 the tinder-box in the ditch was somehow connected
with the robbery. A small minority shook their heads, and intimated their
opinion that it was not a robbery to have much light thrown on it by
tinder-boxes, that Master Marner's tale had a queer look with it, and that such
things had been known as a man's doing himself a mischief, and then setting the
justice to look for the doer. But when questioned closely as to their grounds
for this opinion, and what Master Marner had to gain by such false pretences,
they only shook their heads as before, and observed that there was no knowing
what some folks counted gain; moreover, that everybody had a right to their own
opinions, grounds or no grounds, and that the weaver, as everybody knew, was
partly crazy. Mr. Macey, though he joined in the defence of Marner against all
suspicions of deceit, also pooh-poohed the tinder-box; indeed, repudiated it as
a rather impious suggestion, tending to imply that everything must be done by
human hands, and that there was no power which could make away with the guineas
without moving the bricks. Nevertheless, he turned round rather sharply on Mr.
Tookey, when the zealous deputy, feeling that this was a view of the case
peculiarly suited to a parish-clerk, carried it still further, and doubted
whether it was right to inquire into a robbery at all when the circumstances
were so mysterious.
    »As if,« concluded Mr. Tookey - »as if there was nothing but what could be
made out by justices and constables.«
    »Now, don't you be for overshooting the mark, Tookey,« said Mr. Macey,
nodding his head aside admonishingly. »That's what you're allays at; if I throw
a stone and hit, you think there's summat better than hitting, and you try to
throw a stone beyond. What I said was against the tinder-box: I said nothing
against justices and constables, for they're o' King George's making, and it 'ud
be ill-becoming a man in a parish office to fly out again' King George.«
    While these discussions were going on amongst the group outside the Rainbow,
a higher consultation was being carried on within, under the presidency of Mr.
Crackenthorp, the rector, assisted by Squire Cass and other substantial
parishioners. It had just occurred to Mr. Snell, the landlord - he being, as he
observed, a man accustomed to put two and two
