wessex tales-第1章

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Wessex　Tales

by　Thomas　Hardy







Contents：

Preface
An　Imaginative　Woman
The　Three　Strangers
The　Withered　Arm
Fellow…Townsmen
Interlopers　at　the　Knap
The　Distracted　Preacher








PREFACE


An　apology　is　perhaps　needed　for　the　neglect　of　contrast　which　is
shown　by　presenting　two　consecutive　stories　of　hangmen　in　such　a
small　collection　as　the　following。　　But　in　the　neighbourhood　of
county…towns　tales　of　executions　used　to　form　a　large　proportion　of
the　local　traditions；　and　though　never　personally　acquainted　with
any　chief　operator　at　such　scenes；　the　writer　of　these　pages　had　as
a　boy　the　privilege　of　being　on　speaking　terms　with　a　man　who
applied　for　the　office；　and　who　sank　into　an　incurable　melancholy
because　he　failed　to　get　it；　some　slight　mitigation　of　his　grief
being　to　dwell　upon　striking　episodes　in　the　lives　of　those　happier
ones　who　had　held　it　with　success　and　renown。　　His　tale　of
disappointment　used　to　cause　some　wonder　why　his　ambition　should
have　taken　such　an　unfortunate　form；　but　its　nobleness　was　never
questioned。　　In　those　days；　too；　there　was　still　living　an　old　woman
who；　for　the　cure　of　some　eating　disease；　had　been　taken　in　her
youth　to　have　her　'blood　turned'　by　a　convict's　corpse；　in　the
manner　described　in　'The　Withered　Arm。'

Since　writing　this　story　some　years　ago　I　have　been　reminded　by　an
aged　friend　who　knew　'Rhoda　Brook'　that；　in　relating　her　dream；　my
forgetfulness　has　weakened　the　facts　our　of　which　the　tale　grew。　　In
reality　it　was　while　lying　down　on　a　hot　afternoon　that　the　incubus
oppressed　her　and　she　flung　it　off；　with　the　results　upon　the　body
of　the　original　as　described。　　To　my　mind　the　occurrence　of　such　a
vision　in　the　daytime　is　more　impressive　than　if　it　had　happened　in
a　midnight　dream。　　Readers　are　therefore　asked　to　correct　the
misrelation；　which　affords　an　instance　of　how　our　imperfect　memories
insensibly　formalize　the　fresh　originality　of　living　factfrom
whose　shape　they　slowly　depart；　as　machine…made　castings　depart　by
degrees　from　the　sharp　hand…work　of　the　mould。

Among　the　many　devices　for　concealing　smuggled　goods　in　caves　and
pits　of　the　earth；　that　of　planting　an　apple…tree　in　a　tray　or　box
which　was　placed　over　the　mouth　of　the　pit　is；　I　believe；　unique；
and　it　is　detailed　in　one　of　the　tales　precisely　as　described　by　an
old　carrier　of　'tubs'a　man　who　was　afterwards　in　my　father's
employ　for　over　thirty　years。　　I　never　gathered　from　his
reminiscences　what　means　were　adopted　for　lifting　the　tree；　which；
with　its　roots；　earth；　and　receptacle；　must　have　been　of
considerable　weight。　　There　is　no　doubt；　however；　that　the　thing　was
done　through　many　years。　　My　informant　often　spoke；　too；　of　the
horribly　suffocating　sensation　produced　by　the　pair　of　spirit…tubs
slung　upon　the　chest　and　back；　after　stumbling　with　the　burden　of
them　for　several　miles　inland　over　a　rough　country　and　in　darkness。
He　said　that　though　years　of　his　youth　and　young　manhood　were　spent
in　this　irregular　business；　his　profits　from　the　same；　taken　all
together；　did　not　average　the　wages　he　might　have　earned　in　a　steady
employment；　whilst　the　fatigues　and　risks　were　excessive。

I　may　add　that　the　first　story　in　the　series　turns　upon　a　physical
possibility　that　may　attach　to　women　of　imaginative　temperament；　and
that　is　well　supported　by　the　experiences　of　medical　men　and　other
observers　of　such　manifestations。


T。　H。
April　1896。







AN　IMAGINATIVE　WOMAN




When　William　Marchmill　had　finished　his　inquiries　for　lodgings　at　a
well…known　watering…place　in　Upper　Wessex；　he　returned　to　the　hotel
to　find　his　wife。　　She；　with　the　children；　had　rambled　along　the
shore；　and　Marchmill　followed　in　the　direction　indicated　by　the
military…looking　hall…porter

