under the greenwood tree-第14章

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leave　her　side　an　inch　till　the　thing　was　donedrown　him　if　he

would。　　The　proposal　was　assented　to　by　Miss　Day；　in　Dick's

foreboding　judgment；　with　one　degreeor　at　any　rate；　an　appreciable

fraction　of　a　degreeof　warmth　beyond　that　required　by　a

disinterested　desire　for　protection　from　the　dangers　of　the　night。



All　was　over；　and　Dick　surveyed　the　chair　she　had　last　occupied；

looking　now　like　a　setting　from　which　the　gem　has　been　torn。　　There

stood　her　glass；　and　the　romantic　teaspoonful　of　elder　wine　at　the

bottom　that　she　couldn't　drink　by　trying　ever　so　hard；　in　obedience

to　the　mighty　arguments　of　the　tranter　（his　hand　coming　down　upon

her　shoulder　the　while；　like　a　Nasmyth　hammer）；　but　the　drinker　was

there　no　longer。　　There　were　the　nine　or　ten　pretty　little　crumbs

she　had　left　on　her　plate；　but　the　eater　was　no　more　seen。



There　seemed　a　disagreeable　closeness　of　relationship　between

himself　and　the　members　of　his　family；　now　that　they　were　left　alone

again　face　to　face。　　His　father　seemed　quite　offensive　for　appearing

to　be　in　just　as　high　spirits　as　when　the　guests　were　there；　and　as

for　grandfather　James　（who　had　not　yet　left）；　he　was　quite　fiendish

in　being　rather　glad　they　were　gone。



〃Really；〃　said　the　tranter；　in　a　tone　of　placid　satisfaction；　〃I've

had　so　little　time　to　attend　to　myself　all　the　evenen；　that　I　mean

to　enjoy　a　quiet　meal　now！　　A　slice　of　this　here　hamneither　too

fat　nor　too　leanso；　and　then　a　drop　of　this　vinegar　and　pickles

there；　that's　itand　I　shall　be　as　fresh　as　a　lark　again！　　And　to

tell　the　truth；　my　sonny；　my　inside　has　been　as　dry　as　a　lime…basket

all　night。〃



〃I　like　a　party　very　well　once　in　a　while；〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy；　leaving

