under the greenwood tree-第26章

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



〃Where's　my　da'ter？〃　said　the　keeper。



〃Well；　you　see　she　was　tired　with　the　week's　teaching；　and　this

morning　she　said；　〃Nan；　I　sha'n't　get　up　till　the　evening。〃　　You

see；　Mr。　Day；　if　people　don't　eat；　they　can't　work；　and　as　she've

gie'd　up　eating；　she　must　gie　up　working。〃



〃Have　ye　carried　up　any　dinner　to　her？〃



〃No；　she　don't　want　any。　　There；　we　all　know　that　such　things　don't

come　without　good　reasonnot　that　I　wish　to　say　anything　about　a

broken　heart；　or　anything　of　the　kind。〃



Geoffrey's　own　heart　felt　inconveniently　large　just　then。　　He　went

to　the　staircase　and　ascended　to　his　daughter's　door。



〃Fancy！〃



〃Come　in；　father。〃



To　see　a　person　in　bed　from　any　cause　whatever；　on　a　fine　afternoon；

is　depressing　enough；　and　here　was　his　only　child　Fancy；　not　only　in

bed；　but　looking　very　pale。　　Geoffrey　was　visibly　disturbed。



〃Fancy；　I　didn't　expect　to　see　thee　here；　chiel；〃　he　said。　　〃What's

the　matter？〃



〃I'm　not　well；　father。〃



〃How's　that？〃



〃Because　I　think　of　things。〃



〃What　things　can　you　have　to　think　o'　so　mortal　much？〃



〃You　know；　father。〃



〃You　think　I've　been　cruel　to　thee　in　saying　that　that　penniless

Dick　o'　thine　sha'n't　marry　thee；　I　suppose？〃



No　answer。



〃Well；　you　know；　Fancy；　I　do　it　for　the　best；　and　he　isn't　good

enough　for　thee。　　You　know　that　well　enough。〃　　Here　he　again　looked

at　her　as　she　lay。　　〃Well；　Fancy；　I　can't　let　my　only　chiel　die；　and

if　you　can't　live　without　en；　you　must　ha'　en；　I　suppose。〃



〃O；　I　don't　want　him　like　that；　all　against　your　will；　and

everything　so　disobedient！〃　sighed　the　invalid。



〃No；　no；　'tisn't　against　my　will。　　My　wish　is；　now　I　d'see　how　'tis

hurten　thee　to　live　without　en；　that　he　shall　marry　thee　as　soon　as

we've　considered　a　little。　　That's　my　wish　flat　and　plain；　Fancy。

There；　never　cry；　my　little　maid！　　You　ought　to　ha'　cried　afore；　no

need　o'　crying　now　'tis　all　over。　　Well；　howsoever；　try　to　step　over

and　see　me　and　mother…law　to…morrow；　and　ha'　a　bit　of　dinner　wi'

