wessex tales-第23章

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many　miles）；　no　great　reason　existed　why　he　should　leave　the　town。

Impulse　in　all　its　forms　characterized　Barnet；　and　when　he　heard　the
distant　clock　strike　the　hour　of　ten　his　feet　began　to　carry　him　up
the　harbour…road　with　the　manner　of　a　man　who　must　do　something　to
bring　himself　to　life。　　He　passed　Lucy　Savile's　old　house；　his　own
new　one；　and　came　in　view　of　the　church。　　Now　he　gave　a　perceptible
start；　and　his　mechanical　condition　went　away。　　Before　the　church…
gate　were　a　couple　of　carriages；　and　Barnet　then　could　perceive　that
the　marriage　between　Downe　and　Lucy　was　at　that　moment　being
solemnized　within。　　A　feeling　of　sudden；　proud　self…confidence；　an
indocile　wish　to　walk　unmoved　in　spite　of　grim　environments；　plainly
possessed　him；　and　when　he　reached　the　wicket…gate　he　turned　in
without　apparent　effort。　　Pacing　up　the　paved　footway　he　entered　the
church　and　stood　for　a　while　in　the　nave　passage。　　A　group　of　people
was　standing　round　the　vestry　door；　Barnet　advanced　through　these
and　stepped　into　the　vestry。

There　they　were；　busily　signing　their　names。　　Seeing　Downe　about　to
look　round；　Barnet　averted　his　somewhat　disturbed　face　for　a　second
or　two；　when　he　turned　again　front　to　front　he　was　calm　and　quite
smiling；　it　was　a　creditable　triumph　over　himself；　and　deserved　to
be　remembered　in　his　native　town。　　He　greeted　Downe　heartily；
offering　his　congratulations。

It　seemed　as　if　Barnet　expected　a　half…guilty　look　upon　Lucy's　face；
but　no；　save　the　natural　flush　and　flurry　engendered　by　the　service
just　performed；　there　was　nothing　whatever　in　her　bearing　which
showed　a　disturbed　mind：　　her　gray…brown　eyes　carried　in　them　now　as
at　other　times　the　well…known　expression　of　common…sensed　rectitude
which　never　went　so　far　as　to　touch　on　hardness。　　She　shook　hands
with　him；　and　Downe　said　warmly；　'I　wish　you　could　have　come　sooner：
I　called　on　purpose　to　ask　you。　　You'll　drive　back　with　us　now？'

'No；　no；'　said　Barnet；　'I　am　not　at　all　prepared；　but　I　thought　I
would　look　in　upon　you　for　a　moment；　even　though　I　had　not　time　to
go　home　and　dress。　　I'll　stand　back　and　see　you　pass　out；　and
observe　the　effect　of　the　spectacle　upon　myself　as　one　of　the
public。'

Then　Lucy　and　her　husband　laughed；　and　Barnet　laughed　and　retired；
and　the　quiet　little　party　went　gliding　down　the　nave　and　towards
the　porch；　Lucy's　new　silk　dress　sweeping　with　a　smart　rustle　round
the　base…mouldings　of　the　ancient　font；　and　Downe's　little　daughters
following　in　a　state　of　round…eyed　interest　in　their　position；　and
that　of　Lucy；　their　teacher　and　friend。

So　Downe　was　comforted　after　his　Emily's　death；　which　had　taken
place　twelve　months；　two　weeks；　and　three　days　before　that　time。

When　the　two　flys　had　driven　off　and　the　spectators　had　vanished；
Barnet　followed　to　the　door；　and　went　out　into　the　sun。　　He　took　no
more　trouble　to　preserve　a　spruce　exterior；　his　step　was　unequal；
hesitating；　almost　convulsive；　and　the　slight　changes　of　colour
which　went　on　in　his　face　seemed　refracted　from　some　inward　flame。
In　the　churchyard　he　became　pale　as　a　summer　cloud；　and　finding　it
not　easy　to　proceed　he　sat　down　on　one　of　the　tombstones　and
supported　his　head　with　his　hand。

Hard　by　was　a　sexton　filling　up　a　grave　which　he　had　not　found　time
to　finish　on　the　previous　evening。　　Observing　Barnet；　he　went　up　to
him；　and　recognizing　him；　said；　'Shall　I　help　you　home；　sir？'

'O　no；　thank　you；'　said　Barnet；　rousing　himself　and　standing　up。
The　sexton　returned　to　his　grave；　followed　by　Barnet；　who；　after
watching　him　awhile；　stepped　into　the　grave；　now　nearly　filled；　and
helped　to　tread　in　the　earth。

