'I could ha' wished Nancy had had the luck to find a child like
that and bring her up,' said Priscilla to her father, as they sat in
the gig; 'I should ha' had something young to think of then, besides
the lambs and the calves.'
'Yes, my dear, yes,' said Mr Lammeter; 'one feels that as one
gets older. Things look dim to old folks: they'd need have some
young eyes about 'em, to let 'em know the world's the same as it
used to be.'
Nancy came out now to welcome her father and sister; and the
wedding group had passed on beyond the Red House to the humbler part
of the village.
Dolly Winthrop was the first to divine that old Mr Macey, who had
been set in his arm-chair outside his own door, would expect some
special notice as they passed, since he was too old to be at the
wedding-feast.
'Mr Macey's looking for a word from us,' said Dolly; 'he'll be hurt
if we pass him and say nothing- and him so racked with rheumatiz.'
So they turned aside to shake hands with the old man. He had looked
forward to the occasion, and had his premeditated speech.
'Well, Master Marner,' he said, in a voice that quavered a good
deal, 'I've lived to see my words come true. I was the first to say
there was no harm in you, though your looks might be again' you; and I
was the first to say you'd get your money back. And it's nothing but
rightful as you should. And I'd ha' said the "Amens", and willing,
at the holy matrimony; but Tookey's done it a good while now, and I
hope you'll have none the worse luck.
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