还乡The Return Of The Native-第16章

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ather　began　and　ended；　where　the　furze　was　growing　stalky　and　tall；　where　it　had　been　recently　cut；　in　what　direction　the　fir…clump　lay；　and　how　near　was　the　pit　in　which　the　hollies　grew；　for　these　differing　features　had　their　voices　no　less　than　their　shapes　and　colours。　
“God；　how　lonely　it　is！”　resumed　Wildeve。　　“What　are　picturesque　ravines　and　mists　to　us　who　see　nothing　else？”　Why　should　we　stay　here？　　Will　you　go　with　me　to　America？
I　have　kindred　in　Wisconsin。”
“That　wants　consideration。”
“It　seems　impossible　to　do　well　here；　unless　one　were　a　wild　bird　or　a　landscape…painter。　Well？”
“Give　me　time；”　she　softly　said；　taking　his　hand。　　“America　is　so　far　away。　　Are　you　going　to　walk　with　me　a　little　way？”
As　Eustacia　uttered　the　latter　words　she　retired　from　the　base　of　the　barrow；　and　Wildeve　followed　her；　so　that　the　reddleman　could　hear　no　more。
He　lifted　the　turves　and　arose。　　Their　black　figures　sank　and　disappeared　from　against　the　sky。　　They　were　as　two　horns　which　the　sluggish　heath　had　put　forth　from　its　crown；　like　a　mollusc；　and　had　now　again　drawn　in。　
The　reddleman’s　walk　across　the　vale；　and　over　into　the　next　where　his　cart　lay；　was　not　sprightly　for　a　slim　young　fellow　of　twenty…four。　His　spirit　was　perturbed　to　aching。　　The　breezes　that　blew　around　his　mouth　in　that　walk　carried　off　upon　them　the　accents　of　a　mination。　
He　entered　the　van；　where　there　was　a　fire　in　a　stove。　　Without　lighting　his　candle　he　sat　down　at　once　on　the　three…legged　stool；　and　pondered　on　what　he　had　seen　and　heard　touching　that　still…loved　one　of　his。　　He　uttered　a　sound　which　was　neither　sigh　nor　sob；　but　was　even　more　indicative　than　either　of　a　troubled　mind。　
“My　Tamsie；”　he　whispered　heavily。　　“What　can　be　done？　　Yes；　I　will　see　that　Eustacia　Vye。”


10　… A　Desperate　Attempt　at　Persuasion


The　next　morning；　at　the　time　when　the　height　of　the　sun　appeared　very　insignificant　from　any　part　of　the　heath　as　pared　with　the　altitude　of　Rainbarrow；　and　when　all　the　little　hills　in　the　lower　levels　were　like　an　archipelago　in　a　fog…formed　Aegean；　the　reddleman　came　from　the　brambled　nook　which　he　had　adopted　as　his　quarters　and　ascended　the　slopes　of　Mistover　Knap。　
Though　these　shaggy　hills　were　apparently　so　solitary；　several　keen　round　eyes　were　always　ready　on　such　a　wintry　morning　as　this　to　converge　upon　a　passer…by。　　Feathered　species　sojourned　here　in　hiding　which　would　have　created　wonder　if　found　elsewhere。　　A　bustard　haunted　the　spot；　and　not　many　years　before　this　five　and　twenty　might　have　been　seen　in　Egdon　at　one　time。　　Marsh…harriers　looked　up　from　the　valley　by　Wildeve’s。　　A　cream…coloured　courser　had　used　to　visit　this　hill；　a　bird　so　rare　that　not　more　than　a　dozen　have　ever　been　seen　in　England；　but　a　barbarian　rested　neither　night　nor　day　till　he　had　shot　the　African　truant；　and　after　that　event　cream…coloured　coursers　thought　fit　to　enter　Egdon　no　more。　
A　traveller　who　should　walk　and　observe　any　of　these　visitants　as　Venn　observed　them　now　could　feel　himself　to　be　in　direct　munication　with　regions　unknown　to　man。　　Here　in　front　of　him　was　a　wild　mallard—just　arrived　from　the　home　of　the　north　wind。　　The　creature　brought　within　him　an　amplitude　of　Northern　knowledge。　　Glacial　catastrophes；　snowstorm　episodes；　glittering　auroral　effects；　Polaris　in　the　zenith；　Franklin　underfoot—the　category　of　his　monplaces　was　wonderful。　　But　the　bird；　like　many　other　philosophers；　seemed　as　he　looked　at　the　reddleman　to　think　that　a　present　moment　of　fortable　reality　was　worth　a　decade　of　memories。　
