under the greenwood tree-第25章

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been　known　to　move；　were　visibly　rocked　by　the　fiercer　gusts；

distressing　the　mind　by　its　painful　unwontedness；　as　when　a　strong

man　is　seen　to　shed　tears。　　Low…hanging　boughs　went　up　and　down；

high　and　erect　boughs　went　to　and　fro；　the　blasts　being　so

irregular；　and　divided　into　so　many　crosscurrents；　that

neighbouring　branches　of　the　same　tree　swept　the　skies　in

independent　motions；　crossed　each　other；　or　became　entangled。

Across　the　open　spaces　flew　flocks　of　green　and　yellowish　leaves；

which；　after　travelling　a　long　distance　from　their　parent　trees；

reached　the　ground；　and　lay　there　with　their　undersides　upward。



As　the　rain　and　wind　increased；　and　Fancy's　bonnetribbons　leapt

more　and　more　snappishly　against　her　chin；　she　paused　on　entering

Mellstock　Lane　to　consider　her　latitude；　and　the　distance　to　a　place

of　shelter。　　The　nearest　house　was　Elizabeth　Endorfield's；　in　Higher

Mellstock；　whose　cottage　and　garden　stood　not　far　from　the　junction

of　that　hamlet　with　the　road　she　followed。　　Fancy　hastened　onward；

and　in　five　minutes　entered　a　gate；　which　shed　upon　her　toes　a　flood

of　water…drops　as　she　opened　it。



〃Come　in；　chiel！〃　a　voice　exclaimed；　before　Fancy　had　knocked：　　a

promptness　that　would　have　surprised　her　had　she　not　known　that　Mrs。

Endorfield　was　an　exceedingly　and　exceptionally　sharp　woman　in　the

use　of　her　eyes　and　ears。



Fancy　went　in　and　sat　down。　　Elizabeth　was　paring　potatoes　for　her

husband's　supper。



Scrape；　scrape；　scrape；　then　a　toss；　and　splash　went　a　potato　into　a

bucket　of　water。



Now；　as　Fancy　listlessly　noted　these　proceedings　of　the　dame；　she

began　to　reconsider　an　old　subject　that　hay　uppermost　in　her　heart。

Since　the　interview　between　her　father　and　Dick；　the　days　had　been

melancholy　days　for　her。　　Geoffrey's　firm　opposition　to　the　notion

of　Dick　as　a　son…in…law　was　more　than　she　had　expected。　　She　had

frequently　seen　her　lover　since　that　time；　it　is　true；　and　had　loved

him　more　for　the　opposition　than　she　would　have　otherwise　dreamt　of

doingwhich　was　a　happiness　of　a　certain　kind。　　Yet；　though　love　is

thus　an　end　in　itself；　it　must　be　believed　to　be　the　means　to

another　end　if　it　is　to　assume　the　rosy　hues　of　an　unalloyed

pleasure。　　And　such　a　belief　Fancy　and　Dick　were　emphatically　denied

just　now。



Elizabeth　Endorfield　had　a　repute　among　women　which　was　in　its

nature　something　between　distinction　and　notoriety。　　It　was　founded

on　the　following　items　of　character。　　She　was　shrewd　and

penetrating；　her　house　stood　in　a　lonely　place；　she　never　went　to

church；　she　wore　a　red　cloak；　she　always　retained　her　bonnet　indoors

and　she　had　a　pointed　chin。　　Thus　far　her　attributes　were　distinctly

Satanic；　and　those　who　looked　no　further　called　her；　in　plain　terms

a　witch。　　But　she　was　not　gaunt；　nor　ugly　in　the　upper　part　of　her

face；　nor　particularly　strange　in　manner；　so　that；　when　her　more

intimate　acquaintances　spoke　of　her　the　term　was　softened；　and　she

became　simply　a　Deep　Body；　who　was　as　long…headed　as　she　was　high。

It　may　be　stated　that　Elizabeth；　belonged　to　a　class　of　suspects　who

were　gradually　losing　their　mysterious　characteristics　under　the

administration　of　the　young　vicar；　though；　during　the　long　reign　of

Mr。　Grinham；　the　parish　of　Mellstock　had　proved　extremely　favourable

to　the　growth　of　witches。



While　Fancy　was　revolving　all　this　in　her　mind；　and　putting　it　to

herself　whether　it　was　worth　while　to　tell　her　troubles　to

Elizabeth；　and　ask　her　advice　in　getting　out　of　them；　the　witch

spoke。



