under the greenwood tree-第26章

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out　and　assisting　her　into　the　vehicle　without　another　word。



The　temporary　flush　upon　her　cheek　changed　to　a　lesser　hue；　which

was　permanent；　and　at　length　their　eyes　met；　there　was　present

between　them　a　certain　feeling　of　embarrassment；　which　arises　at

such　moments　when　all　the　instinctive　acts　dictated　by　the　position

have　been　performed。　　Dick；　being　engaged　with　the　reins；　thought

less　of　this　awkwardness　than　did　Fancy；　who　had　nothing　to　do　but

to　feel　his　presence；　and　to　be　more　and　more　conscious　of　the　fact；

that　by　accepting　a　seat　beside　him　in　this　way　she　succumbed　to　the

tone　of　his　note。　　Smart　jogged　along；　and　Dick　jogged；　and　the

helpless　Fancy　necessarily　jogged；　too；　and　she　felt　that　she　was　in

a　measure　capture　I　and　made　a　prisoner。



〃I　am　so　much　obliged　to　you　for　your　company；　Miss　Day；〃　he

observed；　as　they　drove　past　the　two　semicircular　bays　of　the　Old

Royal　Hotel；　where　His　Majesty　King　George　the　Third　had　many　a　time

attended　the　balls　of　the　burgesses。



To　Miss　Day；　crediting　him　with　the　same　consciousness　of　masterya

consciousness　of　which　he　was　perfectly　innocentthis　remark

sounded　like　a　magnanimous　intention　to　soothe　her；　the　captive。



〃I　didn't　come　for　the　pleasure　of　obliging　you　with　my　company；〃

she　said。



The　answer　had　an　unexpected　manner　of　incivility　in　it　that　must

have　been　rather　surprising　to　young　Dewy。　　At　the　same　time　it　may

be　observed；　that　when　a　young　woman　returns　a　rude　answer　to　a

young　man's　civil　remark；　her　heart　is　in　a　state　which　argues

rather　hopefully　for　his　case　than　otherwise。



There　was　silence　between　them　till　they　had　left　the　sea…front　and

passed　about　twenty　of　the　trees　that　ornamented　the　road　leading　up

out　of　the　town　towards　Casterbridge　and　Mellstock。



〃Though　I　didn't　come　for　that　purpose　either；　I　would　have　done

it；〃　said　Dick　at　the　twenty…first　tree。



〃Now；　Mr。　Dewy；　no　flirtation；　because　it's　wrong；　and　I　don't　wish

it。〃



Dick　seated　himself　afresh　just　as　he　had　been　sitting　before；

arranged　his　looks　very　emphatically；　and　cleared　his　throat。



〃Really；　anybody　would　think　you　had　met　me　on　business　and　were

just　going　to　commence；〃　said　the　lady　intractably。



〃Yes；　they　would。〃



〃Why；　you　never　have；　to　be　sure！〃



This　was　a　shaky　beginning。　　He　chopped　round；　and　said　cheerily；　as

a　man　who　had　resolved　never　to　spoil　his　jollity　by　loving　one　of

womankind〃Well；　how　are　you　getting　on；　Miss　Day；　at　the　present

time？　　Gaily；　I　don't　doubt　for　a　moment。〃



〃I　am　not　gay；　Dick；　you　know　that。〃



〃Gaily　doesn't　mean　decked　in　gay　dresses。〃



〃I　didn't　suppose　gaily　was　gaily　dressed。　　Mighty　me；　what　a

scholar　you've　grown！〃



〃Lots　of　things　have　happened　to　you　this　spring；　I　see。〃



〃What　have　you　seen？〃



〃O；　nothing；　I've　heard；　I　mean！〃



〃What　have　you　heard？〃



〃The　name　of　a　pretty　man；　with　brass　studs　and　a　copper　ring　and　a

tin　watch…chain；　a　little　mixed　up　with　your　own。　　That's　all。〃



〃That's　a　very　unkind　picture　of　Mr。　Shiner；　for　that's　who　you

mean！　　The　studs　are　gold；　as　you　know；　and　it's　a　real　silver

chain；　the　ring　I　can't　conscientiously　defend；　and　he　only　wore　it

once。〃



〃He　might　have　worn　it　a　hundred　times　without　showing　it　half　so

much。〃



〃Well；　he's　nothing　to　me；〃　she　serenely　observed。



〃Not　any　more　than　I　am？〃



〃Now；　Mr。　Dewy；〃　said　Fancy　severely；　〃certainly　he　isn't　any　more

to　me　than　you　are！〃



〃Not　so　much？〃



She　looked　aside　to　consider　the　precise　compass　of　that　question。

〃That　I　can't　exactly　answer；〃　she　replied　with　soft　archness。



As　they　were　going　rather　slowly；　another　spring…cart；　containing　a

farmer；　farmer's　wife；　and　farmer's　man；　jogged　past　them；　and　the

farmer's　wife　and　farmer's　man　eyed　the　couple　very　curiously。　　The

farmer　never　looked　up　from　the　horse's　tail。



