IV. Cheerfulness Again Asserts Itself at Blooms-End, and Clym Finds His Vocation

           AnybodywhohadpassedthroughBlooms-Endabouteleveno’clockonthemorningfixedfortheweddingwouldhavefoundthat,whileYeobright’shousewascomparativelyquiet,soundsdenotinggreatactivitycamefromthedwellingofhisnearestneighbour,TimothyFairway.Itwaschieflyanoiseoffeet,brisklycrunchinghitherandthitheroverthesandedfloorwithin.Onemanonlywasvisibleoutside,andheseemedtobelateratanappointmentthanhehadintendedtobe,forhehasteneduptothedoor,liftedthelatch,andwalkedinwithoutceremony.

           Thescenewithinwasnotquitethecustomaryone.StandingabouttheroomwasthelittleknotofmenwhoformedthechiefpartoftheEgdoncoterie,therebeingpresentFairwayhimself,GrandferCantle,Humphrey,Christian,andoneortwoturf-cutters.Itwasawarmday,andthemenwereasamatterofcourseintheirshirtsleeves,exceptChristian,whohadalwaysanervousfearofpartingwithascrapofhisclothingwheninanybody’shousebuthisown.Acrossthestoutoaktableinthemiddleoftheroomwasthrownamassofstripedlinen,whichGrandferCantlehelddownononeside,andHumphreyontheother,whileFairwayrubbeditssurfacewithayellowlump,hisfacebeingdampandcreasedwiththeeffortofthelabour.

           “Waxingabed-tick,souls?”saidthenewcomer.

           “Yes,Sam,”saidGrandferCantle,asamantoobusytowastewords.“ShallIstretchthiscornerashadetighter,Timothy?”

           Fairwayreplied,andthewaxingwentonwithunabatedvigour.“’Tisgoingtobeagoodbed,bythelooko’t,”continuedSam,afteranintervalofsilence.