under the greenwood tree-第16章

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

us　wi'　a　visit　from　year's　end　to　year's　end。　　You　might　go

anywhere；　do　anything：　　you'd　be　sure　never　to　see　him。〃



〃Yes；　he　was　a　right　sensible　pa'son；〃　said　Michael。　　〃He　never

entered　our　door　but　once　in　his　life；　and　that　was　to　tell　my　poor

wifeay；　poor　soul；　dead　and　gone　now；　as　we　all　shall　Ithat　as

she　was　such　a'　old　aged　person；　and　lived　so　far　from　the　church；

he　didn't　at　all　expect　her　to　come　any　more　to　the　service。〃



〃And　'a　was　a　very　jinerous　gentleman　about　choosing　the　psalms　and

hymns　o'　Sundays。　　'Confound　ye；'　says　he；　'blare　and　scrape　what　ye

will；　but　don't　bother　me！'〃



〃And　he　was　a　very　honourable　man　in　not　wanting　any　of　us　to　come

and　hear　him　if　we　were　all　on…end　for　a　jaunt　or　spree；　or　to　bring

the　babies　to　be　christened　if　they　were　inclined　to　squalling。

There's　good　in　a　man's　not　putting　a　parish　to　unnecessary

trouble。〃



〃And　there's　this　here　man　never　letting　us　have　a　bit　o'　peace；　but

keeping　on　about　being　good　and　upright　till　'tis　carried　to　such　a

pitch　as　I　never　see　the　like　afore　nor　since！〃



〃No　sooner　had　he　got　here　than　he　found　the　font　wouldn't　hold

water；　as　it　hadn't　for　years　off　and　on；　and　when　I　told　him　that

Mr。　Grinham　never　minded　it；　but　used　to　spet　upon　his　vinger　and

christen　'em　just　as　well；　'a　said；　'Good　Heavens！　　Send　for　a

workman　immediate。　　What　place　have　I　come　to！'　　Which　was　no

compliment　to　us；　come　to　that。〃



〃Still；　for　my　part；〃　said　old　William；　〃though　he's　arrayed　against

us；　I　like　the　hearty　borussnorus　ways　of　the　new　pa'son。〃



〃You；　ready　to　die　for　the　quire；〃　said　Bowman　reproachfully；　〃to

stick　up　for　the　quire's　enemy；　William！〃



〃Nobody　will　feel　the　loss　of　our　church…work　so　much　as　I；〃　said

the　old　man　firmly；　〃that　you　d'all　know。　　I've　a…been　in　the　quire

man　and　boy　ever　since　I　was　a　chiel　of　eleven。　　But　for　all　that

'tisn't　in　me　to　call　the　man　a　bad　man；　because　I　truly　and

sincerely　believe　en　to　be　a　good　young　feller。〃



Some　of　the　youthful　sparkle　that　used　to　reside　there　animated

William's　eye　as　he　uttered　the　words；　and　a　certain　nobility　of

aspect　was　also　imparted　to　him　by　the　setting　sun；　which　gave　him　a

Titanic　shadow　at　least　thirty　feet　in　length；　stretching　away　to

the　east　in　outlines　of　imposing　magnitude；　his　head　finally

terminating　upon　the　trunk　of　a　grand　old　oak…tree。



〃Mayble's　a　hearty　feller　enough；〃　the　tranter　replied；　〃and　will

spak　to　you　be　you　dirty　or　be　you　clane。　　The　first　time　I　met　en

was　in　a　drong；　and　though　'a　didn't　know　me　no　more　than　the　dead；

'a　passed　the　time　of　day。　　'D'ye　do？'　he　said；　says　he；　nodding　his

head。　　'A　fine　day。'　　Then　the　second　time　I　met　en　was　full…buff　in

town　street；　when　my　breeches　were　tore　into　a　long　strent　by

getting　through　a　copse　of　thorns　and　brimbles　for　a　short　cut　home…

along；　and　not　wanting　to　disgrace　the　man　by　spaking　in　that　state；

I　fixed　my　eye　on　the　weathercock　to　let　en　pass　me　as　a　stranger。

But　no：　　'How　d'ye　do；　Reuben？'　says　he；　right　hearty；　and　shook　my

hand。　　If　I'd　been　dressed　in　silver　spangles　from　top　to　toe；　the

man　couldn't　have　been　civiller。〃



At　this　moment　Dick　was　seen　coming　up　the　village…street；　and　they

turned　and　watched　him。







CHAPTER　III：　　A　TURN　IN　THE　DISCUSSION







〃I'm　afraid　Dick's　a　lost　man；〃　said　the　tranter。



〃What？no！〃　said　Mail；　implying　by　his　manner　that　it　was　a　far

commoner　thing　for　his　ears　to　report　what　was　not　said　than　that

his　judgment　should　be　at　fault。



〃Ay；〃　said　the　tranter；　still　gazing　at　Dick's　unconscious　advance。

〃I　don't　at　all　like　what　I　see！　　There's　too　many　o'　them　looks　out

of　the　winder　without　noticing　anything；　too　much　shining　of　boots；

too　much　peeping　round　corners；　too　much　looking　at　the　clock；

telling　about　clever　things　SHE　did　till　you　be　sick　of　it；　and　then

