wessex tales-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



'Well；　so　I　am；'　said　Stockdale；　his　countenance　clearing。



CHAPTER　IIITHE　MYSTERIOUS　GREATCOAT



Stockdale　now　began　to　notice　more　particularly　a　feature　in　the
life　of　his　fair　landlady；　which　he　had　casually　observed　but
scarcely　ever　thought　of　before。　　It　was　that　she　was　markedly
irregular　in　her　hours　of　rising。　　For　a　week　or　two　she　would　be
tolerably　punctual；　reaching　the　ground…floor　within　a　few　minutes
of　half…past　seven。　　Then　suddenly　she　would　not　be　visible　till
twelve　at　noon；　perhaps　for　three　or　four　days　in　succession；　and
twice　he　had　certain　proof　that　she　did　not　leave　her　room　till
half…past　three　in　the　afternoon。　　The　second　time　that　this　extreme
lateness　came　under　his　notice　was　on　a　day　when　he　had　particularly
wished　to　consult　with　her　about　his　future　movements；　and　he
concluded；　as　he　always　had　done；　that　she　had　a　cold；　headache；　or
other　ailment；　unless　she　had　kept　herself　invisible　to　avoid
meeting　and　talking　to　him；　which　he　could　hardly　believe。　　The
former　supposition　was　disproved；　however；　by　her　innocently　saying；
some　days　later；　when　they　were　speaking　on　a　question　of　health；
that　she　had　never　had　a　moment's　heaviness；　headache；　or　illness　of
any　kind　since　the　previous　January　twelvemonth。

'I　am　glad　to　hear　it；'　said　he。　　'I　thought　quite　otherwise。'

'What；　do　I　look　sickly？'　she　asked；　turning　up　her　face　to　show　the
impossibility　of　his　gazing　on　it　and　holding　such　a　belief　for　a
moment。

'Not　at　all；　I　merely　thought　so　from　your　being　sometimes　obliged
to　keep　your　room　through　the　best　part　of　the　day。'

'O；　as　for　thatit　means　nothing；'　she　murmured；　with　a　look　which
some　might　have　called　cold；　and　which　was　the　worst　look　that　he
liked　to　see　upon　her。　　'It　is　pure　sleepiness；　Mr。　Stockdale。'

'Never！'

'It　is；　I　tell　you。　　When　I　stay　in　my　room　till　half…past　three　in
the　afternoon；　you　may　always　be　sure　that　I　slept　soundly　till
three；　or　I　shouldn't　have　stayed　there。'

'It　is　dreadful；'　said　Stockdale；　thinking　of　the　disastrous　effects
of　such　indulgence　upon　the　household　of　a　minister；　should　it
become　a　habit　of　everyday　occurrence。

'But　then；'　she　said；　divining　his　good　and　prescient　thoughts；　'it
only　happens　when　I　stay　awake　all　night。　　I　don't　go　to　sleep　till
five　or　six　in　the　morning　sometimes。'

'Ah；　that's　another　matter；'　said　Stockdale。　　'Sleeplessness　to　such
an　alarming　extent　is　real　illness。　　Have　you　spoken　to　a　doctor？'

'O　nothere　is　no　need　for　doing　thatit　is　all　natural　to　me。'
And　she　went　away　without　further　remark。

Stockdale　might　have　waited　a　long　time　to　know　the　real　cause　of
her　sleeplessness；　had　it　not　happened　that　one　dark　night　he　was
sitting　in　his　bedroom　jotting　down　notes　for　a　sermon；　which
occupied　him　perfunctorily　for　a　considerable　time　after　the　other
members　of　the　household　had　retired。　　He　did　not　get　to　bed　till
one　o'clock。　　Before　he　had　fallen　asleep　he　heard　a　knocking　at　the
front　door；　first　rather　timidly　performed；　and　then　louder。　　Nobody
answered　it；　and　the　person　knocked　again。　　As　the　house　still
remained　undisturbed；　Stockdale　got　out　of　bed；　went　to　his　window；
which　overlooked　the　door；　and　opening　it；　asked　who　was　there。

A　young　woman's　voice　replied　that　Susan　Wallis　was　there；　and　that
she　had　come　to　ask　if　Mrs。　Newberry　could　give　her　some　mustard　to
make　a　plaster　with；　as　her　father　was　taken　very　ill　on　the　chest。

