wessex tales-第25章

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account　if　on　anybody's　in　existence。　　But　you　don't　know　in　the
least　what　it　is　you　are　askingsuch　an　impracticable　thingI
won't　say　ridiculous；　of　course；　because　I　see　that　you　are　really
in　earnest；　and　earnestness　is　never　ridiculous　to　my　mind。'

'Well；　yes；'　said　Barnet　more　slowly；　dropping　her　hand；　which　he
had　taken　at　the　moment　of　pleading；　'I　am　in　earnest。　　The　resolve；
two　months　ago；　at　the　Cape；　to　come　back　once　more　was；　it　is　true；
rather　sudden；　and　as　I　see　now；　not　well　considered。　　But　I　am　in
earnest　in　asking。'

'And　I　in　declining。　　With　all　good　feeling　and　all　kindness；　let　me
say　that　I　am　quite　opposed　to　the　idea　of　marrying　a　second　time。'

'Well；　no　harm　has　been　done；'　he　answered；　with　the　same　subdued
and　tender　humorousness　that　he　had　shown　on　such　occasions　in　early
life。　　'If　you　really　won't　accept　me；　I　must　put　up　with　it；　I
suppose。'　　His　eye　fell　on　the　clock　as　he　spoke。　　'Had　you　any
notion　that　it　was　so　late？'　he　asked。　　'How　absorbed　I　have　been！'

She　accompanied　him　to　the　hall；　helped　him　to　put　on　his　overcoat；
and　let　him　out　of　the　house　herself。

'Good…night；'　said　Barnet；　on　the　doorstep；　as　the　lamp　shone　in　his
face。　　'You　are　not　offended　with　me？'

'Certainly　not。　　Nor　you　with　me？'

'I'll　consider　whether　I　am　or　not；'　he　pleasantly　replied。　　'Good…
night。'

She　watched　him　safely　through　the　gate；　and　when　his　footsteps　had
died　away　upon　the　road；　closed　the　door　softly　and　returned　to　the
room。　　Here　the　modest　widow　long　pondered　his　speeches；　with　eyes
dropped　to　an　unusually　low　level。　　Barnet's　urbanity　under　the　blow
of　her　refusal　greatly　impressed　her。　　After　having　his　long　period
of　probation　rendered　useless　by　her　decision；　he　had　shown　no
anger；　and　had　philosophically　taken　her　words　as　if　he　deserved　no
better　ones。　　It　was　very　gentlemanly　of　him；　certainly；　it　was　more
than　gentlemanly；　it　was　heroic　and　grand。　　The　more　she　meditated；
the　more　she　questioned　the　virtue　of　her　conduct　in　checking　him　so
peremptorily；　and　went　to　her　bedroom　in　a　mood　of　dissatisfaction。
On　looking　in　the　glass　she　was　reminded　that　there　was　not　so　much
remaining　of　her　former　beauty　as　to　make　his　frank　declaration　an
impulsive　natural　homage　to　her　cheeks　and　eyes；　it　must　undoubtedly
have　arisen　from　an　old　staunch　feeling　of　his；　deserving　tenderest
consideration。　　She　recalled　to　her　mind　with　much　pleasure　that　he
had　told　her　he　was　staying　at　the　Black…Bull　Hotel；　so　that　if；
after　waiting　a　day　or　two；　he　should　not；　in　his　modesty；　call
again；　she　might　then　send　him　a　nice　little　note。　　To　alter　her
views　for　the　present　was　far　from　her　intention；　but　she　would
allow　herself　to　be　induced　to　reconsider　the　case；　as　any　generous
woman　ought　to　do。

The　morrow　came　and　passed；　and　Mr。　Barnet　did　not　drop　in。　　At
every　knock；　light　youthful　hues　flew　across　her　cheek；　and　she　was
abstracted　in　the　presence　of　her　other　visitors。　　In　the　evening
she　walked　about　the　house；　not　knowing　what　to　do　with　herself；　the
conditions　of　existence　seemed　totally　different　from　those　which
ruled　only　four…and…twenty　short　hours　ago。　　What　had　been　at　first
a　tantalizing　elusive　sentiment　was　getting　acclimatized　within　her
as　a　definite　hope；　and　her　person　was　so　informed　by　that　emotion
that　she　might　almost　have　stood　as　its　emblematical　representative
by　the　time　the　clock　struck　ten。　　In　short；　an　interest　in　Barnet
precisely　resembling　that　of　her　early　youth　led　her　present　heart
to　belie　her　yesterday's　words　to　him；　and　she　longed　to　see　him
again。

