage
of
the
jovial
mood
,
it
was
natural
that
he
should
wish
to
supply
his
son
's
deficiencies
by
looking
and
speaking
for
him
.
"
Ay
,
ay
,
"
he
began
,
offering
his
snuff-box
to
Mr
Lammeter
,
who
for
the
second
time
bowed
his
head
and
waved
his
hand
in
stiff
rejection
of
the
offer
,
"
us
old
fellows
may
wish
ourselves
young
to-night
,
when
we
see
the
mistletoebough
in
the
White
Parlour
.
It
's
true
,
most
things
are
gone
back'ard
in
these
last
thirty
years
—
the
country
's
going
down
since
the
old
king
fell
ill.
But
when
I
look
at
Miss
Nancy
here
,
I
begin
to
think
the
lasses
keep
up
their
quality
;
—
ding
me
if
I
remember
a
sample
to
match
her
,
not
when
I
was
a
fine
young
fellow
,
and
thought
a
deal
about
my
pigtail
.
No
offence
,
to
you
,
madam
,
"
he
added
,
bending
to
Mrs
Crackenthorp
,
who
sat
by
him
,
"
I
did
n't
know
you
when
you
were
as
young
as
Miss
Nancy
here
.
"
Mrs
Crackenthorp
—
a
small
blinking
woman
,
who
fidgeted
incessantly
with
her
lace
,
ribbons
,
and
gold
chain
,
turning
her
head
about
and
making
subdued
noises
,
very
much
like
a
guinea-pig
,
that
twitches
its
nose
and
soliloquises
in
all
company
indiscriminately
—
now
blinked
and
fidgeted
towards
the
Squire
,
and
said
,
"
O
no
—
no
offence
.
"
This
emphatic
compliment
of
the
Squire
's
to
Nancy
was
felt
by
others
besides
Godfrey
to
have
a
diplomatic
significance
;
and
her
father
gave
a
slight
additional
erectness
to
his
back
,
as
he
looked
across
the
table
at
her
with
complacent
gravity
.
That
grave
and
orderly
senior
was
not
going
to
bate
a
jot
of
his
dignity
by
seeming
elated
at
the
notion
of
a
match
between
his
family
and
the
Squire
's
:
he
was
gratified
by
any
honour
paid
to
his
daughter
;
but
he
must
see
an
alteration
in
several
ways
before
his
consent
would
be
vouchsafed
.
His
spare
but
healthy
person
,
and
high-featured
firm
face
,
that
looked
as
if
it
had
never
been
flushed
by
excess
,
was
in
strong
contrast
,
not
only
with
the
Squire
's
,
but
with
the
appearance
of
the
Raveloe
farmers
generally
—
in
accordance
with
a
favourite
saying
of
his
own
,
that
"
breed
was
stronger
than
pasture
.
"
"
Miss
Nancy
's
wonderful
like
what
her
mother
was
,
though
;
is
n't
she
,
Kimble
?
"
said
the
stout
lady
of
that
name
,
looking
round
for
her
husband
.
But
Doctor
Kimble
(
county
apothecaries
in
old
days
enjoyed
that
title
without
authority
of
diploma
)
,
being
a
thin
and
agile
man
,
was
flitting
about
the
room
with
his
hands
in
his
pockets
,
making
himself
agreeable
to
his
feminine
patients
,
with
medical
impartiality
,
and
being
welcomed
everywhere
as
a
doctor
by
hereditary
right
—
not
one
of
those
miserable
apothecaries
who
canvass
for
practice
in
strange
neighbourhoods
,
and
spend
all
their
income
in
starving
their
one
horse
,
but
a
man
of
substance
,
able
to
keep
an
extravagant
table
like
the
best
of
his
patients
.
Time
out
of
mind
the
Raveloe
doctor
had
been
a
Kimble
;
Kimble
was
inherently
a
doctor
's
name
;
and
it
was
difficult
to
contemplate
firmly
the
melancholy
fact
that
the
actual
Kimble
had
no
son
,
so
that
his
practice
might
one
day
be
handed
over
to
a
successor
,
with
the
incongruous
name
of
Taylor
or
Johnson
.
