under the greenwood tree-第31章

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In　addition　to　the　local　musicians　present；　a　man　who　had　a　thorough

knowledge　of　the　tambourine　was　invited　from　the　village　of　Tantrum

Clangley；a　place　long　celebrated　for　the　skill　of　its　inhabitants

as　performers　on　instruments　of　percussion。　　These　important　members

of　the　assembly　were　relegated　to　a　height　of　two　or　three　feet　from

the　ground；　upon　a　temporary　erection　of　planks　supported　by

barrels。　　Whilst　the　dancing　progressed　the　older　persons　sat　in　a

group　under　the　trunk　of　the　tree；the　space　being　allotted　to　them

somewhat　grudgingly　by　the　young　ones；　who　were　greedy　of

pirouetting　room；and　fortified　by　a　table　against　the　heels　of　the

dancers。　　Here　the　gaffers　and　gammers；　whose　dancing　days　were

over；　told　stories　of　great　impressiveness；　and　at　intervals

surveyed　the　advancing　and　retiring　couples　from　the　same　retreat；

as　people　on　shore　might　be　supposed　to　survey　a　naval　engagement　in

the　bay　beyond；　returning　again　to　their　tales　when　the　pause　was

over。　　Those　of　the　whirling　throng；　who；　during　the　rests　between

each　figure；　turned　their　eyes　in　the　direction　of　these　seated

ones；　were　only　able　to　discover；　on　account　of　the　music　and

bustle；　that　a　very　striking　circumstance　was　in　course　of

narrationdenoted　by　an　emphatic　sweep　of　the　hand；　snapping　of　the

fingers；　close　of　the　lips；　and　fixed　look　into　the　centre　of　the

listener's　eye　for　the　space　of　a　quarter　of　a　minute；　which　raised

in　that　listener　such　a　reciprocating　working　of　face　as　to

sometimes　make　the　distant　dancers　half　wish　to　know　what　such　an

interesting　tale　could　refer　to。



Fancy　caused　her　looks　to　wear　as　much　matronly　expression　as　was

obtainable　out　of　six　hours'　experience　as　a　wife；　in　order　that　the

contrast　between　her　own　state　of　life　and　that　of　the　unmarried

young　women　present　might　be　duly　impressed　upon　the　company：

occasionally　stealing　glances　of　admiration　at　her　left　hand；　but

this　quite　privately；　for　her　ostensible　bearing　concerning　the

matter　was　intended　to　show　that；　though　she　undoubtedly　occupied

the　most　wondrous　position　in　the　eyes　of　the　world　that　had　ever

been　attained；　she　was　almost　unconscious　of　the　circumstance；　and

that　the　somewhat　prominent　position　in　which　that　wonderfully…

emblazoned　left　hand　was　continually　found　to　be　placed；　when

handing　cups　and　saucers；　knives；　forks；　and　glasses；　was　quite　the

result　of　accident。　　As　to　wishing　to　excite　envy　in　the　bosoms　of

her　maiden　companions；　by　the　exhibition　of　the　shining　ring；　every

one　was　to　know　it　was　quite　foreign　to　the　dignity　of　such　an

experienced　married　woman。　　Dick's　imagination　in　the　meantime　was

far　less　capable　of　drawing　so　much　wontedness　from　his　new

condition。　　He　had　been　for　two　or　three　hours　trying　to　feel

himself　merely　a　newly…married　man；　but　had　been　able　to　get　no

further　in　the　attempt　than　to　realize　that　he　was　Dick　Dewy；　the

tranter's　son；　at　a　party　given　by　Lord　Wessex's　head　man…in…charge；