The　next　day　she　walked　out　early；　thinking　she　might　meet　him　in
the　street。　　The　growing　beauty　of　her　romance　absorbed　her；　and　she
went　from　the　street　to　the　fields；　and　from　the　fields　to　the
shore；　without　any　consciousness　of　distance；　till　reminded　by　her
weariness　that　she　could　go　no　further。　　He　had　nowhere　appeared。
In　the　evening　she　took　a　step　which　under　the　circumstances　seemed
justifiable；　she　wrote　a　note　to　him　at　the　hotel；　inviting　him　to
tea　with　her　at　six　precisely；　and　signing　her　note　'Lucy。'

In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　the　messenger　came　back。　　Mr。　Barnet　had
left　the　hotel　early　in　the　morning　of　the　day　before；　but　he　had
stated　that　he　would　probably　return　in　the　course　of　the　week。

The　note　was　sent　back；　to　be　given　to　him　immediately　on　his
arrival。

There　was　no　sign　from　the　inn　that　this　desired　event　had　occurred；
either　on　the　next　day　or　the　day　following。　　On　both　nights　she　had
been　restless；　and　had　scarcely　slept　half…an…hour。

On　the　Saturday；　putting　off　all　diffidence；　Lucy　went　herself　to
the　Black…Bull；　and　questioned　the　staff　closely。

Mr。　Barnet　had　cursorily　remarked　when　leaving　that　he　might　return
on　the　Thursday　or　Friday；　but　they　were　directed　not　to　reserve　a
room　for　him　unless　he　should　write。

He　had　left　no　address。

Lucy　sorrowfully　took　back　her　note　went　home；　and　resolved　to　wait。

She　did　waityears　and　yearsbut　Barnet　never　reappeared。

April　1880。




INTERLOPERS　AT　THE　KNAP




CHAPTER　I



The　north　road　from　Casterbridge　is　tedious　and　lonely；　especially
in　winter…time。　　Along　a　part　of　its　course　it　connects　with　Long…
Ash　Lane；　a　monotonous　track　without　a　village　or　hamlet　for　many
miles；　and　with　very　seldom　a　turning。　　Unapprized　wayfarers　who　are
too　old；　or　too　young；　or　in　other　respects　too　weak　for　the
distance　to　be　traversed；　but　who；　nevertheless；　have　to　walk　it；
say；　as　they　look　wistfully　ahead；　'Once　at　the　top　of　that　hill；
and　I　must　surely　see　the　end　of　Long…Ash　Lane！'　　But　they　reach　the
hilltop；　and　Long…Ash　Lane　stretches　in　front　as　mercilessly　as
before。

Some　few　years　ago　a　certain　farmer　was　riding　through　this　lane　in
the　gloom　of　a　winter　evening。　　The　farmer's　friend；　a　dairyman；　was
riding　beside　him。　　A　few　paces　in　the　rear　rode　the　farmer's　man。
All　three　were　well　horsed　on　strong；　round…barrelled　cobs；　and　to
be　well　horsed　was　to　be　in　better　spirits　about　Long…Ash　Lane　than
poor　pedestrians　could　attain　to　during　its　passage。

But　the　farmer　did　not　talk　much　to　his　friend　as　he　rode　along。
The　enterprise　which　had　brought　him　there　filled　his　mind；　for　in
truth　it　was　important。　　Not　altogether　so　important　was　it；
perhaps；　when　estimated　by　its　value　to　society　at　large；　but　if　the
true　measure　of　a　deed　be　proportionate　to　the　space　it　occupies　in
the　heart　of　him　who　undertakes　it；　Farmer　Charles　Darton's　business
to…night　could　hold　its　own　with　the　business　of　kings。

He　was　a　large　farmer。　　His　turnover；　as　it　is　called；　was　probably
thirty　thousand　pounds　a　year。　　He　had　a　great　many　draught　horses；
a　great　many　milch　cows；　and　of　sheep　a　multitude。　　This　comfortable
position　was；　however；　none　of　his　own　making。　　It　had　been　created
by　his　father；　a　man　of　a　very　different　stamp　from　the　present
representative　of　the　line。

Darton；　the　father；　had　been　a　one…idea'd　character；　with　a
buttoned…up　pocket　and　a　chink…like　eye　brimming　with　commercial
subtlety。　　In　Darton　the　son；　this　trade　subtlety　had　become
transmuted　into　emotional；　and　the　harshness　had　disappeared；　he
would　have　been　called　a　sad　man　but　for　his　constant　care　not　to
divide　himself　from　lively　friends　by　piping　notes　out　of　harmony
with　theirs。　　Contemplative；　he　allowed　his　mind　to　be　a　quiet
meeting…place　for　memories　and　hopes。　　So　that；　naturally　enough；
since　succeeding　to　the　agricultural　calling；　and　up　to　his　present
age　of　thirty…two；　he　had　neither　advanced　nor　receded　as　a
capitalista　stationary　result　which　did　not　agitate　one　of　his
unambitious；　unstrategic　nature；　since　he　had　all　that　he　desired。
The　motive　of　his　expedition　tonight　showed　the　same　absence　of
anxious　regard　for　Number　One。