'By　Jove；　how　far　you've　gone！　　I　am　quite　out　of　breath；'　Marchmill
said；　rather　impatiently；　when　he　came　up　with　his　wife；　who　was
reading　as　she　walked；　the　three　children　being　considerably　further
ahead　with　the　nurse。

Mrs。　Marchmill　started　out　of　the　reverie　into　which　the　book　had
thrown　her。　　'Yes；'　she　said；　'you've　been　such　a　long　time。　　I　was
tired　of　staying　in　that　dreary　hotel。　　But　I　am　sorry　if　you　have
wanted　me；　Will？'

'Well；　I　have　had　trouble　to　suit　myself。　　When　you　see　the　airy　and
comfortable　rooms　heard　of；　you　find　they　are　stuffy　and
uncomfortable。　　Will　you　come　and　see　if　what　I've　fixed　on　will　do？
There　is　not　much　room；　I　am　afraid；　hut　I　can　light　on　nothing
better。　　The　town　is　rather　full。'

The　pair　left　the　children　and　nurse　to　continue　their　ramble；　and
went　back　together。

In　age　well…balanced；　in　personal　appearance　fairly　matched；　and　in
domestic　requirements　conformable；　in　temper　this　couple　differed；
though　even　here　they　did　not　often　clash；　he　being　equable；　if　not
lymphatic；　and　she　decidedly　nervous　and　sanguine。　　It　was　to　their
tastes　and　fancies；　those　smallest；　greatest　particulars；　that　no
common　denominator　could　be　applied。　　Marchmill　considered　his
wife's　likes　and　inclinations　somewhat　silly；　she　considered　his
sordid　and　material。　　The　husband's　business　was　that　of　a　gunmaker
in　a　thriving　city　northwards；　and　his　soul　was　in　that　business
always；　the　lady　was　best　characterized　by　that　superannuated　phrase
of　elegance　'a　votary　of　the　muse。'　　An　impressionable；　palpitating
creature　was　Ella；　shrinking　humanely　from　detailed　knowledge　of　her
husband's　trade　whenever　she　reflected　that　everything　he
manufactured　had　for　its　purpose　the　destruction　of　life。　　She　could
only　recover　her　equanimity　by　assuring　herself　that　some；　at　least；
of　his　weapons　were　sooner　or　later　used　for　the　extermination　of
horrid　vermin　and　animals　almost　as　cruel　to　their　inferiors　in
species　as　human　beings　were　to　theirs。

She　had　never　antecedently　regarded　this　occupation　of　his　as　any
objection　to　having　him　for　a　husband。　　Indeed；　the　necessity　of
getting　life…leased　at　all　cost；　a　cardinal　virtue　which　all　good
mothers　teach；　kept　her　from　thinking　of　it　at　all　till　she　had
closed　with　William；　had　passed　the　honeymoon；　and　reached　the
reflecting　stage。　　Then；　like　a　person　who　has　stumbled　upon　some
object　in　the　dark；　she　wondered　what　she　had　got；　mentally　walked
round　it；　estimated　it；　whether　it　were　rare　or　common；　contained
gold；　silver；　or　lead；　were　a　clog　or　a　pedestal；　everything　to　her
or　nothing。

She　came　to　some　vague　conclusions；　and　since　then　had　kept　her
heart　alive　by　pitying　her　proprietor's　obtuseness　and　want　of
refinement；　pitying　herself；　and　letting　off　her　delicate　and
ethereal　emotions　in　imaginative　occupations；　day…dreams；　and　night…
sighs；　which　perhaps　would　not　much　have　disturbed　William　if　he　had
known　of　them。

Her　figure　was　small；　elegant；　and　slight　in　build；　tripping；　or
rather　bounding；　in　movement。　　She　was　dark…eyed；　and　had　that
marvellously　bright　and　liquid　sparkle　in　each　pupil　which
characterizes　persons　of　Ella's　cast　of　soul；　and　is　too　often　a
cause　of　heartache　to　the　possessor's　male　friends；　ultimately
sometimes　to　herself。　　Her　husband　was　a　tall；　long…featured　man；
with　a　brown　beard；　he　had　a　pondering　regard；　and　was；　it　must　be
added；　usually　kind　and　tolerant　to　her。　　He　spoke　in　squarely
shaped　sentences；　and　was　supremely　satisfied　with　a　condition　of
sublunary　things　which　made　weapons　a　necessity。

