under the greenwood tree-第24章

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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　the　piece　off　at　the　crown　of　the　hive　by　a

slight　backward　and　forward　movement；　she　lifted　each　portion　as　it

was　loosened　into　a　large　blue　platter；　placed　on　a　bench　at　her

side。



〃Bother　these　little　mortals！〃　said　Geoffrey；　who　was　holding　the

light　to　her；　and　giving　his　back　an　uneasy　twist。　　〃I　really　think

I　may　as　well　go　indoors　and　take　'em　out；　poor　things！　for　they

won't　let　me　alone。　　There's　two　a　stinging　wi'　all　their　might　now。

I'm　sure　I　wonder　their　strength　can　last　so　long。〃



〃All　right；　friend；　I'll　hold　the　candle　whilst　you　are　gone；〃　said

Mr。　Shiner；　leisurely　taking　the　light；　and　allowing　Geoffrey　to

depart；　which　he　did　with　his　usual　long　paces。



He　could　hardly　have　gone　round　to　the　house…door　when　other

footsteps　were　heard　approaching　the　outbuilding；　the　tip　of　a

finger　appeared　in　the　hole　through　which　the　wood　latch　was　lifted；

and　Dick　Dewy　came　in；　having　been　all　this　time　walking　up　and　down

the　wood；　vainly　waiting　for　Shiner's　departure。



Fancy　looked　up　and　welcomed　him　rather　confusedly。　　Shiner　grasped

the　candlestick　more　firmly；　and；　lest　doing　this　in　silence　should

not　imply　to　Dick　with　sufficient　force　that　he　was　quite　at　home

and　cool；　he　sang　invincibly　…





〃'King　Arthur　he　had　three　sons。'〃





〃Father　here？〃　said　Dick。



〃Indoors；　I　think；〃　said　Fancy；　looking　pleasantly　at　him。



Dick　surveyed　the　scene；　and　did　not　seem　inclined　to　hurry　off　just

at　that　moment。　　Shiner　went　on　singing





〃'The　miller　was　drown'd　in　his　pond；

The　weaver　was　hung　in　his　yarn；

And　the　d…　ran　away　with　the　little　tail…or；

With　the　broadcloth　under　his　arm。'〃





〃That's　a　terrible　crippled　rhyme；　if　that's　your　rhyme！〃　said　Dick；

with　a　grain　of　superciliousness　in　his　tone。



〃It's　no　use　your　complaining　to　me　about　the　rhyme！〃　said　Mr。

Shiner。　　〃You　must　go　to　the　man　that　made　it。〃



Fancy　by　this　time　had　acquired　confidence。



〃Taste　a　bit；　Mr。　Dewy；〃　she　said；　holding　up　to　him　a　small

circular　piece　of　honeycomb　that　had　been　the　last　in　the　row　of

layers；　remaining　still　on　her　knees　and　flinging　back　her　head　to

look　in　his　face；　〃and　then　I'll　taste　a　bit　too。〃



〃And　I；　if　you　please；〃　said　Mr。　Shiner。　　Nevertheless　the　farmer

looked　superior；　as　if　he　could　even　now　hardly　join　the　trifling

from　very　importance　of　station；　and　after　receiving　the　honeycomb

from　Fancy；　he　turned　it　over　in　his　hand　till　the　cells　began　to　be

crushed；　and　the　liquid　honey　ran　down　from　his　fingers　in　a　thin

string。



Suddenly　a　faint　cry　from　Fancy　caused　them　to　gaze　at　her。



〃What's　the　matter；　dear？〃　said　Dick。



〃It　is　nothing；　but　O…o！　a　bee　has　stung　the　inside　of　my　lip！　　He

was　in　one　of　the　cells　I　was　eating！〃



〃We　must　keep　down　the　swelling；　or　it　may　be　serious！〃　said　Shiner；

stepping　up　and　kneeling　beside　her。　　〃Let　me　see　it。〃



〃No；　no！〃



〃Just　let　ME　see　it；〃　said　Dick；　kneeling　on　the　other　side：　　and

after　some　hesitation　she　pressed　down　her　lip　with　one　finger　to

show　the　place。　　〃O；　I　hope　'twill　soon　he　better！　　I　don't　mind　a

sting　in　ordinary　places；　hut　it　is　so　bad　upon　your　lip；〃　she　added

with　tears　in　her　eyes；　and　writhing　a　little　from　the　pain。



Shiner　held　the　light　above　his　head　and　pushed　his　face　close　to

Fancy's；　as　if　the　lip　had　been　shown　exclusively　to　himself；　upon

which　Dick　pushed　closer；　as　if　Shiner　were　not　there　at　all。



〃It　is　swelling；〃　said　Dick　to　her　right　aspect。



