under the greenwood tree-第20章

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panels　glared　like　mirrors　in　Dick　and　Fancy's　eyes。　　The　driver；

and　owner　as　it　appeared；　was　really　a　handsome　man；　his　companion

was　Shiner。　　Both　turned　round　as　they　passed　Dick　and　Fancy；　and

stared　with　bold　admiration　in　her　face　till　they　were　obliged　to

attend　to　the　operation　of　passing　the　farmer。　　Dick　glanced　for　an

instant　at　Fancy　while　she　was　undergoing　their　scrutiny；　then

returned　to　his　driving　with　rather　a　sad　countenance。



〃Why　are　you　so　silent？〃　she　said；　after　a　while；　with　real　concern。



〃Nothing。〃



〃Yes；　it　is；　Dick。　　I　couldn't　help　those　people　passing。〃



〃I　know　that。〃



〃You　look　offended　with　me。　　What　have　I　done？〃



〃I　can't　tell　without　offending　you。〃



〃Better　out。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Dick；　who　seemed　longing　to　tell；　even　at　the　risk　of

offending　her；　〃I　was　thinking　how　different　you　in　love　are　from　me

in　love。　　Whilst　those　men　were　staring；　you　dismissed　me　from　your

thoughts　altogether；　and〃



〃You　can't　offend　me　further　now；　tell　all！〃



〃And　showed　upon　your　face　a　pleased　sense　of　being　attractive　to

'em。〃



〃Don't　be　silly；　Dick！　　You　know　very　well　I　didn't。〃



Dick　shook　his　head　sceptically；　and　smiled。



〃Dick；　I　always　believe　flattery　IF　POSSIBLEand　it　was　possible

then。　　Now　there's　an　open　confession　of　weakness。　　But　I　showed　no

consciousness　of　it。〃



Dick；　perceiving　by　her　look　that　she　would　adhere　to　her　statement；

charitably　forbore　saying　anything　that　could　make　her　prevaricate。

The　sight　of　Shiner；　too；　had　recalled　another　branch　of　the　subject

to　his　mind；　that　which　had　been　his　greatest　trouble　till　her

company　and　words　had　obscured　its　probability。



〃By　the　way；　Fancy；　do　you　know　why　our　quire　is　to　be　dismissed？〃



〃No：　　except　that　it　is　Mr。　Maybold's　wish　for　me　to　play　the

organ。〃



〃Do　you　know　how　it　came　to　be　his　wish？〃



〃That　I　don't。〃



〃Mr。　Shiner；　being　churchwarden；　has　persuaded　the　vicar；　who；

however；　was　willing　enough　before。　　Shiner；　I　know；　is　crazy　to　see

you　playing　every　Sunday；　I　suppose　he'll　turn　over　your　music；　for

the　organ　will　be　close　to　his　pew。　　ButI　know　you　have　never

encouraged　him？〃



〃Never　once！〃　said　Fancy　emphatically；　and　with　eyes　full　of　earnest

truth。　　〃I　don't　like　him　indeed；　and　I　never　heard　of　his　doing

this　before！　　I　have　always　felt　that　I　should　like　to　play　in　a

church；　but　I　never　wished　to　turn　you　and　your　choir　out；　and　I

never　even　said　that　I　could　play　till　I　was　asked。　　You　don't　think

for　a　moment　that　I　did；　surely；　do　you？〃



〃I　know　you　didn't；　dear。〃



〃Or　that　I　care　the　least　morsel　of　a　bit　for　him？〃



〃I　know　you　don't。〃



The　distance　between　Budmouth　and　Mellstock　was　ten　or　eleven　miles；

and　there　being　a　good　inn；　〃The　Ship；〃　four　miles　out　of　Budmouth；