Venn　passed　on　through　these　towards　the　house　of　the　isolated　beauty　who　lived　up　among　them　and　despised　them。　　The　day　was　Sunday；　but　as　going　to　church；　except　to　be　married　or　buried；　was　exceptional　at　Egdon；　this　made　little　difference。　　He　had　determined　upon　the　bold　stroke　of　asking　for　an　interview　with　Miss　Vye—to　attack　her　position　as　Thomasin’s　rival　either　by　art　or　by　storm；　showing　therein；　somewhat　too　conspicuously；　the　want　of　gallantry　characteristic　of　a　certain　astute　sort　of　men；　from　clowns　to　kings。　　The　great　Frederick　making　war　on　the　beautiful　Archduchess；　Napoleon　refusing　terms　to　the　beautiful　Queen　of　Prussia；　were　not　more　dead　to　difference　of　sex　than　the　reddleman　was；　in　his　peculiar　way；　in　planning　the　displacement　of　Eustacia。　
To　call　at　the　captain’s　cottage　was　always　more　or　less　an　undertaking　for　the　inferior　inhabitants。　　Though　occasionally　chatty；　his　moods　were　erratic；　and　nobody　could　be　certain　how　he　would　behave　at　any　particular　moment。　　Eustacia　was　reserved；　and　lived　very　much　to　herself。　　Except　the　daughter　of　one　of　the　cotters；　who　was　their　servant；　and　a　lad　who　worked　in　the　garden　and　stable；　scarcely　anyone　but　themselves　ever　entered　the　house。　　They　were　the　only　genteel　people　of　the　district　except　the　Yeobrights；　and　though　far　from　rich；　they　did　not　feel　that　necessity　for　preserving　a　friendly　face　towards　every　man；　bird；　and　beast　which　influenced　their　poorer　neighbours。
When　the　reddleman　entered　the　garden　the　old　man　was　looking　through　his　glass　at　the　stain　of　blue　sea　in　the　distant　landscape；　the　little　anchors　on　his　buttons　twinkling　in　the　sun。　　He　recognized　Venn　as　his　panion　on　the　highway；　but　made　no　remark　on　that　circumstance；　merely　saying；　“Ah；　reddleman—you　here？　　Have　a　glass　of　grog？”
Venn　declined；　on　the　plea　of　it　being　too　early；　and　stated　that　his　business　was　with　Miss　Vye。　　The　captain　surveyed　him　from　cap　to　waistcoat　and　from　waistcoat　to　leggings　for　a　few　moments；　and　finally　asked　him　to　go　indoors。　
Miss　Vye　was　not　to　be　seen　by　anybody　just　then；　and　the　reddleman　waited　in　the　window…bench　of　the　kitchen；　his　hands　hanging　across　his　divergent　knees；　and　his　cap　hanging　from　his　hands。　
“I　suppose　the　young　lady　is　not　up　yet？”　he　presently　said　to　the　servant。
“Not　quite　yet。　　Folks　never　call　upon　ladies　at　this　time　of　day。”
“Then　I’ll　step　outside；”　said　Venn。　　“If　she　is　willing　to　see　me；　will　she　please　send　out　word；　and　I’ll　e　in。”
The　reddleman　left　the　house　and　loitered　on　the　hill　adjoining。　　A　considerable　time　elapsed；　and　no　request　for　his　presence　was　brought。　　He　was　beginning　to　think　that　his　scheme　had　failed；　when　he　beheld　the　form　of　Eustacia　herself　ing　leisurely　towards　him。　　A　sense　of　novelty　in　giving　audience　to　that　singular　figure　had　been　sufficient　to　draw　her　forth。　
She　seemed　to　feel；　after　a　bare　look　at　Diggory　Venn；　that　the　man　had　e　on　a　strange　errand；　and　that　he　was　not　so　mean　as　she　had　thought　him；　for　her　close　approach　did　not　cause　him　to　writhe　uneasily；　or　shift　his　feet；　or　show　any　of　those　little　signs　which　escape　an　ingenuous　rustic　at　the　advent　of　the　unmon　in　womankind。　　On　his　inquiring　if　he　might　have　a　conversation　with　her　she　replied；　“Yes；　walk　beside　me；”　and　continued　to　move　on。　
Before　they　had　gone　far　it　occurred　to　the　perspicacious　reddleman　that　he　would　have　acted　more　wisely　by　appearing　less　unimpressionable；　and　he　resolved　to　correct　the　error　as　soon　as　he　could　find　opportunity。
“I　have　made　so　bold；　miss；　as　to　step　across　and　tell　you　some　strange　news　which　has　e　to　my　ears　about　that　man。”
“Ah！　what　man？”
He　jerked　his　elbow　to　the　southeast—the　direction　of　the　Quiet　Woman。　
Eustacia　turned　quickly　to　him。　　“Do　you　mean　Mr。　Wildeve？”
