under the greenwood tree-第8章

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

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

parts；　and　an　extra　piece　of　stiffening　at　the　bottom。　　And　'tis　a

nice　high　cut　that　comes　up　right　under　your　armpits；　and　there's

enough　turned　down　inside　the　seams　to　make　half　a　pair　more；

besides　a　piece　of　cloth　heft　that　will　make　an　honest　waistcoat

all　by　my　contriving　in　buying　the　stuff　at　a　bargain；　and　having　it

made　up　under　my　eye。　　It　only　shows　what　may　be　done　by　taking　a

little　trouble；　and　not　going　straight　to　the　rascally　tailors。〃



The　discourse　was　cut　short　by　the　sudden　appearance　of　Charley　on

the　scene；　with　a　face　and　hands　of　hideous　blackness；　and　a　nose

like　a　guttering　candle。　　Why；　on　that　particularly　cleanly

afternoon；　he　should　have　discovered　that　the　chimney…crook　and

chain　from　which　the　hams　were　suspended　should　have　possessed　more

merits　and　general　interest　as　playthings　than　any　other　articles　in

the　house；　is　a　question　for　nursing　mothers　to　decide。　　However；

the　humour　seemed　to　lie　in　the　result　being；　as　has　been　seen；　that

any　given　player　with　these　articles　was　in　the　long…run　daubed　with

soot。　　The　last　that　was　seen　of　Charley　by　daylight　after　this

piece　of　ingenuity　was　when　in　the　act　of　vanishing　from　his

father's　presence　round　the　corner　of　the　houselooking　back　over

his　shoulder　with　an　expression　of　great　sin　on　his　face；　like　Cain

as　the　Outcast　in　Bible　pictures。





The　guests　had　all　assembled；　and　the　tranter's　party　had　reached

that　degree　of　development　which　accords　with　ten　o'clock　P。M。　in

rural　assemblies。　　At　that　hour　the　sound　of　a　fiddle　in　process　of

tuning　was　heard　from　the　inner　pantry。



〃That's　Dick；〃　said　the　tranter。　　〃That　lad's　crazy　for　a　jig。〃



〃Dick！　　Now　I　cannotreally；　I　cannot　have　any　dancing　at　all　till

Christmas…day　is　out；〃　said　old　William　emphatically。　　〃When　the

clock　ha'　done　striking　twelve；　dance　as　much　as　ye　like。〃



〃Well；　I　must　say　there's　reason　in　that；　William；〃　said　Mrs。　Penny。

〃If　you　do　have　a　party　on　Christmas…night；　'tis　only　fair　and

honourable　to　the　sky…folk　to　have　it　a　sit…still　party。　　Jigging

parties　be　all　very　well　on　the　Devil's　holidays；　but　a　jigging

party　looks　suspicious　now。　　O　yes；　stop　till　the　chock　strikes；

young　folkso　say　I。〃



It　happened　that　some　warm　mead　accidentally　got　into　Mr。　Spinks's

head　about　this　time。



〃Dancing；〃　he　said；　〃is　a　most　strengthening；　livening；　and　courting

movement；　'specially　with　a　little　beverage　added！　　And　dancing　is

good。　　But　why　disturb　what　is　ordained；　Richard　and　Reuben；　and　the

company　zhinerally？　　Why；　I　ask；　as　far　as　that　do　go？〃



〃Then　nothing　till　after　twelve；〃　said　William。



Though　Reuben　and　his　wife　ruled　on　social　points；　religious

questions　were　mostly　disposed　of　by　the　old　man；　whose　firmness　on

this　head　quite　counterbalanced　a　certain　weakness　in　his　handling

of　domestic　matters。　　The　hopes　of　the　younger　members　of　the

household　were　therefore　relegated　to　a　distance　of　one　hour　and

three…quartersa　result　that　took　visible　shape　in　them　by　a　remote

and　listless　look　about　the　eyesthe　singing　of　songs　being

permitted　in　the　interim。



At　five　minutes　to　twelve　the　soft　tuning　was　again　heard　in　the

back　quarters；　and　when　at　length　the　clock　had　whizzed　forth　the

last　stroke；　Dick　appeared　ready　primed；　and　the　instruments　were

boldly　handled；　old　William　very　readily　taking　the　bass…viol　from

its　accustomed　nail；　and　touching　the　strings　as　irreligiously　as

could　be　desired。



