under the greenwood tree-第39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！





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

pugilistic　frisk　had　passed　between　the　two；　the　second　boy　came　on

his　way　to　the　vicarage；　and　the　other　vanished　out　of　sight。



The　boy　came　to　the　door；　and　a　note　for　Mr。　Maybold　was　brought　in。



He　knew　the　writing。　　Opening　the　envelope　with　an　unsteady　hand；　he

read　the　subjoined　words：





〃DEAR　MR。　MAYBOLD；I　have　been　thinking　seriously　and　sadly　through

the　whole　of　the　night　of　the　question　you　put　to　me　last　evening

and　of　my　answer。　　That　answer；　as　an　honest　woman；　I　had　no　right

to　give。



〃It　is　my　natureperhaps　all　women'sto　love　refinement　of　mind

and　manners；　but　even　more　than　this；　to　be　ever　fascinated　with　the

idea　of　surroundings　more　elegant　and　pleasing　than　those　which　have

been　customary。　　And　you　praised　me；　and　praise　is　life　to　me。　　It

was　alone　my　sensations　at　these　things　which　prompted　my　reply。

Ambition　and　vanity　they　would　be　called；　perhaps　they　are　so。



〃After　this　explanation　I　hope　you　will　generously　allow　me　to

withdraw　the　answer　I　too　hastily　gave。



〃And　one　more　request。　　To　keep　the　meeting　of　last　night；　and　all

that　passed　between　us　there；　for　ever　a　secret。　　Were　it　to　become

known；　it　would　utterly　blight　the　happiness　of　a　trusting　and

generous　man；　whom　I　love　still；　and　shall　love　always。Yours

sincerely；



〃FANCY　DAY。





The　last　written　communication　that　ever　passed　from　the　vicar　to

Fancy；　was　a　note　containing　these　words　only：



〃Tell　him　everything；　it　is　best。　　He　will　forgive　you。〃









PART　THE　FIFTH：　　CONCLUSION









CHAPTER　I：　　'THE　KNOT　THERE'S　NO　UNTYING'