But
in
that
case
the
wiser
people
in
Raveloe
would
employ
Dr
Blick
of
Flitton
—
as
less
unnatural
.
"
Did
you
speak
to
me
,
my
dear
?
"
said
the
authentic
doctor
,
coming
quickly
to
his
wife
's
side
;
but
,
as
if
foreseeing
that
she
would
be
too
much
out
of
breath
to
repeat
her
remark
,
he
went
on
immediately
—
"
Ha
,
Miss
Priscilla
,
the
sight
of
you
revives
the
taste
of
that
super-excellent
pork-pie
.
I
hope
the
batch
is
n't
near
an
end
.
"
"
Yes
,
indeed
,
it
is
,
doctor
,
"
said
Priscilla
;
"
but
I
'll
answer
for
it
the
next
shall
be
as
good
.
My
pork-pies
do
n't
turn
out
well
by
chance
.
"
"
Not
as
your
doctoring
does
,
eh
,
Kimble
?
—
because
folks
forget
to
take
your
physic
,
eh
?
"
said
the
Squire
,
who
regarded
physic
and
doctors
as
many
loyal
churchmen
regard
the
church
and
the
clergy
—
tasting
a
joke
against
them
when
he
was
in
health
,
but
impatiently
eager
for
their
aid
when
anything
was
the
matter
with
him
.
He
tapped
his
box
,
and
looked
round
with
a
triumphant
laugh
.
"
Ah
,
she
has
a
quick
wit
,
my
friend
Priscilla
has
,
"
said
the
doctor
,
choosing
to
attribute
the
epigram
to
the
lady
rather
than
allow
a
brother-in-law
that
advantage
over
him
.
"
She
saves
a
little
pepper
to
sprinkle
over
her
talk
—
that
's
the
reason
why
she
never
puts
too
much
into
her
pies
.
There
's
my
wife
,
now
,
she
never
has
an
answer
at
her
tongue
's
end
;
but
if
I
offend
her
,
she
's
sure
to
scarify
my
throat
with
black
pepper
the
next
day
,
or
else
give
me
the
colic
with
watery
greens
.
That
's
an
awful
tit-for-tat
.
"
Here
the
vivacious
doctor
made
a
pathetic
grimace
.
"
Did
you
ever
hear
the
like
?
"
said
Mrs
Kimble
,
laughing
above
her
double
chin
with
much
good-humour
,
aside
to
Mrs
Crackenthorp
,
who
blinked
and
nodded
,
and
seemed
to
intend
a
smile
,
which
,
by
the
correlation
of
forces
,
went
off
in
small
twitchings
and
noises
.
"
I
suppose
that
's
the
sort
of
tit-for-tat
adopted
in
your
profession
,
Kimble
,
if
you
've
a
grudge
against
a
patient
,
"
said
the
rector
.
"
Never
do
have
a
grudge
against
our
patients
,
"
said
Mr
Kimble
,
"
except
when
they
leave
us
:
and
then
,
you
see
,
we
have
n't
the
chance
of
prescribing
for
'
em
.
Ha
,
Miss
Nancy
,
"
he
continued
,
suddenly
skipping
to
Nancy
's
side
,
"
you
wo
n't
forget
your
promise
?
You
're
to
save
a
dance
for
me
,
you
know
.
"
"
Come
,
come
,
Kimble
,
do
n't
you
be
too
for'ard
,
"
said
the
Squire
.
"
Give
the
young
uns
fair-play
.
There
's
my
son
Godfrey
'll
be
wanting
to
have
a
round
with
you
if
you
run
off
with
Miss
Nancy
.
He
's
bespoke
her
for
the
first
dance
,
I
'll
be
bound
.
Eh
,
sir
!
what
do
you
say
?
"
he
continued
,
throwing
himself
backward
,
and
looking
at
Godfrey
.
