under the greenwood tree-第38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！



think；　I　can　scarcely　get　myself　used　to　the　idea　of　what　I　have

promised　yet。〃　　The　next　minute　she　turned　to　a　desk；　buried　her

face　in　her　hands；　and　burst　into　a　hysterical　fit　of　weeping。　　〃O；

leave　me　to　myself！〃　she　sobbed；　〃leave　me！　　O；　leave　me！〃



〃Don't　be　distressed；　don't；　dearest！〃　　It　was　with　visible

difficulty　that　he　restrained　himself　from　approaching　her。　　〃You

shall　tell　me　at　your　leisure　what　it　is　that　grieves　you　so；　I　am

happybeyond　all　measure　happy！at　having　your　simple　promise。〃



〃And　do　go　and　leave　me　now！〃



〃But　I　must　not；　in　justice　to　you；　leave　for　a　minute；　until　you

are　yourself　again。〃



〃There　then；〃　she　said；　controlling　her　emotion；　and　standing　up；　〃I

am　not　disturbed　now。〃



He　reluctantly　moved　towards　the　door。　　〃Good…bye！〃　he　murmured

tenderly。　　〃I'll　come　to…morrow　about　this　time。〃







CHAPTER　VII：　　SECOND　THOUGHTS







The　next　morning　the　vicar　rose　early。　　The　first　thing　he　did　was

to　write　a　long　and　careful　letter　to　his　friend　in　Yorkshire。

Then；　eating　a　little　breakfast；　he　crossed　the　meadows　in　the

direction　of　Casterbridge；　bearing　his　letter　in　his　pocket；　that　he

might　post　it　at　the　town　office；　and　obviate　the　loss　of　one　day　in

its　transmission　that　would　have　resulted　had　he　left　it　for　the

foot…post　through　the　village。



It　was　a　foggy　morning；　and　the　trees　shed　in　noisy　water…drops　the

moisture　they　had　collected　from　the　thick　air；　an　acorn

occasionally　falling　from　its　cup　to　the　ground；　in　company　with　the

drippings。　　In　the　meads；　sheets　of　spiders'…web；　almost　opaque　with

wet；　hung　in　folds　over　the　fences；　and　the　falling　leaves　appeared

in　every　variety　of　brown；　green；　and　yellow　hue。



A　low　and　merry　whistling　was　heard　on　the　highway　he　was

approaching；　then　the　light　footsteps　of　a　man　going　in　the　same

direction　as　himself。　　On　reaching　the　junction　of　his　path　with　the

road；　the　vicar　beheld　Dick　Dewy's　open　and　cheerful　face。　　Dick

lifted　his　hat；　and　the　vicar　came　out　into　the　highway　that　Dick

was　pursuing。



〃Good…morning；　Dewy。　　How　well　you　are　looking！〃　said　Mr。　Maybold。



〃Yes；　sir；　I　am　wellquite　well！　　I　am　going　to　Casterbridge　now；

to　get　Smart's　collar；　we　left　it　there　Saturday　to　be　repaired。〃



〃I　am　going　to　Casterbridge；　so　we'll　walk　together；〃　the　vicar

said。　　Dick　gave　a　hop　with　one　foot　to　put　himself　in　step　with　Mr。

Maybold；　who　proceeded：　　〃I　fancy　I　didn't　see　you　at　church

yesterday；　Dewy。　　Or　were　you　behind　the　pier？〃



〃No；　I　went　to　Charmley。　　Poor　John　Dunford　chose　me　to　be　one　of

his　bearers　a　long　time　before　he　died；　and　yesterday　was　the

funeral。　　Of　course　I　couldn't　refuse；　though　I　should　have　liked

particularly　to　have　been　at　home　as　'twas　the　day　of　the　new

music。〃



〃Yes；　you　should　have　been。　　The　musical　portion　of　the　service　was

successfulvery　successful　indeed；　and　what　is　more　to　the　purpose；

no　ill…feeling　whatever　was　evinced　by　any　of　the　members　of　the　old

choir。　　They　joined　in　the　singing　with　the　greatest　good…will。〃



〃'Twas　natural　enough　that　I　should　want　to　be　there；　I　suppose；〃

said　Dick；　smiling　a　private　smile；　〃considering　who　the　organ

player　was。〃



At　this　the　vicar　reddened　a　little；　and　said；　〃Yes；　yes；〃　though

not　at　all　comprehending　Dick's　true　meaning；　who；　as　he　received　no

further　reply；　continued　hesitatingly；　and　with　another　smile

denoting　his　pride　as　a　lover　…



　　〃I　suppose　you　know　what　I　mean；　sir？　　You've　heard　about　me　and

Miss　Day？〃



The　red　in　Maybold's　countenance　went　away：　　he　turned　and　looked

Dick　in　the　face。



〃No；〃　he　said　constrainedly；　〃I've　heard　nothing　whatever　about　you

and　Miss　Day。〃



〃Why；　she's　my　sweetheart；　and　we　are　going　to　be　married　next

Midsummer。　　We　are　keeping　it　rather　close　just　at　present；　because

'tis　a　good　many　months　to　wait；　but　it　is　her　father's　wish　that　we