The　sexton　apparently　thought　his　conduct　a　little　singular；　but　he
made　no　observation；　and　when　the　grave　was　full；　Barnet　suddenly
stopped；　looked　far　away；　and　with　a　decided　step　proceeded　to　the
gate　and　vanished。　　The　sexton　rested　on　his　shovel　and　looked　after
him　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　began　banking　up　the　mound。

In　those　short　minutes　of　treading　in　the　dead　man　Barnet　had　formed
a　design；　but　what　it　was　the　inhabitants　of　that　town　did　not　for
some　long　time　imagine。　　He　went　home；　wrote　several　letters　of
business；　called　on　his　lawyer；　an　old　man　of　the　same　place　who　had
been　the　legal　adviser　of　Barnet's　father　before　him；　and　during　the
evening　overhauled　a　large　quantity　of　letters　and　other　documents
in　his　possession。　　By　eleven　o'clock　the　heap　of　papers　in　and
before　Barnet's　grate　had　reached　formidable　dimensions；　and　he
began　to　burn　them。　　This；　owing　to　their　quantity；　it　was　not　so
easy　to　do　as　he　had　expected；　and　he　sat　long　into　the　night　to
complete　the　task。

The　next　morning　Barnet　departed　for　London；　leaving　a　note　for
Downe　to　inform　him　of　Mrs。　Barnet's　sudden　death；　and　that　he　was
gone　to　bury　her；　but　when　a　thrice…sufficient　time　for　that　purpose
had　elapsed；　he　was　not　seen　again　in　his　accustomed　walks；　or　in
his　new　house；　or　in　his　old　one。　　He　was　gone　for　good；　nobody　knew
whither。　　It　was　soon　discovered　that　he　had　empowered　his　lawyer　to
dispose　of　all　his　property；　real　and　personal；　in　the　borough；　and
pay　in　the　proceeds　to　the　account　of　an　unknown　person　at　one　of
the　large　London　banks。　　The　person　was　by　some　supposed　to　be
himself　under　an　assumed　name；　but　few；　if　any；　had　certain
knowledge　of　that　fact。

The　elegant　new　residence　was　sold　with　the　rest　of　his　possessions；
and　its　purchaser　was　no　other　than　Downe；　now　a　thriving　man　in　the
borough；　and　one　whose　growing　family　and　new　wife　required　more
roomy　accommodation　than　was　afforded　by　the　little　house　up　the
narrow　side　street。　　Barnet's　old　habitation　was　bought　by　the
trustees　of　the　Congregational　Baptist　body　in　that　town；　who　pulled
down　the　time…honoured　dwelling　and　built　a　new　chapel　on　its　site。
By　the　time　the　last　hour　of　that；　to　Barnet；　eventful　year　had
chimed；　every　vestige　of　him　had　disappeared　from　the　precincts　of
his　native　place；　and　the　name　became　extinct　in　the　borough　of
Port…Bredy；　after　having　been　a　living　force　therein　for　more　than
two　hundred　years。



CHAPTER　IX



Twenty…one　years　and　six　months　do　not　pass　without　setting　a　mark
even　upon　durable　stone　and　triple　brass；　upon　humanity　such　a
period　works　nothing　less　than　transformation。　　In　Barnet's　old
birthplace　vivacious　young　children　with　bones　like　india…rubber　had
grown　up　to　be　stable　men　and　women；　men　and　women　had　dried　in　the
skin；　stiffened；　withered；　and　sunk　into　decrepitude；　while
selections　from　every　class　had　been　consigned　to　the　outlying
cemetery。　　Of　inorganic　differences　the　greatest　was　that　a　railway
had　invaded　the　town；　tying　it　on　to　a　main　line　at　a　junction　a
dozen　miles　off。　　Barnet's　house　on　the　harbour…road；　once　so
insistently　new；　had　acquired　a　respectable　mellowness；　with　ivy；
Virginia　creepers；　lichens；　damp　patches；　and　even　constitutional
infirmities　of　its　own　like　its　elder　fellows。　　Its　architecture；
once　so　very　improved　and　modern；　had　already　become　stale　in　style；
without　having　reached　the　dignity　of　being　old…fashioned。　　Trees
about　the　harbour…road　had　increased　in　circumference　or　disappeared
under　the　saw；　while　the　church　had　had　such　a　tremendous　practical
joke　played　upon　it　by　some　facetious　restorer　or　other　as　to　be
scarce　recognizable　by　its　dearest　old　friends。

During　this　long　interval　George　Barnet　had　never　once　been　seen　or
heard　of　in　the　town　of　his　fathers。

