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sitting opposite； which； after some uneasy criticism； and much
shifting of argument backwards and forwards in Dick's mind； he
decided not to consider of alarming significance。
〃A new music greets our ears now；〃 said Miss Fancy； alluding； with
the sharpness that her position as village sharpener demanded； to
the contrast between the rattle of knives and forks and the late
notes of the fiddlers。
〃Ay； and I don't know but what 'tis sweeter in tone when you get
above forty；〃 said the tranter； 〃except； in faith； as regards father
there。 Never such a mortal man as he for tunes。 They do move his
soul； don't 'em； father？〃
The eldest Dewy smiled across from his distant chair an assent to
Reuben's remark。
〃Spaking of being moved in soul；〃 said Mr。 Penny； 〃I shall never
forget the first time I heard the 〃Dead March。〃 'Twas at poor
Corp'l Nineman's funeral at Casterbridge。 It fairly made my hair
creep and fidget about like a vlock of sheepah； it did； souls！
And when they had done； and the last trump had sounded； and the guns
was fired over the dead hero's grave； a' icy…cold drop o' moist
sweat hung upon my forehead； and another upon my jawbone。 Ah； 'tis
a very solemn thing！〃
〃Well； as to father in the corner there；〃 the tranter said； pointing
to old William； who was in the act of filling his mouth； 〃he'd
starve to death for music's sake now； as much as when he was a boy…
chap of fifteen。〃
〃Truly； now；〃 said Michael Mail； clearing the corner of his throat
in the manner of a man who meant to be convincing； 'there's a
friendly tie of some sort between music and eating。〃 He lifted the
cup to his mouth； and drank himself gradually backwards from a
perpendicular position to a slanting one； during which time his
looks performed a circuit from the wall opposite him to the ceiling
overhead。 Then clearing the other corner of his throat： 'Once I
was a…setting in the little kitchen of the Dree Mariners at
Casterbridge； having a bit of dinner； and a brass band struck up in
the street。 Such a beautiful band as that were！ I was setting
eating fried liver and lights； I well can mindah； I was！ and to
save my life； I couldn't help chawing to the tune。 Band played six…
eight time； six…eight chaws I； willynilly。 Band plays common；
common time went my teeth among the liver and lights as true as a
hair。 Beautiful 'twere！ Ah； I shall never forget that there band！〃
〃That's as tuneful a thing as ever I heard of；〃 said grandfather
James； with the absent gaze which accompanies profound criticism。
〃I don't like Michael's tuneful stories then；〃 said Mrs。 Dewy。
〃They are quite coarse to a person o' decent taste。〃
Old Michael's mouth twitched here and there； as if he wanted to
smile but didn't know where to begin； which gradually settled to an
expression that it was not displeasing for a nice woman like the
tranter's wife to correct him。
〃Well； now；〃 said Reuben； with decisive earnestness； 〃that sort o'
coarse touch that's so upsetting to Ann's feelings is to my mind a
recommendation； for it do always prove a story to be true。 And for
the same reason； I like a story with a bad moral。 My sonnies； all
true stories have a coarse touch or a bad moral； depend upon't。 If
the story…tellers could ha' got decency and good morals from true
stories； who'd ha' troubled to invent parables？〃 Saying this the
tranter arose to fetch a new stock of cider； ale； mead； and home…
made wines。
Mrs。 Dewy sighed； and appended a remark （ostensibly behind her
husband's back； though that the words should reach his ears
distinctly was understood by both）： 〃Such a man as Dewy is！ Nobody
do know the trouble I have to keep that man barely respectable。 And
did you ever hear toojust now at supper…timetalking about
〃taties〃 with Michael in such a work…folk way。 Well； 'tis what I
was never brought up to！ With our family 'twas never less than
〃taters；〃 and very often 〃pertatoes〃 outright； mother was so
particular and nice with us girls there was no family in the parish
that kept them selves up more than we。〃
The hour of parting came。 Fancy could not remain for the night；
because she had engaged a woman to wait up for her。 She disappeared
temporarily from the flagging party of dancers； and then came
downstairs wrapped up and looking altogether a different person from
whom she had been hitherto； in fact （to Dick's sadness and
disappointment）； a woman somewhat reserved and of a phlegmatic
temperamentnothing left in her of the romping girl that she had
seemed but a short quarter…hour before； who had not minded the
weight of Dick's hand upon her waist； nor shirked the purlieus of
the mistletoe。
〃What a difference！〃 thought the young manhoary cynic pro tem。
〃What a miserable deceiving difference between the manners of a
maid's life at dancing times and at others！ Look at this lovely
Fancy！ Through the whole past evening touchable； squeezeableeven
kissable！ For whole half…hours I held her so chose to me that not a
sheet of paper could have been shipped between us； and I could feel
her heart only just outside my own； her life beating on so close to
mine； that I was aware of every breath in it。 A flit is made
upstairsa hat and a cloak put onand I no more dare to touch her
than〃 Thought failed him； and he returned to realities。
But this was an endurable misery in comparison with what followed。
Mr。 Shiner and his watch…chain； taking the intrusive advantage that
ardent bachelors who are going homeward along the same road as a
pretty young woman always do take of that circumstance； came forward
to assure Fancywith a total disregard of Dick's emotions； and in
tones which were certainly not frigidthat he （Shiner） was not the
man to go to bed before seeing his Lady Fair safe within her own
doornot he； nobody should say he was that；and that he would not
leave her side an inch till the thing was donedrown him if he
would。 The proposal was assented to by Miss Day； in Dick's
foreboding judgment； with one degreeor at any rate； an appreciable
fraction of a degreeof warmth beyond that required by a
disinterested desire for protection from the dangers of the night。
All was over； and Dick surveyed the chair she had last occupied；
looking now like a setting from which the gem has been torn。 There
stood her glass； and the romantic teaspoonful of elder wine at the
bottom that she couldn't drink by trying ever so hard； in obedience
to the mighty arguments of the tranter （his hand coming down upon
her shoulder the while； like a Nasmyth hammer）； but the drinker was
there no longer。 There were the nine or ten pretty little crumbs
she had left on her plate； but the eater was no more seen。
There seemed a disagreeable closeness of relationship between
himself and the members of his family； now that they were left alone
again face to face。 His father seemed quite offensive for appearing
to be in just as high spirits as w