’Pa’sonToogoodhadnotbeenlonginhishouseafterleavingthechurchwhenhesawagentlemaninpinkandtop-bootsridepasthiswindows，andwithasuddenflashofheathecalledtomindthatthehoundsmetthatdayjustontheedgeofhisparish。Thepa’sonwasonewhodearlylovedsport，andmuchhelongedtobethere。
’Inshort，excepto’Sundaysandattide-timesintheweek，Pa’sonBillywasthelifeo’theHunt。’Tistruethathewaspoor，andthatherodeallofaheap，andthathisblackmarewasrat-tailedandold，andhistopsolder，andalloverofonecolour，whitey-brown，andfullo’cracks。Buthe’dbeeninatthedeathofthreethousandfoxes。And——beingabachelorman——everytimehewenttobedinsummerheusedtoopenthebedatbottomandcrawlupheadforemost，tomindenofthecomingwinterandthegoodsporthe’dhave，andthefoxesgoingtoearth。AndwhenevertherewasachristeningattheSquire’s，andhehaddinnerthereafterwards，ashealwaysdid，heneverfailedtochristenthechieloveragaininabottleofportwine。
’Nowtheclerkwastheparson’sgroomandgardenerandjineralmanager，andhadjustgotbacktohisworkinthegardenwhenhe，too，sawthehuntingmanpass，andpresentlysawlotsmoreof’em，noblemenandgentry，andthenhesawthehounds，thehuntsman，JimTreadhedge，thewhipper-in，andIdon’tknowwhobesides。Theclerklovedgoingtocoverasfranticalasthepa’son，somuchsothatwheneverhesaworheardthepackhecouldnomorerulehisfeelingsthaniftheywerethewindsofheaven。Hemightbebedding，orhemightbesowing——allwasforgot。Sohethrowsdownhisspadeandrushesintothepa’son，whowasbythistimeasfranticaltogoashe。
’“Thattheremareofyours，sir，dowantexercisebad，verybad，thismorning!“theclerksays，allofatremble。“Don’tyethinkI’dbettertrotherroundthedownsforanhour，sir？“
’“Tobesure，shedoeswantexercisebadly。I’lltrotherroundmyself，“saystheparson。
’“Oh——you’lltrotheryerself？Well，there’sthecob，sir。Reallythatcobisgettingoncontrollablethroughbidinginastablesolong!Ifyouwouldn’tmindmyputtingonthesaddle——“
’“Verywell。Takehimout，certainly，“saysthepa’son，nevercaringwhattheclerkdidsolongashehimselfcouldgetoffimmediately。
So，scramblingintohisriding-bootsandbreechesasquickashecould，herodeofftowardsthemeet，intendingtobebackinanhour。
Nosoonerwashegonethantheclerkmountedthecob，andwasoffafterhim。Whenthepa’songottothemeet，hefoundalotoffriends，andwasasjollyashecouldbe：thehoundsfounda’mostassoonastheythrewoff，andtherewasgreatexcitement。So，forgettingthathehadmeanttogobackatonce，awayridesthepa’sonwiththeresto’thehunt，allacrossthefallowgroundthatliesbetweenLippetWoodandGreen’sCopse；andashegallopedhelookedbehindforamoment，andtherewastheclerkclosetohisheels。
’“Ha，ha，clerk——youhere？“hesays。
’“Yes，sir，herebeI，“sayst’other。
’“Fineexerciseforthehorses!“
’“Ay，sir——hee，hee!“saystheclerk。
’Sotheywentonandon，intoGreen’sCopse，thenacrosstoHigherJirton；thenonacrossthisveryturnpike-roadtoClimmerstonRidge，thenawaytowardsYalburyWood：uphillanddowndale，liketheverywind，theclerkclosetothepa’son，andthepa’sonnotfarfromthehounds。Neverwasthereafinerrunknowedwiththatpackthantheyhadthatday；andneitherpa’sonnorclerkthoughtonewordabouttheunmarriedcouplelockedupinthechurchtowerwaitingtogetj’ined。
