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man went by；' I said； in my way； 'but he's John Woodward's brother；
I can swear to the family voot。' At that very moment up comes John
Woodward； weeping and teaving； 'I've lost my brother！ I've lost my
brother！'〃
〃Only to think of that！〃 said Mrs。 Dewy。
〃'Tis well enough to know this foot and that foot；〃 said Mr。 Spinks。
〃'Tis long…headed； in fact； as far as feet do go。 I know little；
'tis trueI say no more； but show ME a man's foot； and I'll tell
you that man's heart。〃
〃You must be a cleverer feller； then； than mankind in jineral；〃 said
the tranter。
〃Well； that's nothing for me to speak of；〃 returned Mr。 Spinks。 〃A
man hives and learns。 Maybe I've read a leaf or two in my time。 I
don't wish to say anything large； mind you； but nevertheless； maybe
I have。〃
〃Yes； I know；〃 said Michael soothingly； 〃and all the parish knows；
that ye've read sommat of everything a'most； and have been a great
filler of young folks' brains。 Learning's a worthy thing； and ye've
got it； Master Spinks。〃
〃I make no boast； though I may have read and thought a little； and I
knowit may be from much perusing； but I make no boastthat by the
time a man's head is finished； 'tis almost time for him to creep
underground。 I am over forty…five。〃
Mr。 Spinks emitted a hook to signify that if his head was not
finished； nobody's head ever could be。
〃Talk of knowing people by their feet！〃 said Reuben。 〃Rot me； my
sonnies； then； if I can tell what a man is from all his members put
together； oftentimes。〃
〃But still； look is a good deal；〃 observed grandfather William
absently； moving and balancing his head till the tip of grandfather
James's nose was exactly in a right line with William's eye and the
mouth of a miniature cavern he was discerning in the fire。 〃By the
way；〃 he continued in a fresher voice； and looking up； 〃that young
crater； the schoolmis'ess； must be sung to to…night wi' the rest？
If her ear is as fine as her face； we shall have enough to do to be
up…sides with her。〃
〃What about her face？〃 said young Dewy。
〃Well； as to that；〃 Mr。 Spinks replied； 〃'tis a face you can hardly
gainsay。 A very good pink face； as far as that do go。 Still； only
a face； when all is said and done。〃
〃Come； come； Elias Spinks； say she's a pretty maid； and have done
wi' her；〃 said the tranter； again preparing to visit the cider…
barrel。
CHAPTER IV： GOING THE ROUNDS
Shortly after ten o'clock the singing…boys arrived at the tranter's
house； which was invariably the place of meeting； and preparations
were made for the start。 The older men and musicians wore thick
coats； with stiff perpendicular collars； and coloured handkerchiefs
wound round and round the neck till the end came to hand； over all
which they just showed their ears and noses； like people looking
over a wall。 The remainder； stalwart ruddy men and boys； were
dressed mainly in snow…white smock…frocks； embroidered upon the
shoulders and breasts； in ornamental forms of hearts； diamonds； and
zigzags。 The cider…mug was emptied for the ninth time； the music…
books were arranged； and the pieces finally decided upon。 The boys
in the meantime put the old horn…lanterns in order； cut candles into
short lengths to fit the lanterns； and； a thin fleece of snow having
fallen since the early part of the evening； those who had no
leggings went to the stable and wound wisps of hay round their
ankles to keep the insidious flakes from the interior of their
boots。
Mellstock was a parish of considerable acreage； the hamlets
composing it lying at a much greater distance from each other than
is ordinarily the case。 Hence several hours were consumed in
playing and singing within hearing of every family； even if but a
single air were bestowed on each。 There was Lower Mellstock； the
main village； half a mile from this were the church and vicarage；
and a few other houses； the spot being rather lonely now； though in
past centuries it had been the most thickly…populated quarter of the
parish。 A mile north…east hay the hamlet of Upper Mellstock； where
the tranter lived； and at other points knots of cottages； besides
solitary farmsteads and dairies。
Old William Dewy； with the violoncello； played the bass； his
grandson Dick the treble violin； and Reuben and Michael Mail the
tenor and second violins respectively。 The singers consisted of
four men and seven boys； upon whom devolved the task of carrying and
attending to the lanterns； and holding the books open for the
players。 Directly music was the theme； old William ever and
instinctively came to the front。
〃Now mind； neighbours；〃 he said； as they all went out one by one at
the door； he himself holding it ajar and regarding them with a
critical face as they passed； like a shepherd counting out his
sheep。 〃You two counter…boys； keep your ears open to Michael's
fingering； and don't ye go straying into the treble part along o'
Dick and his set； as ye did last year； and mind this especially when
we be in 〃Arise； and hail。〃 Billy Chimlen； don't you sing quite so
raving mad as you fain would； and； all o' ye； whatever ye do； keep
from making a great scuffle on the ground when we go in at people's
gates； but go quietly； so as to strike up all of a sudden； like
spirits。〃
〃Farmer Ledlow's first？〃
〃Farmer Ledlow's first； the rest as usual。〃
〃And； Voss；〃 said the tranter terminatively； 〃you keep house here
till about half…past two； then heat the metheglin and cider in the
warmer you'll find turned up upon the copper； and bring it wi' the
victuals to church…hatch； as th'st know。〃
Just before the chock struck twelve they lighted the lanterns and
started。 The moon； in her third quarter； had risen since the
snowstorm； but the dense accumulation of snow…cloud weakened her
power to a faint twilight； which was rather pervasive of the
landscape than traceable to the sky。 The breeze had gone down； and
the rustle of their feet and tones of their speech echoed with an
alert rebound from every post； boundary…stone； and ancient wall they
passed； even where the distance of the echo's origin was less than a
few yards。 Beyond their own slight noises nothing was to be heard；
save the occasional bark of foxes in the direction of Yalbury Wood；
or the brush of a rabbit among the grass now and then； as it
scampered out of their way。
Most of the outlying homesteads and hamlets had been visited by
about two o'clock； they then passed across the outskirts of a wooded
park toward the main village； nobody being at home at the Manor。
Pursuing no recognized track； great care was necessary in walking
lest their faces should come in contact with the low…hanging boughs
of the old lime…trees； which in many spots formed dense over…growths
of interlaced branches。
〃Times have changed from the times they used to be；〃 said Mail；
regarding nobody can tell what interesting old panoram