It　was　the　evening　of　a　market…day；　and　some　half…dozen　middle…aged
farmers　and　dairymen　were　lounging　round　the　bar　of　the　Black…Bull
Hotel；　occasionally　dropping　a　remark　to　each　other；　and　less
frequently　to　the　two　barmaids　who　stood　within　the　pewter…topped
counter　in　a　perfunctory　attitude　of　attention；　these　latter　sighing
and　making　a　private　observation　to　one　another　at　odd　intervals；　on
more　interesting　experiences　than　the　present。

'Days　get　shorter；'　said　one　of　the　dairymen；　as　he　looked　towards
the　street；　and　noticed　that　the　lamp…lighter　was　passing　by。

The　farmers　merely　acknowledged　by　their　countenances　the　propriety
of　this　remark；　and　finding　that　nobody　else　spoke；　one　of　the
barmaids　said　'yes；'　in　a　tone　of　painful　duty。

'Come　fair…day　we　shall　have　to　light　up　before　we　start　for　home…
along。'

'That's　true；'　his　neighbour　conceded；　with　a　gaze　of　blankness。

'And　after　that　we　shan't　see　much　further　difference　all's　winter。'

The　rest　were　not　unwilling　to　go　even　so　far　as　this。

The　barmaid　sighed　again；　and　raised　one　of　her　hands　from　the
counter　on　which　they　rested　to　scratch　the　smallest　surface　of　her
face　with　the　smallest　of　her　fingers。　　She　looked　towards　the　door；
and　presently　remarked；　'I　think　I　hear　the　'bus　coming　in　from
station。'

The　eyes　of　the　dairymen　and　farmers　turned　to　the　glass　door
dividing　the　hall　from　the　porch；　and　in　a　minute　or　two　the　omnibus
drew　up　outside。　　Then　there　was　a　lumbering　down　of　luggage；　and
then　a　man　came　into　the　hall；　followed　by　a　porter　with　a
portmanteau　on　his　poll；　which　he　deposited　on　a　bench。

The　stranger　was　an　elderly　person；　with　curly　ashen　white　hair；　a
deeply…creviced　outer　corner　to　each　eyelid；　and　a　countenance　baked
by　innumerable　suns　to　the　colour　of　terra…cotta；　its　hue　and　that
of　his　hair　contrasting　like　heat　and　cold　respectively。　　He　walked
meditatively　and　gently；　like　one　who　was　fearful　of　disturbing　his
own　mental　equilibrium。　　But　whatever　lay　at　the　bottom　of　his
breast　had　evidently　made　him　so　accustomed　to　its　situation　there
that　it　caused　him　little　practical　inconvenience。

He　paused　in　silence　while；　with　his　dubious　eyes　fixed　on　the
barmaids；　he　seemed　to　consider　himself。　　In　a　moment　or　two　he
addressed　them；　and　asked　to　be　accommodated　for　the　night。　　As　he
waited　he　looked　curiously　round　the　hall；　but　said　nothing。　　As
soon　as　invited　he　disappeared　up　the　staircase；　preceded　by　a
chambermaid　and　candle；　and　followed　by　a　lad　with　his　trunk。　　Not　a
soul　had　recognized　him。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later；　when　the　farmers　and　dairymen　had　driven
off　to　their　homesteads　in　the　country；　he　came　downstairs；　took　a
biscuit　and　one　glass　of　wine；　and　walked　out　into　the　town；　where
the　radiance　from　the　shop…windows　had　grown　so　in　volume　of　late
years　as　to　flood　with　cheerfulness　every　standing　cart；　barrow；
stall；　and　idler　that　occupied　the　wayside；　whether　shabby　or
genteel。　　His　chief　interest　at　present　seemed　to　lie　in　the　names
painted　over　the　shop…fronts　and　on　door…ways；　as　far　as　they　were
visible；　these　now　differed　to　an　ominous　extent　from　what　they　had
been　one…and…twenty　years　before。

The　traveller　passed　on　till　he　came　to　the　bookseller's；　where　he
looked　in　through　the　glass　door。　　A　fresh…faced　young　man　was
standing　behind　the　counter；　otherwise　the　shop　was　empty。　　The
gray…haired　observer　entered；　asked　for　some　periodical　by　way　of
paying　for　admission；　and　with　his　elbow　on　the　counter　began　to
turn　over　the　pages　he　had　bought；　though　that　he　read　nothing　was
obvious。

At　length　he　said；　'Is　old　Mr。　Watkins　still　alive？'　in　a　voice
which　had　a　curious　youthful　cadence　in　it　even　now。

'