’“Thesehossesofyours，sir，willbemuchimprovedbythis!“saystheclerkasherodealong，justaneckbehindthepa’son。“’Twasahappythoughtofyourreverentmindtobring’emoutto-day。Why，itmaybefrostyinadayortwo，andthenthepoorthingsmidnotbeabletoleavethestableforweeks。“
’“Theymaynot，theymaynot，itistrue。Amercifulmanismercifultohisbeast，“saysthepa’son。
’“Hee，hee!“saystheclerk，glancingslyintothepa’son’seye。
’“Ha，ha!“saysthepa’son，a-glancingbackintotheclerk’s。
“Halloo!“heshouts，asheseesthefoxbreakcoveratthatmoment。
’“Halloo!“criestheclerk。“Therehegoes!Why，dammy，there’stwofoxes——“
’“Hush，clerk，hush!Don’tletmehearthatwordagain!Rememberourcalling。“
’“True，sir，true。Butreally，goodsportdocarryawayamanso，thathe’sapttoforgethishighpersuasion!“Andthenextminutethecorneroftheclerk’seyeshotagainintothecornerofthepa’son’s，andthepa’son’sbackagaintotheclerk’s。“Hee，hee!“
saidtheclerk。
’“Ha，ha!“saidPa’sonToogood。
’“Ah，sir，“saystheclerkagain，“thisisbetterthancryingAmentoyourEver-and-everonawinter’smorning!“
’“Yes，indeed，clerk!Toeverythingthere’saseason，“saysPa’sonToogood，quitepat，forhewasalearnedChristianmanwhenheliked，andhadchapterandve’seathistongue’send，asapa’sonshould。
’Atlast，lateintheday，thehuntingcametoanendbythefoxrunningintoa’oldwoman’scottage，underhertable，anduptheclock-case。Thepa’sonandclerkwereamongthefirstinatthedeath，theirfacesa-staringinattheoldwoman’swinder，andtheclockstrikingashe’dneverbeenheardtostrik’before。Thencamethequestionoffindingtheirwayhome。
’Neitherthepa’sonnortheclerkknowedhowtheyweregoingtodothis，fortheirbeastswerewellnightireddowntotheground。Buttheystartedback-alongaswellastheycould，thoughtheyweresodoneupthattheycouldonlydragalongata’amble，andnotmuchofthatatatime。
’“Weshallnever，nevergetthere!“groanedMr。Toogood，quiteboweddown。
’“Never!“groanstheclerk。“’Tisajudgmentuponusforouriniquities!“
’“Ifearitis，“murmursthepa’son。
’Well，’twasquitedarkaforetheyenteredthepa’sonagegate，havingcreptintotheparishasquietasifthey’dstoleahammer，littlewishingtheircongregationtoknowwhatthey’dbeenuptoalldaylong。Andastheyweresodog-tired，andsoanxiousaboutthehorses，neveroncedidtheythinkoftheunmarriedcouple。Assoonaseverthehorseshadbeenstabledandfed，andthepa’sonandclerkhadhadabitandasuptheirselves，theywenttobed。
’NextmorningwhenPa’sonToogoodwasatbreakfast，thinkingoftheglorioussporthe’dhadthedaybefore，theclerkcameinahurrytothedoorandaskedtoseehim。
’“Ithasjustcomeintomymind，sir，thatwe’veforgotallaboutthecouplethatwewastohavemarriedyesterday!“
’Thehalf-chawedvictualsdroppedfromthepa’son’smouthasifhe’dbeenshot。“Blessmysoul，“sayshe，“sowehave!Howveryawkward!“
’“Itis，sir；very。Perhapswe’veruinedthe’ooman!“
’“Ah——tobesure——Iremember!Sheoughttohavebeenmarriedbefore。“
’“Ifanythinghashappenedtoherupinthattheretower，andnodoctorornuss——“
’Ah——poorthing!’sighedthewomen。
’“——’twillbeaquarter-sessionsmatterforus，nottospeakofthedisgracetotheChurch!“
