wessex tales-第39章

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By　the　time　that　she　reached　the　tower　entrance　he　was　at　her　side；
and　they　entered　together。

Nether…Moynton　church…tower　was；　as　in　many　villages；　without　a
turret；　and　the　only　way　to　the　top　was　by　going　up　to　the　singers'
gallery；　and　thence　ascending　by　a　ladder　to　a　square　trap…door　in
the　floor　of　the　bell…loft；　above　which　a　permanent　ladder　was
fixed；　passing　through　the　bells　to　a　hole　in　the　roof。　　When　Lizzy
and　Stockdale　reached　the　gallery　and　looked　up；　nothing　but　the
trap…door　and　the　five　holes　for　the　bell…ropes　appeared。　　The
ladder　was　gone。

'There's　no　getting　up；'　said　Stockdale。

'O　yes；　there　is；'　said　she。　　'There's　an　eye　looking　at　us　at　this
moment　through　a　knot…hole　in　that　trap…door。'

And　as　she　spoke　the　trap　opened；　and　the　dark　line　of　the　ladder
was　seen　descending　against　the　white…washed　wall。　　When　it　touched
the　bottom　Lizzy　dragged　it　to　its　place；　and　said；　'If　you'll　go
up；　I'll　follow。'

The　young　man　ascended；　and　presently　found　himself　among
consecrated　bells　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　nonconformity
having　been　in　the　Stockdale　blood　for　some　generations。　　He　eyed
them　uneasily；　and　looked　round　for　Lizzy。　　Owlett　stood　here；
holding　the　top　of　the　ladder。

'What；　be　you　really　one　of　us？'　said　the　miller。

'It　seems　so；'　said　Stockdale　sadly。

'He's　not；'　said　Lizzy；　who　overheard。　　'He's　neither　for　nor
against　us。　　He'll　do　us　no　harm。'

She　stepped　up　beside　them；　and　then　they　went　on　to　the　next　stage；
which；　when　they　had　clambered　over　the　dusty　bell…carriages；　was　of
easy　ascent；　leading　towards　the　hole　through　which　the　pale　sky
appeared；　and　into　the　open　air。　　Owlett　remained　behind　for　a
moment；　to　pull　up　the　lower　ladder。

'Keep　down　your　heads；'　said　a　voice；　as　soon　as　they　set　foot　on
the　flat。

Stockdale　here　beheld　all　the　missing　parishioners；　lying　on　their
stomachs　on　the　tower　roof；　except　a　few　who；　elevated　on　their
hands　and　knees；　were　peeping　through　the　embrasures　of　the　parapet。
Stockdale　did　the　same；　and　saw　the　village　lying　like　a　map　below
him；　over　which　moved　the　figures　of　the　excisemen；　each
foreshortened　to　a　crablike　object；　the　crown　of　his　hat　forming　a
circular　disc　in　the　centre　of　him。　　Some　of　the　men　had　turned
their　heads　when　the　young　preacher's　figure　arose　among　them。

'What；　Mr。　Stockdale？'　said　Matt　Grey；　in　a　tone　of　surprise。

'I'd　as　lief　that　it　hadn't　been；'　said　Jim　Clarke。　　'If　the　pa'son
should　see　him　a　trespassing　here　in　his　tower；　'twould　be　none　the
better　for　we；　seeing　how　'a　do　hate　chapel…members。　　He'd　never　buy
a　tub　of　us　again；　and　he's　as　good　a　customer　as　we　have　got　this
side　o'　Warm'll。'

'Where　is　the　pa'son？'　said　Lizzy。

'In　his　house；　to　be　sure；　that　he　mid　see　nothing　of　what's　going
onwhere　all　good　folks　ought　to　be；　and　this　young　man　likewise。'

'Well；　he　has　brought　some　news；'　said　Lizzy。　　'They　are　going　to
search　the　orchet　and　church；　can　we　do　anything　if　they　should
find？'

'Yes；'　said　her　cousin　Owlett。　　'That's　what　we've　been　talking　o'；
and　we　have　settled　our　line。　　Well；　be　dazed！'

The　exclamation　was　caused　by　his　perceiving　that　some　of　the
searchers；　having　got　into　the　orchard；　and　begun　stooping　and
creeping　hither　and　thither；　were　pausing　in　the　middle；　where　a
tree　smaller　than　the　rest　was　growing。　　They　drew　closer；　and　bent
lower　than　ever　upon　the　ground。

