under the greenwood tree-第18章

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〃Th'st　hauled　her　back；　I　suppose？〃　Reuben　inquired　peaceably。



〃Yes；〃　said　Dick；　with　such　a　clinching　period　at　the　end　that　it

seemed　he　was　never　going　to　add　another　word。　　Smiler；　thinking

this　the　close　of　the　conversation；　prepared　to　move　on。



〃Weh…hey！〃　said　the　tranter。　　〃I　tell　thee　what　it　is；　Dick。　　That

there　maid　is　taking　up　thy　thoughts　more　than's　good　for　thee；　my

sonny。　　Thou'rt　never　happy　now　unless　th'rt　making　thyself

miserable　about　her　in　one　way　or　another。〃



〃I　don't　know　about　that；　father；〃　said　Dick　rather　stupidly。



〃But　I　doWey；　Smiler！'Od　rot　the　women；　'tis　nothing　else　wi'

'em　nowadays　but　getting　young　men　and　leading　'em　astray。〃



〃Pooh；　father！　you　just　repeat　what　all　the　common　world　says；

that's　all　you　do。〃



〃The　world's　a　very　sensible　feller　on　things　in　jineral；　Dick；　very

sensible　indeed。〃



Dick　looked　into　the　distance　at　a　vast　expanse　of　mortgaged　estate。

〃I　wish　I　was　as　rich　as　a　squire　when　he's　as　poor　as　a　crow；〃　he

murmured；　〃I'd　soon　ask　Fancy　something。〃



〃I　wish　so　too；　wi'　all　my　heart；　sonny；　that　I　do。　　Well；　mind　what

beest　about；　that's　all。〃



Smart　moved　on　a　step　or　two。　　〃Supposing　now；　father；We…hey；

Smart！I　did　think　a　little　about　her；　and　I　had　a　chance；　which　I

ha'n't；　don't　you　think　she's　a　very　good　sort　ofofone？〃



〃Ay；　good；　she's　good　enough。　　When　you've　made　up　your　mind　to

marry；　take　the　first　respectable　body　that　comes　to　handshe's　as

good　as　any　other；　they　be　all　alike　in　the　groundwork；　'tis　only　in

the　flourishes　there's　a　difference。　　She's　good　enough；　but　I　can't

see　what　the　nation　a　young　feller　like　youwi　a　comfortable　house

and　home；　and　father　and　mother　to　take　care　o'　thee；　and　who　sent

'ee　to　a　school　so　good　that　'twas　hardly　fair　to　the　other

childrenshould　want　to　go　hollering　after　a　young　woman　for；　when

she's　quietly　making　a　husband　in　her　pocket；　and　not　troubled　by

chick　nor　chiel；　to　make　a　poverty…stric'　wife　and　family　of　her；

and　neither　hat；　cap；　wig；　nor　waistcoat　to　set　'em　up　with：　　be

drowned　if　I　can　see　it；　and　that's　the　long　and　the　short　o't；　my

sonny。〃



Dick　looked　at　Smart's　ears；　then　up　the　hill；　but　no　reason　was

suggested　by　any　object　that　met　his　gaze。



〃For　about　the　same　reason　that　you　did；　father；　I　suppose。〃



〃Dang　it；　my　sonny；　thou'st　got　me　there！〃　　And　the　tranter　gave

vent　to　a　grim　admiration；　with　the　mien　of　a　man　who　was　too

magnanimous　not　to　appreciate　artistically　a　slight　rap　on　the

knuckles；　even　if　they　were　his　own。



〃Whether　or　no；〃　said　Dick；　〃I　asked　her　a　thing　going　along　the

road。〃



〃Come　to　that；　is　it？　　Turk！　won't　thy　mother　be　in　a　taking！　　Well；

she's　ready；　I　don't　doubt？〃



〃I　didn't　ask　her　anything　about　having　me；　and　if　you'll　let　me

speak；　I'll　tell　'ee　what　I　want　to　know。　　I　just　said；　Did　she　care

about　me？〃



〃Piph…ph…ph！〃



〃And　then　she　said　nothing　for　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　and　then　she

