CHAPTER VI.

aid— “Aye,ayeIknow,IknowbutIletotherfolkstalk.I’velaidbynow,andgevuptotheyounguns.AskthemashavebeentoschoolatTarley:they’velearntpernouncingthat’scomeupsincemyday.” “Ifyou’repointingatme,Mr.Macey,”saidthedeputyclerk,withanairofanxiouspropriety,“I’mnowiseamantospeakoutofmyplace.Asthepsalmsays— “Iknowwhat’sright,noronlyso, ButalsopractisewhatIknow.” “Well,then,Iwishyou’dkeepholdo’thetune,whenit’ssetforyouifyou’reforpractising,Iwishyou’dpractisethat,”saidalargejocose-lookingman,anexcellentwheelwrightinhisweek-daycapacity,butonSundaysleaderofthechoir.Hewinked,ashespoke,attwoofthecompany,whowereknownofficiallyasthe“bassoon”andthe“key-bugle”,intheconfidencethathewasexpressingthesenseofthemusicalprofessioninRaveloe. Mr.Tookey,thedeputy-clerk,whosharedtheunpopularitycommontodeputies,turnedveryred,butreplied,withcarefulmoderation—“Mr.Winthrop,ifyou’llbringmeanyproofasI’minthewrong,I’mnotthemantosayIwon’talter.Butthere’speoplesetuptheirownearsforastandard,andexpectthewholechoirtofollow’em.Theremaybetwoopinions,Ihope.” “Aye,aye,”saidMr.Macey,whofeltverywellsatisfiedwiththisattackonyouthfulpresumption“you’rerightthere,Tookey:there’sallaystwo’pinionsthere’sthe’pinionamanhasofhimsen,andthere’sthe’pinionotherfolkshaveonhim.There’dbetwo’pinionsaboutacrackedbell,ifthebellcouldhearitself.” “Well,Mr.Macey,”saidpoorTookey,seriousamidstthegenerallaughter,“Iundertooktopartiallyfilluptheofficeofparish-clerkbyMr.Crackenthorp’sdesire,wheneveryourinfirmitiesshouldmakeyouunfittingandit’soneoftherightsthereoftosinginthechoir—elsewhyhaveyoudonethesameyourself?” “Ah!buttheoldgentlemanandyouaretwofolks,”saidBenWinthrop.“Theoldgentleman’sgotagift.Why,theSquireusedtoinvitehimtotakeaglass,onlytohearhimsingthe“RedRovier”didn’the,Mr.Macey?It’sanat’ralgift.There’smylittleladAaron,he’sgotagift—hecansingatuneoffstraight,likeathrostle.Butasforyou,MasterTookey,you’dbettersticktoyour“Amens”:yourvoiceiswellenoughwhenyoukeepitupinyournose.It’syourinsideasisn’trightmadeformusic:it’snobetternorahollowstalk.” ThiskindofunflinchingfranknesswasthemostpiquantformofjoketothecompanyattheRainbow,andBenWinthrop’sinsultwasfeltbyeverybodytohavecappedMr.Macey’sepigram. “Iseewhatitisplainenough,”saidMr.Tookey,unabletokeepcoolanylonger.“There’saconsperacytoturnmeouto’thechoir,asIshouldn’tsharetheChristmasmoney—that’swhereitis.ButIshallspeaktoMr.CrackenthorpI’llnotbeputuponbynoman.” “Nay,nay,Tookey,”saidBenWinthrop.“We’llpayyouyoursharetokeepoutofit—that’swhatwe’lldo.There’sthingsfolks’udpaytoberidon,besidesvarmin.” “Come,come,”saidthelandlord,whofeltthatpayingpeoplefortheirabsencewasaprincipledangeroustosociety“ajoke’sajoke.We’reallgoodfriendshere,Ihope.Wemustgiveandtake.You’rebothrightandyou’rebothwrong,asIsay.Iagreewi’Mr.Maceyhere,asthere’stwoopinionsandifminewasasked,Ishouldsaythey’rebothright.Tookey’srightandWinthrop’sright,andthey’veonlygottosplitthedifferenceandmakethemselveseven.” Thefarrierwaspuffinghispiperatherfiercely,insomecontemptatthistrivialdiscussion.Hehadnoearformusichimself,andneverwenttochurch,asbeingofthemedicalprofession,andlikelytobeinrequisitionfordelicatecows.Butthebutcher,havingmusicinhissoul,hadlistenedwithadivideddesireforTookey’sdefeatandforthepreservationofthepeace. “Tobesure,”hesaid,followingupthelandlord’sconciliatoryview,“we’refondofouroldclerkit’snat’ral,andhimusedtobesuchasinger,andgotabrotherasisknownforthefirstfiddlerinthiscountry-side.Eh,it’sapitybutwhatSolomonlivedinourvillage,andcouldgiveusatunewhenw