〃Why　can't　you　exactly　answer？〃　said　Dick；　quickening　Smart　a

little；　and　jogging　on　just　behind　the　farmer　and　farmer's　wife　and

man。



As　no　answer　came；　and　as　their　eyes　had　nothing　else　to　do；　they

both　contemplated　the　picture　presented　in　front；　and　noticed　how

the　farmer's　wife　sat　flattened　between　the　two　men；　who　bulged　over

each　end　of　the　seat　to　give　her　room；　till　they　almost　sat　upon

their　respective　wheels；　and　they　looked　too　at　the　farmer's　wife's

silk　mantle；　inflating　itself　between　her　shoulders　like　a　balloon

and　sinking　flat　again；　at　each　jog　of　the　horse。　　The　farmer's

wife；　feeling　their　eyes　sticking　into　her　back；　looked　over　her

shoulder。　　Dick　dropped　ten　yards　further　behind。



〃Fancy；　why　can't　you　answer？〃　he　repeated。



〃Because　how　much　you　are　to　me　depends　upon　how　much　I　am　to　you；〃

said　she　in　low　tones。



〃Everything；〃　said　Dick；　putting　his　hand　towards　hers；　and　casting

emphatic　eyes　upon　the　upper　curve　of　her　cheek。



〃Now；　Richard　Dewy；　no　touching　me！　　I　didn't　say　in　what　way　your

thinking　of　me　affected　the　questionperhaps　inversely；　don't　you

see？　　No　touching；　sir！　　Look；　goodness　me；　don't；　Dick！〃



The　cause　of　her　sudden　start　was　the　unpleasant　appearance　over

Dick's　right　shoulder　of　an　empty　timber…wagon　and　four　journeymen…

carpenters　reclining　in　lazy　postures　inside　it；　their　eyes　directed

upwards　at　various　oblique　angles　into　the　surrounding　world；　the

chief　object　of　their　existence　being　apparently　to　criticize　to　the

very　backbone　and　marrow　every　animate　object　that　came　within　the

compass　of　their　vision。　　This　difficulty　of　Dick's　was　overcome　by

trotting　on　till　the　wagon　and　carpenters　were　beginning　to　look

rather　misty　by　reason　of　a　film　of　dust　that　accompanied　their

wagon…wheels；　and　rose　around　their　heads　like　a　fog。



〃Say　you　love　me；　Fancy。〃



〃No；　Dick；　certainly　not；　'tisn't　time　to　do　that　yet。〃



〃Why；　Fancy？〃



〃'Miss　Day'　is　better　at　presentdon't　mind　my　saying　so；　and　I

ought　not　to　have　called　you　Dick。〃



〃Nonsense！　when　you　know　that　I　would　do　anything　on　earth　for　your

love。　　Why；　you　make　any　one　think　that　loving　is　a　thing　that　can

be　done　and　undone；　and　put　on　and　put　off　at　a　mere　whim。〃



〃No；　no；　I　don't；〃　she　said　gently；　〃but　there　are　things　which　tell

me　I　ought　not　to　give　way　to　much　thinking　about　you；　even　if〃



〃But　you　want　to；　don't　you？　　Yes；　say　you　do；　it　is　best　to　be

truthful。　　Whatever　they　may　say　about　a　woman's　right　to　conceal

where　her　love　lies；　and　pretend　it　doesn't　exist；　and　things　like

that；　it　is　not　best；　I　do　know　it；　Fancy。　　And　an　honest　woman　in

that；　as　well　as　in　all　her　daily　concerns；　shines　most　brightly；

and　is　thought　most　of　in　the　long…run。〃



〃Well　then；　perhaps；　Dick；　I　do　love　you　a　little；〃　she　whispered

tenderly；　〃but　I　wish　you　wouldn't　say　any　more　now。〃



〃I　won't　say　any　more　now；　then；　if　you　don't　like　it；　dear。　　But

you　do　love　me　a　little；　don't　you？〃



〃Now　you　ought　not　to　want　me　to　keep　saying　things　twice；　I　can't

say　any　more　now；　and　you　must　be　content　with　what　you　have。〃



〃I　may　at　any　rate　call　you　Fancy？　　There's　no　harm　in　that。〃



〃Yes；　you　may。〃



〃And　you'll　not　call　me　Mr。　Dewy　any　more？〃



〃Very　well。〃







CHAPTER　II：　　FURTHER　ALONG　THE　ROAD







Dick's　spirits　having　risen　in　the　course　of　these　admissions　of　his

sweetheart；　he　now　touched　Smart　with　the　whip；　and　on　Smart's　neck；

not　far　behind　his　ears。　　Smart；　who　had　been　lost　in　thought　for

some　time；　never　dreaming　that　Dick　could　reach　so　far　with　a　whip

which；　on　this　particular　journey；　had　never　been　extended　further

than　his　flank；　tossed　his　head；　and　scampered　along　with　exceeding

briskness；　which　was　very　pleasant　to　the　young　couple　behind　him

till；　turning　a　bend　in　the　road；　they　came　instantly　upon　the

farmer；　farmer's　man；　and　farmer's　wife　with　the　flapping　mantle；

all　jogging　on　just　the　same　as　ever。



〃Bother　those　people！　　Here　w