'O；　my　tubs！'　said　Lizzy　faintly；　as　she　peered　through　the　parapet
at　them。

'They　have　got　'em；　'a　b'lieve；'　said　Owlett。

The　interest　in　the　movements　of　the　officers　was　so　keen　that　not　a
single　eye　was　looking　in　any　other　direction；　but　at　that　moment　a
shout　from　the　church　beneath　them　attracted　the　attention　of　the
smugglers；　as　it　did　also　of　the　party　in　the　orchard；　who　sprang　to
their　feet　and　went　towards　the　churchyard　wall。　　At　the　same　time
those　of　the　Government　men　who　had　entered　the　church　unperceived
by　the　smugglers　cried　aloud；　'Here　be　some　of　'em　at　last。'

The　smugglers　remained　in　a　blank　silence；　uncertain　whether　'some
of　'em'　meant　tubs　or　men；　but　again　peeping　cautiously　over　the
edge　of　the　tower　they　learnt　that　tubs　were　the　things　descried；
and　soon　these　fated　articles　were　brought　one　by　one　into　the
middle　of　the　churchyard　from　their　hiding…place　under　the　gallery…
stairs。

'They　are　going　to　put　'em　on　Hinton's　vault　till　they　find　the
rest！'　said　Lizzy　hopelessly。　　The　excisemen　had；　in　fact；　begun　to
pile　up　the　tubs　on　a　large　stone　slab　which　was　fixed　there；　and
when　all　were　brought　out　from　the　tower；　two　or　three　of　the　men
were　left　standing　by　them；　the　rest　of　the　party　again　proceeding
to　the　orchard。

The　interest　of　the　smugglers　in　the　next　manoeuvres　of　their
enemies　became　painfully　intense。　　Only　about　thirty　tubs　had　been
secreted　in　the　lumber　of　the　tower；　but　seventy　were　hidden　in　the
orchard；　making　up　all　that　they　had　brought　ashore　as　yet；　the
remainder　of　the　cargo　having　been　tied　to　a　sinker　and　dropped
overboard　for　another　night's　operations。　　The　excisemen；　having　re…
entered　the　orchard；　acted　as　if　they　were　positive　that　here　lay
hidden　the　rest　of　the　tubs；　which　they　were　determined　to　find
before　nightfall。　　They　spread　themselves　out　round　the　field；　and
advancing　on　all　fours　as　before；　went　anew　round　every　apple…tree
in　the　enclosure。　　The　young　tree　in　the　middle　again　led　them　to
pause；　and　at　length　the　whole　company　gathered　there　in　a　way　which
signified　that　a　second　chain　of　reasoning　had　led　to　the　same
results　as　the　first。

When　they　had　examined　the　sod　hereabouts　for　some　minutes；　one　of
the　men　rose；　ran　to　a　disused　porch　of　the　church　where　tools　were
kept；　and　returned　with　the　sexton's　pickaxe　and　shovel；　with　which
they　set　to　work。

'Are　they　really　buried　there？'　said　the　minister；　for　the　grass　was
so　green　and　uninjured　that　it　was　difficult　to　believe　it　had　been
disturbed。　　The　smugglers　were　too　interested　to　reply；　and
presently　they　saw；　to　their　chagrin；　the　officers　stand　several　on
each　side　of　the　tree；　and；　stooping　and　applying　their　hands　to　the
soil；　they　bodily　lifted　the　tree　and　the　turf　around　it。　　The
apple…tree　now　showed　itself　to　be　growing　in　a　shallow　box；　with
handles　for　lifting　at　each　of　the　four　sides。　　Under　the　site　of
the　tree　a　square　hole　was　revealed；　and　an　exciseman　went　and
looked　down。

'It　is　all　up　now；'　said　Owlett　quietly。　　'And　now　all　of　ye　get
down　before　they　notice　we　are　here；　and　be　ready　for　our　next　move。
I　had　better　bide　here　till　dark；　or　they　may　take　me　on　suspicion；
as　'tis　on　my　ground。　　I'll　be　with　ye　as　soon　as　daylight　begins　to
pink　in。'

'And　I？'　said　Lizzy。

'You　please　look　to　the　linch…pins　and　screws；　then　go　indoors　and
know　nothing　at　all。　　The　chaps　will　do　the　rest。'

The　ladder　was　replaced；　and　all　but　Owlett　descended；　the　men
passing　off　one　by　one　at　the　back　of　the　church；　and　vanishing　on
their　respective　errands。

Lizzy　walked　boldly　along　the　street；　followed　closely　by　the
minister。

'You　are　going　indoors；　Mrs。　Newberry？'　he　said。

She　knew　from　the　words　'Mrs。　Newberry'　that　the　division　between
them　had　widened　yet　another　degree。

'I　am　not　going　home；'　she　said。　　'I　have　a　little　thing　to　do
before　I　go　in。　　Martha　Sarah　will　get　your　tea。'

'O；　I　don't　mean　on　that　account；'　said　Stockdale。　　'What　CAN　you
have　to　do　further　in　this　unhallowed　affair？'