"
Have
n't
you
asked
Miss
Nancy
to
open
the
dance
with
you
?
"
Godfrey
,
sorely
uncomfortable
under
this
significant
insistance
about
Nancy
,
and
afraid
to
think
where
it
would
end
by
the
time
his
father
had
set
his
usual
hospitable
example
of
drinking
before
and
after
supper
,
saw
no
course
open
but
to
turn
to
Nancy
and
say
,
with
as
little
awkwardness
as
possible
—
"
No
;
I
've
not
asked
her
yet
,
but
I
hope
she
'll
consent
—
if
somebody
else
has
n't
been
before
me
.
"
"
No
,
I
've
not
engaged
myself
,
"
said
Nancy
,
quietly
,
though
blushingly
.
(
If
Mr
Godfrey
founded
any
hopes
on
her
consenting
to
dance
with
him
,
he
would
soon
be
undeceived
;
but
there
was
no
need
for
her
to
be
uncivil
.
)
"
Then
I
hope
you
've
no
objections
to
dancing
with
me
,
"
said
Godfrey
,
beginning
to
lose
the
sense
that
there
was
anything
uncomfortable
in
this
arrangement
.
"
No
,
no
objections
,
"
said
Nancy
,
in
a
cold
tone
.
"
Ah
,
well
,
you
're
a
lucky
fellow
,
Godfrey
,
"
said
uncle
Kimble
;
"
but
you
're
my
godson
,
so
I
wo
n't
stand
in
your
way
.
Else
I
'm
not
so
very
old
,
eh
,
my
dear
?
"
he
went
on
,
skipping
to
his
wife
's
side
again
.
"
You
would
n't
mind
my
having
a
second
after
you
were
gone
—
not
if
I
cried
a
good
deal
first
?
"
"
Come
,
come
,
take
a
cup
o
'
tea
and
stop
your
tongue
,
do
,
"
said
good-humoured
Mrs
Kimble
,
feeling
some
pride
in
a
husband
who
must
be
regarded
as
so
clever
and
amusing
by
the
company
generally
.
If
he
had
only
not
been
irritable
at
cards
!
While
safe
,
well-tested
personalities
were
enlivening
the
tea
in
this
way
,
the
sound
of
the
fiddle
approaching
within
a
distance
at
which
it
could
be
heard
distinctly
,
made
the
young
people
look
at
each
other
with
sympathetic
impatience
for
the
end
of
the
meal
.
"
Why
,
there
's
Solomon
in
the
hall
,
"
said
the
Squire
,
"
and
playing
my
fav'rite
tune
,
I
believe
—
'
The
flaxen-headed
ploughboy
'
—
he
's
for
giving
us
a
hint
as
we
are
n't
enough
in
a
hurry
to
hear
him
play
.
Bob
,
"
he
called
out
to
his
third
long-legged
son
,
who
was
at
the
other
end
of
the
room
,
"
open
the
door
,
and
tell
Solomon
to
come
in
.
He
shall
give
us
a
tune
here
.
"
Bob
obeyed
,
and
Solomon
walked
in
,
fiddling
as
he
walked
,
for
he
would
on
no
account
break
off
in
the
middle
of
a
tune
.
"
Here
,
Solomon
,
"
said
the
Squire
,
with
loud
patronage
.
"
Round
here
,
my
man
.
Ah
,
I
knew
it
was
'
The
flaxen-headed
ploughboy
:
'
there
's
no
finer
tune
.
"
Solomon
Macey
,
a
small
hale
old
man
with
an
abundant
crop
of
long
white
hair
reaching
nearly
to
his
shoulders
,
advanced
to
the
indicated
spot
,
bowing
reverently
while
he
fiddled
,
as
much
as
to
say
that
he
respected
the
company
,
though
he
respected
the
key-note
more
.
