under the greenwood tree-第12章

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〃And　there's　this　here　man　never　letting　us　have　a　bit　o'　peace；　but

keeping　on　about　being　good　and　upright　till　'tis　carried　to　such　a

pitch　as　I　never　see　the　like　afore　nor　since！〃



〃No　sooner　had　he　got　here　than　he　found　the　font　wouldn't　hold

water；　as　it　hadn't　for　years　off　and　on；　and　when　I　told　him　that

Mr。　Grinham　never　minded　it；　but　used　to　spet　upon　his　vinger　and

christen　'em　just　as　well；　'a　said；　'Good　Heavens！　　Send　for　a

workman　immediate。　　What　place　have　I　come　to！'　　Which　was　no

compliment　to　us；　come　to　that。〃



〃Still；　for　my　part；〃　said　old　William；　〃though　he's　arrayed　against

us；　I　like　the　hearty　borussnorus　ways　of　the　new　pa'son。〃



〃You；　ready　to　die　for　the　quire；〃　said　Bowman　reproachfully；　〃to

stick　up　for　the　quire's　enemy；　William！〃



〃Nobody　will　feel　the　loss　of　our　church…work　so　much　as　I；〃　said

the　old　man　firmly；　〃that　you　d'all　know。　　I've　a…been　in　the　quire

man　and　boy　ever　since　I　was　a　chiel　of　eleven。　　But　for　all　that

'tisn't　in　me　to　call　the　man　a　bad　man；　because　I　truly　and

sincerely　believe　en　to　be　a　good　young　feller。〃



Some　of　the　youthful　sparkle　that　used　to　reside　there　animated

William's　eye　as　he　uttered　the　words；　and　a　certain　nobility　of

aspect　was　also　imparted　to　him　by　the　setting　sun；　which　gave　him　a

Titanic　shadow　at　least　thirty　feet　in　length；　stretching　away　to

the　east　in　outlines　of　imposing　magnitude；　his　head　finally

terminating　upon　the　trunk　of　a　grand　old　oak…tree。



〃Mayble's　a　hearty　feller　enough；〃　the　tranter　replied；　〃and　will

spak　to　you　be　you　dirty　or　be　you　clane。　　The　first　time　I　met　en

was　in　a　drong；　and　though　'a　didn't　know　me　no　more　than　the　dead；

'a　passed　the　time　of　day。　　'D'ye　do？'　he　said；　says　he；　nodding　his

head。　　'A　fine　day。'　　Then　the　second　time　I　met　en　was　full…buff　in

town　street；　when　my　breeches　were　tore　into　a　long　strent　by

getting　through　a　copse　of　thorns　and　brimbles　for　a　short　cut　home…

along；　and　not　wanting　to　disgrace　the　man　by　spaking　in　that　state；

I　fixed　my　eye　on　the　weathercock　to　let　en　pass　me　as　a　stranger。

But　no：　　'How　d'ye　do；　Reuben？'　says　he；　right　hearty；　and　shook　my

hand。　　If　I'd　been　dressed　in　silver　spangles　from　top　to　toe；　the

man　couldn't　have　been　civiller。〃



At　this　moment　Dick　was　seen　coming　up　the　village…street；　and　they

turned　and　watched　him。







CHAPTER　III：　　A　TURN　IN　THE　DISCUSSION







〃I'm　afraid　Dick's　a　lost　man；〃　said　the　tranter。



〃What？no！〃　said　Mail；　implying　by　his　manner　that　it　was　a　far

commoner　thing　for　his　ears　to　report　what　was　not　said　than　that

his　judgment　should　be　at　fault。



〃Ay；〃　said　the　tranter；　still　gazing　at　Dick's　unconscious　advance。

〃I　don't　at　all　like　what　I　see！　　There's　too　many　o'　them　looks　out

of　the　winder　without　noticing　anything；　too　much　shining　of　boots；

too　much　peeping　round　corners；　too　much　looking　at　the　clock；

telling　about　clever　things　SHE　did　till　you　be　sick　of　it；　and　then

upon　a　hint　to　that　effect　a　horrible　silence　about　her。　　I've

walked　the　path　once　in　my　life　and　know　the　country；　neighbours；

and　Dick's　a　lost　man！〃　　The　tranter　turned　a　quarter　round　and

smiled　a　smile　of　miserable　satire　at　the　setting　new　moon；　which

happened　to　catch　his　eye。



The　others　became　far　too　serious　at　this　announcement　to　allow　them

to　speak；　and　they　still　regarded　Dick　in　the　distance。



〃'Twas　his　mother's　fault；〃　the　tranter　continued；　〃in　asking　the

young　woman　to　our　party　last　Christmas。　　When　I　eyed　the　blue　frock

and　light　heels　o'　the　maid；　I　had　my　thoughts　directly。　　'God　bless

thee；　Dicky　my　sonny；'　I　said　to　myself；　'there's　a　delusion　for

thee！'〃



〃They　seemed　to　be　rather　distant　in　manner　last　Sunday；　I　thought？〃

Mail　tentatively　observed；　as　became　one　who　was　not　a　member　of　the

family。



〃Ay；　that's　a　part　of　the　zickness。　　Distance　belongs　to　it；　slyness

belongs　to　it；　queerest　things　on　earth　belongs　to　it！　　There；　'tmay

as　well　come　early　as　late　s'far　as　I　know。　　The　sooner　begun；　the

sooner　over；　for　come　it　will。〃



〃The　question　I　ask　is；〃　said　Mr。　Spinks；　connecting　into　one　thread

the　two　subjects　of　discourse；　as　became　a　man　learned　in　rhetoric；

and　beating　with　his　hand　in　a　way　which　signified　that　the　manner

rather　than　the　matter　of　his　speech　was　to　be　observed；　〃how　did

Mr。　Maybold　know　she　could　play　the　organ？　　You　know　we　had　it　from

her　own　lips；　as　far　as　hips　go；　that　she　has　never；　first　or　last；

breathed　such　a　thing　to　him；　much　less　that　she　ever　would　play。〃



In　the　midst　of　this　puzzle　Dick　joined　the　party；　and　the　news

which　had　caused　such　a　convulsion　among　the　ancient　musicians　was

unfolded　to　him。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　blushing　at　the　allusion　to　Miss

