under the greenwood tree-第9章

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



Mrs。　Dewy　formed　one　of　the　next　couple。



〃Yes；〃　she　said；　in　an　auxiliary　tone；　〃Reuben　always　was　such　a　hot

man。〃



Mrs。　Penny　implied　the　species　of　sympathy　that　such　a　class　of

affliction　required；　by　trying　to　smile　and　to　look　grieved　at　the

same　time。



〃If　he　only　walk　round　the　garden　of　a　Sunday　morning；　his　shirt…

collar　is　as　limp　as　no　starch　at　all；〃　continued　Mrs。　Dewy；　her

countenance　lapsing　parenthetically　into　a　housewifely　expression　of

concern　at　the　reminiscence。



〃Come；　come；　you　women…folk；　'tis　hands　acrosscome；　come！〃　said

the　tranter；　and　the　conversation　ceased　for　the　present。







CHAPTER　VIII：　　THEY　DANCE　MORE　WILDLY







Dick　had　at　length　secured　Fancy　for　that　most　delightful　of

country…dances；　opening　with　six…hands…round。



〃Before　we　begin；〃　said　the　tranter；　〃my　proposal　is；　that　'twould

be　a　right　and　proper　plan　for　every　mortal　man　in　the　dance　to　pull

off　his　jacket；　considering　the　heat。〃



〃Such　low　notions　as　you　have；　Reuben！　　Nothing　but　strip　will　go

down　with　you　when　you　are　a…dancing。　　Such　a　hot　man　as　he　is！〃



〃Well；　now；　look　here；　my　sonnies；〃　he　argued　to　his　wife；　whom　he

often　addressed　in　the　plural　masculine　for　economy　of　epithet

merely；　〃I　don't　see　that。　　You　dance　and　get　hot　as　fire；　therefore

you　lighten　your　clothes。　　Isn't　that　nature　and　reason　for　gentle

and　simple？　　If　I　strip　by　myself　and　not　necessary；　'tis　rather

pot…housey　I　own；　but　if　we　stout　chaps　strip　one　and　all；　why；　'tis

the　native　manners　of　the　country；　which　no　man　can　gainsay？　　Hey

what　did　you　say；　my　sonnies？〃



〃Strip　we　will！〃　said　the　three　other　heavy　men　who　were　in　the

dance；　and　their　coats　were　accordingly　taken　off　and　hung　in　the

passage；　whence　the　four　sufferers　from　heat　soon　reappeared；

marching　in　close　column；　with　flapping　shirt…sleeves；　and　having；

as　common　to　them　all；　a　general　glance　of　being　now　a　match　for　any

man　or　dancer　in　England　or　Ireland。　　Dick；　fearing　to　lose　ground

in　Fancy's　good　opinion；　retained　his　coat　like　the　rest　of　the

thinner　men；　and　Mr。　Shiner　did　the　same　from　superior　knowledge。



And　now　a　further　phase　of　revelry　had　disclosed　itself。　　It　was　the

time　of　night　when　a　guest　may　write　his　name　in　the　dust　upon　the

tables　and　chairs；　and　a　bluish　mist　pervades　the　atmosphere；

becoming　a　distinct　halo　round　the　candles；　when　people's　nostrils；

wrinkles；　and　crevices　in　general；　seem　to　be　getting　gradually

plastered　up；　when　the　very　fiddlers　as　well　as　the　dancers　get　red

in　the　face；　the　dancers　having　advanced　further　still　towards

incandescence；　and　entered　the　cadaverous　phase；　the　fiddlers　no

longer　sit　down；　but　kick　back　their　chairs　and　saw　madly　at　the

strings；　with　legs　firmly　spread　and　eyes　closed；　regardless　of　the

visible　world。　　Again　and　again　did　Dick　share　his　Love's　hand　with

