under the greenwood tree-第15章

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

continually　finding　that　his　nearest　way　to　or　from　home　lay　by　the

road　which　skirted　the　garden　of　the　school。　　The　first…fruits　of

his　perseverance　were　that；　on　turning　the　angle　on　the　nineteenth

journey　by　that　track；　he　saw　Miss　Fancy's　figure；　clothed　in　a

dark…gray　dress；　looking　from　a　high　open　window　upon　the　crown　of

his　hat。　　The　friendly　greeting　resulting　from　this　rencounter　was

considered　so　valuable　an　elixir　that　Dick　passed　still　oftener；　and

by　the　time　he　had　almost　trodden　a　little　path　under　the　fence

where　never　a　path　was　before；　he　was　rewarded　with　an　actual

meeting　face　to　face　on　the　open　road　before　her　gate。　　This　brought

another　meeting；　and　another；　Fancy　faintly　showing　by　her　bearing

that　it　was　a　pleasure　to　her　of　some　kind　to　see　him　there　but　the

sort　of　pleasure　she　derived；　whether　exultation　at　the　hope　her

exceeding　fairness　inspired；　or　the　true　feeling　which　was　alone

Dick's　concern；　he　could　not　anyhow　decide；　although　he　meditated　on

her　every　little　movement　for　hours　after　it　was　made。







CHAPTER　II：　　A　MEETING　OF　THE　QUIRE







It　was　the　evening　of　a　fine　spring　day。　　The　descending　sun

appeared　as　a　nebulous　blaze　of　amber　light；　its　outline　being　lost

in　cloudy　masses　hanging　round　it；　like　wild　locks　of　hair。



The　chief　members　of　Mellstock　parish　choir　were　standing　in　a　group

in　front　of　Mr。　Penny's　workshop　in　the　lower　village。　　They　were

all　brightly　illuminated；　and　each　was　backed　up　by　a　shadow　as　long

as　a　steeple　the　lowness　of　the　source　of　light　rendering　the　brims

of　their　hats　of　no　use　at　all　as　a　protection　to　the　eyes。



Mr。　Penny's　was　the　last　house　in　that　part　of　the　parish；　and　stood

in　a　hollow　by　the　roadside　so　that　cart…wheels　and　horses'　legs

were　about　level　with　the　sill　of　his　shop…window。　　This　was　low　and

wide；　and　was　open　from　morning　till　evening；　Mr。　Penny　himself

being　invariably　seen　working　inside；　like　a　framed　portrait　of　a

shoemaker　by　some　modern　Moroni。　　He　sat　facing　the　road；　with　a

boot　on　his　knees　and　the　awl　in　his　hand；　only　looking　up　for　a

moment　as　he　stretched　out　his　arms　and　bent　forward　at　the　pull；

when　his　spectacles　flashed　in　the　passer's　face　with　a　shine　of

flat　whiteness；　and　then　returned　again　to　the　boot　as　usual。　　Rows

of　lasts；　small　and　large；　stout　and　slender；　covered　the　wall　which

formed　the　background；　in　the　extreme　shadow　of　which　a　kind　of

dummy　was　seen　sitting；　in　the　shape　of　an　apprentice　with　a　string

tied　round　his　hair　（probably　to　keep　it　out　of　his　eyes）。　　He

smiled　at　remarks　that　floated　in　from　without；　but　was　never　known

to　answer　them　in　Mr。　Penny's　presence。　　Outside　the　window　the

upper…leather　of　a　Wellington…boot　was　usually　hung；　pegged　to　a

board　as　if　to　dry。　　No　sign　was　over　his　door；　in　factas　with　old

banks　and　mercantile　housesadvertising　in　any　shape　was　scorned；

and　it　would　have　been　felt　as　beneath　his　dignity　to　paint　up；　for

the　benefit　of　strangers；　the　name　of　an　establishment　whose　trade

came　solely　by　connection　based　on　personal　respect。



His　visitors　now　came　and　stood　on　the　outside　of　his　window；

sometimes　leaning　against　the　sill；　sometimes　moving　a　pace　or　two

backwards　and　forwards　in　front　of　it。　　They　talked　with　deliberate

gesticulations　to　Mr。　Penny；　enthroned　in　the　shadow　of　the

interior。



〃I　do　like　a　man　to　stick　to　men　who　be　in　the　same　line　o'　lifeo'