with　a　mast　and　cross…trees　in　front；　Dick's　custom　in　driving

thither　was　to　divide　the　journey　into　three　stages　by　resting　at

this　inn　going　and　coming；　and　not　troubling　the　Budmouth　stables　at

all；　whenever　his　visit　to　the　town　was　a　mere　call　and　deposit；　as

to…day。



Fancy　was　ushered　into　a　little　tea…room；　and　Dick　went　to　the

stables　to　see　to　the　feeding　of　Smart。　　In　face　of　the　significant

twitches　of　feature　that　were　visible　in　the　ostler　and　labouring

men　idling　around；　Dick　endeavoured　to　look　unconscious　of　the　fact

that　there　was　any　sentiment　between　him　and　Fancy　beyond　a

tranter's　desire　to　carry　a　passenger　home。　　He　presently　entered

the　inn　and　opened　the　door　of　Fancy's　room。



〃Dick；　do　you　know；　it　has　struck　me　that　it　is　rather　awkward；　my

being　here　alone　with　you　like　this。　　I　don't　think　you　had　better

come　in　with　me。〃



〃That's　rather　unpleasant；　dear。〃



〃Yes；　it　is；　and　I　wanted　you　to　have　some　tea　as　well　as　myself

too；　because　you　must　be　tired。〃



〃Well；　let　me　have　some　with　you；　then。　　I　was　denied　once　before；

if　you　recollect；　Fancy。〃



〃Yes；　yes；　never　mind！　　And　it　seems　unfriendly　of　me　now；　but　I

don't　know　what　to　do。〃



〃It　shall　be　as　you　say；　then。〃　　Dick　began　to　retreat　with　a

dissatisfied　wrinkling　of　face；　and　a　farewell　glance　at　the　cosy

tea…tray。



〃But　you　don't　see　how　it　is；　Dick；　when　you　speak　like　that；〃　she

said；　with　more　earnestness　than　she　had　ever　shown　before。　　〃You　do

know；　that　even　if　I　care　very　much　for　you；　I　must　remember　that　I

have　a　difficult　position　to　maintain。　　The　vicar　would　not　like　me；

as　his　schoolmistress；　to　indulge　in　a　tete…a…tete　anywhere　with

anybody。〃



〃But　I　am　not　ANY　body！〃　exclaimed　Dick。



〃No；　no；　I　mean　with　a　young　man；〃　and　she　added　softly；　〃unless　I

were　really　engaged　to　be　married　to　him。〃



〃Is　that　all？　　Then；　dearest；　dearest；　why　we'll　be　engaged　at　once；

to　be　sure　we　will；　and　down　I　sit！　　There　it　is；　as　easy　as　a

glove！〃



〃Ah！　but　suppose　I　won't！　　And；　goodness　me；　what　have　I　done！〃　she

faltered；　getting　very　red。　　〃Positively；　it　seems　as　if　I　meant　you

to　say　that！〃



〃Let's　do　it！　　I　mean　get　engaged；〃　said　Dick。　　〃Now；　Fancy；　will

you　be　my　wife？〃



〃Do　you　know；　Dick；　it　was　rather　unkind　of　you　to　say　what　you　did

coming　along　the　road；〃　she　remarked；　as　if　she　had　not　heard　the

latter　part　of　his　speech；　though　an　acute　observer　might　have

noticed　about　her　breast；　as　the　word　'wife'　fell　from　Dick's　lips；

a　soft　silent　escape　of　breaths；　with　very　short　rests　between　each。



〃What　did　I　say？〃



〃About　my　trying　to　look　attractive　to　those　men　in　the　gig。〃



〃You　couldn't　help　looking　so；　whether　you　tried　or　no。　　And；　Fancy；

you　do　care　for　me？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Very　much？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　you'll　be　my　own　wife？〃