Day；　〃I　know　by　some　words　of　hers　that　she　has　a　particular　wish

not　to　play；　because　she　is　a　friend　of　ours；　and　how　the　alteration

comes；　I　don't　know。〃



〃Now；　this　is　my　plan；〃　said　the　tranter；　reviving　the　spirit　of　the

discussion　by　the　infusion　of　new　ideas；　as　was　his　custom〃this　is

my　plan；　if　you　don't　like　it；　no　harm's　done。　　We　all　know　one

another　very　well；　don't　we；　neighbours？〃



That　they　knew　one　another　very　well　was　received　as　a　statement

which；　though　familiar；　should　not　be　omitted　in　introductory

speeches。



〃Then　I　say　this〃and　the　tranter　in　his　emphasis　slapped　down　his

hand　on　Mr。　Spinks's　shoulder　with　a　momentum　of　several　pounds；

upon　which　Mr。　Spinks　tried　to　look　not　in　the　least　startled〃I

say　that　we　all　move　down…along　straight　as　a　line　to　Pa'son

Mayble's　when　the　clock　has　gone　six　to…morrow　night。　　There　we　one

and　all　stand　in　the　passage；　then　one　or　two　of　us　go　in　and　spak

to　en；　man　and　man；　and　say；　'Pa'son　Mayble；　every　tradesman　d'like

to　have　his　own　way　in　his　workshop；　and　Mellstock　Church　is　yours。

Instead　of　turning　us　out　neck　and　crop；　let　us　stay　on　till

Christmas；　and　we'll　gie　way　to　the　young　woman；　Mr。　Mayble；　and

make　no　more　ado　about　it。　　And　we　shall　always　be　quite　willing　to

touch　our　hats　when　we　meet　ye；　Mr。　Mayble；　just　as　before。'　　That

sounds　very　well？　　Hey？〃



〃Proper　well；　in　faith；　Reuben　Dewy。〃



〃And　we　won't　sit　down　in　his　house；　'twould　be　looking　too　familiar

when　only　just　reconciled？〃



〃No　need　at　all　to　sit　down。　　Just　do　our　duty　man　and　man；　turn

round；　and　march　outhe'll　think　all　the　more　of　us　for　it。〃



〃I　hardly　think　Leaf　had　better　go　wi'　us？〃　said　Michael；　turning　to

Leaf　and　taking　his　measure　from　top　to　bottom　by　the　eye。　　〃He's　so

terrible　silly　that　he　might　ruin　the　concern。〃



〃He　don't　want　to　go　much；　do　ye；　Thomas　Leaf？〃　said　William。



〃Hee…hee！　no；　I　don't　want　to。　　Only　a　teeny　bit！〃



〃I　be　mortal　afeard；　Leaf；　that　you'll　never　be　able　to　tell　how

many　cuts　d'take　to　sharpen　a　spar；〃　said　Mail。



〃I　never　had　no　head；　never！　that's　how　it　happened　to　happen；　hee…

hee！〃



They　all　assented　to　this；　not　with　any　sense　of　humiliating　Leaf　by

disparaging　him　after　an　open　confession；　but　because　it　was　an

accepted　thing　that　Leaf　didn't　in　the　least　mind　having　no　head；

that　deficiency　of　his　being　an　unimpassioned　matter　of　parish

history。



〃But　I　can　sing　my　treble！〃　continued　Thomas　Leaf；　quite　delighted

at　being　called　a　fool　in　such　a　friendly　way；　〃I　can　sing　my　treble

as　well　as　any　maid；　or　married　woman　either；　and　better！　　And　if

Jim　had　lived；　I　should　have　had　a　clever　brother！　　To…morrow　is

poor　Jim's　birthday。　　He'd　ha'　been　twenty…six　if　he'd　lived　till

to…morrow。〃



〃You　always　seem　very　sorry　for　Jim；〃　said　old　William　musingly。



〃Ah！　　I　do。　　Such　a　stay　to　mother　as　he'd　always　ha'　been！　　She'd

never　have　had　to　work　in　her　old　age　if　he　had　continued　strong；

poor　Jim！〃



〃What　was　his　age　when　'a　died？〃