〃It　isn't　swelling；〃　said　Shiner　to　her　left　aspect。



〃Is　it　dangerous　on　the　lip？〃　cried　Fancy。　　〃I　know　it　is　dangerous

on　the　tongue。〃



〃O　no；　not　dangerous！〃　answered　Dick。



〃Rather　dangerous；〃　had　answered　Shiner　simultaneously。



〃I　must　try　to　bear　it！〃　said　Fancy；　turning　again　to　the　hives。



〃Hartshorn…and…oil　is　a　good　thing　to　put　to　it；　Miss　Day；〃　said

Shiner　with　great　concern。



〃Sweet…oil…and…hartshorn　I've　found　to　be　a　good　thing　to　cure

stings；　Miss　Day；〃　said　Dick　with　greater　concern。



〃We　have　some　mixed　indoors；　would　you　kindly　run　and　get　it　for

me？〃　she　said。



Now；　whether　by　inadvertence；　or　whether　by　mischievous　intention；

the　individuality　of　the　YOU　was　so　carelessly　denoted　that　both

Dick　and　Shiner　sprang　to　their　feet　like　twin　acrobats；　and　marched

abreast　to　the　door；　both　seized　the　latch　and　lifted　it；　and

continued　marching　on；　shoulder　to　shoulder；　in　the　same　manner　to

the　dwelling…house。　　Not　only　so；　but　entering　the　room；　they

marched　as　before　straight　up　to　Mrs。　Day's　chair；　letting　the　door

in　the　oak　partition　slam　so　forcibly；　that　the　rows　of　pewter　on

the　dresser　rang　like　a　bell。



〃Mrs。　Day；　Fancy　has　stung　her　lip；　and　wants　you　to　give　me　the

hartshorn；　please；〃　said　Mr。　Shiner；　very　close　to　Mrs。　Day's　face。



〃O；　Mrs。　Day；　Fancy　has　asked　me　to　bring　out　the　hartshorn；　please；

because　she　has　stung　her　lip！〃　said　Dick；　a　little　closer　to　Mrs。

Day's　face。



〃Well；　men　alive！　that's　no　reason　why　you　should　eat　me；　I

suppose！〃　said　Mrs。　Day；　drawing　back。



She　searched　in　the　corner…cupboard；　produced　the　bottle；　and　began

to　dust　the　cork；　the　rim；　and　every　other　part　very　carefully；

Dick's　hand　and　Shiner's　hand　waiting　side　by　side。



〃Which　is　head　man？〃　said　Mrs。　Day。　　〃Now；　don't　come　mumbudgeting

so　close　again。　　Which　is　head　man？〃



Neither　spoke；　and　the　bottle　was　inclined　towards　Shiner。　　Shiner；

as　a　high…class　man；　would　not　look　in　the　least　triumphant；　and

turned　to　go　off　with　it　as　Geoffrey　came　downstairs　after　the

search　in　his　linen　for　concealed　bees。



〃Othat　you；　Master　Dewy？〃



Dick　assured　the　keeper　that　it　was；　and　the　young　man　then

determined　upon　a　bold　stroke　for　the　attainment　of　his　end；

forgetting　that　the　worst　of　bold　strokes　is　the　disastrous

consequences　they　involve　if　they　fail。



〃I've　come　on　purpose　to　speak　to　you　very　particular；　Mr。　Day；〃　he

said；　with　a　crushing　emphasis　intended　for　the　ears　of　Mr。　Shiner；

who　was　vanishing　round　the　door…post　at　that　moment。



〃Well；　I've　been　forced　to　go　upstairs　and　unrind　myself；　and　shake

some　bees　out　o'　me〃　said　Geoffrey；　walking　slowly　towards　the　open

door；　and　standing　on　the　threshold。　　〃The　young　rascals　got　into　my

shirt　and　wouldn't　be　quiet　nohow。〃



Dick　followed　him　to　the　door。



〃I've　come　to　speak　a　word　to　you；〃　he　repeated；　looking　out　at　the

pale　mist　creeping　up　from　the　gloom　of　the　valley。　　〃You　may

perhaps　guess　what　it　is　about。〃



The　keeper　lowered　his　hands　into　the　depths　of　his　pockets；　twirled

his　eyes；　balanced　himself　on　his　toes；　looked　as　perpendicularly

downward　as　if　his　glance　were　a　plumb…line；　then　horizontally；

collecting　together　the　cracks　that　lay　about　his　face　till　they

were　all　in　the　neighbourhood　of　his　eyes。



〃Maybe　I　don't　know；〃　he　replied。



Dick　said　nothing；　and　the　stillness　was　disturbed　only　by　some

small　bird　that　was　being　killed　by　an　owl　in　the　adjoining　wood；

whose　cry　passed　into　the　silence　without　mingling　with　it。