〃You　be　downproper　down；〃　she　said　suddenly；　dropping　another

potato　into　the　bucket。



Fancy　took　no　notice。



〃About　your　young　man。〃



Fancy　reddened。　　Elizabeth　seemed　to　be　watching　her　thoughts。

Really；　one　would　almost　think　she　must　have　the　powers　people

ascribed　to　her。



〃Father　not　in　the　humour　for't；　hey？〃　　Another　potato　was　finished

and　flung　in。　　〃Ah；　I　know　about　it。　　Little　birds　tell　me　things

that　people　don't　dream　of　my　knowing。〃



Fancy　was　desperate　about　Dick；　and　here　was　a　chanceO；　such　a

wicked　chanceof　getting　help；　and　what　was　goodness　beside　love！



〃I　wish　you'd　tell　me　how　to　put　him　in　the　humour　for　it？〃　she

said。



〃That　I　could　soon　do；〃　said　the　witch　quietly。



〃Really？　　O；　do；　anyhowI　don't　careso　that　it　is　done！　　How

could　I　do　it；　Mrs。　Endorfield？〃



〃Nothing　so　mighty　wonderful　in　it。〃



〃Well；　but　how？〃



〃By　witchery；　of　course！〃　said　Elizabeth。



〃No！〃　said　Fancy。



〃'Tis；　I　assure　ye。　　Didn't　you　ever　hear　I　was　a　witch？〃



〃Well；〃　hesitated　Fancy；　〃I　have　heard　you　called　so。〃



〃And　you　believed　it？〃



〃I　can't　say　that　I　did　exactly　believe　it；　for　'tis　very　horrible

and　wicked；　but；　O；　how　I　do　wish　it　was　possible　for　you　to　be

one！〃



〃So　I　am。　　And　I'll　tell　you　how　to　bewitch　your　father　to　let　you

marry　Dick　Dewy。〃



〃Will　it　hurt　him；　poor　thing？〃



〃Hurt　who？〃



〃Father。〃



〃No；　the　charm　is　worked　by　common　sense；　and　the　spell　can　only　be

broke　by　your　acting　stupidly。〃



Fancy　looked　rather　perplexed；　and　Elizabeth　went　on：





〃This　fear　of　Lizzwhatever　'tis　…

By　great　and　small；

She　makes　pretence　to　common　sense；

And　that's　all。





〃You　must　do　it　like　this。〃　　The　witch　laid　down　her　knife　and

potato；　and　then　poured　into　Fancy's　ear　a　long　and　detailed　list　of

directions；　glancing　up　from　the　corner　of　her　eye　into　Fancy's　face

with　an　expression　of　sinister　humour。　　Fancy's　face　brightened；

clouded；　rose　and　sank；　as　the　narrative　proceeded。　　〃There；〃　said

Elizabeth　at　length；　stooping　for　the　knife　and　another　potato；　〃do

that；　and　you'll　have　him　by…long　and　by…late；　my　dear。〃



〃And　do　it　I　will！〃　said　Fancy。



She　then　turned　her　attention　to　the　external　world　once　more。　　The

rain　continued　as　usual；　but　the　wind　had　abated　considerably　during

the　discourse。　　Judging　that　it　was　now　possible　to　keep　an　umbrella

erect；　she　pulled　her　hood　again　over　her　bonnet；　bade　the　witch

good…bye；　and　went　her　way。







CHAPTER　IV：　　THE　SPELL







Mrs。　Endorfield's　advice　was　duly　followed。



〃I　be　proper　sorry　that　your　daughter　isn't　so　well　as　she　might

be；〃　said　a　Mellstock　man　to　Geoffrey　one　morning。



〃But　is　there　anything　in　it？〃　said　Geoffrey　uneasily；　as　he　shifted

his　hat　to　the　right。　　〃I　can't　understand　the　report。　　She　didn't

complain　to　me　a　bit　when　I　saw　her。〃



〃No　appetite　at　all；　they　say。〃



Geoffrey　crossed　to　Mellstock　and　called　at　the　school　that

afternoon。　　Fancy　welcomed　him　as　usual；　and　asked　him　to　stay　and

take　tea　with　her。



〃I　be'n't　much　for　tea；　this　time　o'　day；〃　he　said；　but　stayed。



During　the　meal　he　watched　her　narrowly。　　And　to　his　great

consternation　discovered　the　following　unprecedented　change　in　the

healthy　girlthat　she　cut　herself　only　a　diaphanous　slice　of　bread…

and…butter；　and；　laying　it　on　her　plate；　passed　the　meal…time　in

breaking　it　into　pieces；　but　eating　no　more　than　about　one…tenth　of

the　slice。　　Geoffrey　hoped　she　would　say　something　about　Dick；　and

finish　up　by　weeping；　as　she　had　done　after　the　decision　against　him

a　few　days　subsequent　to　the　interview　in　the　garden。　　But　nothing