〃Four　hours　and　twenty　minutes；　poor　Jim。　　'A　was　born　as　might　be

at　night；　and　'a　didn't　last　as　might　be　till　the　morning。　　No；　'a

didn't　last。　　Mother　called　en　Jim　on　the　day　that　would　ha'　been

his　christening　day　if　he　had　lived；　and　she's　always　thinking　about

en。　　You　see　he　died　so　very　young。〃



〃Well；　'twas　rather　youthful；〃　said　Michael。



〃Now　to　my　mind　that　woman　is　very　romantical　on　the　matter　o'

children？〃　said　the　tranter；　his　eye　sweeping　his　audience。



〃Ah；　well　she　mid　be；〃　said　Leaf。　　〃She　had　twelve　regular　one　after

another；　and　they　all；　except　myself；　died　very　young；　either　before

they　was　born　or　just　afterwards。〃



〃Pore　feller；　too。　　I　suppose　th'st　want　to　come　wi'　us？〃　the

tranter　murmured。



〃Well；　Leaf；　you　shall　come　wi'　us　as　yours　is　such　a　melancholy

family；〃　said　old　William　rather　sadly。



〃I　never　see　such　a　melancholy　family　as　that　afore　in　my　life；〃

said　Reuben。　　〃There's　Leaf's　mother；　poor　woman！　　Every　morning　I

see　her　eyes　mooning　out　through　the　panes　of　glass　like　a　pot…sick

winder…flower；　and　as　Leaf　sings　a　very　high　treble；　and　we　don't

know　what　we　should　do　without　en　for　upper　G；　we'll　let　en　come　as

a　trate；　poor　feller。〃



〃Ay；　we'll　let　en　come；　'a　b'lieve；〃　said　Mr。　Penny；　looking　up；　as

the　pull　happened　to　be　at　that　moment。



〃Now；〃　continued　the　tranter；　dispersing　by　a　new　tone　of　voice

these　digressions　about　Leaf；　〃as　to　going　to　see　the　pa'son；　one　of

us　might　call　and　ask　en　his　meaning；　and　'twould　be　just　as　well

done；　but　it　will　add　a　bit　of　flourish　to　the　cause　if　the　quire

waits　on　him　as　a　body。　　Then　the　great　thing　to　mind　is；　not　for

any　of　our　fellers　to　be　nervous；　so　before　starting　we'll　one　and

all　come　to　my　house　and　have　a　rasher　of　bacon；　then　every　man…jack

het　a　pint　of　cider　into　his　inside；　then　we'll　warm　up　an　extra

drop　wi'　some　mead　and　a　bit　of　ginger；　every　one　take　a　thimbleful…

…just　a　glimmer　of　a　drop；　mind　ye；　no　more；　to　finish　off　his　inner

manand　march　off　to　Pa'son　Mayble。　　Why；　sonnies；　a　man's　not

himself　till　he　is　fortified　wi'　a　bit　and　a　drop？　　We　shall　be　able

to　look　any　gentleman　in　the　face　then　without　shrink　or　shame。〃



Mail　recovered　from　a　deep　meditation　and　downward　glance　into　the

earth　in　time　to　give　a　cordial　approval　to　this　line　of　action；　and

the　meeting　adjourned。







CHAPTER　IV：　　INTERVIEW　WITH　THE　VICAR







At　six　o'clock　the　next　day；　the　whole　body　of　men　in　the　choir

emerged　from　the　tranter's　door；　and　advanced　with　a　firm　step　down

the　lane。　　This　dignity　of　march　gradually　became　obliterated　as

they　went　on；　and　by　the　time　they　reached　the　hill　behind　the

vicarage　a　faint　resemblance　to　a　flock　of　sheep　might　have　been

discerned　in　the　venerable　party。　　A　word　from　the　tranter；　however；

set　them　right　again；　and　as　they　descended　the　hill；　the　regular

tramp；　tramp；　tramp　of　the　united　feet　was　clearly　audible　from　the

vicarage　garden。　　At　the　opening　of　the　gate　there　was　another　short

interval　of　irregular　shuffling；　cause