The　minister；　having　neither　bell　nor　servant；　was　compelled　to　act
in　person。　　'I　will　call　Mrs。　Newberry；'　he　said。　　Partly　dressing
himself；　he　went　along　the　passage　and　tapped　at　Lizzy's　door。　　She
did　not　answer；　and；　thinking　of　her　erratic　habits　in　the　matter　of
sleep；　he　thumped　the　door　persistently；　when　he　discovered；　by　its
moving　ajar　under　his　knocking；　that　it　had　only　been　gently　pushed
to。　　As　there　was　now　a　sufficient　entry　for　the　voice；　he　knocked
no　longer；　but　said　in　firm　tones；　'Mrs。　Newberry；　you　are　wanted。'

The　room　was　quite　silent；　not　a　breathing；　not　a　rustle；　came　from
any　part　of　it。　　Stockdale　now　sent　a　positive　shout　through　the
open　space　of　the　door：　　'Mrs。　Newberry！'still　no　answer；　or
movement　of　any　kind　within。　　Then　he　heard　sounds　from　the　opposite
room；　that　of　Lizzy's　mother；　as　if　she　had　been　aroused　by　his
uproar　though　Lizzy　had　not；　and　was　dressing　herself　hastily。
Stockdale　softly　closed　the　younger　woman's　door　and　went　on　to　the
other；　which　was　opened　by　Mrs。　Simpkins　before　he　could　reach　it。
She　was　in　her　ordinary　clothes；　and　had　a　light　in　her　hand。

'What's　the　person　calling　about？'　she　said　in　alarm。

Stockdale　told　the　girl's　errand；　adding　seriously；　'I　cannot　wake
Mrs。　Newberry。'

'It　is　no　matter；'　said　her　mother。　　'I　can　let　the　girl　have　what
she　wants　as　well　as　my　daughter。'　　And　she　came　out　of　the　room　and
went　downstairs。

Stockdale　retired　towards　his　own　apartment；　saying；　however；　to
Mrs。　Simpkins　from　the　landing；　as　if　on　second　thoughts；　'I　suppose
there　is　nothing　the　matter　with　Mrs。　Newberry；　that　I　could　not
wake　her？'

'O　no；'　said　the　old　lady　hastily。　　'Nothing　at　all。'

Still　the　minister　was　not　satisfied。　　'Will　you　go　in　and　see？'　he
said。　　'I　should　be　much　more　at　ease。'

Mrs。　Simpkins　returned　up　the　staircase；　went　to　her　daughter's
room；　and　came　out　again　almost　instantly。　　'There　is　nothing　at　all
the　matter　with　Lizzy；'　she　said；　and　descended　again　to　attend　to
the　applicant；　who；　having　seen　the　light；　had　remained　quiet　during
this　interval。

Stockdale　went　into　his　room　and　lay　down　as　before。　　He　heard
Lizzy's　mother　open　the　front　door；　admit　the　girl；　and　then　the
murmured　discourse　of　both　as　they　went　to　the　store…cupboard　for
the　medicament　required。　　The　girl　departed；　the　door　was　fastened；
Mrs。　Simpkins　came　upstairs；　and　the　house　was　again　in　silence。
Still　the　minister　did　not　fall　asleep。　　He　could　not　get　rid　of　a
singular　suspicion；　which　was　all　the　more　harassing　in　being；　if
true；　the　most　unaccountable　thing　within　his　experience。　　That
Lizzy　Newberry　was　in　her　bedroom　when　he　made　such　a　clamour　at　the
door　he　could　not　possibly　convince　himself；　notwithstanding　that　he
had　heard　her　come　upstairs　at　the　usual　time；　go　into　her　chamber；
and　shut　herself　up　in　the　usual　way。　　Yet　all　reason　was　so　much
against　her　being　elsewhere；　that　he　was　constrained　to　go　back
again　to　the　unlikely　theory　of　a　heavy　sleep；　though　he　had　heard
neither　breath　nor　movement　during　a　shouting　and　knocking　loud
enough　to　rouse　the　Seven　Sleepers。

Before　coming　to　any　positive　conclusion　he　fell　asleep　himself；　and
did　not　awake　till　day。　　He　saw　nothing　of　Mrs。　Newberry　in　the
morning；　before　he　went　out　to　meet　the　rising　sun；　as　he　liked　to
do　when　the　weather　was　fine；　but　as　this　was　by　no　means　unusual；
he　took　no　notice　of　it。　　At　breakfast…time　he　knew　that　she　was　not
far　off　by　hearing　her　in　the　kitchen；　and　though　he　saw　nothing　of
her　person；　that　back　apartment　being　rigorously　closed　against　his
eyes；　she　seemed　to　be　talking；　ordering；　and　bustling　about　among
the　pots　and　skimmers　in　so　ordinary　a　manner；　that　there　was　no
reason　for　his　wasting　more　time　in　fruitless　surmise。

