`Well, 'tis a curious place, to say the least,' observed Moon; `and it must be a curious people that live therein.'

`Miss Everdene and the soldier were walking about together, you say?' said Gabriel, returning to the group.

`Ay, and she wore a beautiful gold-colour silk gown, trimmed with black lace, that would have stood alone 'ithout legs inside if required. 'Twas a very winsome sight; and her hair was brushed splendid. And when the sun shone upon the bright gown and his red coat - my! how handsome they looked. You could see 'em all the length of the street.'

`And what then?' murmured Gabriel.

`And then I went into Griffin's to hae my boots hobbed, and then I went to Rigg's batty-cake shop, and asked 'em for a penneth of the cheapest and nicest stales, that were all but blue-mouldy, but not quite. And whilst I was chawing 'em down I walked on and seed a clock with a face as big as a baking trendle-- '

`But that's nothing to do with mistress!'

`I'm coming to that, if you'll leave me alone, Mister Oak!' remonstrated Cainy. `If you excites me, perhaps you'll bring on my cough and then I shan't be able to tell ye nothing.'

`Yes - let him tell it his own way,' said Coggan.

Gabriel settled into a despairing attitude of patience, and Cainy went on:--

`And there were great large houses, and more people all the week long than at Weatherbury club-walking' on White Tuesdays. And I went to grand churches and chapels. And how the parson would pray! Yes; he would kneel down and put up his hands together, and make the holy gold rings on his fingers gleam and twinkle in yer eyes, that he'd earned by praying so excellent well! - Ah yes, I wish I lived there.'

`Our poor Parson Thirdly can't get no money to buy such rings,' said Matthew Moon thoughtfully. `And as good a man as ever walked. I don't believe poor Thirdly have a single one, even of humblest tin or copper. Such a great ornament as they'd be to him on a dull a'ternoon, when he's up in the pulpit lighted by the wax candles! But 'tis impossible, poor man. Ah, to think how unequal things be.'

`Perhaps he's made of different stuff than to wear `em,' said Gabriel grimly. `Well, that's enough of this. Go on, Cainy - quick.'

`Oh - and the new style of pa'sons wear moustaches and long beards,' continued the illustrious traveller, `and look like Moses and Aaron complete, and make we fokes in the congregation feel all over like the children of Israel.'

`A very right feeling - very,' said Joseph Poorgrass.

`And there's two religions going on in the nation now - High Church and High Chapel. And, thinks I, I'll play fair; so I went to High Church in the morning, and High Chapel in the afternoon.

`A right and proper boy,' said Joseph Poorgrass.

`Well, at High Church they pray singing, and worship all the colours of the rainbow; and at High Chapel they pray preaching, and worship drab and whitewash only. And then - I didn't see no more of Miss Everdene at all.'

`Why didn't you say so afore, then?' exclaimed Oak, with much disappointment.