your　knees　imploring　me；　your　cruel　mistress；　not　to　refuse　you；　and　saying　it　would　break　your　heart　if　I　did。　　I　used　to　think　it　would　be　pretty　and　sweet　like　that；　but　how　different！”
  “Yes；　real　life　is　never　at　all　like　that。”
  “But　I　don’t　care　personally　if　it　never　takes　place；”　she　added　with　a　little　dignity；　“no；　I　can　live　without　you。　　It　is　Aunt　I　think　of。　　She　is　so　proud；　and　thinks　so　much　of　her　family　respectability；　that　she　will　be　cut　down　with　mortification　if　this　story　should　get　abroad　before—it　is　done。　　My　cousin　Clym；　too；　will　be　much　wounded。”
  “Then　he　will　be　very　unreasonable。　　In　fact；　you　are　all　rather　unreasonable。”
  Thomasin　coloured　a　little；　and　not　with　love。　　But　whatever　the　momentary　feeling　which　caused　that　flush　in　her；　it　went　as　it　came；　and　she　humbly　said；　“I　never　mean　to　be；　if　I　can　help　it。　　I　merely　feel　that　you　have　my　aunt　to　some　extent　in　your　power　at　last。”
  “As　a　matter　of　justice　it　is　almost　due　to　me；”　said　Wildeve。　　“Think　what　I　have　gone　through　to　win　her　consent；　the　insult　that　it　is　to　any　man　to　have　the　banns　forbidden—the　double　insult　to　a　man　unlucky　enough　to　be　cursed　with　sensitiveness；　and　blue　demons；　and　Heaven　knows　what；　as　I　am。　　I　can　never　forget　those　banns。　　A　harsher　man　would　rejoice　now　in　the　power　I　have　of　turning　upon　your　aunt　by　going　no　further　in　the　business。”
  She　looked　wistfully　at　him　with　her　sorrowful　eyes　as　he　said　those　words；　and　her　aspect　showed　that　more　than　one　person　in　the　room　could　deplore　the　possession　of　sensitiveness。　　Seeing　that　she　was　really　suffering　he　seemed　disturbed　and　added；　“This　is　merely　a　reflection　you　know。　　I　have　not　the　least　intention　to　refuse　to　plete　the　marriage；　Tamsie　mine—I　could　not　bear　it。”
  “You　could　not；　I　know！”　said　the　fair　girl；　brightening。　　“You；　who　cannot　bear　the　sight　of　pain　in　even　an　insect；　or　any　disagreeable　sound；　or　unpleasant　smell　even；　will　not　long　cause　pain　to　me　and　mine。”
  “I　will　not；　if　I　can　help　it。”
  “Your　hand　upon　it；　Damon。”
  He　carelessly　gave　her　his　hand。
  “Ah；　by　my　crown；　what’s　that？”　he　said　suddenly。
  There　fell　upon　their　ears　the　sound　of　numerous　voices　singing　in　front　of　the　house。　　Among　these；　two　made　themselves　prominent　by　their　peculiarity：　one　was　a　very　strong　bass；　the　other　a　wheezy　thin　piping。　　Thomasin　recognized　them　as　belonging　to　Timothy　Fairway　and　Grandfer　Cantle　respectively。
  “What　does　it　mean—it　is　not　skimmity…riding；　I　hope？”　she　said；　with　a　frightened　gaze　at　Wildeve。
  “Of　course　not；　no；　it　is　that　the　heath…folk　have　e　to　sing　to　us　a　wele。　　This　is　intolerable！”　He　began　pacing　about；　the　men　outside　singing　cheerily—
  “He　told’　her　that　she’　was　the　joy’　of　his　life’；　And　if’　she’d　con…sent’　he　would　make　her　his　wife’；　She　could’　not　refuse’　him；　to　church’　so　they　went’；　Young　Will　was　forgot’；　and　young　Sue’　was　content’；　And　then’　was　she　kiss’d’　and　set　down’　on　his　knee’；　No　man’　in　the　world’　was　so　lov’…ing　as　he’！”
  Mrs。　Yeobright　burst　in　from　the　outer　room。
