ould be so pritty. I shouldn't wonder if she's Madam Cass some day,
arter all--and nobody more rightfuller, for they'd make a fine match.
You can find nothing against Master Godfrey's shapes, Macey, _I_'ll bet
a penny."

Mr. Macey screwed up his mouth, leaned his head further on one side,
and twirled his thumbs with a presto movement as his eyes followed
Godfrey up the dance. At last he summed up his opinion.

"Pretty well down'ard, but a bit too round i' the shoulder-blades. And
as for them coats as he gets from the Flitton tailor, they're a poor
cut to pay double money for."

"Ah, Mr. Macey, you and me are two folks," said Ben, slightly indignant
at this carping. "When I've got a pot o' good ale, I like to swaller
it, and do my inside good, i'stead o' smelling and staring at it to see
if I can't find faut wi' the brewing. I should like you to pick me out
a finer-limbed young fellow nor Master Godfrey--one as 'ud knock you
down easier, or 's more pleasanter-looksed when he's piert and merry."

"Tchuh!" said Mr. Macey, provoked to increased severity, "he isn't
come to his right colour yet: he's partly like a slack-baked pie. And
I doubt he's got a soft place in his head, else why should he be turned
round the finger by that offal Dunsey as nobody's seen o' late, and let
him kill that fine hunting hoss as was the talk o' the country? And
one while he was allays after Miss Nancy, and then it all went off
again, like a smell o' hot porridge, as I may say. That wasn't my way
when _I_ went a-coorting."

"Ah, but mayhap Miss Nancy hung off, like, and your lass didn't," said
Ben.

"I should say she didn't," said Mr. Macey, significantly. "Before I
said "sniff", I took care to know as she'd say "snaff", and pretty
quick too. I wasn't a-going to open _my_ mouth, like a dog at a fly,
and snap it to again, wi' nothing to swaller."

"Well, I think Miss Nancy's a-coming round again," said Ben, "for
Master Godfrey doesn't look so down-hearted to-night. And I see he's
for taking her away to sit down, now they're at the end o' the dance:
that looks like sweethearting, that does."

The reason why Godfrey and Nancy had left the dance was not so tender
as Ben imagined. In the close press of couples a slight accident had
happened to Nancy's dress, which, while it was short enough to show her
neat ankle in front, was long enough behind to be caught under the
stately stamp of the Squire's foot, so as to rend certain stitch