Jake the hedge…carpenter； Elijah New the parish…clerk； and John
Pitcher； a neighbouring dairyman； the shepherd's father…in…law；
lolled in the settle； a young man and maid； who were blushing over
tentative pourparlers on a life…companionship； sat beneath the
corner…cupboard； and an elderly engaged man of fifty or upward moved
restlessly about from spots where his betrothed was not to the spot
where she was。 Enjoyment was pretty general； and so much the more
prevailed in being unhampered by conventional restrictions。
Absolute confidence in each other's good opinion begat perfect ease；
while the finishing stroke of manner； amounting to a truly princely
serenity； was lent to the majority by the absence of any expression
or trait denoting that they wished to get on in the world； enlarge
their minds； or do any eclipsing thing whateverwhich nowadays so
generally nips the bloom and bonhomie of all except the two extremes
of the social scale。
Shepherd Fennel had married well； his wife being a dairyman's
daughter from a vale at a distance； who brought fifty guineas in her
pocketand kept them there； till they should be required for
ministering to the needs of a coming family。 This frugal woman had
been somewhat exercised as to the character that should be given to
the gathering。 A sit…still party had its advantages； but an
undisturbed position of ease in chairs and settles was apt to lead
on the men to such an unconscionable deal of toping that they would
sometimes fairly drink the house dry。 A dancing…party was the
alternative； but this； while avoiding the foregoing objection on the
score of good drink； had a counterbalancing disadvantage in the
matter of good victuals； the ravenous appetites engendered by the
exercise causing immense havoc in the buttery。 Shepherdess Fennel
fell back upon the intermediate plan of mingling short dances with
short periods of talk and singing； so as to hinder any ungovernable
rage in either。 But this scheme was entirely confined to her own
gentle mind： the shepherd himself was in the mood to exhibit the
most reckless phases of hospitality。
The fiddler was a boy of those parts； about twelve years of age； who
had a wonderful dexterity in jigs and reels； though his fingers were
so small and short as to necessitate a constant shifting for the
high notes； from which he scrambled back to the first position with
sounds not of unmixed purity of tone。 At seven the shrill tweedle…
dee of this youngster had begun； accompanied by a booming ground…
bass from Elijah New； the parish…clerk； who had thoughtfully brought
with him his favourite musical instrument； the serpent。 Dancing was
instantaneous； Mrs。 Fennel privately enjoining the players on no
account to let the dance exceed the length of a quarter of an hour。
But Elijah and the boy； in the excitement of their position； quite
forgot the injunction。 Moreover； Oliver Giles； a man of seventeen；
one of the dancers； who was enamoured of his partner； a fair girl of
thirty…three rolling years； had recklessly handed a new crown…piece
to the musicians； as a bribe to keep going as long as they had
muscle and wind。 Mrs。 Fennel； seeing the steam begin to generate on
the countenances of her guests； crossed over and touched the
fiddler's elbow and put her hand on the serpent's mouth。 But they
took no notice； and fearing she might lose her character of genial
hostess if she were to interfere too markedly； she retired and sat
down helpless。 And so the dance whizzed on with cumulative fury；
the performers moving in their planet…like courses； direct and
retrograde； from apogee to perigee； till the hand of the well…kicked
clock at the bottom of the room had travelled over the circumference
of an hour。
While these cheerful events were in course of enactment within
Fennel's pastoral dwelling； an incident having considerable bearing
on the party had occurred in the gloomy night without。 Mrs。
Fennel's concern about the growing fierceness of the dance
corresponded in point of time with the ascent of a human figure to
the solitary hill of Higher Crowstairs from the direction of the
distant town。 This personage strode on through the rain without a
pause； following the little…worn path which； further on in its
course； skirted the shepherd's cottage。
It was nearly the time of full moon； and on this account； though the
sky was lined with a uniform sheet of dripping cloud； ordinary
objects out of doors were readily visible。 The sad wan light
revealed the lonely pedestrian to be a man of supple frame； his gait
suggested that he had somewhat passed the period of perfect and
instinctive agility； though not so far as to be otherwise than rapid
of motion when occasion required。 At a rough guess； he might have
been about forty years of age。 He appeared tall； but a recruiting
sergeant； or other person accustomed to the judging of men's heights
by the eye； would have discerned that this was chiefly owing to his
gauntness； and that he was not more than five…feet…eight or nine。
Notwithstanding the regularity of his tread； there was caution in
