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cheeks of toothless age。
On a green plot at the other end of the building grew two or three
large； wide…spreading elm…trees； from which the sign was suspended
representing the three men called tranters （irregular carriers）；
standing side by side； and exactly alike to a hair's…breadth； the
grain of the wood and joints of the boards being visible through the
thin paint depicting their forms； which were still further
disfigured by red stains running downwards from the rusty nails
above。
Under the trees now stood a cider…mill and press； and upon the spot
sheltered by the boughs were gathered Mr。 Springrove himself； his
men； the parish clerk； two or three other men； grinders and
supernumeraries； a woman with an infant in her arms； a flock of
pigeons； and some little boys with straws in their mouths；
endeavouring； whenever the men's backs were turned； to get a sip of
the sweet juice issuing from the vat。
Edward Springrove the elder； the landlord； now more particularly a
farmer； and for two months in the year a cider…maker； was an
employer of labour of the old school； who worked himself among his
men。 He was now engaged in packing the pomace into horsehair bags
with a rammer； and Gad Weedy； his man； was occupied in shovelling up
more from a tub at his side。 The shovel shone like silver from the
action of the juice； and ever and anon； in its motion to and fro；
caught the rays of the declining sun and reflected them in bristling
stars of light。
Mr。 Springrove had been too young a man when the pristine days of
the Three Tranters had departed for ever to have much of the host
left in him now。 He was a poet with a rough skin： one whose
sturdiness was more the result of external circumstances than of
intrinsic nature。 Too kindly constituted to be very provident； he
was yet not imprudent。 He had a quiet humorousness of disposition；
not out of keeping with a frequent melancholy； the general
expression of his countenance being one of abstraction。 Like Walt
Whitman he felt as his years increased
'I foresee too much； it means more than I thought。'
On the present occasion he wore gaiters and a leathern apron； and
worked with his shirt…sleeves rolled up beyond his elbows；
disclosing solid and fleshy rather than muscular arms。 They were
stained by the cider； and two or three brown apple…pips from the
pomace he was handling were to be seen sticking on them here and
there。
The other prominent figure was that of Richard Crickett； the parish
clerk； a kind of Bowdlerized rake； who ate only as much as a woman；
and had the rheumatism in his left hand。 The remainder of the
group； brown…faced peasants； wore smock…frocks embroidered on the
shoulders with hearts and diamonds； and were girt round their middle
with a strap； another being worn round the right wrist。
'And have you seen the steward； Mr。 Springrove？' said the clerk。
'Just a glimpse of him； but 'twas just enough to show me that he's
not here for long。'
'Why mid that be？'
'He'll never stand the vagaries of the female figure holden the
reinsnot he。'
'She d' pay en well；' said a grinder； 'and money's money。'
'Ah'tis： very much so；' the clerk replied。
'Yes； yes； naibour Crickett；' said Springrove； 'but she'll vlee in a
passionall the fat will be in the fireand there's an end o't。 。
。 。 Yes； she is a one；' continued the farmer； resting； raising his
eyes； and reading the features of a distant apple。
'She is；' said Gad； resting too （it is wonderful how prompt a
journeyman is in following his master's initiative to rest） and
reflectively regarding the ground in front of him。
'True： a one is she；' the clerk chimed in； shaking his head
ominously。
'She has such a temper；' said the farmer； 'and is so wilful too。
You may as well try to stop a footpath as stop her when she has
taken anything into her head。 I'd as soon grind little green crabs
all day as live wi' her。'
''Tis a temper she hev； 'tis；' the clerk replied； 'though I be a
servant of the Church that say it。 But she isn't goen to flee in a
passion this time。'
The audience waited for the continuation of the speech； as if they
knew from experience the exact distance off it lay in the future。
The clerk swallowed nothing as if it were a great deal； and then
went on； 'There's some'at between 'em： mark my words； naibours
there's some'at between 'em。'
'D'ye mean it？'
'I d' know it。 He came last Saturday； didn't he？'
''A did； truly；' said Gad Weedy； at the same time taking an apple
