under the greenwood tree-第10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！



And　when　they　had　done；　and　the　last　trump　had　sounded；　and　the　guns

was　fired　over　the　dead　hero's　grave；　a'　icy…cold　drop　o'　moist

sweat　hung　upon　my　forehead；　and　another　upon　my　jawbone。　　Ah；　'tis

a　very　solemn　thing！〃



〃Well；　as　to　father　in　the　corner　there；〃　the　tranter　said；　pointing

to　old　William；　who　was　in　the　act　of　filling　his　mouth；　〃he'd

starve　to　death　for　music's　sake　now；　as　much　as　when　he　was　a　boy…

chap　of　fifteen。〃



〃Truly；　now；〃　said　Michael　Mail；　clearing　the　corner　of　his　throat

in　the　manner　of　a　man　who　meant　to　be　convincing；　'there's　a

friendly　tie　of　some　sort　between　music　and　eating。〃　　He　lifted　the

cup　to　his　mouth；　and　drank　himself　gradually　backwards　from　a

perpendicular　position　to　a　slanting　one；　during　which　time　his

looks　performed　a　circuit　from　the　wall　opposite　him　to　the　ceiling

overhead。　　Then　clearing　the　other　corner　of　his　throat：　　'Once　I

was　a…setting　in　the　little　kitchen　of　the　Dree　Mariners　at

Casterbridge；　having　a　bit　of　dinner；　and　a　brass　band　struck　up　in

the　street。　　Such　a　beautiful　band　as　that　were！　　I　was　setting

eating　fried　liver　and　lights；　I　well　can　mindah；　I　was！　and　to

save　my　life；　I　couldn't　help　chawing　to　the　tune。　　Band　played　six…

eight　time；　six…eight　chaws　I；　willynilly。　　Band　plays　common；

common　time　went　my　teeth　among　the　liver　and　lights　as　true　as　a

hair。　　Beautiful　'twere！　　Ah；　I　shall　never　forget　that　there　band！〃



〃That's　as　tuneful　a　thing　as　ever　I　heard　of；〃　said　grandfather

James；　with　the　absent　gaze　which　accompanies　profound　criticism。



〃I　don't　like　Michael's　tuneful　stories　then；〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy。

〃They　are　quite　coarse　to　a　person　o'　decent　taste。〃



Old　Michael's　mouth　twitched　here　and　there；　as　if　he　wanted　to

smile　but　didn't　know　where　to　begin；　which　gradually　settled　to　an

expression　that　it　was　not　displeasing　for　a　nice　woman　like　the

tranter's　wife　to　correct　him。



〃Well；　now；〃　said　Reuben；　with　decisive　earnestness；　〃that　sort　o'

