ghbour；　Timothy　Fairway。　　It　was　chiefly　a　noise　of　feet；　briskly　crunching　hither　and　thither　over　the　sanded　floor　within。　　One　man　only　was　visible　outside；　and　he　seemed　to　be　later　at　an　appointment　than　he　had　intended　to　be；　for　he　hastened　up　to　the　door；　lifted　the　latch；　and　walked　in　without　ceremony。
  The　scene　within　was　not　quite　the　customary　one。　　Standing　about　the　room　was　the　little　knot　of　men　who　formed　the　chief　part　of　the　Egdon　coterie；　there　being　present　Fairway　himself；　Grandfer　Cantle；　Humphrey；　Christian；　and　one　or　two　turf…cutters。　It　was　a　warm　day；　and　the　men　were　as　a　matter　of　course　in　their　shirtsleeves；　except　Christian；　who　had　always　a　nervous　fear　of　parting　with　a　scrap　of　his　clothing　when　in　anybody’s　house　but　his　own。　　Across　the　stout　oak　table　in　the　middle　of　the　room　was　thrown　a　mass　of　striped　linen；　which　Grandfer　Cantle　held　down　on　one　side；　and　Humphrey　on　the　other；　while　Fairway　rubbed　its　surface　with　a　yellow　lump；　his　face　being　damp　and　creased　with　the　effort　of　the　labour。
  “Waxing　a　bed…tick；　souls？”　said　the　newer。
  “Yes；　Sam；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle；　as　a　man　too　busy　to　waste　words。　　“Shall　I　stretch　this　corner　a　shade　tighter；　Timothy？”
  Fairway　replied；　and　the　waxing　went　on　with　unabated　vigour。　　“’Tis　going　to　be　a　good　bed；　by　the　look　o’t；”　continued　Sam；　after　an　interval　of　silence。　　“Who　may　it　be　for？”
  “’Tis　a　present　for　the　new　folks　that’s　going　to　set　up　housekeeping；”　said　Christian；　who　stood　helpless　and　overe　by　the　majesty　of　the　proceedings。
  “Ah；　to　be　sure；　and　a　valuable　one；　‘a　b’lieve。”
  “Beds　be　dear　to　fokes　that　don’t　keep　geese；　bain’t　they；　Mister　Fairway？”　said　Christian；　as　to　an　omniscient　being。
  “Yes；”　said　the　furze…dealer；　standing　up；　giving　his　forehead　a　thorough　mopping；　and　handing　the　beeswax　to　Humphrey；　who　succeeded　at　the　rubbing　forthwith。　　“Not　that　this　couple　be　in　want　of　one；　but　‘twas　well　to　show　‘em　a　bit　of　friendliness　at　this　great　racketing　vagary　of　their　lives。　　I　set　up　both　my　own　daughters　in　one　when　they　was　married；　and　there　have　been　feathers　enough　for　another　in　the　house　the　last　twelve　months。　　Now　then；　neighbours；　I　think　we　have　laid　on　enough　wax。　　Grandfer　Cantle；　you　turn　the　tick　the　right　way　outwards；　and　then　I’ll　begin　to　shake　in　the　feathers。”
  When　the　bed　was　in　proper　trim　Fairway　and　Christian　brought　forward　vast　paper　bags；　stuffed　to　the　full；　but　light　as　balloons；　and　began　to　turn　the　contents　of　each　into　the　receptacle　just　prepared。　　As　bag　after　bag　was　emptied；　airy　tufts　of　down　and　feathers　floated　about　the　room　in　increasing　quantity　till；　through　a　mishap　of　Christian’s；　who　shook　the　contents　of　one　bag　outside　the　tick；　the　atmosphere　of　the　room　became　dense　with　gigantic　flakes；　which　descended　upon　the　workers　like　a　windless　snowstorm。
