adam bede(亚当[1].比德)-第110章
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stay i’ this country any more nor we can。”
“An’ you t’ ha’ to go into court； and own you’re akin t’ her；” said
the old man。 “Why； they’ll cast it up to the little un； as isn’t four
’ear old； some day—they’ll cast it up t’ her as she’d a cousin tried
at the ’sizes for murder。”
“It’ll be their own wickedness； then；” said Mrs。 Poyser； with a
sob in her voice。 “But there’s One above ’ull take care o’ the
innicent child； else it’s but little truth they tell us at church。 It’ll be
harder nor ever to die an’ leave the little uns； an’ nobody to be a
mother to ’em。”
“We’d better ha’ sent for Dinah； if we’d known where she is；”
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said Mr。 Poyser； “but Adam said she’d left no direction where
she’d be at Leeds。”
“Why； she’d be wi’ that woman as was a friend t’ her Aunt
Judith；” said Mrs。 Poyser； comforted a little by this suggestion of
her husbands。 “I’ve often heard Dinah talk of her； but I can’t
remember what name she called her by。 But there’s Seth Bede；
he’s like enough to know； for she’s a preaching woman as the
Methodists think a deal on。”
“I’ll send to Seth；” said Mr。 Poyser。 “I’ll send Alick to tell him to
come； or else to send up word o’ the woman’s name； an’ thee canst
write a letter ready to send off to Treddles’on as soon as we can
make out a direction。”
“It’s poor work writing letters when you want folks to come to
you i’ trouble；” said Mrs。 Poyser。 “Happen it’ll be ever so long on
the road； an’ never reach her at last。”
Before Alick arrived with the message； Lisbeth’s thoughts too
had already flown to Dinah； and she had said to Seth； “Eh； there’s
no comfort for us i’ this world any more； wi’out thee couldst get
Dinah Morris to come to us； as she did when my old man died。 I’d
like her to come in an’ take me by th’ hand again； an’ talk to me。
She’d tell me the rights on’t； belike—she’d happen know some
good i’ all this trouble an’ heart…break comin’ upo’ that poor lad； as
ne’er done a bit o’ wrong in’s life； but war better nor anybody
else’s son； pick the country round。 Eh； my lad 。 。 。 Adam； my poor
lad！”
“Thee wouldstna like me to leave thee； to go and fetch Dinah？”
said Seth； as his mother sobbed and rocked herself to and fro。
“Fetch her？” said Lisbeth； looking up and pausing from her
grief； like a crying child who hears some promise of consolation。
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“Why； what place is ’t she’s at； do they say？”
“It’s a good way off； mother—Leeds； a big town。 But I could be
back in three days； if thee couldst spare me。”
“Nay； nay； I canna spare thee。 Thee must go an’ see thy
brother； an’ bring me word what he’s a…doin’。 Mester Irwine said
he’d come an’ tell me； but I canna make out so well what it means
when he tells me。 Thee must go thysen； sin’ Adam wonna let me
go to him。 Write a letter to Dinah canstna？ Thee ’t fond enough o’
writin’ when nobody wants thee。”
“I’m not sure where she’d be i’ that big town；” said Seth。 “If I’d
gone myself； I could ha’ found out by asking the members o’ the
Society。 But perhaps if I put Sarah Williamson； Methodist
preacher； Leeds； o’ th’ outside； it might get to her； for most like
she’d be wi’ Sarah Williamson。”
Alick came now with the message； and Seth； finding that Mrs。
Poyser was writing to Dinah； gave up the intention of writing
himself； but he went to the Hall Farm to tell them all he could
suggest about the address of the letter； and warn them that there
might be some delay in the delivery； from his not knowing an
exact direction。
On leaving Lisbeth； Mr。 Irwine had gone to Jonathan Burge；
who had also a claim to be acquainted with what was likely to keep
Adam away from business for some time； and before six o’clock
that evening there were few people in Broxton and Hayslope who
had not heard the sad news。 Mr。 Irwine had not mentioned
Arthur’s name to Burge； and yet the story of his conduct towards
Hetty； with all the dark shadows cast upon it by its terrible
consequences； was presently as well known as that his
grandfather was dead； and that he was come into the estate。 For
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Martin Poyser felt no motive to keep silence towards the one or
