Onthehearth，infrontofaback-brandtogivesubstance，blazedafireofthorns，thatcrackled’likethelaughterofthefool。’
Nineteenpersonsweregatheredhere。Ofthese，fivewomen，wearinggownsofvariousbrighthues，satinchairsalongthewall；girlsshyandnotshyfilledthewindow-bench；fourmen，includingCharleyJakethehedge-carpenter，ElijahNewtheparish-clerk，andJohnPitcher，aneighbouringdairyman，theshepherd’sfather-in-law，lolledinthesettle；ayoungmanandmaid，whowereblushingovertentativepourparlersonalife-companionship，satbeneaththecorner-cupboard；andanelderlyengagedmanoffiftyorupwardmovedrestlesslyaboutfromspotswherehisbetrothedwasnottothespotwhereshewas。Enjoymentwasprettygeneral，andsomuchthemoreprevailedinbeingunhamperedbyconventionalrestrictions。
Absoluteconfidenceineachother’sgoodopinionbegatperfectease，whilethefinishingstrokeofmanner，amountingtoatrulyprincelyserenity，waslenttothemajoritybytheabsenceofanyexpressionortraitdenotingthattheywishedtogetonintheworld，enlargetheirminds，ordoanyeclipsingthingwhatever——whichnowadayssogenerallynipsthebloomandbonhomieofallexceptthetwoextremesofthesocialscale。
ShepherdFennelhadmarriedwell，hiswifebeingadairyman’sdaughterfromavaleatadistance，whobroughtfiftyguineasinherpocket——andkeptthemthere，tilltheyshouldberequiredforministeringtotheneedsofacomingfamily。Thisfrugalwomanhadbeensomewhatexercisedastothecharacterthatshouldbegiventothegathering。Asit-stillpartyhaditsadvantages；butanundisturbedpositionofeaseinchairsandsettleswasapttoleadonthementosuchanunconscionabledealoftopingthattheywouldsometimesfairlydrinkthehousedry。Adancing-partywasthealternative；butthis，whileavoidingtheforegoingobjectiononthescoreofgooddrink，hadacounterbalancingdisadvantageinthematterofgoodvictuals，theravenousappetitesengenderedbytheexercisecausingimmensehavocinthebuttery。ShepherdessFennelfellbackupontheintermediateplanofminglingshortdanceswithshortperiodsoftalkandsinging，soastohinderanyungovernablerageineither。Butthisschemewasentirelyconfinedtoherowngentlemind:theshepherdhimselfwasinthemoodtoexhibitthemostrecklessphasesofhospitality。
Thefiddlerwasaboyofthoseparts，abouttwelveyearsofage，whohadawonderfuldexterityinjigsandreels，thoughhisfingersweresosmallandshortastonecessitateaconstantshiftingforthehighnotes，fromwhichhescrambledbacktothefirstpositionwithsoundsnotofunmixedpurityoftone。Atseventheshrilltweedle-