adam bede(亚当[1].比德)-第39章
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Poyser。 “Look at the clock； do； why； it’s going on for half…past nine；
and I’ve sent the gells to bed this half…hour； and late enough too；
when they’ve got to get up at half after four； and the mowers’
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bottles to fill； and the baking； and here’s this blessed child wi’ the
fever for what I know； and as wakeful as if it was dinner…time； and
nobody to help me to give her the physic but your uncle； and fine
work there’s been； and half of it spilt on her night…gown—it’s well
if she’s swallowed more nor ’ull make her worse i’stead o’ better。
But folks as have no mind to be o’ use have allays the luck to be
out o’ the road when there’s anything to be done。”
“I did set out before eight； aunt；” said Hetty； in a pettish tone；
with a slight toss of her head。 But this clock’s so much before the
clock at the Chase； there’s no telling what time it’ll be when I get
here。”
“What！ You’d be wanting the clock set by gentlefolks’s time；
would you？ An’ sit up burnin’ candle； an’ lie a…bed wi’ the sun a…
bakin’ you like a cowcumber i’ the frame？ The clock hasn’t been
put forrard for the first time to…day； I reckon。”
The fact was； Hetty had really forgotten the difference of the
clocks when she told Captain Donnithorne that she set out at
eight； and this； with her lingering pace； had made her nearly half
an hour later than usual。 But here her aunt’s attention was
diverted from this tender subject by Totty； who； perceiving at
length that the arrival of her cousins was not likely to bring
anything satisfactory to her in particular； began to cry； “Munny；
munny；” in an explosive manner。
“Well； then； my pet； Mother’s got her； Mother won’t leave her；
Totty be a good dilling； and go to sleep now；” said Mrs。 Poyser；
leaning back and rocking the chair； while she tried to make Totty
nestle against her。 But Totty only cried louder； and said； “Don’t
yock！” So the mother； with that wondrous patience which love
gives to the quickest temperament； sat up again； and pressed her
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cheek against the linen night…cap and kissed it； and forgot to scold
Hetty any longer。
“Come； Hetty；” said Martin Poyser； in a conciliatory tone； “go
and get your supper i’ the pantry； as the things are all put away；
an’ then you can come and take the little un while your aunt
undresses herself； for she won’t lie down in bed without her
mother。 An’ I reckon you could eat a bit； Dinah； for they don’t keep
much of a house down there。”
“No； thank you； Uncle；” said Dinah； “I ate a good meal before I
came away； for Mrs。 Bede would make a kettle…cake for me。”
“I don’t want any supper；” said Hetty； taking off her hat。 “I can
hold Totty now； if Aunt wants me。”
“Why； what nonsense that is to talk！” said Mrs。 Poyser。 “Do you
think you can live wi’out eatin’； an’ nourish your inside wi’ stickin’
red ribbons on your head？ Go an’ get your supper this minute；
child； there’s a nice bit o’ cold pudding i’ the safe—just what
you’re fond of。”
Hetty complied silently by going towards the pantry； and Mrs。
Poyser went on speaking to Dinah。
“Sit down； my dear； an’ look as if you knowed what it was to
make yourself a bit comfortable i’ the world。 I warrant the old
woman was glad to see you； since you stayed so long。”
“She seemed to like having me there at last； but her sons say
she doesn’t like young women about her commonly； and I thought
just at first she was almost angry with me for going。”
“Eh； it’s a poor look…out when th’ ould folks doesna like the
young uns；” said old Martin； bending his head down lower； and
seeming to trace the pattern of the quarries with his eye。
“Aye； it’s ill livin’ in a hen…roost for them as doesn’t like fleas；”
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said Mrs。 Poyser。 “We’ve all had our turn at bein’ young； I reckon；
be’t good luck or ill。”
“But she must learn to ’commodate herself to young women；”
said Mr。 Poyser； “for it isn’t to be counted on as Adam and Seth
’ull keep bachelors for the next ten year to please their mother。
That ’ud be unreasonable。 It isn’t right for old nor young nayther
to make a bargain all o’ their own side。 What’s good for one’s good
