wessex tales-第21章

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'She　was　a　good　woman　in　the　highest　sense；'　gravely　answered
Barnet；　who；　though　Downe's　words　drew　genuine　compassion　from　his
heart；　could　not　help　feeling　that　a　tender　reticence　would　have
been　a　finer　tribute　to　Mrs。　Downe's　really　sterling　virtues　than
such　a　second…class　lament　as　this。

'I　have　something　to　show　you；'　Downe　resumed；　producing　from　a
drawer　a　sheet　of　paper　on　which　was　an　elaborate　design　for　a
canopied　tomb。　　'This　has　been　sent　me　by　the　architect；　but　it　is
not　exactly　what　I　want。'

'You　have　got　Jones　to　do　it；　I　see；　the　man　who　is　carrying　out　my
house；'　said　Barnet；　as　he　glanced　at　the　signature　to　the　drawing。

'Yes；　but　it　is　not　quite　what　I　want。　　I　want　something　more
strikingmore　like　a　tomb　I　have　seen　in　St。　Paul's　Cathedral。
Nothing　less　will　do　justice　to　my　feelings；　and　how　far　short　of
them　that　will　fall！'

Barnet　privately　thought　the　design　a　sufficiently　imposing　one　as
it　stood；　even　extravagantly　ornate；　but；　feeling　that　he　had　no
right　to　criticize；　he　said　gently；　'Downe；　should　you　not　live　more
in　your　children's　lives　at　the　present　time；　and　soften　the
sharpness　of　regret　for　your　own　past　by　thinking　of　their　future？'

'Yes；　yes；　but　what　can　I　do　more？'　asked　Downe；　wrinkling　his
forehead　hopelessly。

It　was　with　anxious　slowness　that　Barnet　produced　his　replythe
secret　object　of　his　visit　to…night。　　'Did　you　not　say　one　day　that
you　ought　by　rights　to　get　a　governess　for　the　children？'

Downe　admitted　that　he　had　said　so；　but　that　he　could　not　see　his
way　to　it。　　'The　kind　of　woman　I　should　like　to　have；'　he　said；
'would　be　rather　beyond　my　means。　　No；　I　think　I　shall　send　them　to
school　in　the　town　when　they　are　old　enough　to　go　out　alone。'

'Now；　I　know　of　something　better　than　that。　　The　late　Lieutenant
Savile's　daughter；　Lucy；　wants　to　do　something　for　herself　in　the
way　of　teaching。　　She　would　be　inexpensive；　and　would　answer　your
purpose　as　well　as　anybody　for　six　or　twelve　months。　　She　would
probably　come　daily　if　you　were　to　ask　her；　and　so　your　housekeeping
arrangements　would　not　be　much　affected。'

'I　thought　she　had　gone　away；'　said　the　solicitor；　musing。　　'Where
does　she　live？'

Barnet　told　him；　and　added　that；　if　Downe　should　think　of　her　as
suitable；　he　would　do　well　to　call　as　soon　as　possible；　or　she　might
be　on　the　wing。　　'If　you　do　see　her；'　he　said；　'it　would　be
advisable　not　to　mention　my　name。　　She　is　rather　stiff　in　her　ideas
of　me；　and　it　might　prejudice　her　against　a　course　if　she　knew　that
I　recommended　it。'

Downe　promised　to　give　the　subject　his　consideration；　and　nothing
more　was　said　about　it　just　then。　　But　when　Barnet　rose　to　go；　which
was　not　till　nearly　bedtime；　he　reminded　Downe　of　the　suggestion　and
went　up　the　street　to　his　own　solitary　home　with　a　sense　of
satisfaction　at　his　promising　diplomacy　in　a　charitable　cause。



CHAPTER　VII



The　walls　of　his　new　house　were　carried　up　nearly　to　their　full
height。　　By　a　curious　though　not　infrequent　reaction；　Barnet's
feelings　about　that　unnecessary　structure　had　undergone　a　change；　he
took　considerable　interest　in　its　progress　as　a　long…neglected
thing；　his　wife　before　her　departure　having　grown　quite　weary　of　it
as　a　hobby。　　Moreover；　it　was　an　excellent　distraction　for　a　man　in
the　unhappy　position　of　having　to　live　in　a　provincial　town　with
nothing　to　do。　　He　was　probably　the　first　of　his　line　who　had　ever
passed　a　day　without　toil；　and　perhaps　something　like　an　inherited
instinct　disqualifies　such　men　for　a　life　of　pleasant　inaction；　such
as　lies　in　the　power　of　those　whose　leisure　is　not　a　personal
accident；　but　a　vast　historical　accretion　which　has　become　part　of
their　natures。