’“GoodGod，clerk，don’tdrivemewild!“saysthepa’son。“Whythehelldidn’tImarry’em，drunkorsober!“Pa’sonsusedtocussinthemdayslikeplainhonestmen。“Haveyoubeentothechurchtoseewhathappenedtothem，orinquiredinthevillage？“
’“NotI，sir!Itonlycameintomyheadamomentago，andIalwaysliketobesecondtoyouinchurchmatters。Youcouldhaveknockedmedownwithasparrer’sfeatherwhenIthoughto’t，sir；Iassure’eeyoucould!“
’Well，theparsonjumpedupfromhisbreakfast，andtogethertheywentofftothechurch。
’“Itisnotatalllikelythattheyaretherenow，“saysMr。Toogood，astheywent；“andindeedIhopetheyarenot。Theybeprettysuretohave’scapedandgonehome。“
’However，theyopenedthechurch-hatch，enteredthechurchyard，andlookingupatthetower，theretheyseedalittlesmallwhitefaceatthebelfry-winder，andalittlesmallhandwaving。’Twasthebride。
’“Godmylife，clerk，“saysMr。Toogood，“Idon’tknowhowtoface’em!“Andhesankdownuponatombstone。“HowIwishIhadn’tbeensocussedparticular!“
’“Yes——’twasapitywedidn’tfinishitwhenwe’dbegun，“theclerksaid。“Still，sincethefeelingsofyourholypriestcraftwouldn’tletye，thecouplemustputupwithit。“
’“True，clerk，true!Doesshelookasifanythingprematurehadtookplace？“
’“Ican’tseehernolowerdownthanherarm-pits，sir。“
’“Well——howdoherfacelook？“
’“Itdolookmightywhite!“
’“Well，wemustknowtheworst!Dearme，howthesmallofmybackdoachefromthatrideyesterday!……Buttomoregodlybusiness!“
’Theywentonintothechurch，andunlockedthetowerstairs，andimmediatelypoorJaneandAndreybustedoutlikestarvedmicefromacupboard，Andreylimpandsoberenoughnow，andhisbridepaleandcold，butotherwiseasusual。
’“What，“saysthepa’son，withagreatbreathofrelief，“youhaven’tbeenhereeversince？“
’“Yes，wehave，sir!“saysthebride，sinkingdownuponaseatinherweakness。“Notamorsel，wetordry，havewehadsince!Itwasimpossibletogetoutwithouthelp，andherewe’vestayed!“
’“Butwhydidn’tyoushout，goodsouls？“saidthepa’son。
’“Shewouldn’tletme，“saysAndrey。
’“Becauseweweresoashamedatwhathadledtoit，“sobsJane。“Wefeltthatifitwerenoisedabroaditwouldclingtousallourlives!OnceortwiceAndreyhadagoodmindtotollthebell，butthenhesaid：“No；I’llstarvefirst。Iwon’tbringdisgraceonmynameandyours，mydear。“Andsowewaitedandwaited，andwalkedroundandround；butneverdidyoucometillnow!“
’“Tomyregret!“saystheparson。“Now，then，wewillsoongetitover。“
’“I——Ishouldlikesomevictuals，“saidAndrey，“’twouldgiemecourageifitisonlyacrusto’breadanda’onion；forIamthatleerythatIcanfeelmystomachrubbingagainstmybackbone。“
’“Ithinkwehadbettergetitdone，“saidthebride，abitanxiousinmanner；“sinceweareallhereconvenient，too!“
’Andreygavewayaboutthevictuals，andtheclerkcalledinasecondwitnesswhowouldn’tbelikelytogossipaboutit，andsoontheknotwastied，andthebridelookedsmilingandcalmforthwith，andAndreylimperthanever。
’“Now，“saidPa’sonToogood，“youtwomustcometomyhouse，andhaveagoodliningputtoyourinsidesbeforeyougoastepfurther。“
’Theywereverygladoftheoffer，andwentoutofthechurchyardbyonepathwhilethepa’sonandclerkwentoutbytheother，andsodidnotattractnotice，itbeingstillearly。Theyenteredtherectoryasifthey’djustcomebackfromtheirtriptoPortBredy；andthentheyknockedinthevictualsanddrinktilltheycouldholdnomore。