under the greenwood tree-第5章
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〃Joseph；〃 I said； says I； 〃depend upon't； if so be you have them
tooting clar'nets you'll spoil the whole set…out。 Clar'nets were
not made for the service of the Lard； you can see it by looking at
'em；〃 I said。 And what came o't？ Why； souls； the parson set up a
barrel…organ on his own account within two years o' the time I
spoke； and the old quire went to nothing。〃
〃As far as look is concerned；〃 said the tranter； 〃I don't for my
part see that a fiddle is much nearer heaven than a clar'net。 'Tis
further off。 There's always a rakish； scampish twist about a
fiddle's looks that seems to say the Wicked One had a hand in making
o'en； while angels be supposed to play clar'nets in heaven； or
som'at like 'em； if ye may believe picters。〃
〃Robert Penny； you was in the right；〃 broke in the eldest Dewy。
〃They should ha' stuck to strings。 Your brass…man is a rafting dog…
…well and good； your reed…man is a dab at stirring yewell and
good； your drum…man is a rare bowel…shakergood again。 But I don't
care who hears me say it； nothing will spak to your heart wi' the
sweetness o' the man of strings！〃
〃Strings for ever！〃 said little Jimmy。
〃Strings alone would have held their ground against all the new
comers in creation。〃 （〃True； true！〃 said Bowman。） 〃But clarinets
was death。〃 （〃Death they was！〃 said Mr。 Penny。） 〃And harmonions；〃
William continued in a louder voice； and getting excited by these
signs of approval； 〃harmonions and barrel…organs〃 （〃Ah！〃 and groans
from Spinks） 〃be miserablewhat shall I call 'em？miserable〃
〃Sinners；〃 suggested Jimmy； who made large strides like the men； and
did not lag behind like the other little boys。
〃Miserable dumbledores！〃
〃Right； William； and so they bemiserable dumbledores！〃 said the
choir with unanimity。
By this time they were crossing to a gate in the direction of the
school； which； standing on a slight eminence at the junction of
three ways； now rose in unvarying and dark flatness against the sky。
The instruments were retuned； and all the band entered the school
enclosure； enjoined by old William to keep upon the grass。
〃Number seventy…eight；〃 he softly gave out as they formed round in a
semicircle； the boys opening the lanterns to get a clearer light；
and directing their rays on the books。
Then passed forth into the quiet night an ancient and time…worn
hymn； embodying a quaint Christianity in words orally transmitted
from father to son through several generations down to the present
characters； who sang them out right earnestly：
〃Remember Adam's fall；
O thou Man：
Remember Adam's fall
From Heaven to Hell。
Remember Adam's fall
How he hath condemn'd all
In Hell perpetual
There for to dwell。
Remember God's goodnesse；
O thou Man：
Remember God's goodnesse；
His promise made。
Remember God's goodnesse；
He sent His Son sinlesse
Our ails for to redress；
Be not afraid
In Bethlehem He was born；
O thou Man：
In Bethlehem He was born；
For mankind's sake。
In Bethlehem He was born；
Christmas…day i' the morn：
Our Saviour thought no scorn
Our faults to take。
Give thanks to God alway；
O thou Man：
Give thanks to God alway
With heart…most joy。
Give thanks to God alway
On this our joyful day：
Let all men sing and say；
Holy； Holy！〃
Having concluded the last note； they listened for a minute or two；
but found that no sound issued from the schoolhouse。
〃Four breaths； and then； 〃O； what unbounded goodness！〃 number fifty…
nine；〃 said William。
This was duly gone through； and no notice whatever seemed to be
taken of the performance。
〃Good guide us； surely 'tisn't a' empty house； as befell us in the
year thirty…nine and forty…three！〃 said old Dewy。
〃Perhaps she's jist come from some musical city； and sneers at our
doings？〃 the tranter whispered。
〃'Od rabbit her！〃 said Mr。 Penny； with an annihilating look at a
corner of the school chimney； 〃I don't quite stomach her； if this is
it。 Your plain music well done is as worthy as your other sort done
bad； a' b'lieve； souls； so say I。〃
〃Four breaths； and then the last；〃 said the leader authoritatively。
〃'Rejoice； ye Tenants of the Earth；' number sixty…four。〃
At the close； waiting yet another minute； he said in a clear loud
voice； as he had said in the village at that hour and season for the
previous forty years〃A merry Christmas to ye！〃
CHAPTER V： THE LISTENERS
When the expectant stillness consequent upon the exclamation had
nearly died out of them all； an increasing light made itself visible
in one of the windows of the upper floor。 It came so close to the
blind that the exact position of the flame could be perceived from
the outside。 Remaining steady for an instant； the blind went upward
from before it； revealing to thirty concentrated eyes a young girl；
framed as a picture by the window architrave； and unconsciously
illuminating her countenance to a vivid brightness by a candle she
held in her left hand； close to her face； her right hand being
extended to the side of the window。 She was wrapped in a white robe
of some kind； whilst down her shoulders fell a twining profusion of
marvellously rich hair； in a wild disorder which proclaimed it to be
only during the invisible hours of the night that such a condition
was discoverable。 Her bright eyes were looking into the grey world
