The reader should remember that husbandmen in fielden parishes formed a majority of the rural population.

“Poor children,” sympathized Pandit Lallaram.

Bells ringing, flags waving, may-poles—so long unseen—bonfires in due preparation for night, morris-dancers, who had practised for the last four-and-twenty hours unremittingly to refresh their ancient craft, an ox roasted whole, cakes, ale, crowds, confusion,—all assembled in and about Avonleigh Park, to greet the master's return.

Now the skin was puckered into a million wrinkles, and on the shapeless face was the stamp of unutterable age.