us。〃



〃AndDick　too？〃



〃Ay；　Dick　too；　'far's　I　know。〃



〃And　WHEN　do　you　think　you'll　have　considered；　father；　and　he　may

marry　me？〃　she　coaxed。



〃Well；　there；　say　next　Midsummer；　that's　not　a　day　too　long　to

wait。〃



On　leaving　the　school　Geoffrey　went　to　the　tranter's。　　Old　William

opened　the　door。



〃Is　your　grandson　Dick　in　'ithin；　William？〃



〃No；　not　just　now；　Mr。　Day。　　Though　he've　been　at　home　a　good　deal

lately。〃



〃O；　how's　that？〃



〃What　wi'　one　thing；　and　what　wi'　t'other；　he's　all　in　a　mope；　as

might　be　said。　　Don't　seem　the　feller　he　used　to。　　Ay；　'a　will　sit

studding　and　thinking　as　if　'a　were　going　to　turn　chapel…member；　and

then　do　nothing　but　traypse　and　wamble　about。　　Used　to　be　such　a

chatty　boy；　too；　Dick　did；　and　now　'a　don't　speak　at　all。　　But　won't

ye　step　inside？　　Reuben　will　be　home　soon；　'a　b'lieve。〃



〃No；　thank　you；　I　can't　stay　now。　　Will　ye　just　ask　Dick　if　he'll　do

me　the　kindness　to　step　over　to　Yalbury　to…morrow　with　my　da'ter

Fancy；　if　she's　well　enough？　　I　don't　like　her　to　come　by　herself；

now　she's　not　so　terrible　topping　in　health。〃



〃So　I've　heard。　　Ay；　sure；　I'll　tell　him　without　fail。〃







CHAPTER　V：　　AFTER　GAINING　HER　POINT







The　visit　to　Geoffrey　passed　off　as　delightfully　as　a　visit　might

have　been　expected　to　pass　off　when　it　was　the　first　day　of　smooth

experience　in　a　hitherto　obstructed　love…course。　　And　then　came　a

series　of　several　happy　days；　of　the　same　undisturbed　serenity。

Dick　could　court　her　when　he　chose；　stay　away　when　he　chose；which

was　never；　walk　with　her　by　winding　streams　and　waterfalls　and

autumn　scenery　till　dews　arid　twilight　sent　them　home。　　And　thus

they　drew　near　the　day　of　the　Harvest　Thanksgiving；　which　was　also

the　time　chosen　for　opening　the　organ　in　Mellstock　Church。



It　chanced　that　Dick　on　that　very　day　was　called　away　from

Mellstock。　　A　young　acquaintance　had　died　of　consumption　at

Charmley；　a　neighbouring　village；　on　the　previous　Monday；　and　Dick；

in　fulfilment　of　a　long…standing　promise；　was　to　assist　in　carrying

him　to　the　grave。　　When　on　Tuesday；　Dick　went　towards　the　school　to

acquaint　Fancy　with　the　fact；　it　is　difficult　to　say　whether　his　own

disappointment　at　being　denied　the　sight　of　her　triumphant　debut　as

organist；　was　greater　than　his　vexation　that　his　pet　should　on　this

great　occasion　be　deprived　of　the　pleasure　of　his　presence。

However；　the　intelligence　was　communicated。　　She　bore　it　as　she　best

could；　not　without　many　expressions　of　regret；　and　convictions　that

her　performance　would　be　nothing　to　her　now。



Just　before　eleven　o'clock　on　Sunday　he　set　out　upon　his　sad　errand。

The　funeral　was　to　be　immediately　after　the　morning　service；　and　as

there　were　four　good　miles　to　walk；　driving　being　inconvenient；　it

became　necessary　to　start　comparatively　early。　　Half　an　hour　later

would　certainly　have　answered　his　purpose　quite　as　well；　yet　at　the

last　moment　nothing　would　content　his　ardent　mind　but　that　he　must

go　a　mile　out　of　his　way　in　the　direction　of　the　school；　in　the　hope

of　getting　a　glimpse　of　his　Love　as　she　started　for　church。



Striking；　therefore；　into　the　lane　towards　the　school；　instead　of

across　the　ewelease　direct　to　Charmley；　he　arrived　opposite　her　door

as　his　goddess　emerged。



If　ever　a　woman　looked　a　divinity；　Fancy　Day　appeared　one　that

morning　as　she　floated　down　those　school　steps；　in　the　form　of　a

nebulous　collection　of　colours　inclining　to　blue。　　With　an　audacity

unparalleled　in　the　whole　history　of　village…school…mistresses　at

this　datepartly　owing；　no　doubt；　to　papa's　respectable

accumulation　of　cash；　which　rendered　her　profession　not　altogether

one　of　necessityshe　had　actually　donned　a　hat　and　feather；　and

lowered　her　hitherto　plainly　looped…up　hair；　which　now　fell　about

her　shoulders　in　a　profusion　of　curls。　　Poor　Dick　was　astonished：

he　had　never　seen　her　look　so　distractingly　beautiful　before；　save

on　Christmas…eve；　when　her　hair　was　in　the　same　luxuriant　condition

of　freedom。　　But　his　first　burst　of　delighted　surprise　was　followed

by　less　comfortable　feelings；　as　soon　as　his　brain　recovered　its

power　to　think。



Fancy　had　blushed；was　it　with　confusion？　　She　had　also

involuntarily　pressed　back　her　curls。　　She　had　not　expected　him。



〃Fancy；　you　didn't　know　me　for　a　moment　in　my　funeral　clothes；　did

you？〃



