under the greenwood tree-第13章

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interval　of　irregular　shuffling；　caused　by　a　rather　peculiar　habit

the　gate　had；　when　swung　open　quickly；　of　striking　against　the　bank

and　slamming　back　into　the　opener's　face。



〃Now　keep　step　again；　will　ye？〃　said　the　tranter。　　〃It　looks　better；

and　more　becomes　the　high　class　of　arrant　which　has　brought　us

here。〃　　Thus　they　advanced　to　the　door。



At　Reuben's　ring　the　more　modest　of　the　group　turned　aside；　adjusted

their　hats；　and　looked　critically　at　any　shrub　that　happened　to　lie

in　the　line　of　vision；　endeavouring　thus　to　give　a　person　who

chanced　to　look　out　of　the　windows　the　impression　that　their

request；　whatever　it　was　going　to　be；　was　rather　a　casual　thought

occurring　whilst　they　were　inspecting　the　vicar's　shrubbery　and

grass…plot　than　a　predetermined　thing。　　The　tranter；　who；　coming

frequently　to　the　vicarage　with　luggage；　coals；　firewood；　etc。；　had

none　of　the　awe　for　its　precincts　that　filled　the　breasts　of　most　of

the　others；　fixed　his　eyes　firmly　on　the　knocker　during　this

interval　of　waiting。　　The　knocker　having　no　characteristic　worthy　of

notice；　he　relinquished　it　for　a　knot　in　one　of　the　door…panels；　and

studied　the　winding　lines　of　the　grain。



〃O；　sir；　please；　here's　Tranter　Dewy；　and　old　William　Dewy；　and

young　Richard　Dewy；　O；　and　all　the　quire　too；　sir；　except　the　boys；

a…come　to　see　you！〃　said　Mr。　Maybold's　maid…servant　to　Mr。　Maybold；

the　pupils　of　her　eyes　dilating　like　circles　in　a　pond。



〃All　the　choir？〃　said　the　astonished　vicar　（who　may　be　shortly

described　as　a　good…looking　young　man　with　courageous　eyes；　timid

mouth；　and　neutral　nose）；　abandoning　his　writing　and　looking　at　his

parlour…maid　after　speaking；　like　a　man　who　fancied　he　had　seen　her

face　before　but　couldn't　recollect　where。



〃And　they　looks　very　firm；　and　Tranter　Dewy　do　turn　neither　to　the

right　hand　nor　to　the　left；　but　stares　quite　straight　and　solemn

with　his　mind　made　up！〃



〃O；　all　the　choir；〃　repeated　the　vicar　to　himself；　trying　by　that

simple　device　to　trot　out　his　thoughts　on　what　the　choir　could　come

for。



〃Yes；　every　man…jack　of　'em；　as　I　be　alive！〃　　（The　parlour…maid　was

rather　local　in　manner；　having　in　fact　been　raised　in　the　same

village。）　　〃Really；　sir；　'tis　thoughted　by　many　in　town　and　country

that〃



〃Town　and　country！Heavens；　I　had　no　idea　that　I　was　public

property　in　this　way！〃　said　the　vicar；　his　face　acquiring　a　hue

somewhere　between　that　of　the　rose　and　the　peony。　　〃Well；　'It　is

thought　in　town　and　country　that'〃



〃It　is　thought　that　you　be　going　to　get　it　hot　and　strongexcusen

my　incivility；　sir。〃



The　vicar　suddenly　recalled　to　his　recollection　that　he　had　long　ago

settled　it　to　be　decidedly　a　mistake　to　encourage　his　servant　Jane

in　giving　personal　opinions。　　The　servant　Jane　saw　by　the　vicar's

face　that　he　recalled　this　fact　to　his　mind；　and　removing　her

forehead　from　the　edge　of　the　door；　and　rubbing　away　the　indent　that

edge　had　made；　vanished　into　the　passage　as　Mr。　Maybold　remarked；

〃Show　them　in；　Jane。〃



A　few　minutes　later　a　shuffling　and　jostling　（reduced　to　as　refined

a　form　as　was　compatible　with　the　nature　of　shuffles　and　jostles）

was　heard　in　the　passage；　then　an　earnest　and　prolonged　wiping　of

shoes；　conveying　the　notion　that　volumes　of　mud　had　to　be　removed；

but　the　roads　being　so　clean　that　not　a　particle　of　dirt　appeared　on

the　choir's　boots　（those　of　all　the　elder　members　being　newly　oiled；

and　Dick's　brightly　polished）；　this　wiping　might　have　been　set　down

simply　as　a　desire　to　show　that　respectable　men　had　no　wish　to　take