it； as in that of one who mentally feels his way； and despite the
fact that it was not a black coat nor a dark garment of any sort
that he wore； there was something about him which suggested that he
naturally belonged to the black…coated tribes of men。 His clothes
were of fustian； and his boots hobnailed； yet in his progress he
showed not the mud…accustomed bearing of hobnailed and fustianed
peasantry。
By the time that he had arrived abreast of the shepherd's premises
the rain came down； or rather came along； with yet more determined
violence。 The outskirts of the little settlement partially broke
the force of wind and rain； and this induced him to stand still。
The most salient of the shepherd's domestic erections was an empty
sty at the forward corner of his hedgeless garden； for in these
latitudes the principle of masking the homelier features of your
establishment by a conventional frontage was unknown。 The
traveller's eye was attracted to this small building by the pallid
shine of the wet slates that covered it。 He turned aside； and；
finding it empty； stood under the pent…roof for shelter。
While he stood； the boom of the serpent within the adjacent house；
and the lesser strains of the fiddler； reached the spot as an
accompaniment to the surging hiss of the flying rain on the sod； its
louder beating on the cabbage…leaves of the garden； on the eight or
ten beehives just discernible by the path； and its dripping from the
eaves into a row of buckets and pans that had been placed under the
walls of the cottage。 For at Higher Crowstairs； as at all such
elevated domiciles； the grand difficulty of housekeeping was an
insufficiency of water； and a casual rainfall was utilized by
turning out； as catchers； every utensil that the house contained。
Some queer stories might be told of the contrivances for economy in
suds and dish…waters that are absolutely necessitated in upland
habitations during the droughts of summer。 But at this season there
were no such exigencies； a mere acceptance of what the skies
bestowed was sufficient for an abundant store。
At last the notes of the serpent ceased and the house was silent。
This cessation of activity aroused the solitary pedestrian from the
reverie into which he had lapsed； and； emerging from the shed； with
an apparently new intention； he walked up the path to the house…
door。 Arrived here； his first act was to kneel down on a large
stone beside the row of vessels； and to drink a copious draught from
one of them。 Having quenched his thirst he rose and lifted his hand
to knock； but paused with his eye upon the panel。 Since the dark
surface of the wood revealed absolutely nothing； it was evident that
he must be mentally looking through the door； as if he wished to
measure thereby all the possibilities that a house of this sort
might include； and how they might bear upon the question of his
entry。
In his indecision he turned and surveyed the scene around。 Not a
soul was anywhere visible。 The garden…path stretched downward from
his feet； gleaming like the track of a snail； the roof of the little
well （mostly dry）； the well…cover； the top rail of the garden…gate；
were varnished with the same dull liquid glaze； while； far away in
the vale； a faint whiteness of more than usual extent showed that
the rivers were high in the meads。 Beyond all this winked a few
bleared lamplights through the beating dropslights that denoted
the situation of the county…town from which he had appeared to come。
The absence of all notes of life in that direction seemed to clinch
his intentions； and he knocked at the door。
Within； a desultory chat had taken the place of movement and musical
sound。 The hedge…carpenter was suggesting a song to the company；
which nobody just then was inclined to undertake； so that the knock
afforded a not unwelcome diversion。
'Walk in！' said the shepherd promptly。
The latch clicked upward； and out of the night our pedestrian
appeared upon the door…mat。 The shepherd arose； snuffed two of the
nearest candles； and turned to look at him。
Their light disclosed that the stranger was dark in complexion and
not unprepossessing as to feature。 His hat； which for a moment he
did not remove； hung low over his eyes； without concealing that they
were large； open； and determined； moving with a flash rather than a
glance round the room。 He seemed pleased with his survey； and；
baring his shaggy head； said； in a rich deep voice； 'The rain is so
heavy； friends； that I ask leave to come in and rest awhile。'
'To be sure； stranger；' said the shepherd。 'And faith； you've been
lucky in choosing your time； for we are having a bit of a fling for
a glad causethough； to be sure； a man could hardly wish that glad
cause to happen more than once a year。'
'Nor less；' spoke up a woman。 'For 'tis best to get your family
over and done with； as soon as you can； so as to be all the earlier
out of the fag o't。'
'And what may be this glad cause？' asked the stranger。
'A birth and christening；' said the shepherd。
The stranger hoped his host might not be made unh