was　said；　and　in　due　time　Geoffrey　departed　again　for　Yalbury　Wood。



〃'Tis　to　be　hoped　poor　Miss　Fancy　will　be　able　to　keep　on　her

school；〃　said　Geoffrey's　man　Enoch　to　Geoffrey　the　following　week；

as　they　were　shovelling　up　ant…hills　in　the　wood。



Geoffrey　stuck　in　the　shovel；　swept　seven　or　eight　ants　from　his

sleeve；　and　killed　another　that　was　prowling　round　his　ear；　then

looked　perpendicularly　into　the　earth　as　usual；　waiting　for　Enoch　to

say　more。　　〃Well；　why　shouldn't　she？〃　said　the　keeper　at　last。



〃The　baker　told　me　yesterday；〃　continued　Enoch；　shaking　out　another

emmet　that　had　run　merrily　up　his　thigh；　〃that　the　bread　he've　left

at　that　there　school…house　this　last　month　would　starve　any　mouse　in

the　three　creations；　that　'twould　so！　　And　afterwards　I　had　a　pint

o'　small　down　at　Morrs's；　and　there　I　heard　more。〃



〃What　might　that　ha'　been？〃



〃That　she　used　to　have　a　pound　o'　the　best　rolled　butter　a　week；


regular　as　clockwork；　from　Dairyman　Viney's　for　herself；　as　well　as

just　so　much　salted　for　the　helping　girl；　and　the　'ooman　she　calls

in；　but　now　the　same　quantity　d'last　her　three　weeks；　and　then　'tis

thoughted　she　throws　it　away　sour。〃



〃Finish　doing　the　emmets；　and　carry　the　bag　home…along。〃　　The　keeper

resumed　his　gun；　tucked　it　under　his　arm；　and　went　on　without

whistling　to　the　dogs；　who　however　followed；　with　a　bearing　meant　to

imply　that　they　did　not　expect　any　such　attentions　when　their　master

was　reflecting。



On　Saturday　morning　a　note　came　from　Fancy。　　He　was　not　to　trouble

about　sending　her　the　couple　of　rabbits；　as　was　intended；　because

she　feared　she　should　not　want　them。　　Later　in　the　day　Geoffrey　went

to　Casterbridge　and　called　upon　the　butcher　who　served　Fancy　with

fresh　meat；　which　was　put　down　to　her　father's　account。



〃I've　called　to　pay　up　our　little　bill；　Neighbour　Haylock；　and　you

can　gie　me　the　chiel's　account　at　the　same　time。〃



Mr。　Haylock　turned　round　three　quarters　of　a　circle　in　the　midst　of

a　heap　of　joints；　altered　the　expression　of　his　face　from　meat　to

money；　went　into　a　little　office　consisting　only　of　a　door　and　a

window；　looked　very　vigorously　into　a　book　which　possessed　length

but　no　breadth；　and　then；　seizing　a　piece　of　paper　and　scribbling

thereupon；　handed　the　bill。



Probably　it　was　the　first　time　in　the　history　of　commercial

transactions　that　the　quality　of　shortness　in　a　butcher's　bill　was　a

cause　of　tribulation　to　the　debtor。　　〃Why；　this　isn't　all　she've　had

in　a　whole　month！〃　said　Geoffrey。



〃Every　mossel；〃　said　the　butcher〃（now；　Dan；　take　that　leg　and

shoulder　to　Mrs。　White's；　and　this　eleven　pound　here　to　Mr。

Martin's）you've　been　treating　her　to　smaller　joints　lately；　to　my

thinking；　Mr。　Day？〃



〃Only　two　or　three　little　scram　rabbits　this　last　week；　as　I　am

aliveI　wish　I　had！〃



〃Well；　my　wife　said　to　me（Dan！　not　too　much；　not　too　much　on　that

tray　at　a　time；　better　go　twice）my　wife　said　to　me　as　she　posted

up　the　books：　　she　says；　〃Miss　Day　must　have　been　summer　during　that

hot　muggy　weather　much　for　us；　for　depend　upon't；〃　she　says；　〃she've

been　trying　John　Grimmett　unknown　to　us：　　see　her　account　else。〃

'Tis　little；　of　course；　at　the　best　of　times；　being　only　for　one；

but　now　'tis　next　kin　to　nothing。〃



〃I'll　inquire；〃　said　Geoffrey　despondingly。



He　returned　by　way　of　Mellstock；　and　called　upon　Fancy；　in

fulfilment　of　a　promise。　　It　being　Saturday；　the　children　were

enjoying　a　holiday；　and　on　entering　the　residence　Fancy　was　nowhere

to　be　seen。　　Nan；　the　charwoman；　was　sweeping　the　kitchen。



〃Where's　my　da'ter？〃　said　the　keeper。



〃Well；　you　see