  “Thomasin；　Thomasin！”　she　said；　looking　indignantly　at　Wildeve；
  “here’s　a　pretty　exposure！　Let　us　escape　at　once。　　e！”
  It　was；　however；　too　late　to　get　away　by　the　passage。
  A　rugged　knocking　had　begun　upon　the　door　of　the　front　room。
  Wildeve；　who　had　gone　to　the　window；　came　back。
  “Stop！”　he　said　imperiously；　putting　his　hand　upon　Mrs。　Yeobright’s　arm。　　“We　are　regularly　besieged。　　There　are　fifty　of　them　out　there　if　there’s　one。　　You　stay　in　this　room　with　Thomasin；　I’ll　go　out　and　face　them。　　You　must　stay　now；　for　my　sake；　till　they　are　gone；　so　that　it　may　seem　as　if　all　was　right。　　e；　Tamsie　dear；　don’t　go　making　a　scene—we　must　marry　after　this；　that　you　can　see　as　well　as　I。　Sit　still；　that’s　all—and　don’t　speak　much。　　I’ll　manage　them。　　Blundering　fools！”
  He　pressed　the　agitated　girl　into　a　seat；　returned　to　the　outer　room　and　opened　the　door。　　Immediately　outside；　in　the　passage；　appeared　Grandfer　Cantle　singing　in　concert　with　those　still　standing　in　front　of　the　house。　　He　came　into　the　room　and　nodded　abstractedly　to　Wildeve；　his　lips　still　parted；　and　his　features　excruciatingly　strained　in　the　emission　of　the　chorus。　　This　being　ended；　he　said　heartily；　“Here’s　wele　to　the　new…made　couple；　and　God　bless　‘em！”
  “Thank　you；”　said　Wildeve；　with　dry　resentment；　his　face　as　gloomy　as　a　thunderstorm。
  At　the　Grandfer’s　heels　now　came　the　rest　of　the　group；　which　included　Fairway；　Christian；　Sam　the　turf…cutter；　Humphrey；　and　a　dozen　others。　　All　smiled　upon　Wildeve；　and　upon　his　tables　and　chairs　likewise；　from　a　general　sense　of　friendliness　towards　the　articles　as　well　as　towards　their　owner。
  “We　be　not　here　afore　Mrs。　Yeobright　after　all；”　said　Fairway；　recognizing　the　matron’s　bonnet　through　the　glass　partition　which　divided　the　public　apartment　they　had　entered　from　the　room　where　the　women　sat。　　“We　struck　down　across；　d’ye　see；　Mr。　Wildeve；　and　she　went　round　by　the　path。”
  “And　I　see　the　young　bride’s　little　head！”　said　Grandfer；　peeping　in　the　same　direction；　and　discerning　Thomasin；　who　was　waiting　beside　her　aunt　in　a　miserable　and　awkward　way。　　“Not　quite　settled　in　yet—well；　well；　there’s　plenty　of　time。”
  Wildeve　made　no　reply；　and　probably　feeling　that　the　sooner　he　treated　them　the　sooner　they　would　go；　he　produced　a　stone　jar；　which　threw　a　warm　halo　over　matters　at　once。
  “That’s　a　drop　of　the　right　sort；　I　can　see；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle；　with　the　air　of　a　man　too　well…mannered　to　show　any　hurry　to　taste　it。
  “Yes；”　said　Wildeve；　“’tis　some　old　mead。　　I　hope　you　will　like　it。”
  “O　ay！”　replied　the　guests；　in　the　hearty　tones　natural　when　the　words　demanded　by　politeness　coincide　with　those　of　deepest　feeling。　　“There　isn’t　a　prettier　drink　under　the　sun。”
  “I’ll　take　my　oath　there　isn’t；”　added　Grandfer　Cantle。　　“All　that　can　be　said　against　mead　is　that　‘tis　rather　heady；　and　apt　to　lie　about　a　man　a　good　while。　　But　tomorrow’s　Sunday；　thank　God。”
  “I　feel’d　for　all　the　world　like　some　bold　soldier　after　I　had　had　some　once；”　said　Christian。
