“Upon my soul I shall be chokt,” said Fairway when, having extracted a feather from his mouth, he found several others floating on the mug as it was handed round.

“I’ve swallered several; and one had a tolerable quill,” said Sam placidly from the corner.

“Hullo—­what’s that—­wheels I hear coming?” Grandfer Cantle exclaimed, jumping up and hastening to the door.  “Why, ’tis they back again:  I didn’t expect ’em yet this half-hour.  To be sure, how quick marrying can be done when you are in the mind for’t!”

“O yes, it can soon be done,” said Fairway, as if something should be added to make the statement complete.

He arose and followed the Grandfer, and the rest also went to the door.  In a moment an open fly was driven past, in which sat Venn and Mrs. Venn, Yeobright, and a grand relative of Venn’s who had come from Budmouth for the occasion.  The fly had been hired at the nearest town, regardless of distance and cost, there being nothing on Egdon Heath, in Venn’s opinion, dignified enough for such an event when such a woman as Thomasin was the bride; and the church was too remote for a walking bridal-party.

As the fly passed the group which had run out from the homestead they shouted “Hurrah!” and waved their hands; feathers and down floating from their hair, their sleeves, and the folds of their garments at every motion, and Grandfer Cantle’s seals dancing merrily in the sunlight as he twirled himself about.  The driver of the fly turned a supercilious gaze upon them; he even treated the wedded pair themselves with something like condescension; for in what other state than heathen could people, rich or poor, exist who were doomed to abide in such a world’s end as Egdon?  Thomasin showed no such superiority to the group at the door, fluttering her hand as quickly as a bird’s wing towards them, and asking Diggory, with tears in her eyes, if they ought not to alight and speak to these kind neighbours.  Venn, however, suggested that, as they were all coming to the house in the evening, this was hardly necessary.

After this excitement the saluting party returned to their occupation, and the stuffing and sewing were soon afterwards finished, when Fairway harnessed a horse, wrapped up the cumbrous present, and drove off with it in the cart to Venn’s house at Stickleford.

Yeobright, having filled the office at the wedding service which naturally fell to his hands, and afterwards returned to the house with the husband and wife, was indisposed to take part in the feasting and dancing that wound up the evening.  Thomasin was disappointed.

“I wish I could be there without dashing your spirits,” he said.  “But I might be too much like the skull at the banquet.”

“No, no.”

“Well, dear, apart from that, if you would excuse me, I should be glad.  I know it seems unkind; but, dear Thomasin, I fear I should not be happy in the company—­there, that’s the truth of it.  I shall always be coming to see you at your new home, you know, so that my absence now will not matter.”