under the greenwood tree-第7章

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standing　in　a　circle　at　the　back　of　the　gallery　practising　a　psalm

or　two；　Dick　cast　his　eyes　over　his　grandfather's　shoulder；　and　saw

the　vision　of　the　past　night　enter　the　porch…door　as　methodically　as

if　she　had　never　been　a　vision　at　all。　　A　new　atmosphere　seemed

suddenly　to　be　puffed　into　the　ancient　edifice　by　her　movement；

which　made　Dick's　body　and　soul　tingle　with　novel　sensations。

Directed　by　Shiner；　the　churchwarden；　she　proceeded　to　the　small

aisle　on　the　north　side　of　the　chancel；　a　spot　now　allotted　to　a

throng　of　Sunday…school　girls；　and　distinctly　visible　from　the

gallery…front　by　looking　under　the　curve　of　the　furthermost　arch　on

that　side。



Before　this　moment　the　church　had　seemed　comparatively　emptynow　it

was　thronged；　and　as　Miss　Fancy　rose　from　her　knees　and　looked

around　her　for　a　permanent　place　in　which　to　deposit　herself

finally　choosing　the　remotest　cornerDick　began　to　breathe　more

freely　the　warm　new　air　she　had　brought　with　her；　to　feel　rushings

of　blood；　and　to　have　impressions　that　there　was　a　tie　between　her

and　himself　visible　to　all　the　congregation。



Ever　afterwards　the　young　man　could　recollect　individually　each　part

of　the　service　of　that　bright　Christmas　morning；　and　the　trifling

occurrences　which　took　place　as　its　minutes　slowly　drew　along；　the

duties　of　that　day　dividing　themselves　by　a　complete　line　from　the

services　of　other　times。　　The　tunes　they　that　morning　essayed

remained　with　him　for　years；　apart　from　all　others；　also　the　text；

also　the　appearance　of　the　layer　of　dust　upon　the　capitals　of　the

piers；　that　the　holly…bough　in　the　chancel　archway　was　hung　a　little

out　of　the　centreall　the　ideas；　in　short；　that　creep　into　the　mind

when　reason　is　only　exercising　its　lowest　activity　through　the　eye。



By　chance　or　by　fate；　another　young　man　who　attended　Mellstock

Church　on　that　Christmas　morning　had　towards　the　end　of　the　service

the　same　instinctive　perception　of　an　interesting　presence；　in　the

shape　of　the　same　bright　maiden；　though　his　emotion　reached　a　far

less　developed　stage。　　And　there　was　this　difference；　too；　that　the

person　in　question　was　surprised　at　his　condition；　and　sedulously

endeavoured　to　reduce　himself　to　his　normal　state　of　mind。　　He　was

the　young　vicar；　Mr。　Maybold。



The　music　on　Christmas　mornings　was　frequently　below　the　standard　of

church…performances　at　other　times。　　The　boys　were　sleepy　from　the

heavy　exertions　of　the　night；　the　men　were　slightly　wearied；　and

now；　in　addition　to　these　constant　reasons；　there　was　a　dampness　in

the　atmosphere　that　still　further　aggravated　the　evil。　　Their

strings；　from　the　recent　long　exposure　to　the　night　air；　rose　whole

semitones；　and　snapped　with　a　loud　twang　at　the　most　silent　moment；

which　necessitated　more　retiring　than　ever　to　the　back　of　the

gallery；　and　made　the　gallery　throats　quite　husky　with　the　quantity

of　coughing　and　hemming　required　for　tuning　in。　　The　vicar　looked

cross。



When　the　singing　was　in　progress　there　was　suddenly　discovered　to　be

a　strong　and　shrill　reinforcement　from　some　point；　ultimately　found

to　be　the　school…girls'　aisle。　　At　every　attempt　it　grew　bolder　and

more　distinct。　　At　the　third　time　of　singing；　these　intrusive

feminine　voices　were　as　mighty　as　those　of　the　regular　singers；　in

fact；　the　flood　of　sound　from　this　quarter　assumed　such　an

individuality；　that　it　had　a　time；　a　key；　almost　a　tune　of　its　own；

surging　upwards　when　the　gallery　plunged　downwards；　and　the　reverse。



Now　this　had　never　happened　before　within　the　memory　of　man。　　The

