under the greenwood tree-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


implying　that　the　business　of　his　mouth　could　not　be　checked　at　a

moment's　notice　by　the　placid　emotion　of　friendship。



Having　come　more　into　the　open　he　could　now　be　seen　rising　against

the　sky；　his　profile　appearing　on　the　light　background　like　the

portrait　of　a　gentleman　in　black　cardboard。　　It　assumed　the　form　of

a　low…crowned　hat；　an　ordinary…shaped　nose；　an　ordinary　chin；　an

ordinary　neck；　and　ordinary　shoulders。　　What　he　consisted　of　further

down　was　invisible　from　lack　of　sky　low　enough　to　picture　him　on。



Shuffling；　halting；　irregular　footsteps　of　various　kinds　were　now

heard　coming　up　the　hill；　and　presently　there　emerged　from　the　shade

severally　five　men　of　different　ages　and　gaits；　all　of　them　working

villagers　of　the　parish　of　Mellstock。　　They；　too；　had　lost　their

rotundity　with　the　daylight；　and　advanced　against　the　sky　in　flat

outlines；　which　suggested　some　processional　design　on　Greek　or

Etruscan　pottery。　　They　represented　the　chief　portion　of　Mellstock

parish　choir。



The　first　was　a　bowed　and　bent　man；　who　carried　a　fiddle　under　his

arm；　and　walked　as　if　engaged　in　studying　some　subject　connected

with　the　surface　of　the　road。　　He　was　Michael　Mail；　the　man　who　had

hallooed　to　Dick。



The　next　was　Mr。　Robert　Penny；　boot…　and　shoemaker；　a　little　man；

who；　though　rather　round…shouldered；　walked　as　if　that　fact　had　not

come　to　his　own　knowledge；　moving　on　with　his　back　very　hollow　and

his　face　fixed　on　the　north…east　quarter　of　the　heavens　before　him；

so　that　his　lower　waist…coat…buttons　came　first；　and　then　the

remainder　of　his　figure。　　His　features　were　invisible；　yet　when　he

occasionally　looked　round；　two　faint　moons　of　light　gleamed　for　an

instant　from　the　precincts　of　his　eyes；　denoting　that　he　wore

spectacles　of　a　circular　form。



The　third　was　Elias　Spinks；　who　walked　perpendicularly　and

dramatically。　　The　fourth　outline　was　Joseph　Bowman's；　who　had　now

no　distinctive　appearance　beyond　that　of　a　human　being。　　Finally

came　a　weak　lath…like　form；　trotting　and　stumbling　along　with　one

shoulder　forward　and　his　bead　inclined　to　the　left；　his　arms

dangling　nervelessly　in　the　wind　as　if　they　were　empty　sleeves。

This　was　Thomas　Leaf。



〃Where　be　the　boys？〃　said　Dick　to　this　somewhat　indifferently…

matched　assembly。



The　eldest　of　the　group；　Michael　Mail；　cleared　his　throat　from　a

great　depth。



〃We　told　them　to　keep　back　at　home　for　a　time；　thinken　they　wouldn't

be　wanted　yet　awhile；　and　we　could　choose　the　tuens；　and　so　on。〃



〃Father　and　grandfather　William　have　expected　ye　a　little　sooner。　　I

have　just　been　for　a　run　round　by　Ewelease　Stile　and　Hollow　Hill　to

warm　my　feet。〃



〃To　be　sure　father　did！　　To　be　sure　'a　did　expect　usto　taste　the

little　barrel　beyond　compare　that　he's　going　to　tap。〃



〃'Od　rabbit　it　all！　　Never　heard　a　word　of　it！〃　said　Mr。　Penny；

gleams　of　delight　appearing　upon　his　spectacle…glasses；　Dick

meanwhile　singing　parenthetically〃The　lads　and　the　lasses　a…sheep…

shearing　go。〃



〃Neighbours；　there's　time　enough　to　drink　a　sight　of　drink　now　afore

bedtime？〃　said　Mail。



〃True；　truetime　enough　to　get　as　drunk　as　lords！〃　replied　Bowman

cheerfully。



This　opinion　being　taken　as　convincing　they　all　advanced　between　the

varying　hedges　and　the　trees　dotting　them　here　and　there；　kicking

their　toes　occasionally　among　the　crumpled　leaves。　　Soon　appeared

glimmering　indications　of　the　few　cottages　forming　the　small　hamlet

of　Upper　Mellstock　for　which　they　were　bound；　whilst　the　faint　sound

of　church…bells　ringing　a　Christmas　peal　could　be　heard　floating

over　upon　the　breeze　from　the　direction　of　Longpuddle　and

Weatherbury　parishes　on　the　other　side　of　the　hills。　　A　little

wicket　admitted　them　to　the　garden；　and　they　proceeded　up　the　path

to　Dick's　house。







CHAPTER　II：　　THE　TRANTER'S







It　was　a　long　low　cottage　with　a　hipped　roof　of　thatch；　having