The　country…dance　called　the　'Triumph；　or　Follow　my　Lover；'　was　the

figure　with　which　they　opened。　　The　tranter　took　for　his　partner

Mrs。　Penny；　and　Mrs。　Dewy　was　chosen　by　Mr。　Penny；　who　made　so　much

of　his　limited　height　by　a　judicious　carriage　of　the　head；

straightening　of　the　back；　and　important　flashes　of　his　spectacle…

glasses；　that　he　seemed　almost　as　tall　as　the　tranter。　　Mr。　Shiner；

age　about　thirty…five；　farmer　and　church…warden；　a　character

principally　composed　of　a　crimson　stare；　vigorous　breath；　and　a

watch…chain；　with　a　mouth　hanging　on　a　dark　smile　but　never　smiling；

had　come　quite　willingly　to　the　party；　and　showed　a　wondrous

obliviousness　of　all　his　antics　on　the　previous　night。　　But　the

comely；　slender；　prettily…dressed　prize　Fancy　Day　fell　to　Dick's

hot；　in　spite　of　some　private　machinations　of　the　farmer；　for　the

reason　that　Mr。　Shiner；　as　a　richer　man；　had　shown　too　much

assurance　in　asking　the　favour；　whilst　Dick　had　been　duly　courteous。



We　gain　a　good　view　of　our　heroine　as　she　advances　to　her　place　in

the　ladies'　line。　　She　belonged　to　the　taller　division　of　middle

height。　　Flexibility　was　her　first　characteristic；　by　which　she

appeared　to　enjoy　the　most　easeful　rest　when　she　was　in　gliding

motion。　　Her　dark　eyesarched　by　brows　of　so　keen；　slender；　and

soft　a　curve；　that　they　resembled　nothing　so　much　as　two　slurs　in

musicshowed　primarily　a　bright　sparkle　each。　　This　was　softened　by

a　frequent　thoughtfulness；　yet　not　so　frequent　as　to　do　away；　for

more　than　a　few　minutes　at　a　time；　with　a　certain　coquettishness；

which　in　its　turn　was　never　so　decided　as　to　banish　honesty。　　Her

lips　imitated　her　brows　in　their　clearly…cut　outline　and　softness　of

bend；　and　her　nose　was　well　shapedwhich　is　saying　a　great　deal；

when　it　is　remembered　that　there　are　a　hundred　pretty　mouths　and

eyes　for　one　pretty　nose。　　Add　to　this；　plentiful　knots　of　dark…

brown　hair；　a　gauzy　dress　of　white；　with　blue　facings；　and　the

slightest　idea　may　be　gained　of　the　young　maiden　who　showed；　amidst

the　rest　of　the　dancing…ladies；　like　a　flower　among　vegetables。　　And

so　the　dance　proceeded。　　Mr。　Shiner；　according　to　the　interesting

rule　laid　down；　deserted　his　own　partner；　and　made　off　down　the

middle　with　this　fair　one　of　Dick'sthe　pair　appearing　from　the　top

of　the　room　like　two　persons　tripping　down　a　lane　to　be　married。

Dick　trotted　behind　with　what　was　intended　to　be　a　look　of

composure；　but　which　was；　in　fact；　a　rather　silly　expression　of

featureimplying；　with　too　much　earnestness；　that　such　an　elopement

could　not　be　tolerated。　　Then　they　turned　and　came　back；　when　Dick

grew　more　rigid　around　his　mouth；　and　blushed　with　ingenuous　ardour

as　he　joined　hands　with　the　rival　and　formed　the　arch　over　his

lady's　head；　which　presumably　gave　the　figure　its　name；

relinquishing　her　again　at　setting　to　partners；　when　Mr。　Shiner's

new　chain　quivered　in　every　link；　and　all　the　loose　flesh　upon　the

tranterwho　here　came　into　action　againshook　like　jelly。　　Mrs。

Penny；　being　always　rather　concerned　for　her　personal　safety　when

she　danced　with　the　tranter；　fixed　her　face　to　a　chronic　smile　of

timidity　the　whole　time　it　hasteda　peculiarity　which　filled　her

features　with　wrinkles；　and　reduced　her　eyes　to　little　straight

lines　like　hyphens；　as　she　jigged　up　and　down　opposite　him；

repeating　in　her　own　person　not　only　his　proper　movements；　but　also

the　minor　flourishes　which　the　richness　of　the　tranter's　imagination

led　him　to　introduce　from　time　to　timean　imitation　which　had　about

it　something　of　slavish　obedience；　not　unmixed　with　fear。



The　ear…rings　of　the　ladies　now　flung　themselves　wildly　about；

