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cautious voice； by way of tiding…over this critical point of
affairs。
〃No one at all；〃 said Joseph Bowman； in the tone of a man fully
agreeing with everybody。
〃Ay；〃 said Mail； in the tone of a man who did not agree with
everybody as a rule； though he did now； 〃I knowed a' auctioneering
feller oncea very friendly feller 'a was too。 And so one hot day
as I was walking down the front street o' Casterbridge； jist below
the King's Arms； I passed a' open winder and see him inside； stuck
upon his perch； a…selling off。 I jist nodded to en in a friendly
way as I passed； and went my way； and thought no more about it。
Well； next day； as I was oilen my boots by fuel…house door； if a
letter didn't come wi' a bill charging me with a featherbed；
bolster； and pillers； that I had bid for at Mr。 Taylor's sale。 The
shim…faced martel had knocked 'em down to me because I nodded to en
in my friendly way； and I had to pay for 'em too。 Now； I hold that
that was coming it very close； Reuben？〃
〃'Twas close； there's no denying；〃 said the general voice。
〃Too close； 'twas；〃 said Reuben； in the rear of the rest。 〃And as
to Sam Lawsonpoor heart！ now he's dead and gone too！I'll
warrant； that if so be I've spent one hour in making hoops for that
barrel； I've spent fifty； first and last。 That's one of my hoops'
touching it with his elbow'that's one of mine； and that； and that；
and all these。〃
〃Ah； Sam was a man；〃 said Mr。 Penny； contemplatively。
〃Sam was！〃 said Bowman。
〃Especially for a drap o' drink；〃 said the tranter。
〃Good； but not religiousgood；〃 suggested Mr。 Penny。
The tranter nodded。 Having at last made the tap and hole quite
ready； 〃Now then； Suze； bring a mug；〃 he said。 〃Here's luck to us；
my sonnies！〃
The tap went in； and the cider immediately squirted out in a
horizontal shower over Reuben's hands； knees； and leggings； and into
the eyes and neck of Charley； who； having temporarily put off his
grief under pressure of more interesting proceedings； was squatting
down and blinking near his father。
〃There 'tis again！〃 said Mrs。 Dewy。
〃Devil take the hole； the cask； and Sam Lawson too； that good cider
should be wasted like this！〃 exclaimed the tranter。 〃Your thumb！
Lend me your thumb； Michael！ Ram it in here； Michael！ I must get a
bigger tap； my sonnies。〃
〃Idd it cold inthide te hole？〃 inquired Charley of Michael； as he
continued in a stooping posture with his thumb in the cork…hole。
〃What wonderful odds and ends that chiel has in his head to be
sure！〃 Mrs。 Dewy admiringly exclaimed from the distance。 〃I lay a
wager that he thinks more about how 'tis inside that barrel than in
all the other parts of the world put together。〃
All persons present put on a speaking countenance of admiration for
the cleverness alluded to； in the midst of which Reuben returned。
The operation was then satisfactorily performed； when Michael arose
and stretched his head to the extremest fraction of height that his
body would allow of； to re…straighten his back and shoulders
thrusting out his arms and twisting his features to a mass of
wrinkles to emphasize the relief aquired。 A quart or two of the
beverage was then brought to table； at which all the new arrivals
reseated themselves with wide…spread knees； their eyes meditatively
seeking out any speck or knot in the board upon which the gaze might
precipitate itself。
〃Whatever is father a…biding out in fuel…house so long for？〃 said
the tranter。 〃Never such a man as father for two thingscleaving
up old dead apple…tree wood and playing the bass…viol。 'A'd pass
his life between the two； that 'a would。〃 He stepped to the door
and opened it。
〃Father！〃
〃Ay！〃 rang thinly from round the corner。
〃Here's the barrel tapped； and we all a…waiting！〃
A series of dull thuds； that had been heard without for some time
past； now ceased； and after the light of a lantern had passed the
window and made wheeling rays upon the ceiling inside the eldest of
the Dewy family appeared。
CHAPTER III： THE ASSEMBLED QUIRE
William Dewyotherwise grandfather Williamwas now about seventy；
yet an ardent vitality still preserved a warm and roughened bloom
upon his face； which reminded gardeners of the sunny side of a ripe
ribstone…pippin； though a narrow strip of forehead； that was
protected from the weather by lying above the line of his hat…brim；
seemed to belong to some town man； so gentlemanly was its whiteness。
His was a humorous and kindly nature； not unmixed with a frequent
melancholy； and he had a firm religious faith。 But to his
neighbours he had no character in particular。 If they saw him pass
by their windows when they had been bottling off old mead； or when
they had just been called long…headed men who might do anything in
the world if they chose； they thought concerning him； 〃Ah； there's
that good…hearted manopen as a child！〃 If they saw him just after
losing a shilling or half…a…crown； or accidentally letting fall a
piece of crockery； they thought； 〃There's that poor weak…minded man
Dewy again！ Ah； he's never done much in the world either！〃 If he
passed when fortune neither smiled nor frowned on them； they merely
thought him old William Dewy。
〃Ah； so'shere you be！Ah； Michael and Joseph and Johnand you
too； Leaf！ a merry Christmas all！ We shall have a rare log…wood
fire directly； Reub； to reckon by the toughness of the job I had in
cleaving 'em。〃 As he spoke he threw down an armful of logs which
fell in the chimney…corner with a rumble； and looked at them with
something of the admiring enmity he would have bestowed on living
people who had been very obstinate in holding their own。 〃Come in；
grandfather James。〃
Old James （grandfather on the maternal side） had simply called as a
visitor。 He lived in a cottage by himself； and many people
considered him a miser； some； rather slovenly in his habits。 He now
came forward from behind grandfather William； and his stooping
figure formed a well…illuminated picture as he passed towards the
fire…place。 Being by trade a mason； he wore a long linen apron
reaching almost to his toes； corduroy breeches and gaiters； which；
together with his boots； graduated in tints of whitish…brown by
constant friction against lime and stone。 He also wore a very stiff
fustian coat； having folds at the elbows and shoulders as unvarying
in their arrangement as those in a pair of bellows： the ridges and
the projecting parts of the coat collectively exhibiting a shade
different from that of the hollows； which were lined with small
ditch…like accumulations of stone and mortar…dust。 The extremely
large side…pockets； sheltered beneath wide flaps； bulged out
convexly whether empty or full； and as he was often engaged to work
at buildings far awayhis breakfasts and dinners being eaten in a
strange chimney…corner； by a garden wall； on a heap of stones； or
walking along the