dormer　windows　breaking　up　into　the　eaves；　a　chimney　standing　in　the

middle　of　the　ridge　and　another　at　each　end。　　The　window…shutters

were　not　yet　closed；　and　the　fire…　and　candle…light　within　radiated

forth　upon　the　thick　bushes　of　box　and　laurestinus　growing　in　clumps

outside；　and　upon　the　bare　boughs　of　several　codlin…trees　hanging

about　in　various　distorted　shapes；　the　result　of　early　training　as

espaliers　combined　with　careless　climbing　into　their　boughs　in　later

years。　　The　walls　of　the　dwelling　were　for　the　most　part　covered

with　creepers；　though　these　were　rather　beaten　back　from　the

doorwaya　feature　which　was　worn　and　scratched　by　much　passing　in

and　out；　giving　it　by　day　the　appearance　of　an　old　keyhole。　　Light

streamed　through　the　cracks　and　joints　of　outbuildings　a　little　way

from　the　cottage；　a　sight　which　nourished　a　fancy　that　the　purpose

of　the　erection　must　be　rather　to　veil　bright　attractions　than　to

shelter　unsightly　necessaries。　　The　noise　of　a　beetle　and　wedges　and

the　splintering　of　wood　was　periodically　heard　from　this　direction；

and　at　some　little　distance　further　a　steady　regular　munching　and

the　occasional　scurr　of　a　rope　betokened　a　stable；　and　horses

feeding　within　it。



The　choir　stamped　severally　on　the　door…stone　to　shake　from　their

boots　any　fragment　of　earth　or　leaf　adhering　thereto；　then　entered

the　house　and　looked　around　to　survey　the　condition　of　things。

Through　the　open　doorway　of　a　small　inner　room　on　the　right　hand；　of

a　character　between　pantry　and　cellar；　was　Dick　Dewy's　father

Reuben；　by　vocation　a　〃tranter；〃　or　irregular　carrier。　　He　was　a

stout　florid　man　about　forty　years　of　age；　who　surveyed　people　up

and　down　when　first　making　their　acquaintance；　and　generally　smiled

at　the　horizon　or　other　distant　object　during　conversations　with

friends；　walking　about　with　a　steady　sway；　and　turning　out　his　toes

very　considerably。　　Being　now　occupied　in　bending　over　a　hogshead；

that　stood　in　the　pantry　ready　horsed　for　the　process　of　broaching；

he　did　not　take　the　trouble　to　turn　or　raise　his　eyes　at　the　entry

of　his　visitors；　well　knowing　by　their　footsteps　that　they　were　the

expected　old　comrades。



The　main　room；　on　the　left；　was　decked　with　bunches　of　holly　and

other　evergreens；　and　from　the　middle　of　the　beam　bisecting　the

ceiling　hung　the　mistletoe；　of　a　size　out　of　all　proportion　to　the

room；　and　extending　so　low　that　it　became　necessary　for　a　full…grown

person　to　walk　round　it　in　passing；　or　run　the　risk　of　entangling

his　hair。　　This　apartment　contained　Mrs。　Dewy　the　tranter's　wife；

and　the　four　remaining　children；　Susan；　Jim；　Bessy；　and　Charley；

graduating　uniformly　though　at　wide　stages　from　the　age　of　sixteen

to　that　of　four　yearsthe　eldest　of　the　series　being　separated　from

Dick　the　firstborn　by　a　nearly　equal　interval。



Some　circumstance　had　apparently　caused　much　grief　to　Charley　just

previous　to　the　entry　of　the　choir；　and　he　had　absently　taken　down　a

small　looking…glass；　holding　it　before　his　face　to　learn　how　the

human　countenance　appeared　when　engaged　in　crying；　which　survey　led

him　to　pause　at　the　various　points　in　each　wail　that　were　more　than

ordinarily　striking；　for　a　thorough　appreciation　of　the　general

effect。　　Bessy　was　leaning　against　a　chair；　and　glancing　under　the

plaits　about　the　waist　of　the　plaid　frock　she　wore；　to　notice　the

original　unfaded　pattern　of　the　material　as　there　preserved；　her

face　bearing　an　expression　of　regret　that　the　brightness　had　passed

away　from　the　visible　portions。　　Mrs。　Dewy　sat　in　a　brown　settle　by

the　side　of　the　glowing　wood　fireso　glowing　that　with　a　heedful

compression　of　the　lips　she　would　now　and　then　rise　and　put　her　hand

upon　the　hams　and　flitches　of　bacon　lining　the　chimney；　to　reassure

herself　that　they　were　not　being　broiled　instead　of　smokeda

misfortune　that　had　been　known　to　happen　now　and　then　at　Christmas…

time。



〃Hullo；　my　sonnies；　here　you　be；　then！〃　said　Reuben　Dewy　at　length；

standing　up　and　blowing　forth　a　vehement　gust　of