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〃And so did father and mother；〃 said Miss Mercy Onmey。
〃And I mean to； come next Christmas！〃 said Nat the groomsman
vigorously； and looking towards the person of Miss Vashti Sniff。
〃Respectable people don't nowadays；〃 said Fancy。 〃Still； since poor
mother did； I will。〃
〃Ay；〃 resumed the tranter； 〃'twas on a White Tuesday when I
committed it。 Mellstock Club walked the same day； and we new…
married folk went a…gaying round the parish behind 'em。 Everybody
used to wear something white at Whitsuntide in them days。 My
sonnies； I've got the very white trousers that I wore； at home in
box now； Ha'n't I； Ann？〃
〃You had till I cut 'em up for Jimmy；〃 said Mrs。 Dewy。
〃And we ought； by rights； after doing this parish； to go round
Higher and Lower Mellstock； and call at Viney's； and so work our way
hither again across He'th；〃 said Mr。 Penny； recovering scent of the
matter in hand。 〃Dairyman Viney is a very respectable man； and so
is Farmer Kex； and we ought to show ourselves to them。〃
〃True；〃 said the tranter； 〃we ought to go round Mellstock to do the
thing well。 We shall form a very striking object walking along in
rotation； good…now； neighbours？〃
〃That we shall： a proper pretty sight for the nation；〃 said Mrs。
Penny。
〃Hullo！〃 said the tranter； suddenly catching sight of a singular
human figure standing in the doorway； and wearing a long smock…frock
of pillow…case cut and of snowy whiteness。 〃Why； Leaf！ whatever
dost thou do here？〃
〃I've come to know if so be I can come to the weddinghee…hee！〃
said Leaf in a voice of timidity。
〃Now； Leaf；〃 said the tranter reproachfully； 〃you know we don't want
'ee here to…day： we've got no room for ye； Leaf。〃
〃Thomas Leaf； Thomas Leaf； fie upon ye for prying！〃 said old
William。
〃I know I've got no head； but I thought； if I washed and put on a
clane shirt and smock…frock； I might just call；〃 said Leaf； turning
away disappointed and trembling。
〃Poor feller！〃 said the tranter； turning to Geoffrey。 〃Suppose we
must let en come？ His looks are rather against en； and he is
terrible silly； but 'a have never been in jail； and 'a won't do no
harm。〃
Leaf looked with gratitude at the tranter for these praises； and
then anxiously at Geoffrey； to see what effect they would have in
helping his cause。
〃Ay； let en come；〃 said Geoffrey decisively。 〃Leaf； th'rt welcome；
'st know；〃 and Leaf accordingly remained。
They were now all ready for leaving the house； and began to form a
procession in the following order： Fancy and her father； Dick and
Susan Dewy； Nat Callcome and Vashti Sniff； Ted Waywood and Mercy
Onmey； and Jimmy and Bessie Dewy。 These formed the executive； and
all appeared in strict wedding attire。 Then came the tranter and
Mrs。 Dewy； and last of all Mr。 and Mrs。 Penny；the tranter
conspicuous by his enormous gloves； size eleven and three…quarters；
which appeared at a distance like boxing gloves bleached； and sat
rather awkwardly upon his brown hands； this hall…mark of
respectability having been set upon himself to…day （by Fancy's
special request） for the first time in his life。
〃The proper way is for the bridesmaids to walk together；〃 suggested
Fancy。
〃What？ 'Twas always young man and young woman； arm in crook； in my
time！〃 said Geoffrey； astounded。
〃And in mine！〃 said the tranter。
〃And in ours！〃 said Mr。 and Mrs。 Penny。
〃Never heard o' such a thing as woman and woman！〃 said old William；
who； with grandfather James and Mrs。 Day； was to stay at home。
〃Whichever way you and the company like； my dear！〃 said Dick； who；
being on the point of securing his right to Fancy； seemed willing to
renounce all other rights in the world with the greatest pleasure
The decision was left to Fancy。
〃Well； I think I'd rather have it the way mother had it；〃 she said；
and the couples moved along under the trees； every man to his maid。
〃Ah！〃 said grandfather James to grandfather William as they retired；
〃I wonder which she thinks most about； Dick or her wedding raiment！〃
〃Well； 'tis their nature；〃 said grandfather William。 〃Remember the
words of the prophet Jeremiah： 'Can a maid forget her ornaments； or
a bride her attire？'〃
Now among dark perpendicular firs； like the shafted columns of a
cathedral； now through a hazel copse； matted with primroses and wild
hyacinths； now under broad beeches in bright young leaves they
threaded their way into the high road over Yalbury Hill； which
dipped at that point directly into the village of Geoffrey Day's
parish； and in the space of a quarter of an hour Fancy found herself
to be Mrs。 Richard Dewy； though； much to her surprise； feeling no
other than Fancy Day still。
On the circuitous return walk through the lanes and fields； amid
much chattering and laughter； especially when they came to stiles；
Dick discerned a brown spot far up a turnip field。
〃Why； 'tis Enoch！〃 he said to Fancy。 〃I thought I missed him at the
house this morning。 How is it he's left you？〃
〃He drank too much cider； and it got into his head； and they put him
in Weatherbury stocks for it。 Father was obliged to get somebody
else for a day or two； and Enoch hasn't had anything to do with the
woods since。〃
〃We might ask him to call down to…night。 Stocks are nothing for
once； considering 'tis our wedding day。〃 The bridal party was
ordered to halt。
〃Eno…o…o…o…ch！〃 cried Dick at the top of his voice。
〃Y…a…a…a…a…a…as！〃 said Enoch from the distance。
〃D'ye know who I be…e…e…e…e…e？〃
〃No…o…o…o…o…o…o！〃
〃Dick Dew…w…w…w…wy！〃
〃O…h…h…h…h…h！〃
〃Just a…ma…a…a…a…a…arried！〃
〃O…h…h…h…h…h！〃
〃This is my wife； Fa…a…a…a…a…ancy！〃 （holding her up to Enoch's view
as if she had been a nosegay。）
〃O…h…h…h…h…h！〃
〃Will ye come across to the party to…ni…i…i…i…i…i…ight！〃
〃Ca…a…a…a…a…an't！〃
〃Why n…o…o…o…o…ot？〃
〃Don't work for the family no…o…o…o…ow！〃
〃Not nice of Master Enoch；〃 said Dick； as they resumed their walk。
〃You mustn't blame en；〃 said Geoffrey； 〃the man's not hisself now；
he's in his morning frame of mind。 When he's had a gallon o' cider
or ale； or a pint or two of mead； the man's well enough； and his
manners be as good as anybody's in the kingdom。〃
CHAPTER II： UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE
The point in Yalbury Wood which abutted on the end of Geoffrey Day's
premises was closed with an ancient tree； horizontally of enormous
extent； though having no great pretensions to height。 Many hundreds
of birds had been born amidst the boughs of this single tree； tribes
of rabbits and hares had nibbled at its bark from year to year；
quaint tufts of fungi had sprung from the cavities of its forks； and
countless families of moles and earthworms had crept about its
roots。 Beneath and beyond its shade spread a carefully…tended
grass…plot； its purpose being to supply a healthy exercise…g