"I like a party very well once in a while," said Mrs. Dewy, leaving off
the adorned tones she had been bound to use throughout the evening, and
returning to the natural marriage voice; "but, Lord, 'tis such a sight of
heavy work next day! What with the dirty plates, and knives and forks,
and dust and smother, and bits kicked off your furniture, and I don't
know what all, why a body could a'most wish there were no such things as
Christmases . . . Ah-h dear!" she yawned, till the clock in the corner
had ticked several beats. She cast her eyes round upon the displaced,
dust-laden furniture, and sank down overpowered at the sight.

"Well, I be getting all right by degrees, thank the Lord for't!" said the
tranter cheerfully through a mangled mass of ham and bread, without
lifting his eyes from his plate, and chopping away with his knife and
fork as if he were felling trees. "Ann, you may as well go on to bed at
once, and not bide there making such sleepy faces; you look as
long-favoured as a fiddle, upon my life, Ann. There, you must be wearied
out, 'tis true. I'll do the doors and draw up the clock; and you go on,
or you'll be as white as a sheet to-morrow."

"Ay; I don't know whether I shan't or no." The matron passed her hand
across her eyes to brush away the film of sleep till she got upstairs.

Dick wondered how it was that when people were married they could be so
blind to romance; and was quite certain that if he ever took to wife that
dear impossible Fancy, he and she would never be so dreadfully practical
and undemonstrative of the Passion as his father and mother were. The
most extraordinary thing was, that all the fathers and mothers he knew
were just as undemonstrative as his own.

CHAPTER IX: DICK CALLS AT THE SCHOOL

The early days of the year drew on, and Fancy, having spent the holiday
weeks at home, returned again to Mellstock.

Every spare minute of the week following her return was used by Dick in
accidentally passing the schoolhouse in his journeys about the
neighbourhood; but not once did she make herself visible. A handkerchief
belonging to her had been providentially found by his mother in clearing
the rooms the day after that of the dance; and by much contrivance Dick
got it handed over to him, to leave with her at any time he should be
near the school after her return. But he delayed taking the extreme
measure of calling with it lest, had she really no sentiment of interest
in