under the greenwood tree-第23章

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his　nuts。



She　ran　up　to　him；　flung　her　parasol　on　the　grass；　put　her　little

head　against　his　breast；　and　then　there　began　a　narrative；

disjointed　by　such　a　hysterical　weeping　as　was　never　surpassed　for

intensity　in　the　whole　history　of　love。



〃O　Dick；〃　she　sobbed　out；　〃where　have　you　been　away　from　me？　　O；　I

have　suffered　agony；　and　thought　you　would　never　come　any　more！

'Tis　cruel；　Dick；　no　'tisn't；　it　is　justice！　　I've　been　walking

miles　and　miles　up　and　down　Grey's　Wood；　trying　to　find　you；　till　I

was　wearied　and　worn　out；　and　I　could　walk　no　further；　and　had　come

back　this　far！　　O　Dick；　directly　you　were　gone；　I　thought　I　had

offended　you　and　I　put　down　the　dress；　'tisn't　finished　now；　and　I

never　will　finish；　it；　and　I'll　wear　an　old　one　Sunday！　　Yes；　Dick；

I　will；　because　I　don't　care　what　I　wear　when　you　are　not　by　my

sideha；　you　think　I　do；　but　I　don't！and　I　ran　after　you；　and　I

saw　you　go　up　Snail…Creep　and　not　look　back　once；　and　then　you

plunged　in；　and　I　after　you；　but　I　was　too　far　behind。　　O；　I　did

wish　the　horrid　bushes　had　been　cut　down；　so　that　I　could　see　your

dear　shape　again！　　And　then　I　called　out　to　you；　and　nobody

answered；　and　I　was　afraid　to　call　very　loud；　lest　anybody　else

should　hear　me。　　Then　I　kept　wandering　and　wandering　about；　and　it

was　dreadful　misery；　Dick。　　And　then　I　shut　my　eyes　and　fell　to

picturing　you　looking　at　some　other　woman；　very　pretty　and　nice；　but

with　no　affection　or　truth　in　her　at　all；　and　then　imagined　you

saying　to　yourself；　〃Ah；　she's　as　good　as　Fancy；　for　Fancy　told　me　a

story；　and　was　a　flirt；　and　cared　for　herself　more　than　me；　so　now

I'll　have　this　one　for　my　sweetheart。〃　　O；　you　won't；　will　you；

Dick；　for　I　do　love　you　so！〃



It　is　scarcely　necessary　to　add　that　Dick　renounced　his　freedom

there　and　then；　and　kissed　her　ten　times　over；　and　promised　that　no

pretty　woman　of　the　kind　alluded　to　should　ever　engross　his

thoughts；　in　short；　that　though　he　had　been　vexed　with　her；　all　such

vexation　was　past；　and　that　henceforth　and　for　ever　it　was　simply

Fancy　or　death　for　him。　　And　then　they　set　about　proceeding

homewards；　very　slowly　on　account　of　Fancy's　weariness；　she　leaning

upon　his　shoulder；　and　in　addition　receiving　support　from　his　arm

round　her　waist；　though　she　had　sufficiently　recovered　from　her

desperate　condition　to　sing　to　him；　〃Why　are　you　wandering　here；　I

pray？〃　during　the　latter　part　of　their　walk。　　Nor　is　it　necessary　to

describe　in　detail　how　the　bag　of　nuts　was　quite　forgotten　until

three　days　later；　when　it　was　found　among　the　brambles　and　restored

empty　to　Mrs。　Dewy；　her　initials　being　marked　thereon　in　red　cotton；

and　how　she　puzzled　herself　till　her　head　ached　upon　the　question　of

how　on　earth　her　meal…bag　could　have　got　into　Cuckoo…Lane。







CHAPTER　II：　　HONEY…TAKING；　AND　AFTERWARDS







Saturday　evening　saw　Dick　Dewy　journeying　on　foot　to　Yalbury　Wood；

according　to　the　arrangement　with　Fancy。



The　landscape　being　concave；　at　the　going　down　of　the　sun　everything

suddenly　assumed　a　uniform　robe　of　shade。　　The　evening　advanced　from

sunset　to　dusk　long　before　Dick's　arrival；　and　his　progress　during

the　latter　portion　of　his　walk　through　the　trees　was　indicated　by

the　flutter　of　terrified　birds　that　had　been　roosting　over　the　path。

And　in　crossing　the　glades；　masses　of　hot　dry　air；　that　had　been

formed　on　the　hills　during　the　day；　greeted　his　cheeks　alternately

with　clouds　of　damp　night　air　from　the　valleys。　　He　reached　the

keeper…steward's　house；　where　the　grass…plot　and　the　garden　in　front