another　man；　and　wheel　round；　then；　more　delightfully；　promenade　in

a　circle　with　her　all　to　himself；　his　arm　holding　her　waist　more

firmly　each　time；　and　his　elbow　getting　further　and　further　behind

her　back；　till　the　distance　reached　was　rather　noticeable；　and；　most

blissful；　swinging　to　places　shoulder　to　shoulder；　her　breath

curling　round　his　neck　like　a　summer　zephyr　that　had　strayed　from

its　proper　date。　　Threading　the　couples　one　by　one　they　reached　the

bottom；　when　there　arose　in　Dick's　mind　a　minor　misery　lest　the　tune

should　end　before　they　could　work　their　way　to　the　top　again；　and

have　anew　the　same　exciting　run　down　through。　　Dick's　feelings　on

actually　reaching　the　top　in　spite　of　his　doubts　were　supplemented

by　a　mortal　fear　that　the　fiddling　might　even　stop　at　this　supreme

moment；　which　prompted　him　to　convey　a　stealthy　whisper　to　the　far…

gone　musicians；　to　the　effect　that　they　were　not　to　leave　off　till

he　and　his　partner　had　reached　the　bottom　of　the　dance　once　more；

which　remark　was　replied　to　by　the　nearest　of　those　convulsed　and

quivering　men　by　a　private　nod　to　the　anxious　young　man　between　two

semiquavers　of　the　tune；　and　a　simultaneous　〃All　right；　ay；　ay；〃

without　opening　the　eyes。　　Fancy　was　now　held　so　closely　that　Dick

and　she　were　practically　one　person。　　The　room　became　to　Dick　like　a

picture　in　a　dream；　all　that　he　could　remember　of　it　afterwards

being　the　look　of　the　fiddlers　going　to　sleep；　as　humming…tops

sleep；　by　increasing　their　motion　and　hum；　together　with　the　figures

of　grandfather　James　and　old　Simon　Crumpler　sitting　by　the　chimney…

corner；　talking　and　nodding　in　dumb…show；　and　beating　the　air　to

their　emphatic　sentences　like　people　near　a　threshing　machine。



The　dance　ended。　　〃Piph…h…h…h！〃　said　tranter　Dewy；　blowing　out　his

breath　in　the　very　finest　stream　of　vapour　that　a　man's　lips　could

form。　　〃A　regular　tightener；　that　one；　sonnies！〃　　He　wiped　his

forehead；　and　went　to　the　cider　and　ale　mugs　on　the　table。



〃Well！〃　said　Mrs。　Penny；　flopping　into　a　chair；　〃my　heart　haven't

been　in　such　a　thumping　state　of　uproar　since　I　used　to　sit　up　on

old　Midsummer…eves　to　see　who　my　husband　was　going　to　be。〃



〃And　that's　getting　on　for　a　good　few　years　ago　now；　from　what　I've

heard　you　tell；〃　said　the　tranter；　without　lifting　his　eyes　from　the

cup　he　was　filling。　　Being　now　engaged　in　the　business　of　handing

round　refreshments；　he　was　warranted　in　keeping　his　coat　off　still；

though　the　other　heavy　men　had　resumed　theirs。



〃And　a　thing　I　never　expected　would　come　to　pass；　if　you'll　believe

me；　came　to　pass　then；〃　continued　Mrs。　Penny。　　〃Ah；　the　first　spirit

ever　I　see　on　a　Midsummer…eve　was　a　puzzle　to　me　when　he　appeared；　a

hard　puzzle；　so　say　I！〃



〃So　I　should　have　fancied；〃　said　Elias　Spinks。



〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Penny；　throwing　her　glance　into　past　times；　and