As
soon
as
he
had
repeated
the
tune
and
lowered
his
fiddle
,
he
bowed
again
to
the
Squire
and
the
rector
,
and
said
,
"
I
hope
I
see
your
honour
and
your
reverence
well
,
and
wishing
you
health
and
long
life
and
a
happy
New
Year
.
And
wishing
the
same
to
you
,
Mr
Lammeter
,
sir
;
and
to
the
other
gentlemen
,
and
the
madams
,
and
the
young
lasses
.
"
As
Solomon
uttered
the
last
words
,
he
bowed
in
all
directions
solicitously
,
lest
he
should
be
wanting
in
due
respect
.
But
thereupon
he
immediately
began
to
prelude
,
and
fell
into
the
tune
which
he
knew
would
be
taken
as
a
special
compliment
by
Mr
Lammeter
.
"
Thank
ye
,
Solomon
,
thank
ye
,
"
said
Mr
Lammeter
,
when
the
fiddle
paused
again
.
"
That
's
'
Over
the
hills
and
far
away
,
'
that
is
.
My
father
used
to
say
to
me
,
whenever
we
heard
that
tune
,
'
Ah
,
lad
,
I
come
from
over
the
hills
and
far
away
.
'
There
's
a
many
tunes
I
do
n't
make
head
or
tail
of
;
but
that
speaks
to
me
like
the
blackbird
's
whistle
.
I
suppose
it
's
the
name
:
there
's
a
deal
in
the
name
of
a
tune
.
"
But
Solomon
was
already
impatient
to
prelude
again
,
and
presently
broke
with
much
spirit
into
"
Sir
Roger
de
Coverley
,
"
at
which
there
was
a
sound
of
chairs
pushed
back
,
and
laughing
voices
.
"
Ay
,
ay
,
Solomon
,
we
know
what
that
means
,
"
said
the
Squire
,
rising
.
"
It
's
time
to
begin
the
dance
,
eh
?
Lead
the
way
,
then
,
and
we
'll
all
follow
you
.
"
So
Solomon
,
holding
his
white
head
on
one
side
,
and
playing
vigorously
,
marched
forward
at
the
head
of
the
gay
procession
into
the
White
Parlour
,
where
the
mistletoe-bough
was
hung
,
and
multitudinous
tallow
candles
made
rather
a
brilliant
effect
,
gleaming
from
among
the
berried
holly-boughs
,
and
reflected
in
the
old-fashioned
oval
mirrors
fastened
in
the
panels
of
the
white
wainscot
.
A
quaint
procession
!
Old
Solomon
,
in
his
seedy
clothes
and
long
white
locks
,
seemed
to
be
luring
that
decent
company
by
the
magic
scream
of
his
fiddle
—
luring
discreet
matrons
in
turban-shaped
caps
,
nay
,
Mrs
Crackenthorp
herself
,
the
summit
of
whose
perpendicular
feather
was
on
a
level
with
the
Squire
's
shoulder
—
luring
fair
lasses
complacently
conscious
of
very
short
waists
and
skirts
blameless
of
front-folds
—
burly
fathers
,
in
large
variegated
waistcoats
,
and
ruddy
sons
,
for
the
most
part
shy
and
sheepish
,
in
short
nether
garments
and
very
long
coattails
.
Already
,
Mr
Macey
and
a
few
other
privileged
villagers
,
who
were
allowed
to
be
spectators
on
these
great
occasions
,
were
seated
on
benches
placed
for
them
near
the
door
;
and
great
was
the
admiration
and
satisfaction
in
that
quarter
when
the
couples
had
formed
themselves
for
the
dance
,
and
the
Squire
led
off
with
Mrs
Crackenthorp
,
joining
hands
with
the
rector
and
Mrs
Osgood
.
That
was
as
it
should
be
—
that
was
what
everybody
had
been
used
to
—
and
the
charter
of
Raveloe
seemed
to
be
renewed
by
the
ceremony
.
It
was
not
thought
of
as
an
unbecoming
levity
for
the
old
and
middle-aged
people
to
dance
a
little
before
sitting
down
to
cards
,
but
rather
as
part
of
their
social
duties
.