appeared　light　and　pale　against　the　unbroken　darkness　of　the　grove

from　which　he　had　emerged；　and　paused　at　the　garden　gate。



He　had　scarcely　been　there　a　minute　when　he　beheld　a　sort　of

procession　advancing　from　the　door　in　his　front。　　It　consisted　first

of　Enoch　the　trapper；　carrying　a　spade　on　his　shoulder　and　a　lantern

dangling　in　his　hand；　then　came　Mrs。　Day；　the　light　of　the　lantern

revealing　that　she　bore　in　her　arms　curious　objects　about　a　foot

long；　in　the　form　of　Latin　crosses　（made　of　lath　and　brown　paper

dipped　in　brimstonecalled　matches　by　bee…masters）；　next　came　Miss

Day；　with　a　shawl　thrown　over　her　head；　and　behind　all；　in　the

gloom；　Mr。　Frederic　Shiner。



Dick；　in　his　consternation　at　finding　Shiner　present；　was　at　a　loss

how　to　proceed；　and　retired　under　a　tree　to　collect　his　thoughts。



〃Here　I　be；　Enoch；〃　said　a　voice；　and　the　procession　advancing

farther；　the　lantern's　rays　illuminated　the　figure　of　Geoffrey；

awaiting　their　arrival　beside　a　row　of　bee…hives；　in　front　of　the

path。　　Taking　the　spade　from　Enoch；　he　proceeded　to　dig　two　holes　in

the　earth　beside　the　hives；　the　others　standing　round　in　a　circle；

except　Mrs。　Day；　who　deposited　her　matches　in　the　fork　of　an　apple…

tree　and　returned　to　the　house。　　The　party　remaining　were　now　lit　up

in　front　by　the　lantern　in　their　midst；　their　shadows　radiating　each

way　upon　the　garden…plot　like　the　spokes　of　a　wheel。　　An　apparent

embarrassment　of　Fancy　at　the　presence　of　Shiner　caused　a　silence　in

the　assembly；　during　which　the　preliminaries　of　execution　were

arranged；　the　matches　fixed；　the　stake　kindled；　the　two　hives　placed

over　the　two　holes；　and　the　earth　stopped　round　the　edges。　　Geoffrey

then　stood　erect；　and　rather　more；　to　straighten　his　backbone　after

the　digging。



〃They　were　a　peculiar　family；〃　said　Mr。　Shiner；　regarding　the　hives

reflectively。



Geoffrey　nodded。



〃Those　holes　will　be　the　grave　of　thousands！〃　said　Fancy。　　〃I　think

'tis　rather　a　cruel　thing　to　do。〃



Her　father　shook　his　head。　　〃No；〃　he　said；　tapping　the　hives　to

shake　the　dead　bees　from　their　cells；　〃if　you　suffocate　'em　this

way；　they　only　die　once：　　if　you　fumigate　'em　in　the　new　way；　they

come　to　life　again；　and　die　o'　starvation；　so　the　pangs　o'　death　be

twice　upon　'em。〃



〃I　incline　to　Fancy's　notion；〃　said　Mr。　Shiner；　laughing　lightly。



〃The　proper　way　to　take　honey；　so　that　the　bees　be　neither　starved

nor　murdered；　is　a　puzzling　matter；〃　said　the　keeper　steadily。



〃I　should　like　never　to　take　it　from　them；〃　said　Fancy。



〃But　'tis　the　money；〃　said　Enoch　musingly。　　〃For　without　money　man

is　a　shadder！〃



The　lantern…light　had　disturbed　many　bees　that　had　escaped　from

hives　destroyed　some　days　earlier；　and；　demoralized　by　affliction；

were　now　getting　a　living　as　marauders　about　the　doors　of　other

hives。　　Several　flew　round　the　head　and　neck　of　Geoffrey；　then

darted　upon　him　with　an　irritated　bizz。



Enoch　threw　down　the　lantern；　and　ran　off　and　pushed　his　head　into　a

currant　bush；　Fancy　scudded　up　the　path；　and　Mr。　Shiner　floundered

away　helter…skelter　among　the　cabbages。　　Geoffrey　stood　his　ground；

unmoved　and　firm　as　a　rock。　　Fancy　was　the　first　to　return；　followed

by　Enoch　picking　up　the　lantern。　　Mr。　Shiner　still　remained

invisible。



〃Have　the　craters　stung　ye？〃　said　Enoch　to　Geoffrey。



〃No；　not　muchon'y　a　little　here　and　there；〃　he　said　with　leisurely

solemnity；　shaking　one　bee　out　of　his　shirt　sleeve；　pulling　another

from　among　his　hair；　and　two　or　three　more　from　his　neck。　　The　rest

looked　on　during　this　proceeding　with　a　complacent　sense　of　being