girls；　like　the　rest　of　the　congregation；　had　always　been　humble　and

respectful　followers　of　the　gallery；　singing　at　sixes　and　sevens　if

without　gallery　leaders；　never　interfering　with　the　ordinances　of

these　practised　artistshaving　no　will；　union；　power；　or　proclivity

except　it　was　given　them　from　the　established　choir　enthroned　above

them。



A　good　deal　of　desperation　became　noticeable　in　the　gallery　throats

and　strings；　which　continued　throughout　the　musical　portion　of　the

service。　　Directly　the　fiddles　were　laid　down；　Mr。　Penny's

spectacles　put　in　their　sheath；　and　the　text　had　been　given　out；　an

indignant　whispering　began。



〃Did　ye　hear　that；　souls？〃　Mr。　Penny　said；　in　a　groaning　breath。



〃Brazen…faced　hussies！〃　said　Bowman。



〃True；　why；　they　were　every　note　as　loud　as　we；　fiddles　and　all；　if

not　louder！〃



〃Fiddles　and　all！〃　echoed　Bowman　bitterly。



〃Shall　anything　saucier　be　found　than　united　'ooman？〃　Mr。　Spinks

murmured。



〃What　I　want　to　know　is；〃　said　the　tranter　（as　if　he　knew　already；

but　that　civilization　required　the　form　of　words）；　〃what　business

people　have　to　tell　maidens　to　sing　like　that　when　they　don't　sit　in

a　gallery；　and　never　have　entered　one　in　their　lives？　　That's　the

question；　my　sonnies。〃



〃'Tis　the　gallery　have　got　to　sing；　all　the　world　knows；〃　said　Mr。

Penny。　　〃Why；　souls；　what's　the　use　o'　the　ancients　spending　scores

of　pounds　to　build　galleries　if　people　down　in　the　lowest　depths　of

the　church　sing　like　that　at　a　moment's　notice？〃



〃Really；　I　think　we　useless　ones　had　better　march　out　of　church；

fiddles　and　all！〃　said　Mr。　Spinks；　with　a　laugh　which；　to　a

stranger；　would　have　sounded　mild　and　real。　　Only　the　initiated　body

of　men　he　addressed　could　understand　the　horrible　bitterness　of

irony　that　lurked　under　the　quiet　words　'useless　ones；'　and　the

ghastliness　of　the　laughter　apparently　so　natural。



〃Never　mind！　　Let　'em　sing　too'twill　make　it　all　the　louderhee；

hee！〃　said　Leaf。



〃Thomas　Leaf；　Thomas　Leaf！　　Where　have　you　lived　all　your　life？〃

said　grandfather　William　sternly。



The　quailing　Leaf　tried　to　leek　as　if　he　had　lived　nowhere　at　all。



〃When　all's　said　and　done；　my　sonnies；〃　Reuben　said；　〃there'd　have

been　no　real　harm　in　their　singing　if　they　had　let　nobody　hear　'em；

and　only　jined　in　now　and　then。〃



〃None　at　all；〃　said　Mr。　Penny。　　〃But　though　I　don't　wish　to　accuse

people　wrongfully；　I'd　say　before　my　lord　judge　that　I　could　hear

every　note　o'　that　last　psalm　come　from　'em　as　much　as　from　us

every　note　as　if　'twas　their　own。〃



〃Know　it！　ah；　I　should　think　I　did　know　it！〃　　Mr。　Spinks　was　heard

to　observe　at　this　moment；　without　reference　to　his　fellow　players

shaking　his　head　at　some　idea　he　seemed　to　see　floating　before　him；

and　smiling　as　if　he　were　attending　a　funeral　at　the　time。　　〃Ah；　do

I　or　don't　I　know　it！〃



No　one　said　〃Know　what？〃　because　all　were　aware　from　experience　that

what　he　knew　would　declare　itself　in　process　of　time。



〃I　could　fancy　last　night　that　we　should　have　some　trouble　wi'　that

young　man；〃　said　the　tranter；　pending　the　continuance　of　Spinks's

speech；　and　looking　towards　the　unconscious　Mr。　Maybold　in　the

pulpit。



〃_I_　fancy；〃　said　old　William；　rather　severely；　〃I　fancy　there's　too

much　whispering　going　on　to　be　of　any　spiritual　use　to　gentle　or

simple。〃　　Then　folding　his　lips　and　concentrating　his　glance　on　the

vicar；　he　implied　that　none　but　the　ignorant　would　speak　again；　and

accordingly　there　was　silence　in　the　gallery；　Mr。　Spinks's　telling

speech　remaining　for　ever　unspoken。



Dick　had　said　nothing；　and　the　tranter　little；　on　this　episode　of