said　she　didn't　know。　　Now；　what　I　want　to　know　is；　what　was　the

meaning　of　that　speech？〃　　The　latter　words　were　spoken　resolutely；

as　if　he　didn't　care　for　the　ridicule　of　all　the　fathers　in

creation。



〃The　meaning　of　that　speech　is；〃　the　tranter　replied　deliberately；

〃that　the　meaning　is　meant　to　be　rather　hid　at　present。　　Well；　Dick；

as　an　honest　father　to　thee；　I　don't　pretend　to　deny　what　you　d'know

well　enough；　that　is；　that　her　father　being　rather　better　in　the

pocket　than　we；　I　should　welcome　her　ready　enough　if　it　must　be

somebody。〃



〃But　what　d'ye　think　she　really　did　mean？〃　said　the　unsatisfied

Dick。



〃I'm　afeard　I　am　not　o'　much　account　in　guessing；　especially　as　I

was　not　there　when　she　said　it；　and　seeing　that　your　mother　was　the

only　'ooman　I　ever　cam'　into　such　close　quarters　as　that　with。〃



〃And　what　did　mother　say　to　you　when　you　asked　her？〃　said　Dick

musingly。



〃I　don't　see　that　that　will　help　'ee。〃



〃The　principle　is　the　same。〃



〃Wellay：　　what　did　she　say？　　Let's　see。　　I　was　oiling　my　working…

day　boots　without　taking　'em　off；　and　wi'　my　head　hanging　down；　when

she　just　brushed　on　by　the　garden　hatch　like　a　flittering　leaf。

〃Ann；〃　I　said；　says　I；　and　then；but；　Dick　I'm　afeard　'twill　be　no

help　to　thee；　for　we　were　such　a　rum　couple；　your　mother　and　I；

leastways　one　half　was；　that　is　myselfand　your　mother's　charms　was

more　in　the　manner　than　the　material。〃



〃Never　mind！　〃Ann；〃　said　you。〃



〃'Ann；'　said　I；　as　I　was　saying　。　。　。　'Ann；'　I　said　to　her　when　I

was　oiling　my　working…day　boots　wi'　my　head　hanging　down；　'Woot　hae

me？'　。　。　。　What　came　next　I　can't　quite　call　up　at　this　distance　o'

time。　　Perhaps　your　mother　would　know；she's　got　a　better　memory

for　her　little　triumphs　than　I。　　However；　the　long　and　the　short　o'

the　story　is　that　we　were　married　somehow；　as　I　found　afterwards。

'Twas　on　White　Tuesday；Mellstock　Club　walked　the　same　day；　every

man　two　and　two；　and　a　fine　day　'twas；hot　as　fire；how　the　sun

did　strike　down　upon　my　back　going　to　church！　　I　well　can　mind　what

a　bath　o'　sweating　I　was　in；　body　and　soul！　　But　Fance　will　ha'

thee；　Dickshe　won't　walk　with　another　chapno　such　good　luck。〃



〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　said　Dick；　whipping　at　Smart's　flank　in　a

