under the greenwood tree-第35章

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emmet　that　had　run　merrily　up　his　thigh；　〃that　the　bread　he've　left

at　that　there　school…house　this　last　month　would　starve　any　mouse　in

the　three　creations；　that　'twould　so！　　And　afterwards　I　had　a　pint

o'　small　down　at　Morrs's；　and　there　I　heard　more。〃



〃What　might　that　ha'　been？〃



〃That　she　used　to　have　a　pound　o'　the　best　rolled　butter　a　week；


regular　as　clockwork；　from　Dairyman　Viney's　for　herself；　as　well　as

just　so　much　salted　for　the　helping　girl；　and　the　'ooman　she　calls

in；　but　now　the　same　quantity　d'last　her　three　weeks；　and　then　'tis

thoughted　she　throws　it　away　sour。〃



〃Finish　doing　the　emmets；　and　carry　the　bag　home…along。〃　　The　keeper

resumed　his　gun；　tucked　it　under　his　arm；　and　went　on　without

whistling　to　the　dogs；　who　however　followed；　with　a　bearing　meant　to

imply　that　they　did　not　expect　any　such　attentions　when　their　master

was　reflecting。



On　Saturday　morning　a　note　came　from　Fancy。　　He　was　not　to　trouble

about　sending　her　the　couple　of　rabbits；　as　was　intended；　because

she　feared　she　should　not　want　them。　　Later　in　the　day　Geoffrey　went

to　Casterbridge　and　called　upon　the　butcher　who　served　Fancy　with

fresh　meat；　which　was　put　down　to　her　father's　account。



〃I've　called　to　pay　up　our　little　bill；　Neighbour　Haylock；　and　you

can　gie　me　the　chiel's　account　at　the　same　time。〃



Mr。　Haylock　turned　round　three　quarters　of　a　circle　in　the　midst　of

a　heap　of　joints；　altered　the　expression　of　his　face　from　meat　to

money；　went　into　a　little　office　consisting　only　of　a　door　and　a

window；　looked　very　vigorously　into　a　book　which　possessed　length

but　no　breadth；　and　then；　seizing　a　piece　of　paper　and　scribbling

thereupon；　handed　the　bill。



Probably　it　was　the　first　time　in　the　history　of　commercial

transactions　that　the　quality　of　shortness　in　a　butcher's　bill　was　a

cause　of　tribulation　to　the　debtor。　　〃Why；　this　isn't　all　she've　had

in　a　whole　month！〃　said　Geoffrey。



〃Every　mossel；〃　said　the　butcher〃（now；　Dan；　take　that　leg　and

shoulder　to　Mrs。　White's；　and　this　eleven　pound　here　to　Mr。

Martin's）you've　been　treating　her　to　smaller　joints　lately；　to　my

thinking；　Mr。　Day？〃



〃Only　two　or　three　little　scram　rabbits　this　last　week；　as　I　am

aliveI　wish　I　had！〃



〃Well；　my　wife　said　to　me（Dan！　not　too　much；　not　too　much　on　that

tray　at　a　time；　better　go　twice）my　wife　said　to　me　as　she　posted

up　the　books：　　she　says；　〃Miss　Day　must　have　been　summer　during　that

hot　muggy　weather　much　for　us；　for　depend　upon't；〃　she　says；　〃she've

been　trying　John　Grimmett　unknown　to　us：　　see　her　account　else。〃

'Tis　little；　of　course；　at　the　best　of　times；　being　only　for　one；

but　now　'tis　next　kin　to　nothing。〃



〃I'll　inquire；〃　said　Geoffrey　despondingly。



He　returned　by　way　of　Mellstock；　and　called　upon　Fancy；　in

fulfilment　of　a　promise。　　It　being　Saturday；　the　children　were

enjoying　a　holiday；　and　on　entering　the　residence　Fancy　was　nowhere

to　be　seen。　　Nan；　the　charwoman；　was　sweeping　the　kitchen。



〃Where's　my　da'ter？〃　said　the　keeper。



〃Well；　you　see　she　was　tired　with　the　week's　teaching；　and　this

morning　she　said；　〃Nan；　I　sha'n't　get　up　till　the　evening。〃　　You

see；　Mr。　Day；　if　people　don't　eat；　they　can't　work；　and　as　she've

gie'd　up　eating；　she　must　gie　up　working。〃



〃Have　ye　carried　up　any　dinner　to　her？〃



〃No；　she　don't　want　any。　　There；　we　all　know　that　such　things　don't

come　without　good　reasonnot　that　I　wish　to　say　anything　about　a

broken　heart；　or　anything　of　the　kind。〃



Geoffrey's　own　heart　felt　inconveniently　large　just　then。　　He　went

to　the　staircase　and　ascended　to　his　daughter's　door。



〃Fancy！〃



〃Come　in；　father。〃



To　see　a　person　in　bed　from　any　cause　whatever；　on　a　fine　afternoon；

is　depressing　enough；　and　here　was　his　only　child　Fancy；　not　only　in

bed；　but　looking　very　pale。　　Geoffrey　was　visibly　disturbed。



〃Fancy；　I　didn't　expect　to　see　thee　here；　chiel；〃　he　said。　　〃What's