For
what
were
these
if
not
to
be
merry
at
appropriate
times
,
interchanging
visits
and
poultry
with
due
frequency
,
paying
each
other
old-established
compliments
in
sound
traditional
phrases
,
passing
well-tried
personal
jokes
,
urging
your
guests
to
eat
and
drink
too
much
out
of
hospitality
,
and
eating
and
drinking
too
much
in
your
neighbour
's
house
to
show
that
you
liked
your
cheer
?
And
the
person
naturally
set
an
example
in
these
social
duties
.
For
it
would
not
have
been
possible
for
the
Raveloe
mind
,
without
a
peculiar
revelation
,
to
know
that
a
clergyman
should
be
a
pale-faced
memento
of
solemnities
,
instead
of
a
reasonably
faulty
man
,
whose
exclusive
authority
to
read
prayers
and
preach
,
to
christen
,
marry
,
and
bury
you
,
necessarily
co-existed
with
the
right
to
sell
you
the
ground
to
be
buried
in
,
and
to
take
tithe
in
kind
;
on
which
last
point
,
of
course
,
there
was
a
little
grumbling
,
but
not
to
the
extent
of
irreligion
—
not
beyond
the
grumbling
at
the
rain
,
which
was
by
no
means
accompanied
with
a
spirit
of
impious
defiance
,
but
with
a
desire
that
the
prayer
for
fine
weather
might
be
read
forthwith
.
There
was
no
reason
,
then
,
why
the
rector
's
dancing
should
not
be
received
as
part
of
the
fitness
of
things
quite
as
much
as
the
Squire
's
,
or
why
,
on
the
other
hand
,
Mr
Macey
's
official
respect
should
restrain
him
from
subjecting
the
parson
's
performance
to
that
criticism
with
which
minds
of
extraordinary
acuteness
must
necessarily
contemplate
the
doings
of
their
fallible
fellow-men
.
"
The
Squire
's
pretty
springe
,
considering
his
weight
,
"
said
Mr
Macey
,
"
and
he
stamps
uncommon
well
.
But
Mr
Lammeter
beats
'
em
all
for
shapes
:
you
see
,
he
holds
his
head
like
a
sodger
,
and
he
is
n't
so
cushiony
as
most
o
'
the
oldish
gentlefolks
—
they
run
fat
in
general
;
and
he
's
got
a
fine
leg
.
The
parson
's
nimble
enough
,
but
he
has
n't
got
much
of
a
leg
:
it
's
a
bit
too
thick
down'ard
,
and
his
knees
might
be
a
bit
nearer
wi'out
damage
;
but
he
might
do
worse
,
he
might
do
worse
.
Though
he
has
n't
that
grand
way
o
'
waving
his
hand
as
the
Squire
has
.
"
"
Talk
o
'
nimbleness
,
look
at
Mrs
Osgood
,
"
said
Ben
Winthrop
,
who
was
holding
his
son
Aaron
between
his
knees
.
"
She
trips
along
with
her
little
steps
,
so
as
nobody
can
see
how
she
goes
—
it
's
like
as
if
she
had
little
wheels
to
her
feet
.
She
does
n't
look
a
day
older
nor
last
year
:
she
's
the
finest-made
woman
as
is
,
let
the
next
be
where
she
will
.
"
"
I
do
n't
heed
how
the
women
are
made
,
"
said
Mr
Macey
,
with
some
contempt
.
"
They
wear
nayther
coat
nor
breeches
:
you
ca
n't
make
much
out
o
'
their
shapes
.
"
"
Fayder
,
"
said
Aaron
,
whose
feet
were
busy
beating
out
the
tune
,
"
how
does
that
big
cock's-feather
stick
in
Mrs
Crackenthorp
's
yead
?
Is
there
a
little
hole
for
it
,
like
in
my
shuttlecock
?
