under the greenwood tree-第43章

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whose　family　had　been　the　reverse　of　the　tranter's；　〃and　a　little

money　will　make　either　fate　tolerable。　　And　money　can　be　made　by　our

young　couple；　I　know。〃



〃Yes；　that　it　can！〃　said　the　impulsive　voice　of　Leaf；　who　had

hitherto　humbly　admired　the　proceedings　from　a　corner。　　〃It　can　be

doneall　that's　wanted　is　a　few　pounds　to　begin　with。　　That's　all！

I　know　a　story　about　it！〃



〃Let's　hear　thy　story；　Leaf；〃　said　the　tranter。　　〃I　never　knew　you

were　clever　enough　to　tell　a　story。　　Silence；　all　of　ye！　　Mr。　Leaf

will　tell　a　story。〃



〃Tell　your　story；　Thomas　Leaf；〃　said　grandfather　William　in　the　tone

of　a　schoolmaster。



〃Once；〃　said　the　delighted　Leaf；　in　an　uncertain　voice；　〃there　was　a

man　who　lived　in　a　house！　　Well；　this　man　went　thinking　and　thinking

night　and　day。　　At　last；　he　said　to　himself；　as　I　might；　'If　I　had

only　ten　pound；　I'd　make　a　fortune。'　　At　last　by　hook　or　by　crook；

behold　he　got　the　ten　pounds！〃



〃Only　think　of　that！〃　said　Nat　Callcome　satirically。



〃Silence！〃　said　the　tranter。



〃Well；　now　comes　the　interesting　part　of　the　story！　　In　a　little

time　he　made　that　ten　pounds　twenty。　　Then　a　little　time　after　that

he　doubled　it；　and　made　it　forty。　　Well；　he　went　on；　and　a　good

while　after　that　he　made　it　eighty；　and　on　to　a　hundred。　　Well；　by…

and…by　he　made　it　two　hundred！　　Well；　you'd　never　believe　it；　but

he　went　on　and　made　it　four　hundred！　　He　went　on；　and　what　did　he

do？　　Why；　he　made　it　eight　hundred！　　Yes；　he　did；〃　continued　Leaf；

in　the　highest　pitch　of　excitement；　bringing　down　his　fist　upon　his

knee　with　such　force　that　he　quivered　with　the　pain；　〃yes；　and　he

went　on　and　made　it　A　THOUSAND！〃



〃Hear；　hear！〃　said　the　tranter。　　〃Better　than　the　history　of

England；　my　sonnies！〃



〃Thank　you　for　your　story；　Thomas　Leaf；〃　said　grandfather　William；

and　then　Leaf　gradually　sank　into　nothingness　again。



Amid　a　medley　of　laughter；　old　shoes；　and　elder…wine；　Dick　and　his

bride　took　their　departure；　side　by　side　in　the　excellent　new

spring…cart　which　the　young　tranter　now　possessed。　　The　moon　was

just　over　the　full；　rendering　any　light　from　lamps　or　their　own

beauties　quite　unnecessary　to　the　pair。　　They　drove　slowly　along

Yalbury　Bottom；　where　the　road　passed　between　two　copses。　　Dick　was

talking　to　his　companion。



〃Fancy；〃　he　said；　〃why　we　are　so　happy　is　because　there　is　such　full

confidence　between　us。　　Ever　since　that　time　you　confessed　to　that

little　flirtation　with　Shiner　by　the　river　（which　was　really　no

flirtation　at　all）；　I　have　thought　how　artless　and　good　you　must　be

to　tell　me　o'　such　a　trifling　thing；　and　to　be　so　frightened　about

it　as　you　were。　　It　has　won　me　to　tell　you　my　every　deed　and　word

since　then。　　We'll　have　no　secrets　from　each　other；　darling；　will　we

ever？no　secret　at　all。〃



〃None　from　to…day；〃　said　Fancy。　　〃Hark！　what's　that？〃



From　a　neighbouring　thicket　was　suddenly　heard　to　issue　in　a　loud；

musical；　and　liquid　voice　…



〃Tippiwit！　swe…e…et！　ki…ki…ki！　　Come　hither；　come　hither；　come

hither！〃



〃O；　'tis　the　nightingale；〃　murmured　she；　and　thought　of　a　secret　she

would　never　tell。







Footnotes：



｛1｝　This；　a　local　expression；　must　be　a　corruption　of　something　less

questionable。











End