coarse　touch　that's　so　upsetting　to　Ann's　feelings　is　to　my　mind　a

recommendation；　for　it　do　always　prove　a　story　to　be　true。　　And　for

the　same　reason；　I　like　a　story　with　a　bad　moral。　　My　sonnies；　all

true　stories　have　a　coarse　touch　or　a　bad　moral；　depend　upon't。　　If

the　story…tellers　could　ha'　got　decency　and　good　morals　from　true

stories；　who'd　ha'　troubled　to　invent　parables？〃　　Saying　this　the

tranter　arose　to　fetch　a　new　stock　of　cider；　ale；　mead；　and　home…

made　wines。



Mrs。　Dewy　sighed；　and　appended　a　remark　（ostensibly　behind　her

husband's　back；　though　that　the　words　should　reach　his　ears

distinctly　was　understood　by　both）：　　〃Such　a　man　as　Dewy　is！　　Nobody

do　know　the　trouble　I　have　to　keep　that　man　barely　respectable。　　And

did　you　ever　hear　toojust　now　at　supper…timetalking　about

〃taties〃　with　Michael　in　such　a　work…folk　way。　　Well；　'tis　what　I

was　never　brought　up　to！　　With　our　family　'twas　never　less　than

〃taters；〃　and　very　often　〃pertatoes〃　outright；　mother　was　so

particular　and　nice　with　us　girls　there　was　no　family　in　the　parish

that　kept　them　selves　up　more　than　we。〃



The　hour　of　parting　came。　　Fancy　could　not　remain　for　the　night；

because　she　had　engaged　a　woman　to　wait　up　for　her。　　She　disappeared

temporarily　from　the　flagging　party　of　dancers；　and　then　came

downstairs　wrapped　up　and　looking　altogether　a　different　person　from

whom　she　had　been　hitherto；　in　fact　（to　Dick's　sadness　and

disappointment）；　a　woman　somewhat　reserved　and　of　a　phlegmatic

temperamentnothing　left　in　her　of　the　romping　girl　that　she　had

seemed　but　a　short　quarter…hour　before；　who　had　not　minded　the

weight　of　Dick's　hand　upon　her　waist；　nor　shirked　the　purlieus　of

the　mistletoe。



〃What　a　difference！〃　thought　the　young　manhoary　cynic　pro　tem。

〃What　a　miserable　deceiving　difference　between　the　manners　of　a

maid's　life　at　dancing　times　and　at　others！　　Look　at　this　lovely

Fancy！　　Through　the　whole　past　evening　touchable；　squeezeableeven

kissable！　　For　whole　half…hours　I　held　her　so　chose　to　me　that　not　a

sheet　of　paper　could　have　been　shipped　between　us；　and　I　could　feel

her　heart　only　just　outside　my　own；　her　life　beating　on　so　close　to

mine；　that　I　was　aware　of　every　breath　in　it。　　A　flit　is　made

upstairsa　hat　and　a　cloak　put　onand　I　no　more　dare　to　touch　her

than〃　　Thought　failed　him；　and　he　returned　to　realities。



But　this　was　an　endurable　misery　in　comparison　with　what　followed。

Mr。　Shiner　and　his　watch…chain；　taking　the　intrusive　advantage　that

ardent　bachelors　who　are　going　homeward　along　the　same　road　as　a

pretty　young　woman　always　do　take　of　that　circumstance；　came　forward

to　assure　Fancywith　a　total　disregard　of　Dick's　emotions；　and　in

tones　which　were　certainly　not　frigidthat　he　（Shiner）　was　not　the

man　to　go　to　bed　before　seeing　his　Lady　Fair　safe　within　her　own

doornot　he；　nobody　should　say　he　was　that；and　that　he　would　not

leave　her　side　an　inch　till　the　thing　was　donedrown　him　if　he

would。　　The　proposal　was　assented　to　by　Miss　Day；　in　Dick's

foreboding　judgment；　with　one　degreeor　at　any　rate；　an　appreciable

fraction　of　a　degreeof　warmth　beyond　that　required　by　a

disinterested　desire　for　protection　from　the　dangers　of　the　night。



All　was　over；　and　Dick　surveyed　the　chair　she　had　last　occupied；

looking　now　like　a　setting　from　which　the　gem　has　been　torn。　　There

stood　her　glass；　and　the　romantic　teaspoonful　of　elder　wine　at　the

bottom　that　she　couldn't　drink　by　trying　ever　so　hard；　in　obedience

to　the　mighty　arguments　of　the　tranter　（his　hand　coming　down　upon

her　shoulder　the　while；　like　a　Nasmyth　hammer）；　but　the　drinker　was

there　no　longer。　　There　were　the　nine　or　ten　pretty　little　crumbs

she　had　left　on　her　plate；　but　the　eater　was　no　more　seen。



There　seemed　a　disagreeable　closeness　of　relationship　between

himself　and　the　members　of　his　family；　now　that　they　were　left　alone

again　face　to　face。　　His　father　seemed　quite　offensive　for　appearing

to　be　in　just　as　high　spirits　as　when　the　guests　were　there；　and　as

for　grandfather　James　（who　had　not　yet　left）；　he　was　quite　fiendish

in　being　rather　glad　they　were　gone。



〃Really；〃　said　the　tranter；　in　a　tone　of　placid　satisfaction；　〃I've

had　so　little　time　to　attend　to　myself　all　the　evenen；　that　I　mean

to　enjoy　a　quiet　meal　now！　　A　slice　of　this　here　hamneither　too

fat　nor　too　leanso；　and　then　a　drop　of　this　vinegar　and　pickles

there；　that's　itand　I　shall　be　as　fresh　as　a　lark　again！　　And　to

tell　the　truth；　my　sonny；　my　inside　has　been　as　dry　as　a　lime…basket

all　night。〃



〃I　like　a　party　very　well　once　in　a　while；〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy；　leaving