a　mean　advantage　of　clean　roads　for　curtailing　proper　ceremonies。

Next　there　came　a　powerful　whisper　from　the　same　quarter：…



〃Now　stand　stock…still　there；　my　sonnies；　one　and　all！　　And　don't

make　no　noise；　and　keep　your　backs　close　to　the　wall；　that　company

may　pass　in　and　out　easy　if　they　want　to　without　squeezing　through

ye：　　and　we　two　are　enough　to　go　in。〃　。　。　。　The　voice　was　the

tranter's。



〃I　wish　I　could　go　in　too　and　see　the　sight！〃　said　a　reedy　voice

that　of　Leaf。



〃'Tis　a　pity　Leaf　is　so　terrible　silly；　or　else　he　might；〃　said

another。



〃I　never　in　my　life　seed　a　quire　go　into　a　study　to　have　it　out

about　the　playing　and　singing；〃　pleaded　Leaf；　〃and　I　should　like　to

see　it　just　once！〃



〃Very　well；　we'll　let　en　come　in；〃　said　the　tranter。　　〃You'll　be

like　chips　in　porridge；　｛1｝　Leafneither　good　nor　hurt。　　All　right；

my　sonny；　come　along；〃　and　immediately　himself；　old　William；　and

Leaf　appeared　in　the　room。



〃We　took　the　liberty　to　come　and　see　'ee；　sir；〃　said　Reuben；　letting

his　hat　hang　in　his　left　hand；　and　touching　with　his　right　the　brim

of　an　imaginary　one　on　his　head。　　〃We've　come　to　see　'ee；　sir；　man

and　man；　and　no　offence；　I　hope？〃



〃None　at　all；〃　said　Mr。　Maybold。



〃This　old　aged　man　standing　by　my　side　is　father；　William　Dewy　by

name；　sir。〃



〃Yes；　I　see　it　is；〃　said　the　vicar；　nodding　aside　to　old　William；

who　smiled。



〃I　thought　you　mightn't　know　en　without　his　bass…viol；〃　the　tranter

apologized。　　〃You　see；　he　always　wears　his　best　clothes　and　his

bass…viol　a…Sundays；　and　it　do　make　such　a　difference　in　a'　old

man's　look。〃



〃And　who's　that　young　man？〃　the　vicar　said。



〃Tell　the　pa'son　yer　name；〃　said　the　tranter；　turning　to　Leaf；　who

stood　with　his　elbows　nailed　back　to　a　bookcase。



〃Please；　Thomas　Leaf；　your　holiness！〃　said　Leaf；　trembling。



〃I　hope　you'll　excuse　his　looks　being　so　very　thin；〃　continued　the

tranter　deprecatingly；　turning　to　the　vicar　again。　　〃But　'tisn't　his

fault；　poor　feller。　　He's　rather　silly　by　nature；　and　could　never

get　fat；　though　he's　a'　excellent　treble；　and　so　we　keep　him　on。〃



〃I　never　had　no　head；　sir；〃　said　Leaf；　eagerly　grasping　at　this

opportunity　for　being　forgiven　his　existence。



〃Ah；　poor　young　man！〃　said　Mr。　Maybold。



〃Bless　you；　he　don't　mind　it　a　bit；　if　you　don't；　sir；〃　said　the

tranter　assuringly。　　〃Do　ye；　Leaf？〃



〃Not　Inot　a　morselhee；　hee！　　I　was　afeard　it　mightn't　please

your　holiness；　sir；　that's　all。〃



The　tranter；　finding　Leaf　get　on　so　very　well　through　his　negative

qualities；　was　tempted　in　a　fit　of　generosity　to　advance　him　still

higher；　by　giving　him　credit　for　positive　ones。　　〃He's　very　clever

for　a　silly　chap；　good…now；　sir。　　You　never　knowed　a　young　feller

keep　his　smock…frocks　so　clane；　very　honest　too。　　His　ghastly　looks

is　all　there　is　against　en；　poor　feller；　but　we　can't　help　our

looks；　you　know；　sir。〃



〃True：　　we　cannot。　　You　live　with　your　mother；　I　think；　Leaf？〃



The　tranter　looked　at　Leaf　to　express　that　the　most　friendly

assistant　to　his　tongue　could　do　no　more　for　him　now；　and　that　he

must　be　left　to　his　own　resources。



〃Yes；　sir：　　a　widder；　sir。　　Ah；　if　brother　Jim　had　lived　she'd　have

had　a　clever　son　to　keep　her　without　work！〃



〃Indeed！　poor　woman。　　Give　her　this　half…crown。　　I'll　call　and　see

your　mother。〃



〃Say；　'Thank　you；　sir；'〃　the　tranter　whispered　imperatively　towards

Leaf。



〃Thank　you；　sir！〃　said　Leaf。



〃That's　it；　then；　sit　down；　Leaf；〃　said　Mr。　Maybold。



〃Y…yes；　sir！〃



The　tranter　cleared　his　throat　after　this　accidental　parenthesis

about　Leaf；　rectified　his　bodily　position；　and　began　his　speech。