“Yes；　there　is　trouble　in　a　household　on　account　of　him；　and　I　have　e　to　let　you　know　of　it；　because　I　believe　you　might　have　power　to　drive　it　away。”
“I？　　What　is　the　trouble？”
“It　is　quite　a　secret。　　It　is　that　he　may　refuse　to　marry　Thomasin　Yeobright　after　all。”
Eustacia；　though　set　inwardly　pulsing　by　his　words；　was　equal　to　her　part　in　such　a　drama　as　this。　　She　replied　coldly；　“I　do　not　wish　to　listen　to　this；　and　you　must　not　expect　me　to　interfere。”
“But；　miss；　you　will　hear　one　word？”
“I　cannot。　　I　am　not　interested　in　the　marriage；　and　even　if　I　were　I　could　not　pel　Mr。　Wildeve　to　do　my　bidding。”
“As　the　only　lady　on　the　heath　I　think　you　might；”　said　Venn　with　subtle　indirectness。　　“This　is　how　the　case　stands。　　Mr。　Wildeve　would　marry　Thomasin　at　once；　and　make　all　matters　smooth；　if　so　be　there　were　not　another　woman　in　the　case。　　This　other　woman　is　some　person　he　has　picked　up　with；　and　meets　on　the　heath　occasionally；　I　believe。　　He　will　never　marry　her；　and　yet　through　her　he　may　never　marry　the　woman　who　loves　him　dearly。　　Now；　if　you；　miss；　who　have　so　much　sway　over　us　menfolk；　were　to　insist　that　he　should　treat　your　young　neighbour　Tamsin　with　honourable　kindness　and　give　up　the　other　woman；　he　would　perhaps　do　it；　and　save　her　a　good　deal　of　misery。”
“Ah；　my　life！”　said　Eustacia；　with　a　laugh　which　unclosed　her　lips　so　that　the　sun　shone　into　her　mouth　as　into　a　tulip；　and　lent　it　a　similar　scarlet　fire。　　“You　think　too　much　of　my　influence　over　menfolk　indeed；　reddleman。　　If　I　had　such　a　power　as　you　imagine　I　would　go　straight　and　use　it　for　the　good　of　anybody　who　has　been　kind　to　me—which　Thomasin　Yeobright　has　not　particularly；　to　my　knowledge。”
“Can　it　be　that　you　really　don’t　know　of　it—how　much　she　had　always　thought　of　you？”
“I　have　never　heard　a　word　of　it。　　Although　we　live　only　two　miles　apart　I　have　never　been　inside　her　aunt’s　house　in　my　life。”
The　superciliousness　that　lurked　in　her　manner　told　Venn　that　thus　far　he　had　utterly　failed。　　He　inwardly　sighed　and　felt　it　necessary　to　unmask　his　second　argument。
“Well；　leaving　that　out　of　the　question；　‘tis　in　your　power；　I　assure　you；　Miss　Vye；　to　do　a　great　deal　of　good　to　another　woman。”
She　shook　her　head。　
“Your　eliness　is　law　with　Mr。　Wildeve。　　It　is　law　with　all　men　who　see　‘ee。　They　say；　‘This　well…favoured　lady　ing—what’s　her　name？　　How　handsome！’　Handsomer　than　Thomasin　Yeobright；”　the　reddleman　persisted；　saying　to　himself；　“God　forgive　a　rascal　for　lying！”　And　she　was　handsomer；　but　the　reddleman　was　far　from　thinking　so。　　There　was　a　certain　obscurity　in　Eustacia’s　beauty；　and　Venn’s　eye　was　not　trained。　　In　her　winter　dress；　as　now；　she　was　like　the　tiger…beetle；　which；　when　observed　in　dull　situations；　seems　to　be　of　the　quietest　neutral　colour；　but　under　a　full　illumination　blazes　with　dazzling　splendour。　
Eustacia　could　not　help　replying；　though　conscious　that　she　endangered　her　dignity　thereby。　　“Many　women　are　lovelier　than　Thomasin；”　she　said；　“so　not　much　attaches　to　that。”
The　reddleman　suffered　the　wound　and　went　on：　“He　is　a　man　who　notices　the　looks　of　women；　and　you　could　twist　him　to　your　will　like　withywind；　if　you　only　had　the　mind。”
“Surely　what　she　cannot　do　who　has　been　so　much　with　him　I　cannot　do　living　up　here　away　from　him。”
The　reddleman　wheeled　and　looked　her　in　the　face。　
“Miss　Vye！”　he　said。　
“Why　do　you　say　that—as　if　you　doubted　me？”　She　spoke　faintly；　and　her　breathing　was　quick。　　“The　idea　of　your　speaking　in　that　tone　to　me！”　she　added；　with　a　forced　smile　of　hauteur。　　“What　could　have　been　in　your　mind　to　lead　you　to　speak　like　that？”
“Miss　Vye；　why　should　you　make　believe　that　you　don’t　know　this　man？I　know　why；　certainly。　　He　is　beneath　you；　and　you　are　ashamed。”
“You　are　mistaken。　　What　do　you　mean？”
The　reddlema