upon　a　hint　to　that　effect　a　horrible　silence　about　her。　　I've

walked　the　path　once　in　my　life　and　know　the　country；　neighbours；

and　Dick's　a　lost　man！〃　　The　tranter　turned　a　quarter　round　and

smiled　a　smile　of　miserable　satire　at　the　setting　new　moon；　which

happened　to　catch　his　eye。



The　others　became　far　too　serious　at　this　announcement　to　allow　them

to　speak；　and　they　still　regarded　Dick　in　the　distance。



〃'Twas　his　mother's　fault；〃　the　tranter　continued；　〃in　asking　the

young　woman　to　our　party　last　Christmas。　　When　I　eyed　the　blue　frock

and　light　heels　o'　the　maid；　I　had　my　thoughts　directly。　　'God　bless

thee；　Dicky　my　sonny；'　I　said　to　myself；　'there's　a　delusion　for

thee！'〃



〃They　seemed　to　be　rather　distant　in　manner　last　Sunday；　I　thought？〃

Mail　tentatively　observed；　as　became　one　who　was　not　a　member　of　the

family。



〃Ay；　that's　a　part　of　the　zickness。　　Distance　belongs　to　it；　slyness

belongs　to　it；　queerest　things　on　earth　belongs　to　it！　　There；　'tmay

as　well　come　early　as　late　s'far　as　I　know。　　The　sooner　begun；　the

sooner　over；　for　come　it　will。〃



〃The　question　I　ask　is；〃　said　Mr。　Spinks；　connecting　into　one　thread

the　two　subjects　of　discourse；　as　became　a　man　learned　in　rhetoric；

and　beating　with　his　hand　in　a　way　which　signified　that　the　manner

rather　than　the　matter　of　his　speech　was　to　be　observed；　〃how　did

Mr。　Maybold　know　she　could　play　the　organ？　　You　know　we　had　it　from

her　own　lips；　as　far　as　hips　go；　that　she　has　never；　first　or　last；

breathed　such　a　thing　to　him；　much　less　that　she　ever　would　play。〃



In　the　midst　of　this　puzzle　Dick　joined　the　party；　and　the　news

which　had　caused　such　a　convulsion　among　the　ancient　musicians　was

unfolded　to　him。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　blushing　at　the　allusion　to　Miss

Day；　〃I　know　by　some　words　of　hers　that　she　has　a　particular　wish

not　to　play；　because　she　is　a　friend　of　ours；　and　how　the　alteration

comes；　I　don't　know。〃



〃Now；　this　is　my　plan；〃　said　the　tranter；　reviving　the　spirit　of　the

discussion　by　the　infusion　of　new　ideas；　as　was　his　custom〃this　is

my　plan；　if　you　don't　like　it；　no　harm's　done。　　We　all　know　one

another　very　well；　don't　we；　neighbours？〃



That　they　knew　one　another　very　well　was　received　as　a　statement

which；　though　familiar；　should　not　be　omitted　in　introductory

speeches。



〃Then　I　say　this〃and　the　tranter　in　his　emphasis　slapped　down　his

hand　on　Mr。　Spinks's　shoulder　with　a　momentum　of　several　pounds；

upon　which　Mr。　Spinks　tried　to　look　not　in　the　least　startled〃I

say　that　we　all　move　down…along　straight　as　a　line　to　Pa'son

Mayble's　when　the　clock　has　gone　six　to…morrow　night。　　There　we　one

and　all　stand　in　the　passage；　then　one　or　two　of　us　go　in　and　spak

to　en；　man　and　man；　and　say；　'Pa'son　Mayble；　every　tradesman　d'like

to　have　his　own　way　in　his　workshop；　and　Mellstock　Church　is　yours。

Instead　of　turning　us　out　neck　and　crop；　let　us　stay　on　till

Christmas；　and　we'll　gie　way　to　the　young　woman；　Mr。　Mayble；　and

make　no　more　ado　about　it。　　And　we　shall　always　be　quite　willing　to

touch　our　hats　when　we　meet　ye；　Mr。　Mayble；　just　as　before。'　　That

sounds　very　well？　　Hey？〃



〃Proper　well；　in　faith；　Reuben　Dewy。〃



〃And　we　won't　sit　down　in　his　house；　'twould　be　looking　too　familiar

when　only　just　reconciled？〃



〃No　need　at　all　to　sit　down。　　Just　do　our　duty　man　and　man；　turn

round；　and　march　outhe'll　think　all　the　more　of　us　for　it。〃



〃I　hardly　think　Leaf　had　better　go　wi'　us？〃　said　Michael；　turning　to

Leaf　and　taking　his　measure　from　top　to　bottom　by　the　eye。　　〃He's　so

terrible　silly　that　he　might　ruin　the　concern。〃



〃He　don't　want　to　go　much；　do　ye；　Thomas　Leaf？〃　said　William。



〃Hee…hee！　no；　I　don't　want　to。　　Only　a　teeny　bit！〃



〃I　be　mortal　afeard；　Leaf；　that　you'll　never　be　able　to　tell　how

many　cuts　d'take　to　sharpen　a　spar；〃　said　Mail。



〃I　never　had　no　head；　never！　that's　how　it　happened　to　happen；　hee…

hee！〃



They　all　assented　to　this；　not　with　any　sense