adam bede(亚当[1].比德)-第3章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 15…
Adam Bede 15
more’s the pity。”
“Ne’er heed me； Seth；” said Wiry Ben； “y’ are a down…right
good…hearted chap； panels or no panels； an’ ye donna set up your
bristles at every bit o’ fun； like some o’ your kin； as is mayhap
cliverer。”
“Seth； lad；” said Adam； taking no notice of the sarcasm against
himself； “thee mustna take me unkind。 I wasna driving at thee in
what I said just now。 Some ’s got one way o’ looking at things and
some ’s got another。”
“Nay； nay； Addy； thee mean’st me no unkindness；” said Seth； “I
know that well enough。 Thee ’t like thy dog Gyp—thee bark’st at
me sometimes； but thee allays lick’st my hand after。”
All hands worked on in silence for some minutes； until the
church clock began to strike six。 Before the first stroke had died
away； Sandy Jim had loosed his plane and was reaching his jacket；
Wiry Ben had left a screw half driven in； and thrown his
screwdriver into his tool…basket； Mum Taft； who； true to his name；
had kept silence throughout the previous conversation； had flung
down his hammer as he was in the act of lifting it； and Seth； too；
had straightened his back； and was putting out his hand towards
his paper cap。 Adam alone had gone on with his work as if nothing
had happened。 But observing the cessation of the tools； he looked
up； and said； in a tone of indignation； “Look there； now！ I can’t
abide to see men throw away their tools i’ that way； the minute the
clock begins to strike； as if they took no pleasure i’ their work and
was afraid o’ doing a stroke too much。”
Seth looked a little conscious； and began to be slower in his
preparations for going； but Mum Taft broke silence； and said；
“Aye； aye； Adam lad； ye talk like a young un。 When y’ are six…an’…
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 16…
Adam Bede 16
forty like me； istid o’ six…an’…twenty； ye wonna be so flush o’
workin’ for nought。”
“Nonsense；” said Adam； still wrathful； “what’s age got to do
with it； I wonder？ Ye arena getting stiff yet； I reckon。 I hate to see
a man’s arms drop down as if he was shot； before the clock’s fairly
struck； just as if he’d never a bit o’ pride and delight in ’s work。
The very grindstone ’ull go on turning a bit after you loose it。”
“Bodderation； Adam！” exclaimed Wiry Ben； “lave a chap aloon；
will ’ee？ Ye war afinding faut wi’ preachers a while agoo—y’ are
fond enough o’ preachin’ yoursen。 Ye may like work better nor
play； but I like play better nor work； that’ll ’commodate ye—it
laves ye th’ more to do。”
With this exit speech； which he considered effective； Wiry Ben
shouldered his basket and left the workshop； quickly followed by
Mum Taft and Sandy Jim。 Seth lingered； and looked wistfully at
Adam； as if he expected him to say something。
“Shalt go home before thee go’st to the preaching？” Adam
asked； looking up。
“Nay； I’ve got my hat and things at Will Maskery’s。 I shan’t be
home before going for ten。 I’ll happen see Dinah Morris safe home；
if she’s willing。 There’s nobody comes with her from Poyser’s； thee
know’st。”
“Then I’ll tell mother not to look for thee；” said Adam。
“Thee artna going to Poyser’s thyself to…night？” said Seth
rather timidly； as he turned to leave the workshop。
“Nay； I’m going to th’ school。”
Hitherto Gyp had kept his comfortable bed； only lifting up his
head and watching Adam more closely as he noticed the other
workmen departing。 But no sooner did Adam put his ruler in his
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 17…
Adam Bede 17
pocket； and begin to twist his apron round his waist； than Gyp ran
forward and looked up in his master’s face with patient
expectation。 If Gyp had had a tail he would doubtless have wagged
it； but being destitute of that vehicle for his emotions； he was like
many other worthy personages； destined to appear more
phlegmatic than nature had made him。
“What！ Art ready for the basket； eh； Gyp？” said Adam； with the
same gentle modulation of voice as when he spoke to Seth。
Gyp jumped and gave a short bark； as much as to say； “Of
course。” Poor fellow； he had not a great range of expression。
The basket was the one which on workdays held Adam’s and
Seth’s dinner； and no official； walking in procession； could look