off　the　adorned　tones　she　had　been　bound　to　use　throughout　the

evening；　and　returning　to　the　natural　marriage　voice；　〃but；　Lord；

'tis　such　a　sight　of　heavy　work　next　day！　　What　with　the　dirty

plates；　and　knives　and　forks；　and　dust　and　smother；　and　bits　kicked

off　your　furniture；　and　I　don't　know　what　all；　why　a　body　could

a'most　wish　there　were　no　such　things　as　Christmases　。　。　。　Ah…h

dear！〃　she　yawned；　till　the　chock　in　the　corner　had　ticked　several

beats。　　She　cast　her　eyes　round　upon　the　displaced；　dust…laden

furniture；　and　sank　down　overpowered　at　the　sight。



〃Well；　I　be　getting　all　right　by　degrees；　thank　the　Lord　for't！〃

said　the　tranter　cheerfully　through　a　mangled　mass　of　ham　and　bread；

without　lifting　his　eyes　from　his　plate；　and　chopping　away　with　his

knife　and　fork　as　if　he　were　felling　trees。　　〃Ann；　you　may　as　well

go　on　to　bed　at　once；　and　not　bide　there　making　such　sleepy　faces；

you　look　as　long…favoured　as　a　fiddle；　upon　my　life；　Ann。　　There；

you　must　be　wearied　out；　'tis　true。　　I'll　do　the　doors　and　draw　up

the　clock；　and　you　go　on；　or　you'll　be　as　white　as　a　sheet　to…

morrow。〃



〃Ay；　I　don't　know　whether　I　shan't　or　no。〃　　The　matron　passed　her

hand　across　her　eyes　to　brush　away　the　film　of　sheep　till　she　got

upstairs。



Dick　wondered　how　it　was　that　when　people　were　married　they　could　be

so　blind　to　romance；　and　was　quite　certain　that　if　he　ever　took　to

wife　that　dear　impossible　Fancy；　he　and　she　would　never　be　so

dreadfully　practical　and　undemonstrative　of　the　Passion　as　his

father　and　mother　were。　　The　most　extraordinary　thing　was；　that　all

the　fathers　and　mothers　he　knew　were　just　as　undemonstrative　as　his

own。







CHAPTER　IX：　　DICK　CALLS　AT　THE　SCHOOL







The　early　days　of　the　year　drew　on；　and　Fancy；　having　spent　the

holiday　weeks　at　borne；　returned　again　to　Mellstock。



Every　spare　minute　of　the　week　following　her　return　was　used　by　Dick

in　accidentally　passing　the　schoolhouse　in　his　journeys　about　the

neighbourhood；　but　not　once　did　she　make　herself　visible。　　A

handkerchief　belonging　to　her　had　been　providentially　found　by　his

mother　in　clearing　the　rooms　the　day　after　that　of　the　dance；　and　by

much　contrivance　Dick　got　it　handed　over　to　him；　to　leave　with　her

at　any　time　he　should　be　near　the　school　after　her　return。　　But　he

delayed　taking　the　extreme　measure　of　calling　with　it　lest；　had　she

really　no　sentiment　of　interest　in　him；　it　might　be　regarded　as　a

slightly　absurd　errand；　the　reason　guessed；　and　the　sense　of　the

ludicrous；　which　was　rather　keen　in　her；　do　his　dignity　considerable

injury　in　her　eyes；　and　what　she　thought　of　him；　even　apart　from　the

question　of　her　loving；　was　all　the　world　to　him　now。



But　the　hour　came　when　the　patience　of　love　at　twenty…one　could

endure　no　longer。　　One　Saturday　he　approached　the　school　with　a　mild

air　of　indifference；　and　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　the　object

of　his　quest　at　the　further　end　of　her　garden；　trying；　by　the　aid　of

a　spade　and　gloves；　to　root　a　bramble　that　had　intruded　itself

there。



He　disguised　his　feelings　from　some　suspicious…looking　cottage…

windows　opposite　by　endeavouring　to　appear　like　a　man　in　a　great

hurry　of　business；　who　wished　to　leave　the　handkerchief　and　have

done　with　such　trifling　errands。



This　endeavour　signally　failed；　for　on　approaching　the　gate　he　found

it　locked　to　keep　the　children；　who　were　playing　'cross…dadder'　in

the　front；　from　running　into　her　private　grounds。



She　did　not　see　him；　and　he　could　only　think　of　one　thing　to　be

done；　which　was　to　shout　her　name。



〃Miss　Day！〃



The　words　were　uttered　with　a　jerk　and　a　look　meant　to　imply　to　the

cottages　opposite　that　he　was　now　simply　one　who　liked　shouting　as　a

pheasant　way　of　passing　his　time；　without　any　reference　to　persons

in　gardens。　　The　name　died　away；　and　the　unconscious　Miss　Day

continued　digging　and　pulling　as　before。



He　screwed　himself　up　to　enduring　the　cottage…windows　yet　more

stoically；　and　shouted　again。　　Fancy　took　no　notice　whatever。



He　shouted　the　third　time；　with　desperate　vehemence；　turning

suddenly　about　and　retiring　a　little　distance；　as　if　it　were　by　no

means　for　his　own　pleasure　that　he　had　come。



This　time　she　heard　him；　came　down　the　garden；　and　entered　the

school　at　the　back。　　Footsteps　echoed　across　the　interior；　the　door

opened；　and　three…quarters　of　the　blooming　young　schoolmistress's

face　and　figure　stood　revealed　before　him；　a　slice　on　her　left…hand

side　being　cut　off　by　the　edge　of　the　door。　　Having　surveyed　and

recognized　him；　she　came　to　the　gate。



At　sight　of　him　had　the　pink　of　her　cheeks　increased；　lessened；　or

did　it　continue　to　cover　its　normal　area　of　ground？　　It　was　a

question　meditated　several　hundreds　of　times　by　her　visitor　in

after…hoursthe　meditation；　after　wearying　involutions；　always

ending　in　one　way；　that　it　was　impossible　to　say。



〃Your　handkerchief：　　Miss　Day：　　I　called　with。〃　　He　held　it　out

spasmodically　and　awkwardly。　　〃Mother　found　it：　　under　a　chair。〃



〃O；　thank　you　very　much　for　bringing　it；　Mr。　Dewy。　　I　couldn't　think

where　I　had　dropped　it。〃



Now　Dick；　not　being　an　experienced　loverindeed；　never　before

having　been　engaged　in　the　practice　of　love…making　at　all；　except　in

a　small　schoolboy　waycould　not　take　advantage　of　the　situation；

and　out　came　the　blunder；　which　afterwards　cost　him　so　many　bitter

moments　and　a　sleepless　night：…



〃Good　morning；　Miss　Day。〃



〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Dewy。〃



The　gate　was　closed；　she　was　gone；　and　Dick　was　standing　outside；

unchanged　in　his　condition　from　what　he　had　been　before　he　called。

Of　course　the　Angel　was　not　to　blamea　young　woman　living　alone　in

a　house　could　not　ask　him　indoors　unless　she　had　known　him　better

he　should　have　kept　her　outside　before　floundering　into　that　fatal

farewell。　　He　wished　that　before　he　called　he　had　realized　more

fully　than　he　did　the　pleasure　of　being　about　to　call；　and　turned

away。









PART　THE　SECONDSPRING









CHAPTER　I：　　PASSING　BY　THE　SCHOOL







It　followed　that；　as　the　spring　advanced；　Dick　walked　abroad　much

more　frequently　than　had　hitherto　been　usual　with　him；　and　was

continually　findi