the　morning；　for　Mrs。　Dewy　at　breakfast　expressed　it　as　her

intention　to　invite　the　youthful　leader　of　the　culprits　to　the　small

party　it　was　customary　with　them　to　have　on　Christmas　nighta　piece

of　knowledge　which　had　given　a　particular　brightness　to　Dick's

reflections　since　he　had　received　it。　　And　in　the　tranter's

slightly…cynical　nature；　party　feeling　was　weaker　than　in　the　other

members　of　the　choir；　though　friendliness　and　faithful　partnership

still　sustained　in　him　a　hearty　earnestness　on　their　account。







CHAPTER　VII：　　THE　TRANTER'S　PARTY







During　the　afternoon　unusual　activity　was　seen　to　prevail　about　the

precincts　of　tranter　Dewy's　house。　　The　flagstone　floor　was　swept　of

dust；　and　a　sprinkling　of　the　finest　yellow　sand　from　the　innermost

stratum　of　the　adjoining　sand…pit　lightly　scattered　thereupon。　　Then

were　produced　large　knives　and　forks；　which　had　been　shrouded　in

darkness　and　grease　since　the　last　occasion　of　the　kind；　and　bearing

upon　their　sides；　〃Shear…steel；　warranted；〃　in　such　emphatic　letters

of　assurance；　that　the　warranter's　name　was　not　required　as　further

proof；　and　not　given。　　The　key　was　left　in　the　tap　of　the　cider…

barrel；　instead　of　being　carried　in　a　pocket。　　And　finally　the

tranter　had　to　stand　up　in　the　room　and　let　his　wife　wheel　him　round

like　a　turnstile；　to　see　if　anything　discreditable　was　visible　in

his　appearance。



〃Stand　still　till　I've　been　for　the　scissors；〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy。



The　tranter　stood　as　still　as　a　sentinel　at　the　challenge。



The　only　repairs　necessary　were　a　trimming　of　one　or　two　whiskers

that　had　extended　beyond　the　general　contour　of　the　mass；　a　like

trimming　of　a　slightly…frayed　edge　visible　on　his　shirt…collar；　and

a　final　tug　at　a　grey　hairto　all　of　which　operations　he　submitted

in　resigned　silence；　except　the　last；　which　produced　a　mild　〃Come；

come；　Ann；〃　by　way　of　expostulation。



〃Really；　Reuben；　'tis　quite　a　disgrace　to　see　such　a　man；〃　said　Mrs。

Dewy；　with　the　severity　justifiable　in　a　long…tried　companion；

giving　him　another　turn　round；　and　picking　several　of　Smiler's　hairs

from　the　shoulder　of　his　coat。　　Reuben's　thoughts　seemed　engaged

elsewhere；　and　he　yawned。　　〃And　the　cellar　of　your　coat　is　a　shame

to　beholdso　plastered　with　dirt；　or　dust；　or　grease；　or　something。

Why；　wherever　could　you　have　got　it？〃



〃'Tis　my　warm　nater　in　summer…time；　I　suppose。　　I　always　did　get　in

such　a　heat　when　I　bustle　about。〃



〃Ay；　the　Dewys　always　were　such　a　coarse…skinned　family。　　There's

your　brother　Bob　just　as　badas　fat　as　a　porpoisewi'　his　how；

mean；　〃How'st　do；　Ann？〃　whenever　he　meets　me。　　I'd　〃How'st　do〃　him

indeed！　　If　the　sun　only　shines　out　a　minute；　there　be　you　all

streaming　in　the　faceI　never　see！〃



〃If　I　be　hot　week…days；　I　must　be　hot　Sundays。〃



〃If　any　of　the　girls　should　turn　after　their　father　'twill　be　a　bad

look…out　for　'em；　poor　things！　　None　of　my　family　were　sich　vulgar

sweaters；　not　one　of　'em。　　But；　Lord…a…mercy；　the　Dewys！　　I　don't

know　how　ever　I　cam'　into　such　a　family！〃



〃Your　woman's　weakness　when　I　asked　ye　to　jine　us。　　That's　how　it

was　I　suppose。〃　　But　the　tranter　appeared　to　have　heard　some　such

words　from　his　wife　before；　and　hence　his　answer　had　not　the　energy

it　might　have　shown　if　the　inquiry　had　possessed　the　charm　of

novelty。



〃You　never　did　hook　so　well　in　a　pair　o'　trousers　as　in　them；〃　she

continued　in　the　same　unimpassioned　voice；　so　that　the　unfriendly

criticism　of　the　Dewy　family　seemed　to　have　been　mere　normal　than

spontaneous。　　〃Such　a　cheap　pair　as　'twas　too。　　As　big　as　any　man

could　wish　to　have；　and　lined　inside；　and　double…lined　in