〃I've　left　my　hat　up　in　chammer；〃　said　Geoffrey；　〃wait　while　I　step

up　and　get　en。〃



〃I'll　be　in　the　garden；〃　said　Dick。



He　went　round　by　a　side　wicket　into　the　garden；　and　Geoffrey　went

upstairs。　　It　was　the　custom　in　Mellstock　and　its　vicinity　to

discuss　matters　of　pleasure　and　ordinary　business　inside　the　house；

and　to　reserve　the　garden　for　very　important　affairs：　　a　custom

which；　as　is　supposed；　originated　in　the　desirability　of　getting

away　at　such　times　from　the　other　members　of　the　family　when　there

was　only　one　room　for　living　in；　though　it　was　now　quite　as

frequently　practised　by　those　who　suffered　from　no　such　limitation

to　the　size　of　their　domiciles。



The　head…keeper's　form　appeared　in　the　dusky　garden；　and　Dick　walked

towards　him。　　The　elder　paused　and　leant　over　the　rail　of　a　piggery

that　stood　on　the　left　of　the　path；　upon　which　Dick　did　the　same；

and　they　both　contemplated　a　whitish　shadowy　shape　that　was　moving

about　and　grunting　among　the　straw　of　the　interior。



〃I've　come　to　ask　for　Fancy；〃　said　Dick。



〃I'd　as　lief　you　hadn't。〃



〃Why　should　that　be；　Mr。　Day？〃



〃Because　it　makes　me　say　that　you've　come　to　ask　what　ye　be'n't

likely　to　have。　　Have　ye　come　for　anything　else？〃



〃Nothing。〃



〃Then　I'll　just　tell　'ee　you've　come　on　a　very　foolish　errand。　　D'ye

know　what　her　mother　was？〃



〃No。〃



〃A　teacher　in　a　landed　family's　nursery；　who　was　foolish　enough　to

marry　the　keeper　of　the　same　establishment；　for　I　was　only　a　keeper

then；　though　now　I've　a　dozen　other　irons　in　the　fire　as　steward

here　for　my　lord；　what　with　the　timber　sales　and　the　yearly

fellings；　and　the　gravel　and　sand　sales　and　one　thing　and　'tother。

However；　d'ye　think　Fancy　picked　up　her　good　manners；　the　smooth

turn　of　her　tongue；　her　musical　notes；　and　her　knowledge　of　books；

in　a　homely　hole　like　this？〃



〃No。〃



〃D'ye　know　where？〃



〃No。〃



〃Well；　when　I　went　a…wandering　after　her　mother's　death；　she　lived

with　her　aunt；　who　kept　a　boarding…school；　till　her　aunt　married

Lawyer　Greena　man　as　sharp　as　a　needleand　the　school　was　broke

up。　　Did　ye　know　that　then　she　went　to　the　training…school；　and　that

her　name　stood　first　among　the　Queen's　scholars　of　her　year？〃



〃I've　heard　so。〃



〃And　that　when　she　sat　for　her　certificate　as　Government　teacher；

she　had　the　highest　of　the　first　class？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Well；　and　do　ye　know　what　I　live　in　such　a　miserly　way　for　when

I've　got　enough　to　do　without　it；　and　why　I　make　her　work　as　a

schoolmistress　instead　of　living　here？〃



〃No。〃



〃That　if　any　gentleman；　who　sees　her　to　be　his　equal　in　polish；

should　want　to　marry　her；　and　she　want　to　marry　him；　he　sha'n't　be

superior　to　her　in　pocket。　　Now　do　ye　think　after　this　that　you　be

good　enough　for　her？〃



〃No。〃



〃Then　good…night　t'ee；　Master　Dewy。〃



〃Good…night；　Mr。　Day。〃



Modest　Dick's　reply　had　faltered　upon　his　tongue；　and　he　turned　away

wondering　at　his　presumption　in　asking　for　a　woman　whom　he　had　seen

from　the　beginning　to　be　so　superior　to　him。







CHAPTER　III：　　FANCY　IN　THE　RAIN







The　next　scene　is　a　tempestuous　afternoon　in　the　following　month；

and　Fancy　Day　is　discovered　walking　from　her　father's　home　towards

Mellstock。



A　single　vast　gray　cloud　covered　the　country；　from　which　the　small

rain　and　mist　had　just　begun　to　blow　down　in　wavy　sheets；

alternately　thick　and　thin。　　The　trees　of　the　fields　and　plantations

writhed　like　miserable　men　as　the　air　wound　its　way　swiftly　among

them：　　the　lowest　portions　of　their　trunks；　that　had　hardly　ever

been　known　to　move；　were　visibly　rock