all round i’ the long run。 I’m no friend to young fellows a…marrying
afore they know the difference atween a crab an’ a apple； but they
may wait o’er long。”
“To be sure；” said Mrs。 Poyser； “if you go past your dinner…
time； there’ll be little relish o’ your meat。 You turn it o’er an’ o’er
wi’ your fork； an’ don’t eat it after all。 You find faut wi’ your meat；
an’ the faut’s all i’ your own stomach。”
Hetty now came back from the pantry and said； “I can take
Totty now； Aunt； if you like。”
“Come； Rachel；” said Mr。 Poyser； as his wife seemed to hesitate；
seeing that Totty was at last nestling quietly； “thee’dst better let
Hetty carry her upstairs； while thee tak’st thy things off。 Thee ’t
tired。 It’s time thee wast in bed。 Thee ’t bring on the pain in thy
side again。”
“Well； she may hold her if the child ’ull go to her；” said Mrs。
Poyser。 Hetty went close to the rocking…chair； and stood without
her usual smile； and without any attempt to entice Totty； simply
waiting for her aunt to give the child into her hands。
“Wilt go to Cousin Hetty； my dilling； while mother gets ready to
go to bed？ Then Totty shall go into Mother’s bed； and sleep there
all night。”
Before her mother had done speaking； Totty had given her
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answer in an unmistakable manner； by knitting her brow； setting
her tiny teeth against her underlip； and leaning forward to slap
Hetty on the arm with her utmost force。 Then； without speaking；
she nestled to her mother again。
“Hey； hey；” said Mr。 Poyser； while Hetty stood without moving；
“not go to Cousin Hetty？ That’s like a babby。 Totty’s a little
woman； an’ not a babby。”
“It’s no use trying to persuade her；” said Mrs。 Poyser。 “She
allays takes against Hetty when she isn’t well。 Happen she’ll go to
Dinah。”
Dinah； having taken off her bonnet and shawl； had hitherto
kept quietly seated in the background； not liking to thrust herself
between Hetty and what was considered Hetty’s proper work。 But
now she came forward； and； putting out her arms； said； “Come
Totty； come and let Dinah carry her upstairs along with Mother：
poor； poor Mother！ she’s so tired—she wants to go to bed。”
Totty turned her face towards Dinah； and looked at her an
instant； then lifted herself up； put out her little arms； and let Dinah
lift her from her mother’s lap。 Hetty turned away without any sign
of ill humour； and； taking her hat from the table； stood waiting
with an air of indifference； to see if she should be told to do
anything else。
“You may make the door fast now； Poyser； Alick’s been come in
this long while；” said Mrs。 Poyser； rising with an appearance of
relief from her low chair。 “Get me the matches down； Hetty； for I
must have the rushlight burning i’ my room。 Come； Father。”
The heavy wooden bolts began to roll in the house doors； and
old Martin prepared to move； by gathering up his blue
handkerchief； and reaching his bright knobbed walnut…tree stick
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from the corner。 Mrs。 Poyser then led the way out of the kitchen；
followed by the grandfather； and Dinah with Totty in her arms—
all going to bed by twilight； like the birds。 Mrs。 Poyser； on her way；
peeped into the room where her two boys lay； just to see their
ruddy round cheeks on the pillow； and to hear for a moment their
light regular breathing。
“Come； Hetty； get to bed；” said Mr。 Poyser； in a soothing tone；
as he himself turned to go upstairs。 “You didna mean to be late； I’ll
be bound； but your aunt’s been worrited to…day。 Good…night； my
wench； good…night。”
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Chapter XV
The Two Bed…Chambers
etty and Dinah both slept in the second story； in rooms
Hadjoining each other； meagrely furnished rooms； with no
blinds to shut out the light； which was now beginning to
gather new strength from the rising of the moon—more than
enough strength to enable Hetty to move about and undress with
perfect comfort。 She could see quite well the pegs in the old
painted linen…press on which she hung her hat and gown； she
could see the head of every pin on her red cloth pin…cushion； she
could see a reflection of herself in the old…fashioned looking…glass；
quite as distinct as was needful； considering that she had only to
b