the　matter？〃



〃I'm　not　well；　father。〃



〃How's　that？〃



〃Because　I　think　of　things。〃



〃What　things　can　you　have　to　think　o'　so　mortal　much？〃



〃You　know；　father。〃



〃You　think　I've　been　cruel　to　thee　in　saying　that　that　penniless

Dick　o'　thine　sha'n't　marry　thee；　I　suppose？〃



No　answer。



〃Well；　you　know；　Fancy；　I　do　it　for　the　best；　and　he　isn't　good

enough　for　thee。　　You　know　that　well　enough。〃　　Here　he　again　looked

at　her　as　she　lay。　　〃Well；　Fancy；　I　can't　let　my　only　chiel　die；　and

if　you　can't　live　without　en；　you　must　ha'　en；　I　suppose。〃



〃O；　I　don't　want　him　like　that；　all　against　your　will；　and

everything　so　disobedient！〃　sighed　the　invalid。



〃No；　no；　'tisn't　against　my　will。　　My　wish　is；　now　I　d'see　how　'tis

hurten　thee　to　live　without　en；　that　he　shall　marry　thee　as　soon　as

we've　considered　a　little。　　That's　my　wish　flat　and　plain；　Fancy。

There；　never　cry；　my　little　maid！　　You　ought　to　ha'　cried　afore；　no

need　o'　crying　now　'tis　all　over。　　Well；　howsoever；　try　to　step　over

and　see　me　and　mother…law　to…morrow；　and　ha'　a　bit　of　dinner　wi'

us。〃



〃AndDick　too？〃



〃Ay；　Dick　too；　'far's　I　know。〃



〃And　WHEN　do　you　think　you'll　have　considered；　father；　and　he　may

marry　me？〃　she　coaxed。



〃Well；　there；　say　next　Midsummer；　that's　not　a　day　too　long　to

wait。〃



On　leaving　the　school　Geoffrey　went　to　the　tranter's。　　Old　William

opened　the　door。



〃Is　your　grandson　Dick　in　'ithin；　William？〃



〃No；　not　just　now；　Mr。　Day。　　Though　he've　been　at　home　a　good　deal

lately。〃



〃O；　how's　that？〃



〃What　wi'　one　thing；　and　what　wi'　t'other；　he's　all　in　a　mope；　as

might　be　said。　　Don't　seem　the　feller　he　used　to。　　Ay；　'a　will　sit

studding　and　thinking　as　if　'a　were　going　to　turn　chapel…member；　and

then　do　nothing　but　traypse　and　wamble　about。　　Used　to　be　such　a

chatty　boy；　too；　Dick　did；　and　now　'a　don't　speak　at　all。　　But　won't

ye　step　inside？　　Reuben　will　be　home　soon；　'a　b'lieve。〃



〃No；　thank　you；　I　can't　stay　now。　　Will　ye　just　ask　Dick　if　he'll　do

me　the　kindness　to　step　over　to　Yalbury　to…morrow　with　my　da'ter

Fancy；　if　she's　well　enough？　　I　don't　like　her　to　come　by　herself；

now　she's　not　so　terrible　topping　in　health。〃



〃So　I've　heard。　　Ay；　sure；　I'll　tell　him　without　fail。〃







CHAPTER　V：　　AFTER　GAINING　HER　POINT







The　visit　to　Geoffrey　passed　off　as　delightfully　as　a　visit　might

have　been　expected　to　pass　off　when　it　was　the　first　day　of　smooth

experience　in　a　hitherto　obstructed　love…course。　　And　then　came　a

series　of　several　happy　days；　of　the　same　undisturbed　serenity。

Dick　could　court　her　when　he　chose；　stay　away　when　he　chose；which

was　never；　walk　with　her　by　winding　streams　and　waterfalls　and

autumn　scenery　till　dews　arid　twilight　sent　them　home。　　And　thus

they　drew　near　the　day　of　the　Harvest　Thanksgiving；　which　was　also

the　time　chosen　for　opening　the　organ　in　Mellstock　Church。



It　chanced　that　Dick　on　that　very　day　was　called　away　from

Mellstock。　　A　young　acquaintance　had　died　of　consumption　at

Charmley；　a　neighbouring　village；　on　the　previous　Monday；　and　Dick；

in　fulfilment　of　a　long…standing　promise；　was　to　assist　in　carrying

him　to　the　grave。　　When　on　Tuesday；　Dick　went　towards　the　school　to

acquaint　Fancy　with　the　fact；　it　is　difficult　to　say　whether　his　own

disappointment　at　being　denied　the　sight　of　her　triumphant　debut　as

organist；　was　greater　than　his　vexation　that　his　pet　should　on　this

great　occasion　be　deprived　of　the　pleasure　of　his　presence。

However；　the　intelligence　was　communicated。　　She　bore　it　as　she　best

could；　not　without　many　expressions　of　regret；　and　convictions　that

her　performance　would　be　nothing　to　her　now。



Just　before　eleven　o'clock　on　Sunday　he　set　out　upon　his　sad　errand。

The　funeral　was　to　be　immediately　after　the　morning　service；　and　as

there　were　four　good　miles　to　walk；　driving　being　inconvenient；　it

became　necessary　to　start　comparatively　early。　　Half　an　hour　later

would　certai