"
"
Hush
,
lad
,
hush
;
that
's
the
way
the
ladies
dress
theirselves
,
that
is
,
"
said
the
father
,
adding
,
however
,
in
an
under-tone
to
Mr
Macey
,
"
It
does
make
her
look
funny
,
though
—
partly
like
a
short-necked
bottle
wi
'
a
long
quill
in
it
.
Hey
,
by
jingo
,
there
's
the
young
Squire
leading
off
now
,
wi
'
Miss
Nancy
for
partners
.
There
's
a
lass
for
you
!
—
like
a
pink-and-white
posy
—
there
's
nobody
'
ud
think
as
anybody
could
be
so
pritty
.
I
should
n't
wonder
if
she
's
Madam
Cass
some
day
,
arter
all
—
and
nobody
more
rightfuller
,
for
they
'd
make
a
fine
match
.
You
can
find
nothing
against
Master
Godfrey
's
shapes
,
Macey
,
I
'll
bet
a
penny
.
"
Mr
Macey
screwed
up
his
mouth
,
leaned
his
head
further
on
one
side
,
and
twirled
his
thumbs
with
a
presto
movement
as
his
eyes
followed
Godfrey
up
the
dance
.
At
last
he
summed
up
his
opinion
.
"
Pretty
well
down'ard
,
but
a
bit
too
round
i
'
the
shoulder-blades
.
And
as
for
them
coats
as
he
gets
from
the
Flitton
tailor
,
they
're
a
poor
cut
to
pay
double
money
for
.
"
"
Ah
,
Mr
Macey
,
you
and
me
are
two
folks
,
"
said
Ben
,
slightly
indignant
at
this
carping
.
"
When
I
've
got
a
pot
o
'
good
ale
,
I
like
to
swaller
it
,
and
do
my
inside
good
,
i'stead
o
'
smelling
and
staring
at
it
to
see
if
I
ca
n't
find
faut
wi
'
the
brewing
.
I
should
like
you
to
pick
me
out
a
finer-limbed
young
fellow
nor
Master
Godfrey
—
one
as
'
ud
knock
you
down
easier
,
or
's
more
pleasanter-looksed
when
he
's
piert
and
merry
.
"
"
Tchuh
!
"
said
Mr
Macey
,
provoked
to
increased
severity
,
"
he
is
n't
come
to
his
right
colour
yet
:
he
's
partly
like
a
slack-backed
pie
.
And
I
doubt
he
's
got
a
soft
place
in
his
head
,
else
why
should
he
be
turned
round
the
finger
by
that
offal
Dunsey
as
nobody
's
seen
o
'
late
,
and
let
him
kill
that
fine
hunting
hoss
as
was
the
talk
o
'
the
country
?
And
one
while
he
was
allays
after
Miss
Nancy
,
and
then
it
all
went
off
again
,
like
a
smell
o
'
hot
porridge
,
as
I
may
say
.
That
was
n't
my
way
,
when
I
went
a-coorting
.
"
"
Ah
,
but
mayhap
Miss
Nancy
hung
off
,
like
,
and
your
lass
did
n't
,
"
said
Ben
.
"
I
should
say
she
did
n't
,
"
said
Mr
Macey
,
significantly
.
"
Before
I
said
'
sniff
,
'
I
took
care
to
know
as
she
'd
say
'
snaff
,
'
and
pretty
quick
too
.
I
was
n't
a-going
to
open
my
mouth
,
like
a
dog
at
a
fly
,
and
snap
it
to
again
,
wi
'
nothing
to
swaller
.
"
"
Well
,
I
think
Miss
Nancy
's
a-coming
round
again
,
"
said
Ben
,
"
for
Master
Godfrey
does
n't
look
so
down-hearted
to-night
.
And
I
see
he
's
for
taking
her
away
to
sit
down
,
now
they
're
at
the
end
o
'
the
dance
:
that
looks
like
sweet-hearting
,
that
does
.
"
The
reason
why
Godfrey
and
Nancy
had
left
the
dance
was
not
so
tender
as
Ben
imagined
.