  “I　never　saw　such　a　clumsy　chap　as　you；　Christian；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle　severely。　　“You　might　have　been　the　son　of　a　man　that’s　never　been　outside　Blooms…End　in　his　life　for　all　the　wit　you　have。　　Really　all　the　soldiering　and　smartness　in　the　world　in　the　father　seems　to　count　for　nothing　in　forming　the　nater　of　the　son。　　As　far　as　that　chief　Christian　is　concerned　I　might　as　well　have　stayed　at　home　and　seed　nothing；　like　all　the　rest　of　ye　here。　　Though；　as　far　as　myself　is　concerned；　a　dashing　spirit　has　counted　for　sommat；　to　be　sure！”
  “Don’t　ye　let　me　down　so；　Father；　I　feel　no　bigger　than　a　ninepin　after　it。　　I’ve　made　but　a　bruckle　hit；　I’m　afeard。”
  “e；　e。　　Never　pitch　yerself　in　such　a　low　key　as　that；　Christian；　you　should　try　more；”　said　Fairway。
  “Yes；　you　should　try　more；”　echoed　the　Grandfer　with　insistence；　as　if　he　had　been　the　first　to　make　the　suggestion。　　“In　mon　conscience　every　man　ought　either　to　marry　or　go　for　a　soldier。　　‘Tis　a　scandal　to　the　nation　to　do　neither　one　nor　t’other。　I　did　both；　thank　God！　Neither　to　raise　men　nor　to　lay　‘em　low—　that　shows　a　poor　do…nothing　spirit　indeed。”
  “I　never　had　the　nerve　to　stand　fire；”　faltered　Christian。　　“But　as　to　marrying；　I　own　I’ve　asked　here　and　there；　though　without　much　fruit　from　it。　　Yes；　there’s　some　house　or　other　that　might　have　had　a　man　for　a　master—such　as　he　is—that’s　now　ruled　by　a　woman　alone。　　Still　it　might　have　been　awkward　if　I　had　found　her；　for；　d’ye　see；　neighbours；　there’d　have　been　nobody　left　at　home　to　keep　down　Father’s　spirits　to　the　decent　pitch　that　bees　a　old　man。”
  “And　you’ve　your　work　cut　out　to　do　that；　my　son；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle　smartly。　　“I　wish　that　the　dread　of　infirmities　was　not　so　strong　in　me！I’d　start　the　very　first　thing　tomorrow　to　see　the　world　over　again！　　But　seventy…one；　though　nothing　at　home；　is　a　high　figure　for　a　rover。。。。Ay；　seventy…one；　last　Candlemasday。　　Gad；　I’d　sooner　have　it　in　guineas　than　in　years！”
  And　the　old　man　sighed。
  “Don’t　you　be　mournful；　Grandfer；”　said　Fairway。　　“Empt　some　more　feathers　into　the　bed…tick；　and　keep　up　yer　heart。　　Though　rather　lean　in　the　stalks　you　be　a　green…leaved　old　man　still。　　There’s　time　enough　left　to　ye　yet　to　fill　whole　chronicles。”
  “Begad；　I’ll　go　to　‘em；　Timothy—to　the　married　pair！”
  said　Granfer　Cantle　in　an　encouraged　voice；　and　starting
  round　briskly。　　“I’ll　go　to　‘em　tonight　and　sing
  a　wedding　song；　hey？　　‘Tis　like　me　to　do　so；　you　know；
  and　they’d　see　it　as　such。　　My　‘Down　in　Cupid’s　Gardens’
  was　well　liked　in　four；　still；　I’ve　got　others　as　good；
  and　even　better。　　What　do　you　say　to　my
  She　cal’…led　to’　her　love’
  From　the　lat’…tice　a…bove；
  ‘O　e　in’　from　the　fog…gy　fog’…gy　dew’。’
  ‘Twould　please　‘em　well　at　such　a　time！　Really；　now　I　e　to　think　of　it；　I　haven’t　turned　my　tongue　in　my　head　to　the　shape　of　a　real　good　song　since　Old　Midsummer　night；　when　we　had　the　‘Barley　Mow’　at　the　Woman；　and　‘tis　a　pity　to　neglect　your　strong　point　where　there’s　few　that　have　the　pass　for　such　things！”
  “So　‘tis；　so　‘tis；”　said　Fairway。　　“Now　gie　the　bed　a　shake　down。　　We’ve　put　in　seventy　pounds　of　best　feathers；　and　I　think　that’s　as　many　as　the　tick　will　fairly　hold。　　A　bit　and　a　drap　wouldn’t　be　amiss　now；　I　reckon。　　Christian；　maul　down　the　victuals　from　corner…cupboard　if　canst　reach；　man；　and　I’ll　draw　a　drap　o’　sommat　to　wet　it　with。”