more resolutely unconscious of all acquaintances than Gyp with
his basket； trotting at his master’s heels。
On leaving the workshop Adam locked the door； took the key
out； and carried it to the house on the other side of the woodyard。
It was a low house； with smooth grey thatch and buff walls；
looking pleasant and mellow in the evening light。 The leaded
windows were bright and speckless； and the door…stone was as
clean as a white boulder at ebb tide。 On the door…stone stood a
clean old woman； in a dark…striped linen gown； a red kerchief； and
a linen cap； talking to some speckled fowls which appeared to have
been drawn towards her by an illusory expectation of cold
potatoes or barley。 The old woman’s sight seemed to be dim； for
she did not recognise Adam till he said； “Here’s the key； Dolly； lay
it down for me in the house； will you？”
“Aye； sure； but wunna ye come in； Adam？ Miss Mary’s i’ th’
house； and Mester Burge ’ull be back anon； he’d be glad t’ ha’ ye
to supper wi’m； I’ll be’s warrand。”
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 18…
Adam Bede 18
“No； Dolly； thank you； I’m off home。 Good evening。”
Adam hastened with long strides； Gyp close to his heels； out of
the workyard； and along the highroad leading away from the
village and down to the valley。 As he reached the foot of the slope；
an elderly horseman； with his portmanteau strapped behind him；
stopped his horse when Adam had passed him； and turned round
to have another long look at the stalwart workman in paper cap；
leather breeches； and dark…blue worsted stockings。
Adam； unconscious of the admiration he was exciting； presently
struck across the fields； and now broke out into the tune which
had all day long been running in his head：
“Let all thy converse be sincere；
Thy conscience as the noonday clear；
For God’s all…seeing eye surveys
Thy secret thoughts； thy works and ways。
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 19…
Adam Bede 19
Chapter II
The Preaching
bout a quarter to seven there was an unusual appearance
Aof excitement in the village of Hayslope； and through the
whole length of its little street； from the Donnithorne
Arms to the churchyard gate； the inhabitants had evidently been
drawn out of their houses by something more than the pleasure of
lounging in the evening sunshine。 The Donnithorne Arms stood at
the entrance of the village； and a small farmyard and stackyard
which flanked it； indicating that there was a pretty take of land
attached to the inn； gave the traveller a promise of good feed for
himself and his horse； which might well console him for the
ignorance in which the weather…beaten sign left him as to the
heraldic bearings of that ancient family； the Donnithornes。 Mr。
Casson； the landlord； had been for some time standing at the door
with his hands in his pockets； balancing himself on his heels and
toes and looking towards a piece of unenclosed ground； with a
maple in the middle of it； which he knew to be the destination of
certain grave…looking men and women whom he had observed
passing at intervals。
Mr。 Casson’s person was by no means of that common type
which can be allowed to pass without description。 On a front view
it appeared to consist principally of two spheres； bearing about the
same relation to each other as the earth and the moon： that is to
say； the lower sphere might be said； at a rough guess； to be
thirteen times larger than the upper which naturally performed
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 20…
Adam Bede 20
the function of a mere satellite and tributary。 But here the
resemblance ceased； for Mr。 Casson’s head was not at all a
melancholy…looking satellite nor was it a “spotty globe；” as Milton
has irreverently called the moon； on the contrary； no head and
face could look more sleek and healthy； and its expression—which
was chiefly confined to a pair of round and ruddy cheeks； the
slight knot and interruptions forming the nose and eyes being
scarcely worth mention—was one of jolly contentment； only
tempered by that sense of personal dignity which usually made
itself felt in his attitude and bearing。 This sense of dignity could
hardly be considered excessive in a man who had been butler to
“the family” for fifteen years； and who；