The　minister　suffered　from　these　distractions；　and　his　extemporized
sermons　were　not　improved　thereby。　　Already　he　often　said　Romans　for
Corinthians　in　the　pulpit；　and　gave　out　hymns　in　strange　cramped
metres；　that　hitherto　had　always　been　skipped；　because　the
congregation　could　not　raise　a　tune　to　fit　them。　　He　fully　resolved
that　as　soon　as　his　few　weeks　of　stay　approached　their　end　he　would
cut　the　matter　short；　and　commit　himself　by　proposing　a　definite
engagement；　repenting　at　leisure　if　necessary。

With　this　end　in　view；　he　suggested　to　her　on　the　evening　after　her
mysterious　sleep　that　they　should　take　a　walk　together　just　before
dark；　the　latter　part　of　the　proposition　being　introduced　that　they
might　return　home　unseen。　　She　consented　to　go；　and　away　they　went
over　a　stile；　to　a　shrouded　footpath　suited　for　the　occasion。　　But；
in　spite　of　attempts　on　both　sides；　they　were　unable　to　infuse　much
spirit　into　the　ramble。　　She　looked　rather　paler　than　usual；　and
sometimes　turned　her　head　away。

'Lizzy；'　said　Stockdale　reproachfully；　when　they　had　walked　in
silence　a　long　distance。

'Yes；'　said　she。

'You　yawnedmuch　my　company　is　to　you！'　　He　put　it　in　that　way；　but
he　was　really　wondering　whether　her　yawn　could　possibly　have　more　to
do　with　physical　weariness　from　the　night　before　than　mental
weariness　of　that　present　moment。　　Lizzy　apologized；　and　owned　that
she　was　rather　tired；　which　gave　him　an　opening　for　a　direct
question　on　the　point；　but　his　modesty　would　not　allow　him　to　put　it
to　her；　and　he　uncomfortably　resolved　to　wait。

The　month　of　February　passed　with　alternations　of　mud　and　frost；
rain　and　sleet；　east　winds　and　north…westerly　gales。　　The　hollow
places　in　the　ploughed　fields　showed　themselves　as　pools　of　water；
which　had　settled　there　from　the　higher　levels；　and　had　not　yet
found　time　to　soak　away。　　The　birds　began　to　get　lively；　and　a
single　thrush　came　just　before　sunset　each　evening；　and　sang
hopefully　on　the　large　elm…tree　which　stood　nearest　to　Mrs。
Newberry's　house。　　Cold　blasts　and　brittle　earth　had　given　place　to
an　oozing　dampness　more　unpleasant　in　itself　than　frost；　but　it
suggested　coming　spring；　and　its　unpleasantness　was　of　a　bearable
kind。

Stockdale　had　been　going　to　bring　about　a　practical　understanding
with　Lizzy　at　least　half…a…dozen　times；　but；　what　with　the　mystery
of　her　apparent　absence　on　the　night　of　the　neighbour's　call；　and
her　curious　way　of　lying　in　bed　at　unaccountable　times；　he　felt　a
check　within　him　whenever　he　wanted　to　speak　out。　　Thus　they　still
lived　on　as　indefinitely　affianced　lovers；　each　of　whom　hardly
acknowledged　the　other's　claim　to　the　name　of　chosen　one。　　Stockdale
persuaded　himself　that　his　hesitation　was　owing　to　the　postponement
of　the　ordained　minister's　arrival；　and　the　consequent　delay　in　his
own　departure；　which　did　away　with　all　necessity　for　haste　in　his
courtship；　but　perhaps　it　was　only　that　his　discretion　was
reasserting　itself；　and　telling　him　that　he　had　better　get　clearer
ideas　of　Lizzy　before　arranging　for　the　grand　contract　of　his　life
with　her。　　She；　on　her　part；　always　seemed　ready　to　be　urged　further
on　that　question　than　he　had　hitherto　attempted　to　go；　but　she　was
none　the　less　independent；　and　to　a　degree　which　would　have　kept
from　flagging　the　passion　of　a　far　more　mutable　man。

On　the　evening　of　the　first　of　March　he　went　casually　into　his
bedroom　about　dusk；　and　noticed　lying　on　a　chair　a　greatcoat；　hat；
and　breeches。　　Having　no　recollection　of　leaving　any　clothes　of　his
own　in　that　spot；　he　went　and　examined　them　as　well　as　he　could　in
the　twilight；　and　found　that　they　did　not　belong　to　him。　　He　paused
for　a　moment　to　consider　how　they　might　have　got　there。　　He　was　the
only　man　living　in　the　house；　and　yet　these　were　not　his　garments；
unless　he　had　made　a　mistake。　　No；　they　were　not　his。　　He　called　up
Martha　Sarah。

'How　did　these　things　come　in　my　room？'　he　said；　flinging