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'A birth and christening；' said the shepherd。
The stranger hoped his host might not be made unhappy either by too
many or too few of such episodes； and being invited by a gesture to
a pull at the mug； he readily acquiesced。 His manner； which； before
entering； had been so dubious； was now altogether that of a careless
and candid man。
'Late to be traipsing athwart this coombhey？' said the engaged man
of fifty。
'Late it is； master； as you say。I'll take a seat in the chimney…
corner； if you have nothing to urge against it； ma'am； for I am a
little moist on the side that was next the rain。'
Mrs。 Shepherd Fennel assented； and made room for the self…invited
comer； who； having got completely inside the chimney…corner；
stretched out his legs and his arms with the expansiveness of a
person quite at home。
'Yes； I am rather cracked in the vamp；' he said freely； seeing that
the eyes of the shepherd's wife fell upon his boots； 'and I am not
well fitted either。 I have had some rough times lately； and have
been forced to pick up what I can get in the way of wearing； but I
must find a suit better fit for working…days when I reach home。'
'One of hereabouts？' she inquired。
'Not quite thatfurther up the country。'
'I thought so。 And so be I； and by your tongue you come from my
neighbourhood。'
'But you would hardly have heard of me；' he said quickly。 'My time
would be long before yours； ma'am； you see。'
This testimony to the youthfulness of his hostess had the effect of
stopping her cross…examination。
'There is only one thing more wanted to make me happy；' continued
the new…comer。 'And that is a little baccy； which I am sorry to say
I am out of。'
'I'll fill your pipe；' said the shepherd。
'I must ask you to lend me a pipe likewise。'
'A smoker； and no pipe about 'ee？'
'I have dropped it somewhere on the road。'
The shepherd filled and handed him a new clay pipe； saying； as he
did so； 'Hand me your baccy…boxI'll fill that too； now I am about
it。'
The man went through the movement of searching his pockets。
'Lost that too？' said his entertainer； with some surprise。
'I am afraid so；' said the man with some confusion。 'Give it to me
in a screw of paper。' Lighting his pipe at the candle with a
suction that drew the whole flame into the bowl； he resettled
himself in the corner and bent his looks upon the faint steam from
his damp legs； as if he wished to say no more。
Meanwhile the general body of guests had been taking little notice
of this visitor by reason of an absorbing discussion in which they
were engaged with the band about a tune for the next dance。 The
matter being settled； they were about to stand up when an
interruption came in the shape of another knock at the door。
At sound of the same the man in the chimney…corner took up the poker
and began stirring the brands as if doing it thoroughly were the one
aim of his existence； and a second time the shepherd said； 'Walk
in！' In a moment another man stood upon the straw…woven door…mat。
He too was a stranger。
This individual was one of a type radically different from the
first。 There was more of the commonplace in his manner； and a
certain jovial cosmopolitanism sat upon his features。 He was
several years older than the first arrival； his hair being slightly
frosted； his eyebrows bristly； and his whiskers cut back from his
cheeks。 His face was rather full and flabby； and yet it was not
altogether a face without power。 A few grog…blossoms marked the
neighbourhood of his nose。 He flung back his long drab greatcoat；
revealing that beneath it he wore a suit of cinder…gray shade
throughout； large heavy seals； of some metal or other that would
take a polish； dangling from his fob as his only personal ornament。
Shaking the water…drops from his low…crowned glazed hat； he said； 'I
must ask for a few minutes' shelter； comrades； or I shall be wetted
to my skin before I get to Casterbridge。'
'Make yourself at home； master；' said the shepherd； perhaps a trifle
less heartily than on the first occasion。 Not that Fennel had the
least tinge of niggardliness in his composition； but the room was
far from large； spare chairs were not numerous； and damp companions
were not altogether desirable at close quarters for the women and
girls in their bright…coloured gowns。
However； the second comer； after taking off his greatcoat； and
hanging his hat on a nail in one of the ceiling…beams as if he had
been specially invited to put it there； advanced and sat down at the
table。 This had been pushed so closely into the chimney…corner； to
give all available room to the dancers； that its inner edge grazed
the elbow of the man who had ensconced himself by the fire； and thus
the two strangers were brought into close companionship。 They
nodded to each other by way of breaking the ice of unacquaintance；
and the first stranger handed his neighbour the family muga huge
vessel of brown ware； having its upper edge worn away like a
threshold by the rub of whole generations of thirsty lips that had
gone the way of all flesh； and bearing the following inscription
burnt upon its rotund side in yellow letters
THERE IS NO FUN
UNTiLL i CUM。
The other man； nothing loth； raised the mug to his lips； and drank
on； and on； and ontill a curious blueness overspread the
countenance of the shepherd's wife； who had regarded with no little
surprise the first stranger's free offer to the second of what did
not belong to him to dispense。
'I knew it！' said the toper to the shepherd with much satisfaction。
'When I walked up your garden before coming in； and saw the hives
all of a row； I said to myself； 〃Where there's bees there's honey；
and where there's honey there's mead。〃 But mead of such a truly
comfortable sort as this I really didn't expect to meet in my older
days。' He took yet another pull at the mug； till it assumed an
ominous elevation。
'Glad you enjoy it！' said the shepherd warmly。
'It is goodish mead；' assented Mrs。 Fennel； with an absence of
enthusiasm which seemed to say that it was possible to buy praise
for one's cellar at too heavy a price。 'It is trouble enough to
makeand really I hardly think we shall make any more。 For honey
sells well； and we ourselves can make shift with a drop o' small
mead and metheglin for common use from the comb…washings。〃
'O； but you'll never have the heart！' reproachfully cried the
stranger in cinder…gray； after taking up the mug a third time and
setting it down empty。 'I love mead； when 'tis old like this； as I
love to go to church o' Sundays； or to relieve the needy any day of
the week。'
'Ha； ha； ha！' said the man in the chimney…corner； who； in spite of
the taciturnity induced by the pipe of tobacco； could not or would
not refrain from this slight testimony to his comrade's humour。
Now the old mead of those days； brewed of the purest first…year or
maiden honey； four pounds to the gallonwith its due complement of
white of eggs； cinnamon； ginger； cloves； mace； rosemary； yeast； and
processes of working； bottling； and cellaringtasted remarkably
strong； but it did not taste so strong as it actually was。 Hence；
presen