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he did not take the trouble to turn or raise his eyes at the entry
of his visitors； well knowing by their footsteps that they were the
expected old comrades。
The main room； on the left； was decked with bunches of holly and
other evergreens； and from the middle of the beam bisecting the
ceiling hung the mistletoe； of a size out of all proportion to the
room； and extending so low that it became necessary for a full…grown
person to walk round it in passing； or run the risk of entangling
his hair。 This apartment contained Mrs。 Dewy the tranter's wife；
and the four remaining children； Susan； Jim； Bessy； and Charley；
graduating uniformly though at wide stages from the age of sixteen
to that of four yearsthe eldest of the series being separated from
Dick the firstborn by a nearly equal interval。
Some circumstance had apparently caused much grief to Charley just
previous to the entry of the choir； and he had absently taken down a
small looking…glass； holding it before his face to learn how the
human countenance appeared when engaged in crying； which survey led
him to pause at the various points in each wail that were more than
ordinarily striking； for a thorough appreciation of the general
effect。 Bessy was leaning against a chair； and glancing under the
plaits about the waist of the plaid frock she wore； to notice the
original unfaded pattern of the material as there preserved； her
face bearing an expression of regret that the brightness had passed
away from the visible portions。 Mrs。 Dewy sat in a brown settle by
the side of the glowing wood fireso glowing that with a heedful
compression of the lips she would now and then rise and put her hand
upon the hams and flitches of bacon lining the chimney； to reassure
herself that they were not being broiled instead of smokeda
misfortune that had been known to happen now and then at Christmas…
time。
〃Hullo； my sonnies； here you be； then！〃 said Reuben Dewy at length；
standing up and blowing forth a vehement gust of breath。 〃How the
blood do puff up in anybody's head； to be sure； a…stooping like
that！ I was just going out to gate to hark for ye。〃 He then
carefully began to wind a strip of brown paper round a brass tap he
held in his hand。 〃This in the cask here is a drop o' the right
sort〃 （tapping the cask）； 〃'tis a real drop o' cordial from the best
picked applesSansoms； Stubbards； Five…corners； and suchlikeyou
d'mind the sort； Michael？〃 （Michael nodded。） 〃And there's a
sprinkling of they that grow down by the orchard…railsstreaked
onesrail apples we d'call 'em； as 'tis by the rails they grow； and
not knowing the right name。 The water…cider from 'em is as good as
most people's best cider is。〃
〃Ay； and of the same make too；〃 said Bowman。 〃'It rained when we
wrung it out； and the water got into it；' folk will say。 But 'tis
on'y an excuse。 Watered cider is too common among us。〃
〃Yes； yes； too common it is！〃 said Spinks with an inward sigh；
whilst his eyes seemed to be looking at the case in an abstract form
rather than at the scene before him。 〃Such poor liquor do make a
man's throat feel very melancholyand is a disgrace to the name of
stimmilent。〃
〃Come in； come in； and draw up to the fire； never mind your shoes；〃
said Mrs。 Dewy； seeing that all except Dick had paused to wipe them
upon the door…mat。 〃I am glad that you've stepped up…along at last；
and； Susan； you run down to Grammer Kaytes's and see if you can
borrow some larger candles than these fourteens。 Tommy Leaf； don't
ye be afeard！ Come and sit here in the settle。〃
This was addressed to the young man before mentioned； consisting
chiefly of a human skeleton and a smock…frock； who was very awkward
in his movements； apparently on account of having grown so very fast
that before he had had time to get used to his height he was higher。
〃Heeheeay！〃 replied Leaf； letting his mouth continue to smile
for some time after his mind had done smiling； so that his teeth
remained in view as the most conspicuous members of his body。
〃Here； Mr。 Penny；〃 resumed Mrs。 Dewy； 〃you sit in this chair。 And
how's your daughter； Mrs。 Brownjohn？〃
〃Well； I suppose I must say pretty fair。〃 He adjusted his
spectacles a quarter of an inch to the right。 〃But she'll be worse
before she's better； 'a b'lieve。〃
〃Indeedpoor soul！ And how many will that make in all； four or
five？〃
〃Five； they've buried three。 Yes； five； and she not much more than
a maid yet。 She do know the multiplication table onmistakable well。
However； 'twas to be； and none can gainsay it。〃
Mrs。 Dewy resigned Mr。 Penny。 〃Wonder where your grandfather James
is？〃 she inquired of one of the children。 〃He said he'd drop in to…
night。〃
〃Out in fuel…house with grandfather William；〃 said Jimmy。
〃Now let's see what we can do；〃 was heard spoken about this time by
the tranter in a private voice to the barrel； beside which he had
again established himself； and was stooping to cut away the cork。
〃Reuben； don't make such a mess o' tapping that barrel as is mostly
made in this house；〃 Mrs。 Dewy cried from the fireplace。 〃I'd tap a
hundred without wasting more than you do in one。 Such a squizzling…
…and squirting job as 'tis in your hands！ There； he always was such
a clumsy man indoors。〃
〃Ay； ay； I know you'd tap a hundred beautiful； AnnI know you
would； two hundred； perhaps。 But I can't promise。 This is a' old
cask； and the wood's rotted away about the tap…hole。 The husbird of
a feller Sam Lawsonthat ever I should call'n such； now he's dead
and gone； poor heart！took me in completely upon the feat of buying
this cask。 'Reub；' says he'a always used to call me plain Reub；
poor old heart！'Reub；' he said； says he； 'that there cask； Reub；
is as good as new； yes； good as new。 'Tis a wine…hogshead； the best
port…wine in the commonwealth have been in that there cask； and you
shall have en for ten shillens； Reub；''a said； says he'he's
worth twenty； ay； five…and…twenty； if he's worth one； and an iron
hoop or two put round en among the wood ones will make en worth
thirty shillens of any man's money； if'〃
〃I think I should have used the eyes that Providence gave me to use
afore I paid any ten shillens for a jimcrack wine…barrel； a saint is
sinner enough not to be cheated。 But 'tis like all your family was；
so easy to be deceived。〃
〃That's as true as gospel of this member；〃 said Reuben。
Mrs。 Dewy began a smile at the answer； then altering her lips and
refolding them so that it was not a smile； commenced smoothing
little Bessy's hair； the tranter having meanwhile suddenly become
oblivious to conversation； occupying himself in a deliberate cutting
and arrangement of some more brown paper for the broaching
operation。
〃Ah； who can believe sellers！〃 said old Michael Mail in a carefully…
cautious voice； by way of tiding…over this critical point of
affairs。
〃No one at all；〃 said Joseph Bow