Sundays；　anywaythat　I　do　so。〃



〃'Tis　like　all　the　doings　of　folk　who　don't　know　what　a　day's　work

is；　that's　what　I　say。〃



〃My　belief　is　the　man's　not　to　blame；　'tis　SHEshe's　the　bitter

weed！〃



〃No；　not　altogether。　　He's　a　poor　gawk…hammer。　　Look　at　his　sermon

yesterday。〃



〃His　sermon　was　well　enough；　a　very　good　guessable　sermon；　only　he

couldn't　put　it　into　words　and　speak　it。　　That's　all　was　the　matter

wi'　the　sermon。　　He　hadn't　been　able　to　get　it　past　his　pen。〃



〃Wellay；　the　sermon　might　have　been　good；　for；　'tis　true；　the

sermon　of　Old　Eccl'iastes　himself　lay　in　Eccl'iastes's　ink…bottle

afore　he　got　it　out。〃



Mr。　Penny；　being　in　the　act　of　drawing　the　last　stitch　tight；　could

afford　time　to　look　up　and　throw　in　a　word　at　this　point。



〃He's　no　spouterthat　must　be　said；　'a　b'lieve。〃



〃'Tis　a　terrible　muddle　sometimes　with　the　man；　as　far　as　spout　do

go；〃　said　Spinks。



〃Well；　we'll　say　nothing　about　that；〃　the　tranter　answered；　〃for　I

don't　believe　'twill　make　a　penneth　o'　difference　to　we　poor　martels

here　or　hereafter　whether　his　sermons　be　good　or　bad；　my　sonnies。〃



Mr。　Penny　made　another　hole　with　his　awl；　pushed　in　the　thread；　and

looked　up　and　spoke　again　at　the　extension　of　arms。



〃'Tis　his　goings…on；　souls；　that's　what　it　is。〃　　He　clenched　his

features　for　an　Herculean　addition　to　the　ordinary　pull；　and

continued；　〃The　first　thing　he　done　when　he　came　here　was　to　be　hot

and　strong　about　church　business。〃



〃True；〃　said　Spinks；　〃that　was　the　very　first　thing　he　done。〃



Mr。　Penny；　having　now　been　offered　the　ear　of　the　assembly；　accepted

it；　ceased　stitching；　swallowed　an　unimportant　quantity　of　air　as　if

it　were　a　pill；　and　continued：



〃The　next　thing　he　do　do　is　to　think　about　altering　the　church；

until　he　found　'twould　be　a　matter　o'　cost　and　what　not；　and　then

not　to　think　no　more　about　it。〃



〃True：　　that　was　the　next　thing　he　done。〃



〃And　the　next　thing　was　to　tell　the　young　chaps　that　they　were　not

on　no　account　to　put　their　hats　in　the　christening　font　during

service。〃



〃True。〃



〃And　then　'twas　this；　and　then　'twas　that；　and　now　'tis〃



Words　were　not　forcible　enough　to　conclude　the　sentence；　and　Mr。

Penny　gave　a　huge　pull　to　signify　the　concluding　word。



〃Now　'tis　to　turn　us　out　of　the　quire　neck　and　crop；〃　said　the

tranter　after　an　interval　of　half　a　minute；　not　by　way　of　explaining

the　pause　and　pull；　which　had　been　quite　understood；　but　as　a　means

of　keeping　the　subject　well　before　the　meeting。



Mrs。　Penny　came　to　the　door　at　this　point　in　the　discussion。　　Like

all　good　wives；　however　much　she　was　inclined　to　play　the　Tory　to

her　husband's　Whiggism；　and　vice　versa；　in　times　of　peace；　she

coalesced　with　him　heartily　enough　in　time　of　war。



〃It　must　be　owned　he's　not　all　there；〃　she　replied　in　a　general　way

to　the　fragments　of　talk　she　had　heard　from　indoors。　　〃Far　below

poor　Mr。　Grinham〃　（the　late　vicar）。



〃Ay；　there　was　this　to　be　said　for　he；　that　you　were　quite　sure　he'd

never　come　mumbudgeting　to　see　ye；　just　as　you　were　in　the　middle　of

your　work；　and　put　you　out　with　his　fuss　and　trouble　about　ye。〃



〃Never。　　But　as　for　this　new　Mr。　Maybold；　though　he　mid　be　a　very

well…intending　party　in　that　respect；　he's　unbearable；　for　as　to

sifting　your　cinders；　scrubbing　your　floors；　or　emptying　your　slops；

why；　you　can't　do　it。　　I　assure　you　I've　not　been　able　to　empt　them

for　several　days；　unless　I　throw　'em　up　the　chimley　or　out　of

winder；　for　as　sure　as　the　sun　you　meet　him　at　the　door；　coming　to

ask　how　you　are；　and　'tis　such　a　confusing　thing　to　meet　a　gentleman

at　the　door　when　ye　are　in　the　mess　o'　washing。〃



〃'Tis　only　for　want　of　knowing　better；　poor　gentleman；〃　said　the

tranter。　　〃His　meaning's　good　enough。　　Ay；　your　pa'son　comes　by

fate：　　'tis　heads　or　tails；　like　pitch…halfpenny；　and　no　choosing；

so　we　must　take　en　as　he　is；　my　sonnies；　and　thank　God　he's　no

worse；　I　suppose。〃



〃I　fancy　I've　seen　him　look　across　at　Miss　Day　in　a　warmer　way　than

Christianity　asked　for；〃　said　Mrs。　Penny　musingly；　〃but　I　don't

quite　like　to　say　it。〃



〃O　no；　there's　nothing　in　that；〃　said　grandfather　William。



〃If　there's　nothing；　we　shall　see　nothing；〃　Mrs。　Penny　replied；　in

the　tone　of　a　woman　who　might　possibly　have　private　opinions　still。



〃Ah；　Mr。　Grinham　was　the　man！〃　said　Bowman。　　〃Why；　he　never　troubled

us　wi'　a　visit　from　year's　end