〃Good…morning；　Dickno；　really；　I　didn't　know　you　for　an　instant　in

such　a　sad　suit。〃



He　looked　again　at　the　gay　tresses　and　hat。　　〃You've　never　dressed

so　charming　before；　dearest。〃



〃I　like　to　hear　you　praise　me　in　that　way；　Dick；〃　she　said；　smiling

archly。　　〃It　is　meat　and　drink　to　a　woman。　　Do　I　look　nice　really？〃



〃Fie！　you　know　it。　　Did　you　remember；I　mean　didn't　you　remember

about　my　going　away　to…day？〃



〃Well；　yes；　I　did；　Dick；　but；　you　know；　I　wanted　to　look　well；

forgive　me。〃



〃Yes；　darling；　yes；　of　course；there's　nothing　to　forgive。　　No；　I

was　only　thinking　that　when　we　talked　on　Tuesday　and　Wednesday　and

Thursday　and　Friday　about　my　absence　to…day；　and　I　was　so　sorry　for

it；　you　said；　Fancy；　so　were　you　sorry；　and　almost　cried；　and　said

it　would　be　no　pleasure　to　you　to　be　the　attraction　of　the　church

to…day；　since　I　could　not　be　there。〃



〃My　dear　one；　neither　will　it　be　so　much　pleasure　to　me　。　。　。　But　I

do　take　a　little　delight　in　my　life；　I　suppose；〃　she　pouted。



〃Apart　from　mine？〃



She　looked　at　him　with　perplexed　eyes。　　〃I　know　you　are　vexed　with

me；　Dick；　and　it　is　because　the　first　Sunday　I　have　curls　and　a　hat

and　feather　since　I　have　been　here　happens　to　be　the　very　day　you

are　away　and　won't　be　with　me。　　Yes；　say　it　is；　for　that　is　it！　　And

you　think　that　all　this　week　I　ought　to　have　remembered　you　wouldn't

be　here　to…day；　and　not　have　cared　to　be　better　dressed　than　usual。

Yes；　you　do；　Dick；　and　it　is　rather　unkind！〃



〃No；　no；〃　said　Dick　earnestly　and　simply；　〃I　didn't　think　so　badly

of　you　as　that。　　I　only　thought　thatif　YOU　had　been　going　away；　I

shouldn't　have　tried　new　attractions　for　the　eyes　of　other　people。

But　then　of　course　you　and　I　are　different；　naturally。〃



〃Well；　perhaps　we　are。〃



〃Whatever　will　the　vicar　say；　Fancy？〃



〃I　don't　fear　what　he　says　in　the　least！〃　she　answered　proudly。

〃But　he　won't　say　anything　of　the　sort　you　think。　　No；　no。〃



〃He　can　hardly　have　conscience　to；　indeed。〃



〃Now　come；　you　say；　Dick；　that　you　quite　forgive　me；　for　I　must　go；〃

she　said　with　sudden　gaiety；　and　skipped　backwards　into　the　porch。

〃Come　here；　sir；say　you　forgive　me；　and　then　you　shall　kiss　me；

you　never　have　yet　when　I　have　worn　curls；　you　know。　　Yes；　just

where　you　want　to　so　much；yes；　you　may！〃



Dick　followed　her　into　the　inner　corner；　where　he　was　probably　not

slow　in　availing　himself　of　the　privilege　offered。



〃Now　that's　a　treat　for　you；　isn't　it？〃　she　continued。　　〃Good…bye；

or　I　shall　be　late。　　Come　and　see　me　to…morrow：　　you'll　be　tired　to

night。〃



Thus　they　parted；　and　Fancy　proceeded　to　the　church。　　The　organ

stood　on　one　side　of　the　chancel；　close　to　and　under　the　immediate

eye　of　the　vicar　when　he　was　in　the　pulpit；　and　also　in　full　view　of

the　congregation。　　Here　she　sat　down；　for　the　first　time　in　such　a

conspicuous　position；　her　seat　having　previously　been　in　a　remote

spot　in　the　aisle。



〃Good　heavensdisgraceful！　　Curls　and　a　hat　and　feather！〃　said　the

daughters　of　the　small　gentry；　who　had　either　only　curly　hair

without　a　hat　and　feather；　or　a　hat　and　feather　without　curly　hair。

〃A　bonnet　for　church　always；〃　said　sober　matrons。



That　Mr。　Maybold　was　conscious　of　her　presence　close　beside　him

during　the　sermon；　that　he　was　not　at　all　angry　at　her　development

of　costume；　that　he　admired　her；　she　perceived。　　But　she　did　not　see

that　he　loved　her　during　that　sermon…time　as　he　had　never　loved　a

woman　before；　that　her　proximity　was　a　strange　delight　to　him；　and

that　he　gloried　in　her　musical　success　that　morning　in　a　spirit

quite　beyond　a　mere　cleric's　glory　at　the　inauguration　of　a　new

order　of　things。



The　old　choir；　with　humbled　hearts；　no　longer　took　their　seats　in

the　gallery　as　heretofore　（which　was　now　given　up　to　the　school…

children　who　were　not　singers；　and　a　pupil…teacher）；　but　were

scattered　about　with　their　wives　in　different　parts　of　the　church。

Having　nothing　to　do　with　conducting　the　service　for　almost　the

first　time　in　their　lives；　they　all　felt　awkward；　out　of　place；

abashed；　and　inconvenienced　by　their　hands。　　The　tranter　had

proposed　that　they　should　stay　away　to…day　and　go　nutting；　but

grandfather　William　would　not　hear　of　such　a　thing　for　a　moment。

〃No；〃　he　replied　reproachfully；　and　quoted　a　verse　〃Though　this　has

come　upon　us；　let　not　our　hearts　be　turned