on　the　outlying　Yalbury　estate；　dancing　and　chatting　with　Fancy　Day。



Five　country　dances；　including　'Haste　to　the　Wedding；'　two　reels；

and　three　fragments　of　horn…pipes；　brought　them　to　the　time　for

supper；　which；　on　account　of　the　dampness　of　the　grass　from　the

immaturity　of　the　summer　season；　was　spread　indoors。　　At　the

conclusion　of　the　meal　Dick　went　out　to　put　the　horse　in；　and　Fancy；

with　the　elder　half　of　the　four　bridesmaids；　retired　upstairs　to

dress　for　the　journey　to　Dick's　new　cottage　near　Mellstock。



〃How　long　will　you　be　putting　on　your　bonnet；　Fancy？〃　Dick　inquired

at　the　foot　of　the　staircase。　　Being　now　a　man　of　business　and

married；　he　was　strong　on　the　importance　of　time；　and　doubled　the

emphasis　of　his　words　in　conversing；　and　added　vigour　to　his　nods。



〃Only　a　minute。〃



〃How　long　is　that？〃



〃Well；　dear；　five。〃



〃Ah；　sonnies！〃　said　the　tranter；　as　Dick　retired；　〃'tis　a　talent　of

the　female　race　that　low　numbers　should　stand　for　high；　more

especially　in　matters　of　waiting；　matters　of　age；　and　matters　of

money。〃



〃True；　true；　upon　my　body；〃　said　Geoffrey。



〃Ye　spak　with　feeling；　Geoffrey；　seemingly。〃



〃Anybody　that　d'know　my　experience　might　guess　that。〃



〃What's　she　doing　now；　Geoffrey？〃



〃Claning　out　all　the　upstairs　drawers　and　cupboards；　and　dusting　the

second…best　chaineya　thing　that's　only　done　once　a　year。　　'If

there's　work　to　be　done　I　must　do　it；'　says　she；　'wedding　or　no。'〃



〃'Tis　my　belief　she's　a　very　good　woman　at　bottom。〃



〃She's　terrible　deep；　then。〃



Mrs。　Penny　turned　round。　　〃Well；　'tis　humps　and　hollers　with　the

best　of　us；　but　still　and　for　all　that；　Dick　and　Fancy　stand　as　fair

a　chance　of　having　a　bit　of　sunsheen　as　any　married　pair　in　the

land。〃



〃Ay；　there's　no　gainsaying　it。〃



Mrs。　Dewy　came　up；　talking　to　one　person　and　looking　at　another。

〃Happy；　yes；〃　she　said。　　〃'Tis　always　so　when　a　couple　is　so　exactly

in　tune　with　one　another　as　Dick　and　she。〃



〃When　they　be'n't　too　poor　to　have　time　to　sing；〃　said　grandfather

James。



〃I　tell　ye；　neighbours；　when　the　pinch　comes；〃　said　the　tranter：

〃when　the　oldest　daughter's　boots　be　only　a　size　less　than　her

mother's；　and　the　rest　o'　the　flock　close　behind　her。　　A　sharp　time

for　a　man　that；　my　sonnies；　a　very　sharp　time！　　Chanticleer's　comb

is　a…cut　then；　'a　believe。〃



〃That's　about　the　form　o't；〃　said　Mr。　Penny。　　〃That'll　put　the　stuns

upon　a　man；　when　you　must　measure　mother　and　daughter's　lasts　to

tell　'em　apart。〃



〃You've　no　cause　to　complain；　Reuben；　of　such　a　close…coming　flock；〃

said　Mrs。　Dewy；　〃for　ours　was　a　straggling　lot　enough；　God　knows！〃



〃I　d'know　it；　I　d'know　it；〃　said　the　tranter。　　〃You　be　a　well…enough

woman；　Ann。〃



Mrs。　Dewy　put　her　mouth　in　the　form　of　a　smile；　and　put　it　back

again　without　smiling。



〃And　if　they　come　together；　they　go　together；〃　said　Mrs。　Penny；

whose　family　had　been　the　reverse　of　the　tranter's；　〃and　a　little

money　will　make　either　fate　tolerable。　　And　money　can　be　made　by　our

young　couple；　I　know。〃