fanciful　way；　which；　as　Smart　knew；　meant　nothing　in　connection　with

going　on。　　〃There's　Pa'son　Maybold；　toothat's　all　against　me。〃



〃What　about　he？　　She's　never　been　stuffing　into　thy　innocent　heart

that　he's　in　hove　with　her？　　Lord；　the　vanity　o'　maidens！〃



〃No；　no。　　But　he　called；　and　she　looked　at　him　in　such　a　way；　and　at

me　in　such　a　wayquite　different　the　ways　were；and　as　I　was

coming　off；　there　was　he　hanging　up　her　birdcage。〃



〃Well；　why　shouldn't　the　man　hang　up　her　bird…cage？　　Turk　seize　it

all；　what's　that　got　to　do　wi'　it？　　Dick；　that　thou　beest　a　white…

lyvered　chap　I　don't　say；　but　if　thou　beestn't　as　mad　as　a　cappel…

faced　bull；　let　me　smile　no　more。〃



〃O；　ay。〃



〃And　what's　think　now；　Dick？〃



〃I　don't　know。〃



〃Here's　another　pretty　kettle　o'　fish　for　thee。　　Who　d'ye　think's

the　bitter　weed　in　our　being　turned　out？　　Did　our　party　tell　'ee？〃



〃No。　　Why；　Pa'son　Maybold；　I　suppose。〃



〃Shiner；because　he's　in　love　with　thy　young　woman；　and　d'want　to

see　her　young　figure　sitting　up　at　that　queer　instrument；　and　her

young　fingers　rum…strumming　upon　the　keys。〃



A　sharp　ado　of　sweet　and　bitter　was　going　on　in　Dick　during　this

communication　from　his　father。　　〃Shiner's　a　fool！no；　that's　not

it；　I　don't　believe　any　such　thing；　father。　　Why；　Shiner　would　never

take　a　bold　step　like　that；　unless　she'd　been　a　little　made　up　to；

and　had　taken　it　kindly。　　Pooh！〃



〃Who's　to　say　she　didn't？〃



〃I　do。〃



〃The　more　fool　you。〃



〃Why；　father　of　me？〃



〃Has　she　ever　done　more　to　thee？〃



〃No。〃



〃Then　she　has　done　as　much　to　herot　'em！　　Now；　Dick；　this　is　how　a

maid　is。　　She'll　swear　she's　dying　for　thee；　and　she　is　dying　for

thee；　and　she　will　die　for　thee；　but　she'll　fling　a　look　over

t'other　shoulder　at　another　young　feller；　though　never　leaving　off

dying　for　thee　just　the　same。〃



〃She's　not　dying　for　me；　and　so　she　didn't　fling　a　look　at　him。〃



〃But　she　may　be　dying　for　him；　for　she　looked　at　thee。〃



〃I　don't　know　what　to　make　of　it　at　all；〃　said　Dick　gloomily。



〃All　I　can　make　of　it　is；〃　the　tranter　said；　raising　his　whip；

arranging　his　different　joints　and　muscles；　and　motioning　to　the

horse　to　move　on；　〃that　if　you　can't　read　a　maid's　mind　by　her

motions；　nature　d'seem　to　say　thou'st　ought　to　be　a　bachelor。　　Clk；

clk！　　Smiler！〃　　And　the　tranter　moved　on。



Dick　held　Smart's　rein　firmly；　and　the　whole　concern　of　horse；　cart；

and　man　remained　rooted　in　the　lane。　　Hew　long　this　condition　would

have　lasted　is　unknown；　had　not　Dick's　thoughts；　after　adding　up

numerous　items　of　misery；　gradually　wandered　round　to　the　fact　that

as　something　must　be　done；　it　could　not　be　done　by　staying　there　all

night。



Reaching　home　he　went　up　to　his　bedroom；　shut　the　door　as　if　he　were

going　to　be　seen　no　more　in　this　life；　and　taking　a　sheet　of　paper

and　uncorking　the　ink…bottle；　he　began　a　letter。　　The　dignity　of　the

writer's　mind　was　so　powerfully　apparent　in　every　line　of　this

effusion　that　it　obscured　the　logical　sequence　of　facts　and

intentions　to　an　appreciable　degree；　and　it　was　not　at　all　clear　to

a　reader　whether　he　there　and　then　left　off　loving　Miss　Fancy　Day；

whether　he　had　never　loved　her　seriously；　and　never　meant　to；

whether　he　had　been　dying　up　to　the　present　moment；　and　now　intended

to　get　well　again；　or　whether　he　had　hitherto　been　in　good　health；

and　intended　to　die　for　her　forthwith。



He　put　this　letter　in　an　envelope；　sealed　it　up；　directed　it　in　a

stern　handwriting　of　straight　dasheseasy　flourishes　being

rigorously　excluded。　　He　walked　with　it　in　his　pocket　down　the　lane

in　strides　not　an　inch　less　than　three　feet　long。　　Reaching　her　gate

he　put　on　a　resolute　expressionthen　put　it　off　again；　turned　back

homeward；　tore　up　his　letter；　and　sat　down。



That　letter　was　altogether　in　a　wrong　tonethat　he　must　own。　　A

heartless　man…of…the…world　tone　was　what　the　juncture　required。

That　he　rather　wanted　her；　and　rather　did　not　want　herthe　latter

for　choice；　hut　that　as　a　member　of　society　he　didn't　mind　making　a

query　in　jaunty　terms；　which　could　only　be　answered　in　the　same　way：

did　she　mean　anything　by　her　bearing　towards　him；　or　did　she　not？



This　letter　was　considered　so　satisfactory　in　every　way　that；　being

put　into　the　hands　of　a　little　boy；　and　the　order　given　that　he　was

to　run　with　it　to　the　school；　he　was　told　in　addition　not　to　look

behind　him　if　Dick　called　after　him　to　bring　it　hack；　but　to　run

along　with　it　just　the　same。　　Having　taken　this　precaution　against

vacillation；　Dick　watched　his　messenger　down　the　road；　and　turned

into　the　house　whistling　an　air　in　such　ghastly　jerks　and　starts；

that　whistling　seemed　to　be　the　act　the　very　furthest　removed　from

that　which　was　instinctive　in　such　a　youth。



The　letter　was　left　as　ordered：　　the　next　morning　came　and　passed

and　no　answer。　　The　next。　　The　next。　　Friday　night　came。　　Dick

resolved　that　if　no　answer　or　sign　were　given　by　her　the　next　day；

on　Sunday　he　would　meet　her　face　to　face；　and　have　it　all　out　by

word　of　mouth。



〃Dick；〃　said　his　father；　coming　in　from　the　garden　at　that　moment

in　each　hand　a　hive　of　bees　tied　in　a　cloth　to　prevent　their　egress…

…〃I　think　you'd　better　take　these　two　swarms　of　bees　to　Mrs。

Maybold's　to…morrow；　instead　o'　me；　and　I'll　go　wi'　Smiler　and　the

wagon。〃



It　was　a　relief；　for　Mrs。　Maybold；　the　vicar's　mother；　who　had　just

taken　into　her　head　a　fancy　for　keeping　bees　（pleasantly　disguised

under　the　pretence　of　its　being　an　economical　wish　to　produce　her

own　honey）；　lived　near　the　watering…place　of　Budmouth…Regis；　ten