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why； you can't do it。 I assure you I've not been able to empt them
for several days； unless I throw 'em up the chimley or out of
winder； for as sure as the sun you meet him at the door； coming to
ask how you are； and 'tis such a confusing thing to meet a gentleman
at the door when ye are in the mess o' washing。〃
〃'Tis only for want of knowing better； poor gentleman；〃 said the
tranter。 〃His meaning's good enough。 Ay； your pa'son comes by
fate： 'tis heads or tails； like pitch…halfpenny； and no choosing；
so we must take en as he is； my sonnies； and thank God he's no
worse； I suppose。〃
〃I fancy I've seen him look across at Miss Day in a warmer way than
Christianity asked for；〃 said Mrs。 Penny musingly； 〃but I don't
quite like to say it。〃
〃O no； there's nothing in that；〃 said grandfather William。
〃If there's nothing； we shall see nothing；〃 Mrs。 Penny replied； in
the tone of a woman who might possibly have private opinions still。
〃Ah； Mr。 Grinham was the man！〃 said Bowman。 〃Why； he never troubled
us wi' a visit from year's end to year's end。 You might go
anywhere； do anything： you'd be sure never to see him。〃
〃Yes； he was a right sensible pa'son；〃 said Michael。 〃He never
entered our door but once in his life； and that was to tell my poor
wifeay； poor soul； dead and gone now； as we all shall Ithat as
she was such a' old aged person； and lived so far from the church；
he didn't at all expect her to come any more to the service。〃
〃And 'a was a very jinerous gentleman about choosing the psalms and
hymns o' Sundays。 'Confound ye；' says he； 'blare and scrape what ye
will； but don't bother me！'〃
〃And he was a very honourable man in not wanting any of us to come
and hear him if we were all on…end for a jaunt or spree； or to bring
the babies to be christened if they were inclined to squalling。
There's good in a man's not putting a parish to unnecessary
trouble。〃
〃And there's this here man never letting us have a bit o' peace； but
keeping on about being good and upright till 'tis carried to such a
pitch as I never see the like afore nor since！〃
〃No sooner had he got here than he found the font wouldn't hold
water； as it hadn't for years off and on； and when I told him that
Mr。 Grinham never minded it； but used to spet upon his vinger and
christen 'em just as well； 'a said； 'Good Heavens！ Send for a
workman immediate。 What place have I come to！' Which was no
compliment to us； come to that。〃
〃Still； for my part；〃 said old William； 〃though he's arrayed against
us； I like the hearty borussnorus ways of the new pa'son。〃
〃You； ready to die for the quire；〃 said Bowman reproachfully； 〃to
stick up for the quire's enemy； William！〃
〃Nobody will feel the loss of our church…work so much as I；〃 said
the old man firmly； 〃that you d'all know。 I've a…been in the quire
man and boy ever since I was a chiel of eleven。 But for all that
'tisn't in me to call the man a bad man； because I truly and
sincerely believe en to be a good young feller。〃
Some of the youthful sparkle that used to reside there animated
William's eye as he uttered the words； and a certain nobility of
aspect was also imparted to him by the setting sun； which gave him a
Titanic shadow at least thirty feet in length； stretching away to
the east in outlines of imposing magnitude； his head finally
terminating upon the trunk of a grand old oak…tree。
〃Mayble's a hearty feller enough；〃 the tranter replied； 〃and will
spak to you be you dirty or be you clane。 The first time I met en
was in a drong； and though 'a didn't know me no more than the dead；
'a passed the time of day。 'D'ye do？' he said； says he； nodding his
head。 'A fine day。' Then the second time I met en was full…buff in
town street； when my breeches were tore into a long strent by
getting through a copse of thorns and brimbles for a short cut home…
along； and not wanting to disgrace the man by spaking in that state；
I fixed my eye on the weathercock to let en pass me as a stranger。
But no： 'How d'ye do； Reuben？' says he； right hearty； and shook my
hand。 If I'd been dressed in silver spangles from top to toe； the
man couldn't have been civiller。〃
At this moment Dick was seen coming up the village…street； and they
turned and watched him。
CHAPTER III： A TURN IN THE DISCUSSION
〃I'm afraid Dick's a lost man；〃 said the tranter。
〃What？no！〃 said Mail； implying by his manner that it was a far
commoner thing for his ears to report what was not said than that
his judgment should be at fault。
〃Ay；〃 said the tranter； still gazing at Dick's unconscious advance。
〃I don't at all like what I see！ There's too many o' them looks out
of the winder without noticing anything； too much shining of boots；
too much peeping round corners； too much looking at the clock；
telling about clever things SHE did till you be sick of it； and then
upon a hint to that effect a horrible silence about her。 I've
walked the path once in my life and know the country； neighbours；
and Dick's a lost man！〃 The tranter turned a quarter round and
smiled a smile of miserable satire at the setting new moon； which
happened to catch his eye。
The others became far too serious at this announcement to allow them
to speak； and they still regarded Dick in the distance。
〃'Twas his mother's fault；〃 the tranter continued； 〃in asking the
young woman to our party last Christmas。 When I eyed the blue frock
and light heels o' the maid； I had my thoughts directly。 'God bless
thee； Dicky my sonny；' I said to myself； 'there's a delusion for
thee！'〃
〃They seemed to be rather distant in manner last Sunday； I thought？〃
Mail tentatively observed； as became one who was not a member of the
family。
〃Ay； that's a part of the zickness。 Distance belongs to it； slyness
belongs to it； queerest things on earth belongs to it！ There； 'tmay
as well come early as late s'far as I know。 The sooner begun； the
sooner over； for come it will。〃
〃The question I ask is；〃 said Mr。 Spinks； connecting into one thread
the two subjects of discourse； as became a man learned in rhetoric；
and beating with his hand in a way which signified that the manner
rather than the matter of his speech was to be observed； 〃how did
Mr。 Maybold know she could play the organ？ You know we had it from
her own lips； as far as hips go； that she has never； first or last；
breathed such a thing to him； much less that she ever would play。〃
In the midst of this puzzle Dick joined the party； and the news
which had caused such a convulsion among the ancient musicians was
unfolded to him。 〃Well；〃 he said； blushing at the allusion to Miss
Day； 〃I know by some words of hers that she has a particular wish
not to play； because she is a friend of ours； and how the alteration
comes； I don't know。〃
〃Now； this is my plan；〃 said the tranter； reviving the spirit of the
discussion by the infusion o