don't　marry　before；　and　of　course　we　must　submit。　　But　the　time　'ill

soon　slip　along。〃



〃Yes；　the　time　will　soon　slip　alongTime　glides　away　every　day

yes。〃



Maybold　said　these　words；　but　he　had　no　idea　of　what　they　were。　　He

was　conscious　of　a　cold　and　sickly　thrill　throughout　him；　and　all　he

reasoned　was　this　that　the　young　creature　whose　graces　had

intoxicated　him　into　making　the　most　imprudent　resolution　of　his

life；　was　less　an　angel　than　a　woman。



〃You　see；　sir；〃　continued　the　ingenuous　Dick；　〃'twill　be　better　in

one　sense。　　I　shall　by　that　time　be　the　regular　manager　of　a　branch

o'　father's　business；　which　has　very　much　increased　lately；　and

business；　which　we　think　of　starting　elsewhere。　　It　has　very　much

increased　lately；　and　we　expect　next　year　to　keep　a'　extra　couple　of

horses。　　We've　already　our　eye　on　onebrown　as　a　berry；　neck　like　a

rainbow；　fifteen　hands；　and　not　a　gray　hair　in　heroffered　us　at

twenty…five　want　a　crown。　　And　to　kip　pace　with　the　times　I　have　had

some　cards　prented　and　I　beg　leave　to　hand　you　one；　sir。〃



〃Certainly；〃　said　the　vicar；　mechanically　taking　the　card　that　Dick

offered　him。



〃I　turn　in　here　by　Grey's　Bridge；〃　said　Dick。　　〃I　suppose　you　go

straight　on　and　up　town？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Good…morning；　sir。〃



〃Good…morning；　Dewy。〃



Maybold　stood　still　upon　the　bridge；　holding　the　card　as　it　had　been

put　into　his　hand；　and　Dick's　footsteps　died　away　towards　Durnover

Mill。　　The　vicar's　first　voluntary　action　was　to　read　the　card





DEWY　AND　SON；

TRANTERS　AND　HAULIERS；

MELLSTOCK。



NB。FURNITURE；　COALS；　POTATOES；　LIVE　AND　DEAD　STOCK；　REMOVED　TO　ANY

DISTANCE　ON　THE　SHORTEST　NOTICE。





Mr。　Maybold　leant　over　the　parapet　of　the　bridge　and　looked　into　the

river。　　He　sawwithout　heedinghow　the　water　came　rapidly　from

beneath　the　arches；　glided　down　a　little　steep；　then　spread　itself

over　a　pool　in　which　dace；　trout；　and　minnows　sported　at　ease　among

the　long　green　locks　of　weed　that　lay　heaving　and　sinking　with　their

roots　towards　the　current。　　At　the　end　of　ten　minutes　spent　leaning

thus；　he　drew　from　his　pocket　the　letter　to　his　friend；　tore　it

deliberately　into　such　minute　fragments　that　scarcely　two　syllables

remained　in　juxtaposition；　and　sent　the　whole　handful　of　shreds

fluttering　into　the　water。　　Here　he　watched　them　eddy；　dart；　and

turn；　as　they　were　carried　downwards　towards　the　ocean　and　gradually

disappeared　from　his　view。　　Finally　he　moved　off；　and　pursued　his

way　at　a　rapid　pace　back　again　to　Mellstock　Vicarage。



Nerving　himself　by　a　long　and　intense　effort；　he　sat　down　in　his

study　and　wrote　as　follows：





〃DEAR　MISS　DAY；The　meaning　of　your　words；　'the　temptation　is　too

strong；'　of　your　sadness　and　your　tears；　has　been　brought　home　to　me

by　an　accident。　　I　know　to…day　what　I　did　not　know　yesterdaythat

you　are　not　a　free　woman。



〃Why　did　you　not　tell　mewhy　didn't　you？　　Did　you　suppose　I　knew？

No。　　Had　I　known；　my　conduct　in　coming　to　you　as　I　did　would　have

been　reprehensible。



〃But　I　don't　chide　you！　　Perhaps　no　blame　attaches　to　youI　can't

tell。　　Fancy；　though　my　opinion　of　you　is　assailed　and　disturbed　in

a　way　which　cannot　be　expressed；　I　love　you　still；　and　my　word　to

you　holds　good　yet。　　But　will　you；　in　justice　to　an　honest　man　who

relies　upon　your　word　to　him；　consider　whether；　under　the

circumstances；　you　can　honourably　forsake　him？Yours　ever

sincerely；



〃ARTHUR　MAYBOLD。〃





He　rang　the　bell。　　〃Tell　Charles　to　take　these　copybooks　and　this

note　to　the　school　at　once。〃



The　maid　took　the　parcel　and　the　letter；　and　in　a　few　minutes　a　boy

was　seen　to　leave　the　vicarage　gate；　with　the　one　under　his　arm；　and

the　other　in　his　hand。　　The　vicar　sat　with　his　hand　to　his　brow；

watching　the　lad　as　he　descended　Church　Lane　and　entered　the

waterside　path　which　intervened　between　that　spot　and　the　school。



Here　he　was　met　by　another　boy；　and　after　a　free　salutation　and

pugilistic　frisk　had　passed　between　the　two；　the　se