'Only　a　little；'　she　said。

'What　is　that？　　I'll　go　with　you。'

'No；　I　shall　go　by　myself。　　Will　you　please　go　indoors？　　I　shall　be
there　in　less　than　an　hour。'

'You　are　not　going　to　run　any　danger；　Lizzy？'　said　the　young　man；
his　tenderness　reasserting　itself。

'None　whateverworth　mentioning；'　answered　she；　and　went　down
towards　the　Cross。

Stockdale　entered　the　garden　gate；　and　stood　behind　it　looking　on。
The　excisemen　were　still　busy　in　the　orchard；　and　at　last　he　was
tempted　to　enter；　and　watch　their　proceedings。　　When　he　came　closer
he　found　that　the　secret　cellar；　of　whose　existence　he　had　been
totally　unaware；　was　formed　by　timbers　placed　across　from　side　to
side　about　a　foot　under　the　ground；　and　grassed　over。

The　excisemen　looked　up　at　Stockdale's　fair　and　downy　countenance；
and　evidently　thinking　him　above　suspicion；　went　on　with　their　work
again。　　As　soon　as　all　the　tubs　were　taken　out；　they　began　tearing
up　the　turf；　pulling　out　the　timbers；　and　breaking　in　the　sides；
till　the　cellar　was　wholly　dismantled　and　shapeless；　the　apple…tree
lying　with　its　roots　high　to　the　air。　　But　the　hole　which　had　in　its
time　held　so　much　contraband　merchandize　was　never　completely　filled
up；　either　then　or　afterwards；　a　depression　in　the　greensward
marking　the　spot　to　this　day。



CHAPTER　VIITHE　WALK　TO　WARM'ELL　CROSS　AND　AFTERWARDS



As　the　goods　had　all　to　be　carried　to　Budmouth　that　night；　the
excisemen's　next　object　was　to　find　horses　and　carts　for　the
journey；　and　they　went　about　the　village　for　that　purpose。　　Latimer
strode　hither　and　thither　with　a　lump　of　chalk　in　his　hand；　marking
broad…arrows　so　vigorously　on　every　vehicle　and　set　of　harness　that
he　came　across；　that　it　seemed　as　if　he　would　chalk　broad…arrows　on
the　very　hedges　and　roads。　　The　owner　of　every　conveyance　so　marked
was　bound　to　give　it　up　for　Government　purposes。　　Stockdale；　who　had
had　enough　of　the　scene；　turned　indoors　thoughtful　and　depressed。
Lizzy　was　already　there；　having　come　in　at　the　back；　though　she　had
not　yet　taken　off　her　bonnet。　　She　looked　tired；　and　her　mood　was
not　much　brighter　than　his　own。　　They　had　but　little　to　say　to　each
other；　and　the　minister　went　away　and　attempted　to　read；　but　at　this
he　could　not　succeed；　and　he　shook　the　little　bell　for　tea。

Lizzy　herself　brought　in　the　tray；　the　girl　having　run　off　into　the
village　during　the　afternoon；　too　full　of　excitement　at　the
proceedings　to　remember　her　state　of　life。　　However；　almost　before
the　sad　lovers　had　said　anything　to　each　other；　Martha　came　in　in　a
steaming　state。

'O；　there's　such　a　stoor；　Mrs。　Newberry　and　Mr。　Stockdale！　　The
king's　excisemen　can't　get　the　carts　ready　nohow　at　all！　　They
pulled　Thomas　Ballam's；　and　William　Rogers's；　and　Stephen　Sprake's
carts　into　the　road；　and　off　came　the　wheels；　and　down　fell　the
carts；　and　they　found　there　was　no　linch…pins　in　the　arms；　and　then
they　tried　Samuel　Shane's　waggon；　and　found　that　the　screws　were
gone　from　he；　and　at　last　they　looked　at　the　dairyman's　cart；　and
he's　got　none　neither！　　They　have　gone　now　to　the　blacksmith's　to
get　some　made；　but　he's　nowhere　to　be　found！'

Stockdale　looked　at　Lizzy；　who　blushed　very　slightly；　and　went　out
of　the　room；　followed　by　Martha　Sarah。　　But　before　they　had　got
through　the　passage　there　was　a　rap　at　the　front　door；　and　Stockdale
recognized　Latimer's　voice　addressing　Mrs。　Newberry；　who　had　turned
back。

'For　God's　sake；　Mrs。　Newberry；　have　you　seen　Hardman　the　blacksmith
up　this　way？　　If　we　could　get　hold　of　him；　we'd　e'en　a'most　drag　him
by　the　hair　of　his　head　to　his　anvil；　where　he　ought　to　be。'

'He's　an　idle　man；　Mr。　Latimer；'　said　Lizzy　archly。　　'What　do　you
want　him　for？'

'Why；　there　isn