  “You　shall　feel　so　again；”　said　Wildeve；　with　condescension；　“Cups　or　glasses；　gentlemen？”
  “Well；　if　you　don’t　mind；　we’ll　have　the　beaker；　and　pass　‘en　round；　‘tis　better　than　heling　it　out　in　dribbles。”
  “Jown　the　slippery　glasses；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle。　　“What’s　the　good　of　a　thing　that　you　can’t　put　down　in　the　ashes　to　warm；　hey；　neighbours；　that’s　what　I　ask？”
  “Right；　Grandfer；”　said　Sam；　and　the　mead　then　circulated。
  “Well；”　said　Timothy　Fairway；　feeling　demands　upon　his　praise　in　some　form　or　other；　“’tis　a　worthy　thing　to　be　married；　Mr。　Wildeve；　and　the　woman　you’ve　got　is　a　dimant；　so　says　I。　Yes；”　he　continued；　to　Grandfer　Cantle；　raising　his　voice　so　as　to　be　heard　through　the　partition；　“her　father　（inclining　his　head　towards　the　inner　room）　was　as　good　a　feller　as　ever　lived。　　He　always　had　his　great　indignation　ready　against　anything　underhand。”
  “Is　that　very　dangerous？”　said　Christian。
  “And　there　were　few　in　these　parts　that　were　upsides　with　him；”　said　Sam。　　“Whenever　a　club　walked　he’d　play　the　clarinet　in　the　band　that　marched　before　‘em　as　if　he’d　never　touched　anything　but　a　clarinet　all　his　life。　　And　then；　when　they　got　to　church　door　he’d　throw　down　the　clarinet；　mount　the　gallery；　snatch　up　the　bass　viol；　and　rozum　away　as　if　he’d　never　played　anything　but　a　bass　viol。　　Folk　would　say—folk　that　knowed　what　a　true　stave　was—‘Surely；　surely　that’s　never　the　same　man　that　I　saw　handling　the　clarinet　so　masterly　by　now！”
  “I　can　mind　it；”　said　the　furze…cutter。　“’Twas　a　wonderful　thing　that　one　body　could　hold　it　all　and　never　mix　the　fingering。”
  “There　was　Kingsbere　church　likewise；”　Fairway　remenced；　as　one　opening　a　new　vein　of　the　same　mine　of　interest。
  Wildeve　breathed　the　breath　of　one　intolerably　bored；　and　glanced　through　the　partition　at　the　prisoners。
  “He　used　to　walk　over　there　of　a　Sunday　afternoon　to　visit　his　old　acquaintance　Andrew　Brown；　the　first　clarinet　there；　a　good　man　enough；　but　rather　screechy　in　his　music；　if　you　can　mind？”
  “’A　was。”
  “And　neighbour　Yeobright　would　take　Andrey’s　place　for　some　part　of　the　service；　to　let　Andrey　have　a　bit　of　a　nap；　as　any　friend　would　naturally　do。”
  “As　any　friend　would；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle；　the　other　listeners　expressing　the　same　accord　by　the　shorter　way　of　nodding　their　heads。
  “No　sooner　was　Andrey　asleep　and　the　first　whiff　of　neighbour　Yeobright’s　wind　had　got　inside　Andrey’s　clarinet　than　everyone　in　church　feeled　in　a　moment　there　was　a　great　soul　among　‘em。　All　heads　would　turn；　and　they’d　say；　‘Ah；　I　thought　‘twas　he！’　One　Sunday　I　can　well　mind—a　bass　viol　day　that　time；　and　Yeobright　had　brought　his　own。　　‘Twas　the　Hundred…and…thirty…third　to　‘Lydia’；　and　when　they’d　e　to　‘Ran　down　his　beard　and　o’er　his　robes　its　costly　moisture　shed；’　neighbour　Yeobright；　who　had　just　warmed　to　his　work；　drove　his　bow　into　them　strings　that　glorious　grand　that　he　e’en　a’most　sawed　the　bass　viol　into　two　pieces。　　Every　winder　in　church　rattled　as　if　‘twere