Snac, with a somewhat rueful grin. "This here Rachel
Blythe as has come back to the parish has come to a reconciling with
your uncle, as was a by-gone flame of hern; and her tells my mother as
it's thee and thy bride as browt that to pass."

"True enough," Reuben allowed; "but still I don't see--"

"An' niver will see," said Snac, "till thee lettest me tell thee. Her
comes to my feyther's house, this Miss Blythe, an' tells mother what
a beautiful thing this reconcilin' is, and they fall to weepin' and
cry-in' to my feyther both together, an' all on a sudden, t' everybody's
mightiest astonishing, what's he to do but say, 'Theer, I forgi'en him.
Hold your jaw, the pair on you!' Well, now, see what a pitch I'm let to
fall on. Feyther durn't tell mother for his life as he helped me; her
durn't tell him as her helped me. So they mek up their minds to gi'e me
a pound a week betwigst the two on 'em, and that's how it comes about
with these here cussed reconcilings, as I'm done out o' fifty per cent,
o' my income. Look here, Mr. Gold, don't you goo about reconcilin' no
more of my relations."

"Why, Snac," cried Reuben, "it's none of my doing."

"Well," Snac allowed, "it'd be hard upon a man to mek him answerable for
all the doin's of his wife's mother's second cousin. But if it had been
a man as had ha' done it, I'd ha' had a try to punch his head for him.
I should ha' took a trial trip at you yourself, Mr. Gold, for all so big
and all so handy as you be."

"Well, Snac," said Reuben, "it will be all the bet-ter for you in the
end, and I hope it may mend sooner. But if the fact of my meaning to get
married has done so much good as you say it has, I'm very glad to know
it, and I'll take it as a happy sign."

It seemed an augury of happiness as he walked alone about the fields,
and dwelt upon it. It seemed a fitting thing that love should spread
peace abroad, and that peace should multiply itself.

On the morrow the ringers rang; and being inspired by plenitude of beer
and rich gratuity, and hearty good-will into the bargain, they rang till
sundown. And when the wedding was over, and the bride and bridegroom had
driven away with cheers and blessings in their train, the wedding-guests
sat in the garden with the sylvan statues standing solemnly about, and
the bells making joyful music. Everybody was very sober and serious when
the excitement of cheering away the wedded pair was over, and in a while
the guests began to go. Ezr