from the hopper of the mill； eating a piece； and flinging back the
remainder to be ground up for cider。
'He went to church a…Sunday；' said the clerk again。
''A did。'
'And she kept her eye upon en all the service； her face flickeren
between red and white； but never stoppen at either。'
Mr。 Springrove nodded； and went to the press。
'Well；' said the clerk； 'you don't call her the kind o' woman to
make mistakes in just trotten through the weekly service o' God？
Why； as a rule she's as right as I be myself。'
Mr。 Springrove nodded again； and gave a twist to the screw of the
press； followed in the movement by Gad at the other side； the two
grinders expressing by looks of the greatest concern that； if Miss
Aldclyffe were as right at church as the clerk； she must be right
indeed。
'Yes； as right in the service o' God as I be myself；' repeated the
clerk。 'But last Sunday； when we were in the tenth commandment；
says she； 〃Incline our hearts to keep this law；〃 says she； when
'twas 〃Laws in our hearts； we beseech Thee；〃 all the church through。
Her eye was upon HIMshe was quite lost〃Hearts to keep this law；〃
says she； she was no more than a mere shadder at that tenth timea
mere shadder。 You mi't ha' mouthed across to her 〃Laws in our
hearts we beseech Thee；〃 fifty times overshe'd never ha' noticed
ye。 She's in love wi' the man； that's what she is。'
'Then she's a bigger stunpoll than I took her for；' said Mr。
Springrove。 'Why； she's old enough to be his mother。'
'The row'll be between her and that young Curlywig； you'll see。 She
won't run the risk of that pretty face be…en near。'
'Clerk Crickett； I d' fancy you d' know everything about everybody；'
said Gad。
'Well so's；' said the clerk modestly。 'I do know a little。 It
comes to me。'
'And I d' know where from。'
'Ah。'
'That wife o' thine。 She's an entertainen woman； not to speak
disrespectful。'
'She is： and a winnen one。 Look at the husbands she've hadGod
bless her！'
'I wonder you could stand third in that list； Clerk Crickett；' said
Mr。 Springrove。
'Well； 't has been a power o' marvel to myself oftentimes。 Yes；
matrimony do begin wi' 〃Dearly beloved；〃 and ends wi' 〃Amazement；〃
as the prayer…book says。 But what could I do； naibour Springrove？
'Twas ordained to be。 Well do I call to mind what your poor lady
said to me when I had just married。 〃Ah； Mr。 Crickett；〃 says she；
〃your wife will soon settle you as she did her other two： here's a
glass o' rum； for I shan't see your poor face this time next year。〃
I swallered the rum； called again next year； and said； 〃Mrs。
Springrove； you gave me a glass o' rum last year because I was going
to diehere I be alive still； you see。〃 〃Well said； clerk！ Here's
two glasses for you now； then；〃 says she。 〃Thank you； mem；〃 I
said； and swallered the rum。 Well； dang my old sides； next year I
thought I'd call again and get three。 And call I did。 But she
wouldn't give me a drop o' the commonest。 〃No； clerk；〃 says she；
〃you be too tough for a woman's pity。〃。 。 。 Ah； poor soul； 'twas
true enough！ Here be I； that was expected to die； alive and hard as
a nail； you see； and there's she moulderen in her grave。'
'I used to think 'twas your wife's fate not to have a liven husband
when I zid 'em die off so；' said Gad。
'Fate？ Bless thy simplicity； so 'twas her fate； but she struggled
to have one； and would； and did。 Fate's nothen beside a woman's
schemen！'
'I suppose； then； that Fate is a He； like us； and the Lord； and the
rest o' 'em up above there；' said Gad； lifting his eyes to the sky。
'Hullo！ Here's the young woman comen that we were a…talken about
by…now；' said a grinder； suddenly interrupting。 'She's comen up
here； as I be alive！'
The two grinders stood and regarded Cytherea as if she had been a
ship tacking into a harbour； nearly stopping the mill in their new
interest。
'Stylish accoutrements about the head and shoulders； to my thinken；'
said the clerk。 'Sheenen curls； and plenty o' em。'
'If there's one kind of pride more excusable than another in a young
woman； 'tis being proud of her hair；' said Mr。 Springrove。
'Dear man！the pride there is only a small piece o' the whole。 I
warrant now； though she can show such a figure； she ha'n't a stick
o' furniture to call her own。'
'Come； Clerk Crickett； let the maid be a maid while she is a maid；'
said Farmer Springrove chivalrously。
'O；' replied the servant of the Church； 'I've nothen to say against
itO no：
'〃The chimney…sweeper's daughter Sue
As I have heard declare； O；
Although she's neither sock nor shoe
Will curl and deck her hair； O。〃'
Cytherea was ra