The　party　rode　on　in　the　slow；　safe　trot　proper　to　night…time　and
bad　roads；　Farmer　Darton's　head　jigging　rather　unromantically　up　and
down　against　the　sky；　and　his　motions　being　repeated　with　bolder
emphasis　by　his　friend　Japheth　Johns；　while　those　of　the　latter　were
travestied　in　jerks　still　less　softened　by　art　in　the　person　of　the
lad　who　attended　them。　　A　pair　of　whitish　objects　hung　one　on　each
side　of　the　latter；　bumping　against　him　at　each　step；　and　still
further　spoiling　the　grace　of　his　seat。　　On　close　inspection　they
might　have　been　perceived　to　be　open　rush　basketsone　containing　a
turkey；　and　the　other　some　bottles　of　wine。

'D'ye　feel　ye　can　meet　your　fate　like　a　man；　neighbour　Darton？'
asked　Johns；　breaking　a　silence　which　had　lasted　while　five…and…
twenty　hedgerow　trees　had　glided　by。

Mr。　Darton　with　a　half…laugh　murmured；　'Aycall　it　my　fate！
Hanging　and　wiving　go　by　destiny。'　　And　then　they　were　silent　again。

The　darkness　thickened　rapidly；　at　intervals　shutting　down　on　the
land　in　a　perceptible　flap；　like　the　wave　of　a　wing。　　The　customary
close　of　day　was　accelerated　by　a　simultaneous　blurring　of　the　air。
With　the　fall　of　night　had　come　a　mist　just　damp　enough　to
incommode；　but　not　sufficient　to　saturate　them。　　Countrymen　as　they
wereborn；　as　may　be　said；　with　only　an　open　door　between　them　and
the　four　seasonsthey　regarded　the　mist　but　as　an　added
obscuration；　and　ignored　its　humid　quality。

They　were　travelling　in　a　direction　that　was　enlivened　by　no　modern
current　of　traffic；　the　place　of　Darton's　pilgrimage　being　an　old…
fashioned　villageone　of　the　Hintocks　（several　villages　of　that
name；　with　a　distinctive　prefix　or　affix；　lying　thereabout）where
the　people　make　the　best　cider　and　cider…wine　in　all　Wessex；　and
where　the　dunghills　smell　of　pomace　instead　of　stable　refuse　as
elsewhere。　　The　lane　was　sometimes　so　narrow　that　the　brambles　of
the　hedge；　which　hung　forward　like　anglers'　rods　over　a　stream；
scratched　their　hats　and　curry…combed　their　whiskers　as　they　passed。
Yet　this　neglected　lane　had　been　a　highway　to　Queen　Elizabeth's
subjects　and　the　cavalcades　of　the　past。　　Its　day　was　over　now；　and
its　history　as　a　national　artery　done　for　ever。

'Why　I　have　decided　to　marry　her；'　resumed　Darton　（in　a　measured
musical　voice　of　confidence　which　revealed　a　good　deal　of　his
composition）；　as　he　glanced　round　to　see　that　the　lad　was　not　too
near；　'is　not　only　that　I　like　her；　but　that　I　can　do　no　better；
even　from　a　fairly　practical　point　of　view。　　That　I　might　ha'　looked
higher　is　possibly　true；　though　it　is　really　all　nonsense。　　I　have
had　experience　enough　in　looking　above　me。　　〃No　more　superior　women
for　me；〃　said　Iyou　know　when。　　Sally　is　a　comely；　independent；
simple　character；　with　no　make…up　about　her；　who'll　think　me　as　much
a　superior　to　her　as　I　used　to　thinkyou　know　who　I　meanwas　to
me。'

'Ay；'　said　Johns。　　'However；　I　shouldn't　call　Sally　Hall　simple。
Primary；　because　no　Sally　is；　secondary；　because　if　some　could　be；
this　one　wouldn't。　　'Tis　a　wrong　denomination　to　apply　to　a　woman；
Charles；　and　affects　me；　as　your　best　man；　like　cold　water。　　'Tis
like　recommending　a　stage　play　by　saying　there's　neither　murder；
villainy；　nor　harm　of　any　sort　in　it；　when　that's　what　you've　paid
your　half…crown　to　see。'

'Well；　may　your　opinion　do　you　good。　　Mine's　a　different　one。'　　And
turning　the　conversati