In
the
close
press
of
couples
a
slight
accident
had
happened
to
Nancy
's
dress
,
which
,
while
it
was
short
enough
to
show
her
neat
ankle
in
front
,
was
long
enough
behind
to
be
caught
under
the
stately
stamp
of
the
Squire
's
foot
,
so
as
to
rend
certain
stitches
at
the
waist
,
and
cause
much
sisterly
agitation
in
Priscilla
's
mind
,
as
well
as
serious
concern
in
Nancy
's
.
One
's
thoughts
may
be
much
occupied
with
love-struggles
,
but
hardly
so
as
to
be
insensible
to
a
disorder
in
the
general
framework
of
things
.
Nancy
had
no
sooner
completed
her
duty
in
the
figure
they
were
dancing
than
she
said
to
Godfrey
,
with
a
deep
blush
,
that
she
must
go
and
sit
down
till
Priscilla
could
come
to
her
;
for
the
sisters
had
already
exchanged
a
short
whisper
and
an
open-eyed
glance
full
of
meaning
.
No
reason
less
urgent
than
this
could
have
prevailed
on
Nancy
to
give
Godfrey
this
opportunity
of
sitting
apart
with
her
.
As
for
Godfrey
,
he
was
feeling
so
happy
and
oblivious
under
the
long
charm
of
the
country-dance
with
Nancy
,
that
he
got
rather
bold
on
the
strength
of
her
confusion
,
and
was
capable
of
leading
her
straight
away
,
without
leave
asked
,
into
the
adjoining
small
parlour
,
where
the
card-tables
were
set
.
"
O
no
,
thank
you
,
"
said
Nancy
,
coldly
,
as
soon
as
she
perceived
where
he
was
going
,
"
not
in
there
.
I
'll
wait
here
till
Priscilla
's
ready
to
come
to
me
.
I
'm
sorry
to
bring
you
out
of
the
dance
and
make
myself
troublesome
.
"
"
Why
,
you
'll
be
more
comfortable
here
by
yourself
,
"
said
the
artful
Godfrey
;
"
I
'll
leave
you
here
till
your
sister
can
come
.
"
He
spoke
in
an
indifferent
tone
.
That
was
an
agreeable
proposition
,
and
just
what
Nancy
desired
;
why
,
then
,
was
she
a
little
hurt
that
Mr
Godfrey
should
make
it
?
They
entered
,
and
she
seated
herself
on
a
chair
against
one
of
the
card-tables
,
as
the
stiffest
and
most
unapproachable
position
she
could
choose
.
"
Thank
you
,
sir
,
"
she
said
immediately
.
"
I
need
n't
give
you
any
more
trouble
.
I
'm
sorry
you
've
had
such
an
unlucky
partner
.
"
"
That
's
very
ill-natured
of
you
,
"
said
Godfrey
,
standing
by
her
without
any
sign
of
intended
departure
,
"
to
be
sorry
you
've
danced
with
me
.
"
"
Oh
,
no
,
sir
,
I
do
n't
mean
to
say
what
's
ill-natured
at
all
,
"
said
Nancy
,
looking
distractingly
prim
and
pretty
.
"
When
gentlemen
have
so
many
pleasures
,
one
dance
can
make
but
very
little
.
"
"
You
know
that
is
n't
true
.
You
know
one
dance
with
you
matters
more
to
me
than
all
the
other
pleasures
in
the
world
.
"
It
was
a
long
,
long
while
since
Godfrey
had
said
anything
so
direct
as
that
,
and
Nancy
was
startled
.
But
her
instinctive
dignity
and
repugnance
to
any
show
of
emotion
made
her
sit
perfectly
still
,
and
only
throw
a
little
more
decision
into
her
voice
as
she
said
—
"
No
,
indeed
,
Mr
Godfrey
,
that
's
not
known
to
me
,
and
I
have
very
good
reasons
for
thinking
different
.
But
if
it
's
true
,
I
do
n't
wish