off　the　adorned　tones　she　had　been　bound　to　use　throughout　the

evening；　and　returning　to　the　natural　marriage　voice；　〃but；　Lord；

'tis　such　a　sight　of　heavy　work　next　day！　　What　with　the　dirty

plates；　and　knives　and　forks；　and　dust　and　smother；　and　bits　kicked

off　your　furniture；　and　I　don't　know　what　all；　why　a　body　could

a'most　wish　there　were　no　such　things　as　Christmases　。　。　。　Ah…h

dear！〃　she　yawned；　till　the　chock　in　the　corner　had　ticked　several

beats。　　She　cast　her　eyes　round　upon　the　displaced；　dust…laden

furniture；　and　sank　down　overpowered　at　the　sight。



〃Well；　I　be　getting　all　right　by　degrees；　thank　the　Lord　for't！〃

said　the　tranter　cheerfully　through　a　mangled　mass　of　ham　and　bread；

without　lifting　his　eyes　from　his　plate；　and　chopping　away　with　his

knife　and　fork　as　if　he　were　felling　trees。　　〃Ann；　you　may　as　well

go　on　to　bed　at　once；　and　not　bide　there　making　such　sleepy　faces；

you　look　as　long…favoured　as　a　fiddle；　upon　my　life；　Ann。　　There；

you　must　be　wearied　out；　'tis　true。　　I'll　do　the　doors　and　draw　up

the　clock；　and　you　go　on；　or　you'll　be　as　white　as　a　sheet　to…

morrow。〃



〃Ay；　I　don't　know　whether　I　shan't　or　no。〃　　The　matron　passed　her

hand　across　her　eyes　to　brush　away　the　film　of　sheep　till　she　got

upstairs。



Dick　wondered　how　it　was　that　when　people　were　married　they　could　be

so　blind　to　romance；　and　was　quite　certain　that　if　he　ever　took　to

wife　that　dear　impossible　Fancy；　he　and　she　would　never　be　so

dreadfully　practical　and　undemonstrative　of　the　Passion　as　his

father　and　mother　were。　　The　most　extraordinary　thing　was；　that　all

the　fathers　and　mothers　he　knew　were　just　as　undemonstrative　as　his

own。







CHAPTER　IX：　　DICK　CALLS　AT　THE　SCHOOL







The　early　days　of　the　year　drew　on；　and　Fancy；　having　spent　the

holiday　weeks　at　borne；　returned　again　to　Mellstock。



Every　spare　minute　of　the　week　following　her　return　was　used　by　Dick

in　accidentally　passing　the　schoolhouse　in　his　journeys　about　the

neighbourhood；　but　not　once　did　she　make　herself　visible。　　A

handkerchief　belonging　to　her　had　been　providentially　found　by　his

mother　in　clearing　the　rooms　the　day　after　that　of　the　dance；　and　by

much　contrivance　Dick　got　it　handed　over　to　him；　to　leave　with　her

at　any　time　he　should　be　near　the　school　after　her　return。　　But　he

delayed　taking　the　extreme　measure　of　calling　with　it　lest；　had　she

really　no　sentiment　of　interest　in　him；　it　might　be　regarded　as　a

slightly　absurd　errand；　the　reason　guessed；　and　the　sense　of　the

ludicrous；　which　was　rather　keen　in　her；　do　his　dignity　considerable

injury　in　her　eyes；　and　what　she　thought　of　him；　even　apart　from　the

question　of　her　loving；　was　all　the　world　to　him　now。



But　the　hour　came　when　the　patience　of　love　at　twenty…one　could

endure　no　longer。　　One　Saturday　he　approached　the　school　with　a　mild

air　of　indifference；　and　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　the　object

of　his　quest　at　the　further　end　of　her　garden；　trying；　by　the　aid　of

a　spade　and　gloves；　to　root　a　bramble　that　had　intruded　itself

there。



He　disguised　his　feelings　from　some　suspicious…looking　cottage…

windows　opposite　by　endeavouring　to　appear　like　a　man　in　a　great

hurry　of　business；　who　wished　to　leave　the　handkerchief　and　have

done　with　such　trifling　errands。



This　endeavour　signally　failed；　for　on　approaching　the　gate　he　found

it　locked　to　keep　the　children；　who　were　playing　'cross…dadder'　in

the　front；　from　running　into　her　private　grounds。



She　did　not　see　him；　and　he　could　only　think　of　one　thing　to　be

done；　which　was　to　shout　her　name。



〃Miss　Day！〃



The　words　were　uttered　with　a　jerk　and　a　look　meant　to　imply　to　the

cottages　opposite　that　he　was　now　simply　one　who　liked　shouting　as　a

pheasant　way　of　passing　his　time；　without　any　reference　to　persons

in　gardens。　　The　name　died　away；　and　the　unconscious　Miss　Day

continued　digging　and　pulling　as　before。



He　screwed　himself　up　to　enduring　the　cottage…windows　yet　more

stoically；　and　shouted　again。　　Fancy　took　no　notice　whatever。



He　shouted　the　third　time；　with　desperate　vehemence；　turning

suddenly　about　and　retiring　a　little　distance；　as　if　it　were　by　no

means　for　his　own　pleasure　that　he　had　come。



This　time　she　heard　him；　came　down　the　garden；　and