under the greenwood tree-第4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！



and　stretched　his　head　to　the　extremest　fraction　of　height　that　his

body　would　allow　of；　to　re…straighten　his　back　and　shoulders

thrusting　out　his　arms　and　twisting　his　features　to　a　mass　of

wrinkles　to　emphasize　the　relief　aquired。　　A　quart　or　two　of　the

beverage　was　then　brought　to　table；　at　which　all　the　new　arrivals

reseated　themselves　with　wide…spread　knees；　their　eyes　meditatively

seeking　out　any　speck　or　knot　in　the　board　upon　which　the　gaze　might

precipitate　itself。



〃Whatever　is　father　a…biding　out　in　fuel…house　so　long　for？〃　said

the　tranter。　　〃Never　such　a　man　as　father　for　two　thingscleaving

up　old　dead　apple…tree　wood　and　playing　the　bass…viol。　　'A'd　pass

his　life　between　the　two；　that　'a　would。〃　　He　stepped　to　the　door

and　opened　it。



〃Father！〃



〃Ay！〃　rang　thinly　from　round　the　corner。



〃Here's　the　barrel　tapped；　and　we　all　a…waiting！〃



A　series　of　dull　thuds；　that　had　been　heard　without　for　some　time

past；　now　ceased；　and　after　the　light　of　a　lantern　had　passed　the

window　and　made　wheeling　rays　upon　the　ceiling　inside　the　eldest　of

the　Dewy　family　appeared。







CHAPTER　III：　　THE　ASSEMBLED　QUIRE







William　Dewyotherwise　grandfather　Williamwas　now　about　seventy；

yet　an　ardent　vitality　still　preserved　a　warm　and　roughened　bloom

upon　his　face；　which　reminded　gardeners　of　the　sunny　side　of　a　ripe

ribstone…pippin；　though　a　narrow　strip　of　forehead；　that　was

protected　from　the　weather　by　lying　above　the　line　of　his　hat…brim；

seemed　to　belong　to　some　town　man；　so　gentlemanly　was　its　whiteness。

His　was　a　humorous　and　kindly　nature；　not　unmixed　with　a　frequent

melancholy；　and　he　had　a　firm　religious　faith。　　But　to　his

neighbours　he　had　no　character　in　particular。　　If　they　saw　him　pass

by　their　windows　when　they　had　been　bottling　off　old　mead；　or　when

they　had　just　been　called　long…headed　men　who　might　do　anything　in

the　world　if　they　chose；　they　thought　concerning　him；　〃Ah；　there's

that　good…hearted　manopen　as　a　child！〃　　If　they　saw　him　just　after

losing　a　shilling　or　half…a…crown；　or　accidentally　letting　fall　a

piece　of　crockery；　they　thought；　〃There's　that　poor　weak…minded　man

Dewy　again！　　Ah；　he's　never　done　much　in　the　world　either！〃　　If　he

passed　when　fortune　neither　smiled　nor　frowned　on　them；　they　merely

thought　him　old　William　Dewy。



〃Ah；　so'shere　you　be！Ah；　Michael　and　Joseph　and　Johnand　you

too；　Leaf！　a　merry　Christmas　all！　　We　shall　have　a　rare　log…wood

fire　directly；　Reub；　to　reckon　by　the　toughness　of　the　job　I　had　in

cleaving　'em。〃　　As　he　spoke　he　threw　down　an　armful　of　logs　which

fell　in　the　chimney…corner　with　a　rumble；　and　looked　at　them　with

something　of　the　admiring　enmity　he　would　have　bestowed　on　living

people　who　had　been　very　obstinate　in　holding　their　own。　　〃Come　in；

grandfather　James。〃



Old　James　（grandfather　on　the　maternal　side）　had　simply　called　as　a

visitor。　　He　lived　in　a　cottage　by　himself；　and　many　people

considered　him　a　miser；　some；　rather　slovenly　in　his　habits。　　He　now

came　forward　from　behind　grandfather　William；　and　his　stooping

figure　formed　a　well…illuminated　picture　as　he　passed　towards　the

fire…place。　　Being　by　trade　a　mason；　he　wore　a　long　linen　apron

reaching　almost　to　his　toes；　corduroy　breeches　and　gaiters；　which；

together　with　his　boots；　graduated　in　tints　of　whitish…brown　by

constant　friction　against　lime　and　stone。　　He　also　wore　a　very　stiff

fustian　coat；　having　folds　at　the　elbows　and　shoulders　as　unvarying

in　their　arrangement　as　those　in　a　pair　of　bellows：　　the　ridges　and

the　projecting　parts　of　the　coat　collectively　exhibiting　a　shade

different　from　that　of　the　hollows；　which　were　lined　with　small

ditch…like　accumulations　of　stone　and　mortar…dust。　　The　extremely

large　side…pockets；　sheltered　beneath　wide　flaps；　bulged　out

convexly　whether　empty　or　full；　and　as　he　was　often　engaged　to　work

at　buildings　far　awayhis　breakfasts　and　dinners　being　eaten　in　a