two neighbours who ventured to come and shake him sorrowfully
by the hand on the first day of his trouble； and Carroll； who kept
his ears open to all that passed at the rectory； had framed an
inferential version of the story； and found early opportunities of
communicating it。
One of those neighbours who came to Martin Poyser and shook
him by the hand without speaking for some minutes was Bartle
Massey。 He had shut up his school； and was on his way to the
rectory； where he arrived about half…past seven in the evening；
and； sending his duty to Mr。 Irwine； begged pardon for troubling
him at that hour； but had something particular on his mind。 He
was shown into the study； where Mr。 Irwine soon joined him。
“Well； Bartle？” said Mr。 Irwine； putting out his hand。 That was
not his usual way of saluting the schoolmaster； but trouble makes
us treat all who feel with us very much alike。 “Sit down。”
“You know what I’m come about as well as I do； sir； I daresay；”
said Bartle。
“You wish to know the truth about the sad news that has
reached you 。 。 。 about Hetty Sorrel？”
“Nay； sir； what I wish to know is about Adam Bede。 I
understand you left him at Stoniton； and I beg the favour of you to
tell me what’s the state of the poor lad’s mind； and what he means
to do。 For as for that bit o’ pink…and…white they’ve taken the
trouble to put in jail； I don’t value her a rotten nut—not a rotten
nut—only for the harm or good that may come out of her to an
honest man—a lad I’ve set such store by—trusted to； that he’d
make my bit o’ knowledge go a good way in the world 。 。 。 Why； sir；
he’s the only scholar I’ve had in this stupid country that ever had
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the will or the head…piece for mathematics。 If he hadn’t had so
much hard work to do； poor fellow； he might have gone into the
higher branches； and then this might never have happened—
might never have happened。”
Bartle was heated by the exertion of walking fast in an agitated
frame of mind； and was not able to check himself on this first
occasion of venting his feelings。 But he paused now to rub his
moist forehead； and probably his moist eyes also。
“You’ll excuse me； sir；” he said； when this pause had given him
time to reflect； “for running on in this way about my own feelings；
like that foolish dog of mine howling in a storm； when there’s
nobody wants to listen to me。 I came to hear you speak； not to talk
myself—if you’ll take the trouble to tell me what the poor lad’s
doing。”
“Don’t put yourself under any restraint； Bartle；” said Mr。
Irwine。 “The fact is； I’m very much in the same condition as you
just now； I’ve a great deal that’s painful on my mind； and I find it
hard work to be quite silent about my own feelings and only
attend to others。 I share your concern for Adam； though he is not
the only one whose sufferings I care for in this affair。 He intends to
remain at Stoniton till after the trial： it will come on probably a
week to…morrow。 He has taken a room there； and I encouraged
him to do so； because I think it better he should be away from his
own home at present； and； poor fellow； he still believes Hetty is
innocent—he wants to summon up courage to see her if he can； he
is unwilling to leave the spot where she is。”
“Do you think the creatur’s guilty； then？” said Bartle。 “Do you
think they’ll hang her？”
“I’m afraid it will go hard with her。 The evidence is very strong。
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And one bad symptom is that she denies everything—denies that
she has had a child in the face of the most positive evidence。 I saw
her myself； and she was obstinately silent to me； she shrank up
like a frightened animal when she saw me。 I was never so shocked
in my life as at the change in her。 But I trust that； in the worst
case； we may obtain a pardon for the sake of the innocent who are
involved。”
“Stuff and nonsense！” said Bartle； forgetting in his irritation to
whom he was speaking。 “I beg your pardon； sir； I mean it’s stuff
and nonsense for the innocent to care about her being hanged。 For
my own part； I think the sooner such women are put out o’ the
world the better； and the men that help ’em to do mischief had
better go along with ’em for that matter。 What good will you do by
keeping such vermin al