The　last　day　of　the　story　is　dated　just　subsequent　to　that　point　in

the　development　of　the　seasons　when　country　people　go　to　bed　among

nearly　naked　trees；　are　lulled　to　sleep　by　a　fall　of　rain；　and　awake

next　morning　among　green　ones；　when　the　landscape　appears

embarrassed　with　the　sudden　weight　and　brilliancy　of　its　leaves；

when　the　night…jar　comes　and　strikes　up　for　the　summer　his　tune　of

one　note；　when　the　apple…trees　have　bloomed；　and　the　roads　and

orchard…grass　become　spotted　with　fallen　petals；　when　the　faces　of

the　delicate　flowers　are　darkened；　and　their　heads　weighed　down；　by

the　throng　of　honey…bees；　which　increase　their　humming　till　humming

is　too　mild　a　term　for　the　all…pervading　sound；　and　when　cuckoos；

blackbirds；　and　sparrows；　that　have　hitherto　been　merry　and

respectful　neighbours；　become　noisy　and　persistent　intimates。



The　exterior　of　Geoffrey　Day's　house　in　Yalbury　Wood　appeared

exactly　as　was　usual　at　that　season；　but　a　frantic　barking　of　the

dogs　at　the　back　told　of　unwonted　movements　somewhere　within。

Inside　the　door　the　eyes　beheld　a　gathering；　which　was　a　rarity

indeed　for　the　dwelling　of　the　solitary　wood…steward　and　keeper。



About　the　room　were　sitting　and　standing；　in　various　gnarled

attitudes；　our　old　acquaintance；　grandfathers　James　and　William；　the

tranter；　Mr。　Penny；　two　or　three　children；　including　Jimmy　and

Charley；　besides　three　or　four　country　ladies　and　gentlemen　from　a

greater　distance　who　do　not　require　any　distinction　by　name。

Geoffrey　was　seen　and　heard　stamping　about　the　outhouse　and　among

the　bushes　of　the　garden；　attending　to　details　of　daily　routine

before　the　proper　time　arrived　for　their　performance；　in　order　that

they　might　be　off　his　hands　for　the　day。　　He　appeared　with　his

shirt…sleeves　rolled　up；　his　best　new　nether　garments；　in　which　he

had　arrayed　himself　that　morning；　being　temporarily　disguised　under

a　weekday　apron　whilst　these　proceedings　were　in　operation。　　He

occasionally　glanced　at　the　hives　in　passing；　to　see　if　his　wife's

bees　were　swarming；　ultimately　rolling　down　his　shirt…sleeves　and

going　indoors；　talking　to　tranter　Dewy　whilst　buttoning　the

wristbands；　to　save　time；　next　going　upstairs　for　his　best

waistcoat；　and　coming　down　again　to　make　another　remark　whilst

buttoning　that；　during　the　time　looking　fixedly　in　the　tranter's

face　as　if　he　were　a　looking…glass。



The　furniture　had　undergone　attenuation　to　an　alarming　extent；　every

duplicate　piece　having　been　removed；　including　the　clock　by　Thomas

Wood；　Ezekiel　Saunders　being　at　last　left　sole　referee　in　matters　of

time。



Fancy　was　stationary　upstairs；　receiving　her　layers　of　clothes　and

adornments；　and　answering　by　short　fragments　of　laughter　which　had

more　fidgetiness　than　mirth　in　them；　remarks　that　were　made　from

time　to　time　by　Mrs。　Dewy　and　Mrs。　Penny；　who　were　assisting　her　at

the　toilet；　Mrs。　Day　having　pleaded　a　queerness　in　her　head　as　a

reason　for　shutting　herself　up　in　an　inner　bedroom　for　the　whole

morning。　　Mrs。　Penny　appeared　with　nine　corkscrew　curls　on　each　side

of　her　temples；　and　a　back　comb　stuck　upon　her　crown　like　a　castle

on　a　steep。



The　conversation　just　now　going　on　was　concerning　the　banns；　the

last　publication　of　which　had　been　on　the　Sunday　previous。



〃And　how　did　they　sound？〃　Fancy　subtly　inquired。



〃Very　beautiful　indeed；〃　said　Mrs。　Penny。　　〃I　never　heard　any　sound

better。〃



〃But　HOW？〃



〃O；　SO　natural　and　elegant；　didn't　they；　Reuben！〃　she　cried；　through

the　chinks　of　the　unceiled　floor；　to　the　tranter　downstairs。



〃What's　that？〃　said　the　tranter；　looking　up　inquiringly　at　the　floor

above　him　for　an　answer。



〃Didn't　Dick　and　Fancy　sound　well　when　they　were　called　home　in

church　last　Sunday？〃　came　downwards　again　in　Mrs。　Penny's　voice。



〃Ay；　that　they　did；　my　sonnies！especially　the　first　time。　　There

was　a　terrible　whispering　piece　of　work　in　the　congregation；　wasn't

there；　neighbour　Penny？〃　said　the　tranter；　taking　up　the　thread　of

conversation　on　his　own　account　and；　in　order　to　be　heard　in　the

room　above；　speaking　very　loud　to　Mr。　Penny；　who　sat　at　the　distance

of　three　feet　from　him；　or　rather　less。



〃I　never　can　mind　seeing　such　a　whispering　as　there　was；〃　said　Mr。

Penny；　also　loudly；　to　the　room　above。　　〃And　such　sorrowful　envy　on

the　maidens'　faces；　really；　I　never　did　see　such　envy　as　there　was！〃



Fancy's　lineaments　varied　in　innumerable　little　flushes；　and　her

heart　palpitated　innumerable　little　tremors　of　pleasure。　　〃But

perhaps；〃　she　said；　with　assumed　indifference；　〃it　was　only　because

no　religion　was　going　on　just　then？〃



〃O；　no；　nothing　to　do　with　that。　　'Twas　because　of　your　high

standing　in　the　parish。　　It　was　just　as　if　they　had　one　and　all

caught　Dick　kissing　and　coling　ye　to　death；　wasn't　it；　Mrs。　Dewy？〃



〃Ay；　that　'twas。〃



〃How　people　will　talk　about　one's　doings！〃　Fancy　exclaimed。



〃Well；　if　you　make　songs　about　yourself；　my　dear；　you　can't　blame

other　people　for　singing　'em。〃



〃Mercy　me！　how　shall　I　go　through　it？〃　said　the　young　lady　again；

but　merely　to　those　in　the　bedroom；　with　a　breathing　of　a　kind

between　a　sigh　and　a　pant；　round　shining　eyes；　and　warm　face。



〃O；　you'll　get　through　it　well　enough；　child；〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy

placidly。　　〃The　edge　of　the　performance　is　took　off　at　the　calling

home；　and　when　once　you　get　up　to　the　chancel　end　o'　the　church；　you

feel　as　saucy　as　you　please。　　I'm　sure　I　felt　as　brave　as　a　sodger

all　through　the　deedthough　of　course　I　dropped　my　face　and　looked

modest；　as　was　becoming　to　a　maid。　　Mind　you　do　that；　Fancy。〃



〃And　I　walked　into　the　church　as　quiet　as　a　lamb；　I'm　sure；〃

subjoined　Mrs。　Penny。　　〃There；　you　see　Penny　is　such　a　little　small

man；　But　certainly；　I　was　flurried　in　the　inside　o'　me。　　Well；

thinks　I；　'tis　to　be；　and　here　goes！　　And　do　you　do　the　same：　　say；

''Tis　to　be；　and　here　goes！'〃



〃Is　there　such　wonderful　virtue　in　''Tis　to　be；　and　here　goes！'〃

inquired　Fancy。



〃Wonderful！　　'Twill　carry　a　body　through　it　all　from　wedding　to

churching；　if　you　only　let　it　out　with　spirit　enough。〃



〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　Fancy；　blushing。　　〃'Tis　to　be；　and　here

goes！〃



〃That's　a　girl　for　a　husband！〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy。



〃I　do　h