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them。
A good deal of desperation became noticeable in the gallery throats
and strings； which continued throughout the musical portion of the
service。 Directly the fiddles were laid down； Mr。 Penny's
spectacles put in their sheath； and the text had been given out； an
indignant whispering began。
〃Did ye hear that； souls？〃 Mr。 Penny said； in a groaning breath。
〃Brazen…faced hussies！〃 said Bowman。
〃True； why； they were every note as loud as we； fiddles and all； if
not louder！〃
〃Fiddles and all！〃 echoed Bowman bitterly。
〃Shall anything saucier be found than united 'ooman？〃 Mr。 Spinks
murmured。
〃What I want to know is；〃 said the tranter （as if he knew already；
but that civilization required the form of words）； 〃what business
people have to tell maidens to sing like that when they don't sit in
a gallery； and never have entered one in their lives？ That's the
question； my sonnies。〃
〃'Tis the gallery have got to sing； all the world knows；〃 said Mr。
Penny。 〃Why； souls； what's the use o' the ancients spending scores
of pounds to build galleries if people down in the lowest depths of
the church sing like that at a moment's notice？〃
〃Really； I think we useless ones had better march out of church；
fiddles and all！〃 said Mr。 Spinks； with a laugh which； to a
stranger； would have sounded mild and real。 Only the initiated body
of men he addressed could understand the horrible bitterness of
irony that lurked under the quiet words 'useless ones；' and the
ghastliness of the laughter apparently so natural。
〃Never mind！ Let 'em sing too'twill make it all the louderhee；
hee！〃 said Leaf。
〃Thomas Leaf； Thomas Leaf！ Where have you lived all your life？〃
said grandfather William sternly。
The quailing Leaf tried to leek as if he had lived nowhere at all。
〃When all's said and done； my sonnies；〃 Reuben said； 〃there'd have
been no real harm in their singing if they had let nobody hear 'em；
and only jined in now and then。〃
〃None at all；〃 said Mr。 Penny。 〃But though I don't wish to accuse
people wrongfully； I'd say before my lord judge that I could hear
every note o' that last psalm come from 'em as much as from us
every note as if 'twas their own。〃
〃Know it！ ah； I should think I did know it！〃 Mr。 Spinks was heard
to observe at this moment； without reference to his fellow players
shaking his head at some idea he seemed to see floating before him；
and smiling as if he were attending a funeral at the time。 〃Ah； do
I or don't I know it！〃
No one said 〃Know what？〃 because all were aware from experience that
what he knew would declare itself in process of time。
〃I could fancy last night that we should have some trouble wi' that
young man；〃 said the tranter； pending the continuance of Spinks's
speech； and looking towards the unconscious Mr。 Maybold in the
pulpit。
〃_I_ fancy；〃 said old William； rather severely； 〃I fancy there's too
much whispering going on to be of any spiritual use to gentle or
simple。〃 Then folding his lips and concentrating his glance on the
vicar； he implied that none but the ignorant would speak again； and
accordingly there was silence in the gallery； Mr。 Spinks's telling
speech remaining for ever unspoken。
Dick had said nothing； and the tranter little； on this episode of
the morning； for Mrs。 Dewy at breakfast expressed it as her
intention to invite the youthful leader of the culprits to the small
party it was customary with them to have on Christmas nighta piece
of knowledge which had given a particular brightness to Dick's
reflections since he had received it。 And in the tranter's
slightly…cynical nature； party feeling was weaker than in the other
members of the choir； though friendliness and faithful partnership
still sustained in him a hearty earnestness on their account。
CHAPTER VII： THE TRANTER'S PARTY
During the afternoon unusual activity was seen to prevail about the
precincts of tranter Dewy's house。 The flagstone floor was swept of
dust； and a sprinkling of the finest yellow sand from the innermost
stratum of the adjoining sand…pit lightly scattered thereupon。 Then
were produced large knives and forks； which had been shrouded in
darkness and grease since the last occasion of the kind； and bearing
upon their sides； 〃Shear…steel； warranted；〃 in such emphatic letters
of assurance； that the warranter's name was not required as further
proof； and not given。 The key was left in the tap of the cider…
barrel； instead of being carried in a pocket。 And finally the
tranter had to stand up in the room and let his wife wheel him round
like a turnstile； to see if anything discreditable was visible in
his appearance。
〃Stand still till I've been for the scissors；〃 said Mrs。 Dewy。
The tranter stood as still as a sentinel at the challenge。
The only repairs necessary were a trimming of one or two whiskers
that had extended beyond the general contour of the mass； a like
trimming of a slightly…frayed edge visible on his shirt…collar； and
a final tug at a grey hairto all of which operations he submitted
in resigned silence； except the last； which produced a mild 〃Come；
come； Ann；〃 by way of expostulation。
〃Really； Reuben； 'tis quite a disgrace to see such a man；〃 said Mrs。
Dewy； with the severity justifiable in a long…tried companion；
giving him another turn round； and picking several of Smiler's hairs
from the shoulder of his coat。 Reuben's thoughts seemed engaged
elsewhere； and he yawned。 〃And the cellar of your coat is a shame
to beholdso plastered with dirt； or dust； or grease； or something。
Why； wherever could you have got it？〃
〃'Tis my warm nater in summer…time； I suppose。 I always did get in
such a heat when I bustle about。〃
〃Ay； the Dewys always were such a coarse…skinned family。 There's
your brother Bob just as badas fat as a porpoisewi' his how；
mean； 〃How'st do； Ann？〃 whenever he meets me。 I'd 〃How'st do〃 him
indeed！ If the sun only shines out a minute； there be you all
streaming in the faceI never see！〃
〃If I be hot week…days； I must be hot Sundays。〃
〃If any of the girls should turn after their father 'twill be a bad
look…out for 'em； poor things！ None of my family were sich vulgar
sweaters； not one of 'em。 But； Lord…a…mercy； the Dewys！ I don't
know how ever I cam' into such a family！〃
〃Your woman's weakness when I asked ye to jine us。 That's how it
was I suppose。〃 But the tranter appeared to have heard some such
words from his wife before； and hence his answer had not the energy
it might have shown if the inquiry had possessed the charm of
novelty。
〃You never did hook so well in a pair o' trousers as in them；〃 she
continued in the same unimpassioned voice； so that the unfriendly
criticism of the Dewy family seemed to have been mere normal than
spontaneous。 〃Such a cheap pair as 'twas too。 As big as any man
could wish to have； and lined insid