strange　chimney…corner；　by　a　garden　wall；　on　a　heap　of　stones；　or

walking　along　the　roadhe　carried　in　these　pockets　a　small　tin

canister　of　butter；　a　small　canister　of　sugar；　a　small　canister　of

tea；　a　paper　of　salt；　and　a　paper　of　pepper；　the　bread；　cheese；　and

meat；　forming　the　substance　of　his　meals；　hanging　up　behind　him　in

his　basket　among　the　hammers　and　chisels。　　If　a　passer…by　looked

hard　at　him　when　he　was　drawing　forth　any　of　these；　〃My　buttery；〃　he

said；　with　a　pinched　smile。



〃Better　try　over　number　seventy…eight　before　we　start；　I　suppose？〃

said　William；　pointing　to　a　heap　of　old　Christmas…carol　books　on　a

side　table。



〃Wi'　all　my　heart；〃　said　the　choir　generally。



〃Number　seventy…eight　was　always　a　teaseralways。　　I　can　mind　him

ever　since　I　was　growing　up　a　hard　boy…chap。〃



〃But　he's　a　good　tune；　and　worth　a　mint　o'　practice；〃　said　Michael。



〃He　is；　though　I've　been　mad　enough　wi'　that　tune　at　times　to　seize

en　and　tear　en　all　to　linnit。　　Ay；　he's　a　splendid　carrelthere's

no　denying　that。〃



〃The　first　line　is　well　enough；〃　said　Mr。　Spinks；　〃but　when　you　come

to　'O；　thou　man；'　you　make　a　mess　o't。〃



〃We'll　have　another　go　into　en；　and　see　what　we　can　make　of　the

martel。　　Half…an…hour's　hammering　at　en　will　conquer　the　toughness

of　en；　I'll　warn　it。〃



〃'Od　rabbit　it　all！〃　said　Mr。　Penny；　interrupting　with　a　flash　of

his　spectacles；　and　at　the　same　time　clawing　at　something　in　the

depths　of　a　large　side…pocket。　　〃If　so　be　I　hadn't　been　as　scatter…

brained　and　thirtingill　as　a　chiel；　I　should　have　called　at　the

schoolhouse　wi'　a　boot　as　I　cam　up　along。　　Whatever　is　coming　to　me

I　really　can't　estimate　at　all！〃



〃The　brain　has　its　weaknesses；〃　murmured　Mr。　Spinks；　waving　his　head

ominously。　　Mr。　Spinks　was　considered　to　be　a　scholar；　having　once

kept　a　night…school；　and　always　spoke　up　to　that　level。



〃Well；　I　must　call　with　en　the　first　thing　tomorrow。　　And　I'll　empt

my　pocket　o'　this　last　too；　if　you　don't　mind；　Mrs。　Dewy。〃　　He　drew

forth　a　last；　and　placed　it　on　a　table　at　his　elbow。　　The　eyes　of

three　or　four　followed　it。



〃Well；〃　said　the　shoemaker；　seeming　to　perceive　that　the　interest

the　object　had　excited　was　greater　than　he　had　anticipated；　and

warranted　the　last's　being　taken　up　again　and　exhibited；　〃now；　whose

foot　do　ye　suppose　this　last　was　made　for？　　It　was　made　for　Geoffrey

Day's　father；　over　at　Yalbury　Wood。　　Ah；　many's　the　pair　o'　boots

he've　had　off　the　last！　　Well；　when　'a　died；　I　used　the　last　for

Geoffrey；　and　have　ever　since；　though　a　little　doctoring　was　wanted

to　make　it　do。　　Yes；　a　very　queer　natured　last　it　is　now；　'a

b'lieve；〃　he　continued；　turning　it　over　caressingly。　　〃Now；　you

notice　that　there〃　（pointing　to　a　lump　of　leather　bradded　to　the

toe）；　〃that's　a　very　bad　bunion　that　he've　had　ever　since　'a　was　a

boy。　　Now；　this　remarkable　large　piece〃　（pointing　to　a　patch　nailed

to　the　side）；　〃shows　a'　accident　he　received　by　the　tread　of　a

horse；　that　squashed　his　foot　a'most　to　a　pomace。　　The　horseshoe　cam

full…butt　on　this　point；　you　see。　　And　so　I've　just　been　over　to

Geoffrey's；　to　know　if　he　wanted　his　bunion　altered　or　made　bigger

in　the　new　pair　I'm　making。〃



During　the　hatter　part　of　this　speech；　Mr。　Penny's　left　hand

wandered　towards　the　cider…cup；　as　if　the　hand　had　no　connection

with　the　person　speaking；　and　bringing　his　sentence　to　an　abrupt

chose；　all　but　the　extreme　margin　of　the　bootmaker's　face　was

eclipsed　by　the　circular　brim　of　the　vessel。



〃However；　I　was　going　to　say；〃　continued　Penny；　putting　down　the

cup；　〃I　ought　to　have　called　at　the　school'here　he　went　groping

again　in　the　depths　of　his　pocket'to　leave　this　without　fail；

though　I　suppose　the　first　thing　to…morrow　will　do。〃



He　now　drew　forth　and　placed　upon　the　table　a　bootsmall；　light；

and　prettily　shapedupon　the　heel　of　which　he　had　been　operating。



〃The　new　schoolmistress's！〃



〃Ay；　no　less；　Miss　Fancy　Day；　as　neat　a　little　figure　of　fun　as　ever

I