under the greenwood tree-第36章

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became　necessary　to　start　comparatively　early。　　Half　an　hour　later

would　certainly　have　answered　his　purpose　quite　as　well；　yet　at　the

last　moment　nothing　would　content　his　ardent　mind　but　that　he　must

go　a　mile　out　of　his　way　in　the　direction　of　the　school；　in　the　hope

of　getting　a　glimpse　of　his　Love　as　she　started　for　church。



Striking；　therefore；　into　the　lane　towards　the　school；　instead　of

across　the　ewelease　direct　to　Charmley；　he　arrived　opposite　her　door

as　his　goddess　emerged。



If　ever　a　woman　looked　a　divinity；　Fancy　Day　appeared　one　that

morning　as　she　floated　down　those　school　steps；　in　the　form　of　a

nebulous　collection　of　colours　inclining　to　blue。　　With　an　audacity

unparalleled　in　the　whole　history　of　village…school…mistresses　at

this　datepartly　owing；　no　doubt；　to　papa's　respectable

accumulation　of　cash；　which　rendered　her　profession　not　altogether

one　of　necessityshe　had　actually　donned　a　hat　and　feather；　and

lowered　her　hitherto　plainly　looped…up　hair；　which　now　fell　about

her　shoulders　in　a　profusion　of　curls。　　Poor　Dick　was　astonished：

he　had　never　seen　her　look　so　distractingly　beautiful　before；　save

on　Christmas…eve；　when　her　hair　was　in　the　same　luxuriant　condition

of　freedom。　　But　his　first　burst　of　delighted　surprise　was　followed

by　less　comfortable　feelings；　as　soon　as　his　brain　recovered　its

power　to　think。



Fancy　had　blushed；was　it　with　confusion？　　She　had　also

involuntarily　pressed　back　her　curls。　　She　had　not　expected　him。



〃Fancy；　you　didn't　know　me　for　a　moment　in　my　funeral　clothes；　did

you？〃



〃Good…morning；　Dickno；　really；　I　didn't　know　you　for　an　instant　in

such　a　sad　suit。〃



He　looked　again　at　the　gay　tresses　and　hat。　　〃You've　never　dressed

so　charming　before；　dearest。〃



〃I　like　to　hear　you　praise　me　in　that　way；　Dick；〃　she　said；　smiling

archly。　　〃It　is　meat　and　drink　to　a　woman。　　Do　I　look　nice　really？〃



〃Fie！　you　know　it。　　Did　you　remember；I　mean　didn't　you　remember

about　my　going　away　to…day？〃



〃Well；　yes；　I　did；　Dick；　but；　you　know；　I　wanted　to　look　well；

forgive　me。〃



〃Yes；　darling；　yes；　of　course；there's　nothing　to　forgive。　　No；　I

was　only　thinking　that　when　we　talked　on　Tuesday　and　Wednesday　and

Thursday　and　Friday　about　my　absence　to…day；　and　I　was　so　sorry　for

it；　you　said；　Fancy；　so　were　you　sorry；　and　almost　cried；　and　said

it　would　be　no　pleasure　to　you　to　be　the　attraction　of　the　church

to…day；　since　I　could　not　be　there。〃



〃My　dear　one；　neither　will　it　be　so　much　pleasure　to　me　。　。　。　But　I

do　take　a　little　delight　in　my　life；　I　suppose；〃　she　pouted。



〃Apart　from　mine？〃



She　looked　at　him　with　perplexed　eyes。　　〃I　know　you　are　vexed　with

me；　Dick；　and　it　is　because　the　first　Sunday　I　have　curls　and　a　hat

and　feather　since　I　have　been　here　happens　to　be　the　very　day　you

are　away　and　won't　be　with　me。　　Yes；　say　it　is；　for　that　is　it！　　And

you　think　that　all　this　week　I　ought　to　have　remembered　you　wouldn't

be　here　to…day；　and　not　have　cared　to　be　better　dressed　than　usual。

Yes；　you　do；　Dick；　and　it　is　rather　unkind！〃



〃No；　no；〃　said　Dick　earnestly　and　simply；　〃I　didn't　think　so　badly

of　you　as　that。　　I　only　thought　thatif　YOU　had　been　going　away；　I

shouldn't　have　tried　new　attractions　for　the　eyes　of　other　people。

But　then　of　course　you　and　I　are　different；　naturally。〃



〃Well；　perhaps　we　are。〃



〃Whatever　will　the　vicar　say；　Fancy？〃



〃I　don't　fear　what　he　says　in　the　least！〃　she　answered　proudly。

〃But　he　won't　say　anything　of　the　sort　you　think。　　No；　no。〃



〃He　can　hardly　have　conscience　to；　indeed。〃



〃Now　come；　you　say；　Dick；　that　you　quite　forgive　me；　for　I　must　go；〃

she　said　with　sudden　gaiety；　and　skipped　backwards　into　the　porch。

〃Come　here；　sir；say　you　forgive　me；　and　then　you　shall　kiss　me；

you　never　have　yet　when　I　have　worn　curls；　you　know。　　Yes；　just

where　you　want　to　so　much；yes；　you　may！〃



Dick　followed　her　into　the　inner　corner；　where　he　was　probably　not

