hristmas with their friends remained in
their friends' chimney-corners drinking mead and other comforting
liquors till they left again for good and all. Rain, snow, ice, mud
everywhere around, they did not care to trudge two or three miles to
sit wet-footed and splashed to the nape of their necks among those
who, though in some measure neighbours, lived close to the church, and
entered it clean and dry. Eustacia knew it was ten to one that Clym
Yeobright would go to no church at all during his few days of leave,
and that it would be a waste of labour for her to go driving the pony
and gig over a bad road in hope to see him there.

It was dusk, and she was sitting by the fire in the dining-room or
hall, which they occupied at this time of the year in preference to
the parlour, because of its large hearth, constructed for turf-fires,
a fuel the captain was partial to in the winter season. The only
visible articles in the room were those on the window-sill, which
showed their shapes against the low sky: the middle article being the
old hourglass, and the other two a pair of ancient British urns which
had been dug from a barrow near, and were used as flower-pots for two
razor-leaved cactuses. Somebody knocked at the door. The servant was
out; so was her grandfather. The person, after waiting a minute, came
in and tapped at the door of the room.

"Who's there?" said Eustacia.

"Please, Cap'n Vye, will you let us--"

Eustacia arose and went to the door. "I cannot allow you to come in
so boldly. You should have waited."

"The cap'n said I might come in without any fuss," was answered in a
lad's pleasant voice.

"Oh, did he?" said Eustacia more gently. "What do you want, Charley?"

"Please will your grandfather lend us his fuel-house to try over our
parts in, tonight at seven o'clock?"

"What, are you one of the Egdon mummers for this year?"

"Yes, miss. The cap'n used to let the old mummers practise here."

"I know it. Yes, you may use the fuel-house if you like," said
Eustacia languidly.

The choice of Captain Vye's fuel-house as the scene of rehearsal was
dictated by the fact that his dwelling was nearly in the centre of the
heath. The fuel-house was as roomy as a barn, and was a most desirable
place for such a purpose. The lads who formed the company of players
lived at different scattered points around, and by meeting in this
spot the distances to be traversed by all the comers would be about
equally proporti