〃Mr。　Mayble；〃　he　said；　〃I　hope　you'll　excuse　my　common　way；　but　I

always　like　to　look　things　in　the　face。〃



Reuben　made　a　point　of　fixing　this　sentence　in　the　vicar's　mind　by

gazing　hard　at　him　at　the　conclusion　of　it；　and　then　out　of　the

window。



Mr。　Maybold　and　old　William　looked　in　the　same　direction；　apparently

under　the　impression　that　the　things'　faces　alluded　to　were　there

visible。



〃What　I　have　been　thinking〃the　tranter　implied　by　this　use　of　the

past　tense　that　he　was　hardly　so　discourteous　as　to　be　positively

thinking　it　then〃is　that　the　quire　ought　to　be　gie'd　a　little

time；　and　not　done　away　wi'　till　Christmas；　as　a　fair　thing　between

man　and　man。　　And；　Mr。　Mayble；　I　hope　you'll　excuse　my　common　way？〃



〃I　will；　I　will。　　Till　Christmas；〃　the　vicar　murmured；　stretching

the　two　words　to　a　great　length；　as　if　the　distance　to　Christmas

might　be　measured　in　that　way。　　〃Well；　I　want　you　all　to　understand

that　I　have　no　personal　fault　to　find；　and　that　I　don't　wish　to

change　the　church　music　by　forcible　means；　or　in　a　way　which　should

hurt　the　feelings　of　any　parishioners。　　Why　I　have　at　last　spoken

definitely　on　the　subject　is　that　a　player　has　been　brought　underI

may　say　pressed　uponmy　notice　several　times　by　one　of　the

churchwardens。　　And　as　the　organ　I　brought　with　me　is　here　waiting〃

（pointing　to　a　cabinet…organ　standing　in　the　study）；　〃there　is　no

reason　for　longer　delay。〃



〃We　made　a　mistake　I　suppose　then；　sir？　　But　we　understood　the　young

woman　didn't　want　to　play　particularly？〃　　The　tranter　arranged　his

countenance　to　signify　that　he　did　not　want　to　be　inquisitive　in　the

least。



〃No；　nor　did　she。　　Nor　did　I　definitely　wish　her　to　just　yet；　for

your　playing　is　very　good。　　But；　as　I　said；　one　of　the　churchwardens

has　been　so　anxious　for　a　change；　that；　as　matters　stand；　I　couldn't

consistently　refuse　my　consent。〃



Now　for　some　reason　or　other；　the　vicar　at　this　point　seemed　to　have

an　idea　that　he　had　prevaricated；　and　as　an　honest　vicar；　it　was　a

thing　he　determined　not　to　do。　　He　corrected　himself；　blushing　as　he

did　so；　though　why　he　should　blush　was　not　known　to　Reuben。



〃Understand　me　rightly；〃　he　said：　　〃the　church…warden　proposed　it　to

me；　but　I　had　thought　myself　of　gettingMiss　Day　to　play。〃



〃Which　churchwarden　might　that　be　who　proposed　her；　sir？excusing

my　common　way。〃　　The　tranter　intimated　by　his　tone　that；　so　far　from

being　inquisitive；　he　did　not　even　wish　to　ask　a　single　question。



〃Mr。　Shiner；　I　believe。〃



〃Clk；　my　sonny！beg　your　pardon；　sir；　that's　only　a　form　of　words

of　mine；　and　slipped　out　accidentalhe　nourishes　enmity　against　us

for　some　reason　or　another；　perhaps　because　we　played　rather　hard

upon　en　Christmas　night。　　Anyhow　'tis　certain　sure　that　Mr。　Shiner's

real　love　for　music　of　a　particular　kind　isn't　his　reason。　　He've　no

more　ear　than　that　chair。　　But　let　that　be。〃



〃I　don't　think　you　should　conclude　that；　because　Mr。　Shiner　wants　a

different　music；　he　has　any　ill…feeling　for　you。　　I　myself；　I　must

own；　prefer　organ…music　to　any　other。　　I　consider　it　most　proper；

and　feel　justified　in　endeavouring　to　introduce　it；　but　then；

although　other　music　is　better；　I　don't　say　yours　is　not　good。〃



〃Well　then；　Mr。　Mayble；　since　death's　to　be；　we'll　die　like　men　any

day　you　name　（excusing　my　common　way）。〃



Mr。　Maybold　bowed　his　head。



〃All　we　thought　was；　that　for　us　old　ancient　singers　to　be　choked

off　quiet　at　no　time　in　particular；　as　now；　in　the　Sundays　after

Easter；　would　seem　rather　mean　in　the　eyes　of　other　parishes；　sir。

But　if　we　fell　glorious　with