AlreadyMr。Maceyandafewotherprivilegedvillagers，whowereallowedtobespectatorsonthesegreatoccasions，wereseatedonbenchesplacedforthemnearthedoor；andgreatwastheadmirationandsatisfactioninthatquarterwhenthecoupleshadformedthemselvesforthedance，andtheSquireledoffwithMrs。Crackenthorp，joininghandswiththerectorandMrs。Osgood。
Thatwasasitshouldbe——thatwaswhateverybodyhadbeenusedto——
andthecharterofRaveloeseemedtoberenewedbytheceremony。
Itwasnotthoughtofasanunbecominglevityfortheoldandmiddle—agedpeopletodancealittlebeforesittingdowntocards，butratheraspartoftheirsocialduties。Forwhatweretheseifnottobemerryatappropriatetimes，interchangingvisitsandpoultrywithduefrequency，payingeachotherold—establishedcomplimentsinsoundtraditionalphrases，passingwell—triedpersonaljokes，urgingyourgueststoeatanddrinktoomuchoutofhospitality，andeatinganddrinkingtoomuchinyourneighbour’shousetoshowthatyoulikedyourcheer？Andtheparsonnaturallysetanexampleinthesesocialduties。ForitwouldnothavebeenpossiblefortheRaveloemind，withoutapeculiarrevelation，toknowthataclergymanshouldbeapale—facedmementoofsolemnities，insteadofareasonablyfaultymanwhoseexclusiveauthoritytoreadprayersandpreach，tochristen，marry，andburyyou，necessarilycoexistedwiththerighttosellyouthegroundtobeburiedinandtotaketitheinkind；onwhichlastpoint，ofcourse，therewasalittlegrumbling，butnottotheextentofirreligion——notofdeepersignificancethanthegrumblingattherain，whichwasbynomeansaccompaniedwithaspiritofimpiousdefiance，butwithadesirethattheprayerforfineweathermightbereadforthwith。
Therewasnoreason，then，whytherector’sdancingshouldnotbereceivedaspartofthefitnessofthingsquiteasmuchastheSquire’s，orwhy，ontheotherhand，Mr。Macey’sofficialrespectshouldrestrainhimfromsubjectingtheparson’sperformancetothatcriticismwithwhichmindsofextraordinaryacutenessmustnecessarilycontemplatethedoingsoftheirfalliblefellow—men。