Husband　and　wife　walked　till　they　had　reached　the　house　they　were　in
search　of；　which　stood　in　a　terrace　facing　the　sea；　and　was　fronted
by　a　small　garden　of　wind…proof　and　salt…proof　evergreens；　stone
steps　leading　up　to　the　porch。　　It　had　its　number　in　the　row；　but；
being　rather　larger　than　the　rest；　was　in　addition　sedulously
distinguished　as　Coburg　House　by　its　landlady；　though　everybody　else
called　it　'Thirteen；　New　Parade。'　　The　spot　was　bright　and　lively
now；　but　in　winter　it　became　necessary　to　place　sandbags　against　the
door；　and　to　stuff　up　the　keyhole　against　the　wind　and　rain；　which
had　worn　the　paint　so　thin　that　the　priming　and　knotting　showed
through。

The　householder；　who　bad　been　watching　for　the　gentleman's　return；
met　them　in　the　passage；　and　showed　the　rooms。　　She　informed　them
that　she　was　a　professional　man's　widow；　left　in　needy　circumstances
by　the　rather　sudden　death　of　her　husband；　and　she　spoke　anxiously
of　the　conveniences　of　the　establishment。

Mrs。　Marchmill　said　that　she　liked　the　situation　and　the　house；　but；
it　being　small；　there　would　not　be　accommodation　enough；　unless　she
could　have　all　the　rooms。

The　landlady　mused　with　an　air　of　disappointment。　　She　wanted　the
visitors　to　be　her　tenants　very　badly；　she　said；　with　obvious
honesty。　　But　unfortunately　two　of　the　rooms　were　occupied
permanently　by　a　bachelor　gentleman。　　He　did　not　pay　season　prices；
it　was　true；　but　as　he　kept　on　his　apartments　all　the　year　round；
and　was　an　extremely　nice　and　interesting　young　man；　who　gave　no
trouble；　she　did　not　like　to　turn　him　out　for　a　month's　'let；'　even
at　a　high　figure。　　'Perhaps；　however；'　she　added；　'he　might　offer　to
go　for　a　time。'

They　would　not　hear　of　this；　and　went　back　to　the　hotel；　intending
to　proceed　to　the　agent's　to　inquire　further。　　Hardly　had　they　sat
down　to　tea　when　the　landlady　called。　　Her　gentleman；　she　said；　had
been　so　obliging　as　to　offer　to　give　up　his　rooms　for　three　or　four
weeks　rather　than　drive　the　new…comers　away。

'It　is　very　kind；　but　we　won't　inconvenience　him　in　that　way；'　said
the　Marchmills。

'O；　it　won't　inconvenience　him；　I　assure　you！'　said　the　landlady
eloquently。　　'You　see；　he's　a　different　sort　of　young　man　from　most…
…dreamy；　solitary；　rather　melancholyand　he　cares　more　to　be　here
when　the　south…westerly　gales　are　beating　against　the　door；　and　the
sea　washes　over　the　Parade；　and　there's　not　a　soul　in　the　place；
than　he　does　now　in　the　season。　　He'd　just　as　soon　be　where；　in
fact；　he's　going　temporarily；　to　a　little　cottage　on　the　Island
opposite；　for　a　change。'　　She　hoped　therefore　that　they　would　come。

The　Marchmill　family　accordingly　took　possession　of　the　house　next
day；　and　it　seemed　to　suit　them　very　well。　　After　luncheon　Mr。
Marchmill　strolled　out　towards　the　pier；　and　Mrs。　Marchmill；　having
despatched　the　children　to　their　outdoor　amusements　on　the　sands；
settled　herself　in　more　completely；　examining　this　and　that　article；
and　testing　the　reflecting　powers　of　the　mirror　in　the　wardrobe
door。

In　the　small　back　sitting…room；　which　had　been　the　young　bachelor's；
she　found　furniture　of　a　more　personal　nature　than　in　the　rest。
Shabby　books；　of　correct　rather　than　rare　editions；　were　piled　up　in
a　queerly　reserved　manner　in　corners；　as　if　the　previous　occupant
had　not　conceived　the　possibility　that　any　incoming　person　of　the
season's　bringing　could　care　to　look　inside　them。　　The　landlady
hovered　on　the　threshold　to　rectify　anything　that　Mrs。　Marchmill
might　not　find　to　her　satisfaction。

'I'll　make　this　my　own　little　room；'　said　the　latter；　'because　the
books　are　here。　　By　the　way；　the　person　who　has　left　seems　to　have　a
good　many。　　He　won't　mind　my　reading　some　of　them；　Mrs。　Hooper；　I
hope？'

'O　dear　no；　ma'am。　　Yes；　he　has　a　good　many。　　You　see