d by the green
antiquity of the panes.

"Charley, what are they doing?" said Clym. "My sight is weaker again
tonight, and the glass of this window is not good."

Charley wiped his own eyes, which were rather blurred with moisture, and
stepped closer to the casement. "Mr. Venn is asking Christian Cantle to
sing," he replied, "and Christian is moving about in his chair as if
he were much frightened at the question, and his father has struck up a
stave instead of him."

"Yes, I can hear the old man's voice," said Clym. "So there's to be no
dancing, I suppose. And is Thomasin in the room? I see something moving
in front of the candles that resembles her shape, I think."

"Yes. She do seem happy. She is red in the face, and laughing at
something Fairway has said to her. O my!"

"What noise was that?" said Clym.

"Mr. Venn is so tall that he knocked his head against the beam in gieing
a skip as he passed under. Mrs. Venn has run up quite frightened and now
she's put her hand to his head to feel if there's a lump. And now they
be all laughing again as if nothing had happened."

"Do any of them seem to care about my not being there?" Clym asked.

"No, not a bit in the world. Now they are all holding up their glasses
and drinking somebody's health."

"I wonder if it is mine?"

"No, 'tis Mr. and Mrs. Venn's, because he is making a hearty sort of
speech. There--now Mrs. Venn has got up, and is going away to put on her
things, I think."

"Well, they haven't concerned themselves about me, and it is quite right
they should not. It is all as it should be, and Thomasin at least is
happy. We will not stay any longer now, as they will soon be coming out
to go home."

He accompanied the lad into the heath on his way home, and, returning
alone to the house a quarter of an hour later, found Venn and Thomasin
ready to start, all the guests having departed in his absence. The
wedded pair took their seats in the four-wheeled dogcart which Venn's
head milker and handy man had driven from Stickleford to fetch them in;
little Eustacia and the nurse were packed securely upon the open flap
behind; and the milker, on an ancient overstepping pony, whose shoes
clashed like cymbals at every tread, rode in the rear, in the manner of
a body-servant of the last century.

"Now we leave you in absolute possession of your own house again," said
Thomasin as she bent down to wish her cousin good night. "It will be
rather lonely for you, Clym,