Thus　Barnet　got　into　a　way　of　spending　many　of　his　leisure　hours　on
the　site　of　the　new　building；　and　he　might　have　been　seen　on　most
days　at　this　time　trying　the　temper　of　the　mortar　by　punching　the
joints　with　his　stick；　looking　at　the　grain　of　a　floor…board；　and
meditating　where　it　grew；　or　picturing　under　what　circumstances　the
last　fire　would　be　kindled　in　the　at　present　sootless　chimneys。　　One
day　when　thus　occupied　he　saw　three　children　pass　by　in　the　company
of　a　fair　young　woman；　whose　sudden　appearance　caused　him　to　flush
perceptibly。

'Ah；　she　is　there；'　he　thought。　　'That's　a　blessed　thing。'

Casting　an　interested　glance　over　the　rising　building　and　the　busy
workmen；　Lucy　Savile　and　the　little　Downes　passed　by；　and　after　that
time　it　became　a　regular　though　almost　unconscious　custom　of　Barnet
to　stand　in　the　half…completed　house　and　look　from　the　ungarnished
windows　at　the　governess　as　she　tripped　towards　the　sea…shore　with
her　young　charges；　which　she　was　in　the　habit　of　doing　on　most　fine
afternoons。　　It　was　on　one　of　these　occasions；　when　he　had　been
loitering　on　the　first…floor　landing；　near　the　hole　left　for　the
staircase；　not　yet　erected；　that　there　appeared　above　the　edge　of
the　floor　a　little　hat；　followed　by　a　little　head。

Barnet　withdrew　through　a　doorway；　and　the　child　came　to　the　top　of
the　ladder；　stepping　on　to　the　floor　and　crying　to　her　sisters　and
Miss　Savile　to　follow。　　Another　head　rose　above　the　floor；　and
another；　and　then　Lucy　herself　came　into　view。　　The　troop　ran　hither
and　thither　through　the　empty；　shaving…strewn　rooms；　and　Barnet　came
forward。

Lucy　uttered　a　small　exclamation：　　she　was　very　sorry　that　she　had
intruded；　she　had　not　the　least　idea　that　Mr。　Barnet　was　there：　　the
children　had　come　up；　and　she　had　followed。

Barnet　replied　that　he　was　only　too　glad　to　see　them　there。　　'And
now；　let　me　show　you　the　rooms；'　he　said。

She　passively　assented；　and　he　took　her　round。　　There　was　not　much
to　show　in　such　a　bare　skeleton　of　a　house；　but　he　made　the　most　of
it；　and　explained　the　different　ornamental　fittings　that　were　soon
to　be　fixed　here　and　there。　　Lucy　made　but　few　remarks　in　reply；
though　she　seemed　pleased　with　her　visit；　and　stole　away　down　the
ladder；　followed　by　her　companions。

After　this　the　new　residence　became　yet　more　of　a　hobby　for　Barnet。
Downe's　children　did　not　forget　their　first　visit；　and　when　the
windows　were　glazed；　and　the　handsome　staircase　spread　its　broad　low
steps　into　the　hall；　they　came　again；　prancing　in　unwearied
succession　through　every　room　from　ground…floor　to　attics；　while
Lucy　stood　waiting　for　them　at　the　door。　　Barnet；　who　rarely　missed
a　day　in　coming　to　inspect　progress；　stepped　out　from　the　drawing…
room。

'I　could　not　keep　them　out；'　she　said；　with　an　apologetic　blush。　　'I
tried　to　do　so　very　much：　　but　they　are　rather　wilful；　and　we　are
directed　to　walk　this　way　for　the　sea　air。'

'Do　let　them　make　the　house　their　regular　playground；　and　you
yours；'　said　Barnet。　　'There　is　no　better　place　for　children　to　romp
and　take　their　exercise　in　than　an　empty　house；　particularly　in
muddy　or　damp　weather　such　as　we　shall　get　a　good　deal　of　now；　and
this　place　will　not　be　furnished　for　a　long　long　timeperhaps
never。　　I　am　not　at　all　decided　about　it。'

'O；　but　it　must！'　replied　Lucy；　looking　round　at　the　hall。　　'The
rooms　are　excellent；　twice　as　high　as　ours；　and　the　views　from　the
windows　are　so　lovely。'

'I　daresay；　I　daresay；'　he　said　absently。

'Will　all　the　furniture　be　new？'　she　asked。

'All　the　furniture　be　newthat's　a　thing　I　have　not　thought　of。　　In
fact　I　only　come　here　and　look　on。　　My　father's　house　would　have
been　large　enough　for　me；　but　another　person　had　a　voice　in　the
matter；　and　it　was　settled　that　we　should　build。　　However；　the　place
grows　upon　me；　its　recent　associations　are　cheerful；　and　I　am
getting　to　like　it　fast。'