out　of　it；much　as　a　European　nation　in　a　state　of　internal

commotion　is　watched　by　its　neighbours。



〃Are　those　all　of　them；　father？〃　said　Fancy；　when　Geoffrey　had

pulled　away　five。



〃Almost　all；though　I　feel　one　or　two　more　sticking　into　my

shoulder　and　side。　　Ah！　there's　another　just　begun　again　upon　my

backbone。　　You　lively　young　mortals；　how　did　you　get　inside　there？

However；　they　can't　sting　me　many　times　more；　poor　things；　for　they

must　be　getting　weak。　　They　mid　as　well　stay　in　me　till　bedtime　now；

I　suppose。〃



As　he　himself　was　the　only　person　affected　by　this　arrangement；　it

seemed　satisfactory　enough；　and　after　a　noise　of　feet　kicking

against　cabbages　in　a　blundering　progress　among　them；　the　voice　of

Mr。　Shiner　was　heard　from　the　darkness　in　that　direction。



〃Is　all　quite　safe　again？〃



No　answer　being　returned　to　this　query；　he　apparently　assumed　that

he　might　venture　forth；　and　gradually　drew　near　the　lantern　again。

The　hives　were　now　removed　from　their　position　over　the　holes；　one

being　handed　to　Enoch　to　carry　indoors；　and　one　being　taken　by

Geoffrey　himself。



〃Bring　hither　the　lantern；　Fancy：　　the　spade　can　bide。〃



Geoffrey　and　Enoch　then　went　towards　the　house；　leaving　Shiner　and

Fancy　standing　side　by　side　on　the　garden…plot。



〃Allow　me；〃　said　Shiner；　stooping　for　the　lantern　and　seizing　it　at

the　same　time　with　Fancy。



〃I　can　carry　it；〃　said　Fancy；　religiously　repressing　all　inclination

to　trifle。　　She　had　thoroughly　considered　that　subject　after　the

tearful　explanation　of　the　bird…catching　adventure　to　Dick；　and　had

decided　that　it　would　be　dishonest　in　her；　as　an　engaged　young

woman；　to　trifle　with　men's　eyes　and　hands　any　more。　　Finding　that

Shiner　still　retained　his　hold　of　the　lantern；　she　relinquished　it；

and　he；　having　found　her　retaining　it；　also　let　go。　　The　lantern

fell；　and　was　extinguished。　　Fancy　moved　on。



〃Where　is　the　path？〃　said　Mr。　Shiner。



〃Here；〃　said　Fancy。　　〃Your　eyes　will　get　used　to　the　dark　in　a

minute　or　two。〃



〃Till　that　time　will　ye　lend　me　your　hand？〃　　Fancy　gave　him　the

extreme　tips　of　her　fingers；　and　they　stepped　from　the　plot　into　the

path。



〃You　don't　accept　attentions　very　freely。〃



〃It　depends　upon　who　offers　them。〃



〃A　fellow　like　me；　for　instance。〃　　A　dead　silence。



〃Well；　what　do　you　say；　Missie？〃



〃It　then　depends　upon　how　they　are　offered。〃



〃Not　wildly；　and　yet　not　careless…like；　not　purposely；　and　yet　not

by　chance；　not　too　quick　nor　yet　too　slow。〃



〃How　then？〃　said　Fancy。



〃Coolly　and　practically；〃　he　said。　　〃How　would　that　kind　of　love　be

taken？〃



〃Not　anxiously；　and　yet　not　indifferently；　neither　blushing　nor

pale；　nor　religiously　nor　yet　quite　wickedly。〃



〃Not　at　all。〃



Geoffrey　Day's　storehouse　at　the　back　of　his　dwelling　was　hung　with

bunches　of　dried　horehound；　mint；　and　sage；　brown…paper　bags　of

thyme　and　lavender；　and　long　ropes　of　clean　onions。　　On　shelves　were

spread　large　red　and　yellow　apples；　and　choice　selections　of　early

potatoes　for　seed　next　year；vulgar　crowds　of　commoner　kind　lying

beneath　in　heaps。　　A　few　empty　beehives　were　clustered　around　a　nail

in　one　corner；　under　which　stood　two　or　three　barrels　of　new　cider

of　the　first　crop；　each　bubbling　and　squirting　forth　from　the　yet

open　bunghole。



Fancy　was　now　kneeling　beside　the　two　inverted　hives；　one　of　which

rested　against　her　lap；　for　convenience　in　operating　upon　the

contents。　　She　thrust　her　sleeves　above　her　elbows；　and　inserted　her

small　pink　hand　edgewise　between　each　white　lobe　of　honeycomb；

performing　the　act　so　adroitly　and　gently　as　not　to　unseal　a　single

cell。　　Then　cracking　th