turning　violent　summersaults；　banging　this　way　and　that；　and　then

swinging　quietly　against　the　ears　sustaining　them。　　Mrs。　Crumplera

heavy　woman；　who；　for　some　reason　which　nobody　ever　thought　worth

inquiry；　danced　in　a　clean　apronmoved　so　smoothly　through　the

figure　that　her　feet　were　never　seen；　conveying　to　imaginative　minds

the　idea　that　she　rolled　on　castors。



Minute　after　minute　glided　by；　and　the　party　reached　the　period　when

ladies'　back…hair　begins　to　look　forgotten　and　dissipated；　when　a

perceptible　dampness　makes　itself　apparent　upon　the　faces　even　of

delicate　girlsa　ghastly　dew　having　for　some　time　rained　from　the

features　of　their　masculine　partners；　when　skirts　begin　to　be　torn

out　of　their　gathers；　when　elderly　people；　who　have　stood　up　to

please　their　juniors；　begin　to　feel　sundry　small　tremblings　in　the

region　of　the　knees；　and　to　wish　the　interminable　dance　was　at

Jericho；　when　（at　country　parties　of　the　thorough　sort）waistcoats

begin　to　be　unbuttoned；　and　when　the　fiddlers'　chairs　have　been

wriggled；　by　the　frantic　bowing　of　their　occupiers；　to　a　distance　of

about　two　feet　from　where　they　originally　stood。



Fancy　was　dancing　with　Mr。　Shiner。　　Dick　knew　that　Fancy；　by　the　law

of　good　manners；　was　bound　to　dance　as　pleasantly　with　one　partner

as　with　another；　yet　he　could　not　help　suggesting　to　himself　that

she　need　not　have　put　QUITE　so　much　spirit　into　her　steps；　nor

smiled　QUITE　so　frequently　whilst　in　the　farmer's　hands。



〃I'm　afraid　you　didn't　cast　off；〃　said　Dick　mildly　to　Mr。　Shiner；

before　the　latter　man's　watch…chain　had　done　vibrating　from　a　recent

whirl。



Fancy　made　a　motion　of　accepting　the　correction；　but　her　partner

took　no　notice；　and　proceeded　with　the　next　movement；　with　an

affectionate　bend　towards　her。



〃That　Shiner's　too　fond　of　her；〃　the　young　man　said　to　himself　as　he

watched　them。　　They　came　to　the　top　again；　Fancy　smiling　warmly

towards　her　partner；　and　went　to　their　places。



〃Mr。　Shiner；　you　didn't　cast　off；〃　said　Dick；　for　want　of　something

else　to　demolish　him　with；　casting　off　himself；　and　being　put　out　at

the　farmer's　irregularity。



〃Perhaps　I　sha'n't　cast　off　for　any　man；〃　said　Mr。　Shiner。



〃I　think　you　ought　to；　sir。〃



Dick's　partner；　a　young　lady　of　the　name　of　Lizzycalled　Lizz　for

shorttried　to　mollify。



〃I　can't　say　that　I　myself　have　much　feeling　for　casting　off；〃　she

said。



〃Nor　I；〃　said　Mrs。　Penny；　following　up　the　argument；　〃especially　if

a　friend　and　neighbour　is　set　against　it。　　Not　but　that　'tis　a

terrible　tasty　thing　in　good　hands　and　well　done；　yes；　indeed；　so

say　I。〃



〃All　I　meant　was；〃　said　Dick；　rather　sorry　that　he　had　spoken

correctingly　to　a　guest；　〃that　'tis　in　the　dance；　and　a　man　has

hardly　any　right　to　hack　and　mangle　what　was　ordained　by　the　regular

dance…maker；　who；　I　daresay；　got　his　living　by　making　'em；　and

thought　of　nothing　else　all　his　life。〃



〃I　don't　like　casting　off：　　then　very　well；　I　cast　off　for　no　dance…

maker　that　ever　lived。〃



Dick　now　appeared　to　be　doing　mental　arithmetic；　the　act　being

really　an　effort　to　present　to　himself；　in　an　abstract　form；　how　far

an　argument　with　a　formidable　rival　ought　to　be　carried；　when　that

rival　was　his　mother's　guest。　　The　dead…lock　was　put　an　end　to　by

the　stamping　arrival　up　the　middle　of　the　tranter；　who；　despising

minutiae　on　principle；　started　a　theme　of　his　own。



〃I　assure　you；　neighbours；〃　he　said；　〃the　heat　of　my　frame　no　tongue

can　tell！〃　　He　looked　around　and　endeavoured　to　give；　by　a　forcible

gaze　of　self…sympathy；　some　faint　idea　of　the　truth。



Mrs。　Dewy