〃Yes；　that　it　can！〃　said　the　impulsive　voice　of　Leaf；　who　had

hitherto　humbly　admired　the　proceedings　from　a　corner。　　〃It　can　be

doneall　that's　wanted　is　a　few　pounds　to　begin　with。　　That's　all！

I　know　a　story　about　it！〃



〃Let's　hear　thy　story；　Leaf；〃　said　the　tranter。　　〃I　never　knew　you

were　clever　enough　to　tell　a　story。　　Silence；　all　of　ye！　　Mr。　Leaf

will　tell　a　story。〃



〃Tell　your　story；　Thomas　Leaf；〃　said　grandfather　William　in　the　tone

of　a　schoolmaster。



〃Once；〃　said　the　delighted　Leaf；　in　an　uncertain　voice；　〃there　was　a

man　who　lived　in　a　house！　　Well；　this　man　went　thinking　and　thinking

night　and　day。　　At　last；　he　said　to　himself；　as　I　might；　'If　I　had

only　ten　pound；　I'd　make　a　fortune。'　　At　last　by　hook　or　by　crook；

behold　he　got　the　ten　pounds！〃



〃Only　think　of　that！〃　said　Nat　Callcome　satirically。



〃Silence！〃　said　the　tranter。



〃Well；　now　comes　the　interesting　part　of　the　story！　　In　a　little

time　he　made　that　ten　pounds　twenty。　　Then　a　little　time　after　that

he　doubled　it；　and　made　it　forty。　　Well；　he　went　on；　and　a　good

while　after　that　he　made　it　eighty；　and　on　to　a　hundred。　　Well；　by…

and…by　he　made　it　two　hundred！　　Well；　you'd　never　believe　it；　but

he　went　on　and　made　it　four　hundred！　　He　went　on；　and　what　did　he

do？　　Why；　he　made　it　eight　hundred！　　Yes；　he　did；〃　continued　Leaf；

in　the　highest　pitch　of　excitement；　bringing　down　his　fist　upon　his

knee　with　such　force　that　he　quivered　with　the　pain；　〃yes；　and　he

went　on　and　made　it　A　THOUSAND！〃



〃Hear；　hear！〃　said　the　tranter。　　〃Better　than　the　history　of

England；　my　sonnies！〃



〃Thank　you　for　your　story；　Thomas　Leaf；〃　said　grandfather　William；

and　then　Leaf　gradually　sank　into　nothingness　again。



Amid　a　medley　of　laughter；　old　shoes；　and　elder…wine；　Dick　and　his

bride　took　their　departure；　side　by　side　in　the　excellent　new

spring…cart　which　the　young　tranter　now　possessed。　　The　moon　was

just　over　the　full；　rendering　any　light　from　lamps　or　their　own

beauties　quite　unnecessary　to　the　pair。　　They　drove　slowly　along

Yalbury　Bottom；　where　the　road　passed　between　two　copses。　　Dick　was

talking　to　his　companion。



〃Fancy；〃　he　said；　〃why　we　are　so　happy　is　because　there　is　such　full

confidence　between　us。　　Ever　since　that　time　you　confessed　to　that

little　flirtation　with　Shiner　by　the　river　（which　was　really　no

flirtation　at　all）；　I　have　thought　how　artless　and　good　you　must　be

to　tell　me　o'　such　a　trifling　thing；　and　to　be　so　frightened　about

it　as　you　were。　　It　has　won　me　to　tell　you　my　every　deed　and　word

since　then。　　We'll　have　no　secrets　from　each　other；　darling；　will　we

ever？no　secret　at　all。〃



〃None　from　to…day；〃　said　Fancy。　　〃Hark！　what's　that？〃



From　a　neighbouring　thicket　was　suddenly　heard　to　issue　in　a　loud；

musical；　and　liquid　voice　…



〃Tippiwit！　swe…e…et！　ki…ki…ki！　　Come　hither；　come　hither；　come

hither！〃



〃O；　'tis　the　nightingale；〃　murmured　she；　and　thought　of　a　secret　she

would　never　tell。







Footnotes：



｛1｝　This；　a　local　expression；　must　be　a　corruption　of　something　less

questionable。











End