slow　in　availing　himself　of　the　privilege　offered。



〃Now　that's　a　treat　for　you；　isn't　it？〃　she　continued。　　〃Good…bye；

or　I　shall　be　late。　　Come　and　see　me　to…morrow：　　you'll　be　tired　to

night。〃



Thus　they　parted；　and　Fancy　proceeded　to　the　church。　　The　organ

stood　on　one　side　of　the　chancel；　close　to　and　under　the　immediate

eye　of　the　vicar　when　he　was　in　the　pulpit；　and　also　in　full　view　of

the　congregation。　　Here　she　sat　down；　for　the　first　time　in　such　a

conspicuous　position；　her　seat　having　previously　been　in　a　remote

spot　in　the　aisle。



〃Good　heavensdisgraceful！　　Curls　and　a　hat　and　feather！〃　said　the

daughters　of　the　small　gentry；　who　had　either　only　curly　hair

without　a　hat　and　feather；　or　a　hat　and　feather　without　curly　hair。

〃A　bonnet　for　church　always；〃　said　sober　matrons。



That　Mr。　Maybold　was　conscious　of　her　presence　close　beside　him

during　the　sermon；　that　he　was　not　at　all　angry　at　her　development

of　costume；　that　he　admired　her；　she　perceived。　　But　she　did　not　see

that　he　loved　her　during　that　sermon…time　as　he　had　never　loved　a

woman　before；　that　her　proximity　was　a　strange　delight　to　him；　and

that　he　gloried　in　her　musical　success　that　morning　in　a　spirit

quite　beyond　a　mere　cleric's　glory　at　the　inauguration　of　a　new

order　of　things。



The　old　choir；　with　humbled　hearts；　no　longer　took　their　seats　in

the　gallery　as　heretofore　（which　was　now　given　up　to　the　school…

children　who　were　not　singers；　and　a　pupil…teacher）；　but　were

scattered　about　with　their　wives　in　different　parts　of　the　church。

Having　nothing　to　do　with　conducting　the　service　for　almost　the

first　time　in　their　lives；　they　all　felt　awkward；　out　of　place；

abashed；　and　inconvenienced　by　their　hands。　　The　tranter　had

proposed　that　they　should　stay　away　to…day　and　go　nutting；　but

grandfather　William　would　not　hear　of　such　a　thing　for　a　moment。

〃No；〃　he　replied　reproachfully；　and　quoted　a　verse　〃Though　this　has

come　upon　us；　let　not　our　hearts　be　turned　back；　or　our　steps　go　out

of　the　way。〃



So　they　stood　and　watched　the　curls　of　hair　trailing　down　the　back

of　the　successful　rival；　and　the　waving　of　her　feather；　as　she

swayed　her　head。　　After　a　few　timid　notes　and　uncertain　touches　her

playing　became　markedly　correct；　and　towards　the　end　full　and　free。

But；　whether　from　prejudice　or　unbiassed　judgment；　the　venerable

body　of　musicians　could　not　help　thinking　that　the　simpler　notes

they　had　been　wont　to　bring　forth　were　more　in　keeping　with　the

simplicity　of　their　old　church　than　the　crowded　chords　and

interludes　it　was　her　pleasure　to　produce。







CHAPTER　VI：　　INTO　TEMPTATION







The　day　was　done；　and　Fancy　was　again　in　the　school…house。　　About

five　o'clock　it　began　to　rain；　and　in　rather　a　dull　frame　of　mind

she　wandered　into　the　schoolroom；　for　want　of　something　better　to

do。　　She　was　thinkingof　her　lover　Dick　Dewy？　　Not　precisely。　　Of

how　weary　she　was　of　living　alone：　　how　unbearable　it　would　be　to

return　to　Yalbury　under　the　rule　of　her　strange…tempered　step…

mother；　that　it　was　far　better　to　be　married　to　anybody　than　do

that；　that　eight　or　nine　long　months　had　yet　to　be　lived　through　ere

the　wedding　could　take　place。



At　the　side　of　the　room　were　high　windows　of　Ham…hill　stone；　upon

either　sill　of　which　she　could　sit　by　first　mounting　a　desk　and

using　it　as　a　footstool。　　As　the　evening　advanced　here　she　perched

herself；　as　was　her　custom　on　such　wet　and　gloomy　occasions；　put　on

a　light　shawl　and　bonnet；　opened　the　window；　and　looked　out　at　the

rain。



The　window　overlooked　a　field　called　the　Grove；　and　it　was　the

position　from　which　she　used　to　survey　the　crown　of　Dick's　passing

hat　in　the　early　days　of　their　acquaintance　and　meetings。　　Not　a

living　soul　was　now　visible　anywhere；　the　rain　kept　all　people

indoors　who　were　not　forced　abroad　by　necessity；　and　necessity　was

less　importunate　on　Sundays　than　during　the　week。



Sitting　here　and　thinking　againof　her