Her　heart　quickened；　adding　to　and　withdrawing　from　her　cheek

varying　tones　of　red　to　match　each　varying　thought。　　Dick　looked

expectantly　at　the　ripe　tint　of　her　delicate　mouth；　waiting　for　what

was　coming　forth。



〃Yesif　father　will　let　me。〃



Dick　drew　himself　close　to　her；　compressing　his　lips　and　pouting

them　out；　as　if　he　were　about　to　whistle　the　softest　melody　known。



〃O　no！〃　said　Fancy　solemnly。



The　modest　Dick　drew　back　a　little。



〃Dick；　Dick；　kiss　me　and　let　me　go　instantly！here's　somebody

coming！〃　she　whisperingly　exclaimed。



*　*　*



Half　an　hour　afterwards　Dick　emerged　from　the　inn；　and　if　Fancy's

lips　had　been　real　cherries　probably　Dick's　would　have　appeared

deeply　stained。　　The　landlord　was　standing　in　the　yard。



〃Heu…heu！　hay…hay；　Master　Dewy！　　Ho…ho！〃　he　laughed；　letting　the

laugh　slip　out　gently　and　by　degrees　that　it　might　make　little　noise

in　its　exit；　and　smiting　Dick　under　the　fifth　rib　at　the　same　time。

〃This　will　never　do；　upon　my　life；　Master　Dewy！　calling　for　tay　for

a　feymel　passenger；　and　then　going　in　and　sitting　down　and　having

some　too；　and　biding　such　a　fine　long　time！〃



〃But　surely　you　know？〃　said　Dick；　with　great　apparent　surprise。

〃Yes；　yes！　　Ha…ha！〃　smiting　the　landlord　under　the　ribs　in　return。



〃Why；　what？　　Yes；　yes；　ha…ha！〃



〃You　know；　of　course！〃



〃Yes；　of　course！　　Butthat　isI　don't。〃



〃Why　aboutbetween　that　young　lady　and　me？〃　nodding　to　the　window

of　the　room　that　Fancy　occupied。



〃No；　not　I！〃　said　the　innkeeper；　bringing　his　eyes　into　circles。



〃And　you　don't！〃



〃Not　a　word；　I'll　take　my　oath！〃



〃But　you　laughed　when　I　laughed。〃



〃Ay；　that　was　me　sympathy；　so　did　you　when　I　laughed！〃



〃Really；　you　don't　know？　　Goodnessnot　knowing　that！〃



〃I'll　take　my　oath　I　don't！〃



〃O　yes；〃　said　Dick；　with　frigid　rhetoric　of　pitying　astonishment；

〃we're　engaged　to　be　married；　you　see；　and　I　naturally　look　after

her。〃



〃Of　course；　of　course！　　I　didn't　know　that；　and　I　hope　ye'll　excuse

any　little　freedom　of　mine；　Mr。　Dewy。　　But　it　is　a　very　odd　thing；　I

was　talking　to　your　father　very　intimate　about　family　matters　only

last　Friday　in　the　world；　and　who　should　come　in　but　Keeper　Day；　and

we　all　then　fell　a…talking　o'　family　matters；　but　neither　one　o'

them　said　a　mortal　word　about　it；　knowen　me　too　so　many　years；　and　I

at　your　father's　own　wedding。　　'Tisn't　what　I　should　have　expected

from　an　old　neighbour！〃



〃Well；　to　say　the　truth；　we　hadn't　told　father　of　the　engagement　at

that　time；　in　fact；　'twasn't　settled。〃



〃Ah！　the　business　was　done　Sunday。　　Yes；　yes；　Sunday's　the　courting

day。　　Heu…heu！〃



〃No；　'twasn't　done　Sunday　in　particular。〃



〃After　school…hours　this　week？　　Well；　a　very　good　time；　a　very

proper　good　time。〃



〃O　no；　'twasn't　done　then。〃



〃Coming　along　the　road　to…day　then；　I　suppose？〃



〃Not　at　all；　I　wouldn't　think　of　getting　engaged　in　a　dog…cart。〃



〃Dammymight　as　well　have　said　at　once；　the　WHEN　be　blowed！

Anyhow；　'tis　a　fine　day；　and　I　hope　next　time　you'll　come　as　one。〃



Fancy　was　duly　brought　out　and　assisted　into　the　vehicle；　and　the

newly　affianced　youth　and　maiden　passed　up　the　steep　hill　to　the

Ridgeway；　and　vanished　in　the　direction　of　Mellstock。







CHAPTER　III：　　A　CONFESSION







It　was　a　morning　of　the　latter　summer…time；　a　morning　of　lingering

dews；　when　the　grass　is　never　dry　in　the　shade。　　Fuchsias　and

dahlias　were　laden　till　eleven　o'clock　with　small　drops　and　dashes

of　water；　changing　the　colour　of　their　sparkle　at　every　movement　of

the　air；　and　elsewhere　hanging　on　twigs　like　small　silver　fruit。

The　threads　of　garden　spiders　appeared　thick　and　polished。　　In　the

dry　and　sunny　places；　dozens　of　long…legged　crane…flies　whizzed　off

the　grass　at　every　step　the　passer　took。



Fancy　Day　and　her　friend　Susan　Dewy　the　tranter's　daughter；　were　in

such　a　spot　as　this；　pulling　down　a　bough　laden　with　early　apples。

Three　months　had　elapsed　since　Dick　and　Fancy　had　journeyed　together

from　Budmouth；　and　the　course　of　their　love　had　run　on　vigorously

during　the　whole　time。　　There　had　been　just　enough　difficulty

attending　its　development；　and　just　enough　finesse　required　in

keeping　it　private；　to　lend　the　passion　an　ever…increasing　freshness

on　Fancy's　part；　whilst；　whether　from　these　accessories　or　not；

Dick's　heart　had　been　at　all　times　as　fond　as　could　be　desired。　　But

there　was　a　cloud　on　Fancy's　horizon　now。



〃She　is　so　well　offbetter　than　any　of　us；〃　Susan　Dewy　was　saying。

〃Her　father　farms　five　hundred　acres；　and　she　might　marry　a　doctor

or　curate　or　anything　of　that　kind　if　she　contrived　a　little。〃



〃I　don't　think　Dick　ought　to　have　gone　to　that　gipsy…party　at　all

when　he　knew　I　couldn't　go；〃　replied　Fancy　uneasily。



〃He　didn't　know　that　you　would　not　be　there　till　it　was　too　late　to

refuse　the　invitation；〃　said　Susan。



〃And　what　was　she　like？　　Tell　me。〃



〃Well；　she　was　rather　pretty；　I　must　own。〃



〃Tell　straight　on　about　her；　can't　you！　　Come；　do；　Susan。　　How　many

times　did　you　say　he　danced　with　her？〃



〃Once。〃



〃Twice；　I　think　you　said？〃



〃Indee