talking　on　in　a　running　tone　of　complacent　abstraction；　as　if　a

listener　were　not　a　necessity。　　〃Yes；　never　was　I　in　such　a　taking

as　on　that　Midsummer…eve！　　I　sat　up；　quite　determined　to　see　if　John

Wildway　was　going　to　marry　me　or　no。　　I　put　the　bread…and…cheese　and

beer　quite　ready；　as　the　witch's　book　ordered；　and　I　opened　the

door；　and　I　waited　till　the　clock　struck　twelve；　my　nerves　all　alive

and　so　strained　that　I　could　feel　every　one　of　'em　twitching　like

bell…wires。　　Yes；　sure！　and　when　the　clock　had　struck；　ho　and

behold；　I　could　see　through　the　door　a　LITTLE　SMALL　man　in　the　lane

wi'　a　shoemaker's　apron　on。〃



Here　Mr。　Penny　stealthily　enlarged　himself　half　an　inch。



〃Now；　John　Wildway；〃　Mrs。　Penny　continued；　〃who　courted　me　at　that

time；　was　a　shoemaker；　you　see；　but　he　was　a　very　fair…sized　man；

and　I　couldn't　believe　that　any　such　a　little　small　man　had　anything

to　do　wi'　me；　as　anybody　might。　　But　on　he　came；　and　crossed　the

thresholdnot　John；　but　actually　the　same　little　small　man　in　the

shoemaker's　apron〃



〃You　needn't　be　so　mighty　particular　about　little　and　small！〃　said

her　husband。



〃In　he　walks；　and　down　he　sits；　and　O　my　goodness　me；　didn't　I　flee

upstairs；　body　and　soul　hardly　hanging　together！　　Well；　to　cut　a

long　story　short；　by…long　and　by…late。　　John　Wildway　and　I　had　a

miff　and　parted；　and　lo　and　behold；　the　coming　man　came！　　Penny

asked　me　if　I'd　go　snacks　with　him；　and　afore　I　knew　what　I　was

about　a'most；　the　thing　was　done。〃



〃I've　fancied　you　never　knew　better　in　your　life；　but　I　mid　be

mistaken；〃　said　Mr。　Penny　in　a　murmur。



After　Mrs。　Penny　had　spoken；　there　being　no　new　occupation　for　her

eyes；　she　still　let　them　stay　idling　on　the　past　scenes　just

related；　which　were　apparently　visible　to　her　in　the　centre　of　the

room　Mr。　Penny's　remark　received　no　reply。



During　this　discourse　the　tranter　and　his　wife　might　have　been

observed　standing　in　an　unobtrusive　corner；　in　mysterious　closeness

to　each　other；　a　just　perceptible　current　of　intelligence　passing

from　each　to　each；　which　had　apparently　no　relation　whatever　to　the

conversation　of　their　guests；　but　much　to　their　sustenance。　　A

conclusion　of　some　kind　having　at　length　been　drawn；　the　palpable

confederacy　of　man　and　wife　was　once　more　obliterated；　the　tranter

marching　off　into　the　pantry；　humming　a　tune　that　he　couldn't　quite

recollect；　and　then　breaking　into　the　words　of　a　song　of　which　he

could　remember　about　one　line　and　a　quarter。　　Mrs。　Dewy　spoke　a　few

words　about　preparations　for　a　bit　of　supper。



That　elder　portion　of　the　company　which　loved　eating　and　drinking

put　on　a　look　to　signify　that　till　this　moment　they　had　quite

forgotten　that　it　was　customary　to　expect　suppers　on　these

occasions；　going　even　further　than　this　politeness　of　feature；　and

starting　irrelevant　subjects；　the　exceeding　flatness　and　forced　tone

of　which　rather　betrayed　their　object。　　The　younger　members　said

they　were　quite　hungry；　and　that　supper　would　be　delightful　though

it　was　so　late。



Good　luck　attended　Dick's　love…passes　during　the　meal。　　He　sat　next

Fancy；　and　had　the　thrilling　pleasure　of　using　permanently　a　glass

which　had　been　taken　by　Fancy　in　mistake；　of　letting　the　outer　edge

of　the　sole　of　his　boot　touch　the　lower　verge　of　her　skirt；　and　to

add　to　these　delights　the　cat；　which　had　lain　unobserved　in　her　hap

for　several　minutes；　crept　across　into　his　own；　touching　him　with

fur　that　had　touched　her　hand　a　moment　before。　　There　were；　besides；

some　little　pleasures　in　the　shape　of　helping　her　to　vegetable　she

didn't　want；　and　when　it　had　nearly　alighted　on　her　plate　taking　it

across　for　his　own　use；　on　the　plea　of　waste　not；　want　not。　　He

also；　from　time　to　time；　sipped　sweet　sly　glances　at　her　profile；

noticing　the　set　of　her　head；　the　curve　of　her　throat；　and　other

artistic　properties　of　the　lively　goddess；　who　the　while　kept　up　a

rather　free；　not　to　say　too　free；　conversation　with　Mr。　Shiner

sitting　opposite；　which；　after　some　uneasy　criticism；　and　much

shifting　of　argument　backwards　and　forwards　in　Dick's　mind；　he

decided　not　to　consider　of　alarming　significance。



〃A　new　music　greets　our　ears　now；〃　said　Miss　Fancy；　alluding；　with

the　sharpness　that　her　position　as　village　sharpener　demanded；　to

the　contrast　between　the　rattle　of　knives　and　forks　and　the　late

notes　of　the　fiddlers。



〃Ay；　and　I　don't　know　but　what　'tis　sweeter　in　tone　when　you　get

above　forty；〃　said　the　tranter；　〃except；　in　faith；　as　regards　father

there。　　Never　such　a　mortal　man　as　he　for　tunes。　　They　do　move　his

soul；　don't　'em；　father？〃



The　eldest　Dewy　smiled　across　from　his　distant　chair　an　assent　to

Reuben's　remark。



〃Spaking　of　being　moved　in　soul；〃　said　Mr。　Penny；　〃I　shall　never

forget　the　first　time　I　heard　the　〃Dead　March。〃　　'Twas　at　poor

Corp'l　Nineman's　funeral　at　Casterbridge。　　It　fairly　made　my　hair

creep　and　fidget　about　like　a　vlock　of　sheepah；　it　did；　souls！

And　when　they　had　done；　and　the　last　trump　had　sounded；　and　the　guns

was　fired　over　the　dead　hero's　grave；　a'