outside with an uncertain expression； oscillating between courage
and shyness； which； as she recognized the semicircular group of dark
forms gathered before her； transformed itself into pheasant
resolution。
Opening the window； she said lightly and warmly〃Thank you；
singers； thank you！〃
Together went the window quickly and quietly； and the blind started
downward on its return to its place。 Her fair forehead and eyes
vanished； her little mouth； her neck and shoulders； all of her。
Then the spot of candlelight shone nebulously as before； then it
moved away。
〃How pretty！〃 exclaimed Dick Dewy。
〃If she'd been rale wexwork she couldn't ha' been comelier；〃 said
Michael Mail。
〃As near a thing to a spiritual vision as ever I wish to see！〃 said
tranter Dewy。
〃O； sich I never； never see！〃 said Leaf fervently。
All the rest； after clearing their threats and adjusting their hats；
agreed that such a sight was worth singing for。
〃Now to Farmer Shiner's； and then replenish our insides； father？〃
said the tranter。
〃Wi' all my heart；〃 said old William； shouldering his bass…viol。
Farmer Shiner's was a queer lump of a house； standing at the corner
of a lane that ran into the principal thoroughfare。 The upper
windows were much wider than they were high； and this feature；
together with a broad bay…window where the door might have been
expected； gave it by day the aspect of a human countenance turned
askance； and wearing a sly and wicked leer。 To…night nothing was
visible but the outline of the roof upon the sky。
The front of this building was reached； and the preliminaries
arranged as usual。
〃Four breaths； and number thirty…two； 'Behold the Morning Star；'〃
said old William。
They had reached the end of the second verse； and the fiddlers were
doing the up bow…stroke previously to pouring forth the opening
chord of the third verse； when； without a light appearing or any
signal being given； a roaring voice exclaimed …
〃Shut up； woll 'ee！ Don't make your blaring row here！ A feller wi'
a headache enough to split his skull likes a quiet night！〃
Slam went the window。
〃Hullo； that's a' ugly blow for we！〃 said the tranter； in a keenly
appreciative voice； and turning to his companions。
〃Finish the carrel； all who be friends of harmony！〃 commanded old
William； and they continued to the end。
〃Four breaths； and number nineteen！〃 said William firmly。 〃Give it
him well； the quire can't be insulted in this manner！〃
A light now flashed into existence； the window opened； and the
farmer stood revealed as one in a terrific passion。
〃Drown en！drown en！〃 the tranter cried； fiddling frantically。
〃Play fortissimy； and drown his spaking！〃
〃Fortissimy！〃 said Michael Mail； and the music and singing waxed so
loud that it was impossible to know what Mr。 Shiner had said； was
saying； or was about to say； but wildly flinging his arms and body
about in the forms of capital Xs and Ys； he appeared to utter enough
invectives to consign the whole parish to perdition。
〃Very onseemlyvery！〃 said old William； as they retired。 〃Never
such a dreadful scene in the whole round o' my carrel practice
never！ And he a churchwarden！〃
〃Only a drap o' drink got into his head；〃 said the tranter。 〃Man's
well enough when he's in his religious frame。 He's in his worldly
frame now。 Must ask en to our bit of a party to…morrow night； I
suppose； and so put en in humour again。 We bear no mortal man ill…
will。〃
They now crossed Mellstock Bridge； and went along an embowered path
beside the Froom towards the church and vicarage； meeting Voss with
the hot mead and bread…and…cheese as they were approaching the
churchyard。 This determined them to eat and drink before proceeding
further； and they entered the church and ascended to the gallery。
The lanterns were opened； and the whole body sat round against the
walls on benches and whatever else was available； and made a hearty
meal。 In the pauses of conversation there could be heard through
the floor overhead a little world of undertones and creaks from the
halting clockwork； which never spread further than the tower they
were born in； and raised in the more meditative minds a fancy that
here hay the direct pathway of Time。
Having done eating and drinking； they again tuned the instruments；
and once more the party emerged into the night air。
〃Where's Dick？〃 said old Dewy。
Every man hooked round upon every other man； as if Dick might have
been transmuted into one or the other； and then they said they
didn't know。
〃Well now； that's what I call very nasty of Master Dicky； that I
do；〃 said Michael Mail。
〃He've clinked off home…along； depend upon't；〃 another suggested；
though not quite believing that he had。
〃Dick！〃 exclaimed the tranter； and his voice rolled sonorously forth
among the yews。
He suspended his muscles rigid as stone whilst listening for an
answer； and finding he listened in vain； turned to the assemblage。
〃The treble man too！ Now if he'd been a tenor or counter chap； we
might ha' contrived the rest o't without en； you see。 But for a
quire to lose the treble； why； my sonnies； you may so well lose your
。 。 。 〃 The tranter paused； unable to mention an image vast enough
for the occasion。
〃Your head at once；〃 suggested Mr。 Penny。
The tranter moved a pace； as if it were puerile of people to
