reveller. "Dostn't wish th' wast three sixes again, Grandfer, as you
was when you first learnt to sing it?"

"Hey?" said Grandfer Cantle, stopping in his dance.

"Dostn't wish wast young again, I say? There's a hole in thy poor
bellows nowadays seemingly."

"But there's good art in me? If I couldn't make a little wind go a
long ways I should seem no younger than the most aged man, should I,
Timothy?"

"And how about the new-married folks down there at the Quiet Woman
Inn?" the other inquired, pointing towards a dim light in the
direction of the distant highway, but considerably apart from where
the reddleman was at that moment resting. "What's the rights of the
matter about 'em? You ought to know, being an understanding man."

"But a little rakish, hey? I own to it. Master Cantle is that, or
he's nothing. Yet 'tis a gay fault, neighbour Fairway, that age will
cure."

"I heard that they were coming home to-night. By this time they must
have come. What besides?"

"The next thing is for us to go and wish 'em joy, I suppose?"

"Well, no."

"No? Now, I thought we must. _I_ must, or 'twould be very unlike
me--the first in every spree that's going!

"Do thou' put on' a fri'-ar's coat',
And I'll' put on' a-no'-ther,
And we' will to' Queen Ele'anor go',
Like Fri'ar and' his bro'ther.

"I met Mis'ess Yeobright, the young bride's aunt, last night, and she
told me that her son Clym was coming home a' Christmas. Wonderful
clever, 'a believe--ah, I should like to have all that's under that
young man's hair. Well, then, I spoke to her in my well-known merry
way, and she said, 'O that what's shaped so venerable should talk like
a fool!'--that's what she said to me. I don't care for her, be jowned
if I do, and so I told her. 'Be jowned if I care for 'ee,' I said. I
had her there--hey?"

"I rather think she had you," said Fairway.

"No," said Grandfer Cantle, his countenance slightly flagging.
"'Tisn't so bad as that with me?"

"Seemingly 'tis, however, is it because of the wedding that Clym is
coming home a' Christmas--to make a new arrangement because his mother
is now left in the house alone?"

"Yes, yes--that's it. But, Timothy, hearken to me," said the Grandfer
earnestly. "Though known as such a joker, I be an understanding man
if you catch me serious, and I am serious now. I can tell 'ee lots
about the married couple. Yes, this morning at six o'clock they went
up the country to do the jo