  They　sat　down　to　a　lunch　in　the　midst　of　their　work；　feathers　around；　above；　and　below　them；　the　original　owners　of　which　occasionally　came　to　the　open　door　and　cackled　begrudgingly　at　sight　of　such　a　quantity　of　their　old　clothes。
  “Upon　my　soul　I　shall　be　chokt；”　said　Fairway　when；　having　extracted　a　feather　from　his　mouth；　he　found　several　others　floating　on　the　mug　as　it　was　handed　round。
  “I’ve　swallered　several；　and　one　had　a　tolerable　quill；”　said　Sam　placidly　from　the　corner。
  “Hullo—what’s　that—wheels　I　hear　ing？”　Grandfer　Cantle　exclaimed；　jumping　up　and　hastening　to　the　door。　　“Why；　‘tis　they　back　again—I　didn’t　expect　‘em　yet　this　half…hour。　　To　be　sure；　how　quick　marrying　can　be　done　when　you　are　in　the　mind　for’t！”
  “O　yes；　it　can　soon　be　DONE；”　said　Fairway；　as　if　something　should　be　added　to　make　the　statement　plete。
  He　arose　and　followed　the　Grandfer；　and　the　rest　also　went　to　the　door。　　In　a　moment　an　open　fly　was　driven　past；　in　which　sat　Venn　and　Mrs。　Venn；　Yeobright；　and　a　grand　relative　of　Venn’s　who　had　e　from　Budmouth　for　the　occasion。　　The　fly　had　been　hired　at　the　nearest　town；　regardless　of　distance　and　cost；　there　being　nothing　on　Egdon　Heath；　in　Venn’s　opinion；　dignified　enough　for　such　an　event　when　such　a　woman　as　Thomasin　was　the　bride；　and　the　church　was　too　remote　for　a　walking　bridal…party。
  As　the　fly　passed　the　group　which　had　run　out　from　the　homestead　they　shouted　“Hurrah！”　and　waved　their　hands；　feathers　and　down　floating　from　their　hair；　their　sleeves；　and　the　folds　of　their　garments　at　every　motion；　and　Grandfer　Cantle’s　seals　dancing　merrily　in　the　sunlight　as　he　twirled　himself　about。　　The　driver　of　the　fly　turned　a　supercilious　gaze　upon　them；　he　even　treated　the　wedded　pair　themselves　with　something　like　condescension；　for　in　what　other　state　than　heathen　could　people；　rich　or　poor；　exist　who　were　doomed　to　abide　in　such　a　world’s　end　as　Egdon？　　Thomasin　showed　no　such　superiority　to　the　group　at　the　door；　fluttering　her　hand　as　quickly　as　a　bird’s　wing　towards　them；　and　asking　Diggory；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　if　they　ought　not　to　alight　and　speak　to　these　kind　neighbours。　　Venn；　however；　suggested　that；　as　they　were　all　ing　to　the　house　in　the　evening；　this　was　hardly　necessary。
  After　this　excitement　the　saluting　party　returned　to　their　occupation；　and　the　stuffing　and　sewing　were　soon　afterwards　finished；　when　Fairway　harnessed　a　horse；　wrapped　up　the　cumbrous　present；　and　drove　off　with　it　in　the　cart　to　Venn’s　house　at　Stickleford。
  Yeobright；　having　filled　the　office　at　the　wedding　service　which　naturally　fell　to　his　hands；　and　afterwards　returned　to　the　house　with　the　husband　and　wife；　was　indisposed　to　take　part　in　the　feasting　and　dancing　that　wound　up　the　evening。　　Thomasin　was　disappointed。
  “I　wish　I　could　be　there　without　dashing　your　spirits；”　he　said。　　“But　I　might　be　too　much　like　the　skull　at