A　certain　uneasiness　in　Lucy's　manner　showed　that　the　conversation
was　taking　too　personal　a　turn　for　her。　　'Still；　as　modern　tastes
develop；　people　require　more　room　to　gratify　them　in；'　she　said；
withdrawing　to　call　the　children；　and　serenely　bidding　him　good
afternoon　she　went　on　her　way。

Barnet's　life　at　this　period　was　singularly　lonely；　and　yet　he　was
happier　than　he　could　have　expected。　　His　wife's　estrangement　and
absence；　which　promised　to　be　permanent；　left　him　free　as　a　boy　in
his　movements；　and　the　solitary　walks　that　he　took　gave　him　ample
opportunity　for　chastened　reflection　on　what　might　have　been　his　lot
if　he　had　only　shown　wisdom　enough　to　claim　Lucy　Savile　when　there
was　no　bar　between　their　lives；　and　she　was　to　be　had　for　the
asking。　　He　would　occasionally　call　at　the　house　of　his　friend
Downe；　but　there　was　scarcely　enough　in　common　between　their　two
natures　to　make　them　more　than　friends　of　that　excellent　sort　whose
personal　knowledge　of　each　other's　history　and　character　is　always
in　excess　of　intimacy；　whereby　they　are　not　so　likely　to　be　severed
by　a　clash　of　sentiment　as　in　cases　where　intimacy　springs　up　in
excess　of　knowledge。　　Lucy　was　never　visible　at　these　times；　being
either　engaged　in　the　school…room；　or　in　taking　an　airing　out　of
doors；　but；　knowing　that　she　was　now　comfortable；　and　had　given　up
the；　to　him；　depressing　idea　of　going　off　to　the　other　side　of　the
globe；　he　was　quite　content。

The　new　house　had　so　far　progressed　that　the　gardeners　were
beginning　to　grass　down　the　front。　　During　an　afternoon　which　he　was
passing　in　marking　the　curve　for　the　carriage…drive；　he　beheld　her
coming　in　boldly　towards　him　from　the　road。　　Hitherto　Barnet　had
only　caught　her　on　the　premises　by　stealth；　and　this　advance　seemed
to　show　that　at　last　her　reserve　had　broken　down。

A　smile　gained　strength　upon　her　face　as　she　approached；　and　it　was
quite　radiant　when　she　came　up；　and　said；　without　a　trace　of
embarrassment；　'I　find　I　owe　you　a　hundred　thanksand　it　comes　to
me　quite　as　a　surprise！　　It　was　through　your　kindness　that　I　was
engaged　by　Mr。　Downe。　　Believe　me；　Mr。　Barnet；　I　did　not　know　it
until　yesterday；　or　I　should　have　thanked　you　long　and　long　ago！'

'I　had　offended　youjust　a　trifleat　the　time；　I　think？'　said
Barnet；　smiling；　'and　it　was　best　that　you　should　not　know。'

'Yes；　yes；'　she　returned　hastily。　　'Don't　allude　to　that；　it　is　past
and　over；　and　we　will　let　it　be。　　The　house　is　finished　almost；　is
it　not？　　How　beautiful　it　will　look　when　the　evergreens　are　grown！
Do　you　call　the　style　Palladian；　Mr。　Barnet？'

'Ireally　don't　quite　know　what　it　is。　　Yes；　it　must　be　Palladian；
certainly。　　But　I'll　ask　Jones；　the　architect；　for；　to　tell　the
truth；　I　had　not　thought　much　about　the　style：　　I　had　nothing　to　do
with　choosing　it；　I　am　sorry　to　say。'

She　would　not　let　him　harp　on　this　gloomy　refrain；　and　talked　on
bright　matters　till　she　said；　producing　a　small　roll　of　paper　which
he　had　noticed　in　her　hand　all　the　while；　'Mr。　Downe　wished　me　to
bring　you　this　revised　drawing　of　the　late　Mrs。　Downe's　tomb；　which
the　architect　has　just　sent　him。　　He　would　like　you　to　look　it
over。'

The　children　came　up　with　their　hoops；　and　she　went　off　with　them
down　the　harbour…road　as　usual。　　Barnet　had　been　glad　to　get　those
words　of　thanks；　he　had　been　thinking　for　many　months　that　he　would
like　her　to　know　of　his　share　in　finding　her　a　home　such　as　it　was；
and　what　he　could　not　do　for　himself；　Downe　had　now　kindly　done　for
him。　　He　returned　to　his　desolate　house　with　a　lighter