under the greenwood tree-第6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！



fingering；　and　don't　ye　go　straying　into　the　treble　part　along　o'

Dick　and　his　set；　as　ye　did　last　year；　and　mind　this　especially　when

we　be　in　〃Arise；　and　hail。〃　　Billy　Chimlen；　don't　you　sing　quite　so

raving　mad　as　you　fain　would；　and；　all　o'　ye；　whatever　ye　do；　keep

from　making　a　great　scuffle　on　the　ground　when　we　go　in　at　people's

gates；　but　go　quietly；　so　as　to　strike　up　all　of　a　sudden；　like

spirits。〃



〃Farmer　Ledlow's　first？〃



〃Farmer　Ledlow's　first；　the　rest　as　usual。〃



〃And；　Voss；〃　said　the　tranter　terminatively；　〃you　keep　house　here

till　about　half…past　two；　then　heat　the　metheglin　and　cider　in　the

warmer　you'll　find　turned　up　upon　the　copper；　and　bring　it　wi'　the

victuals　to　church…hatch；　as　th'st　know。〃





Just　before　the　chock　struck　twelve　they　lighted　the　lanterns　and

started。　　The　moon；　in　her　third　quarter；　had　risen　since　the

snowstorm；　but　the　dense　accumulation　of　snow…cloud　weakened　her

power　to　a　faint　twilight；　which　was　rather　pervasive　of　the

landscape　than　traceable　to　the　sky。　　The　breeze　had　gone　down；　and

the　rustle　of　their　feet　and　tones　of　their　speech　echoed　with　an

alert　rebound　from　every　post；　boundary…stone；　and　ancient　wall　they

passed；　even　where　the　distance　of　the　echo's　origin　was　less　than　a

few　yards。　　Beyond　their　own　slight　noises　nothing　was　to　be　heard；

save　the　occasional　bark　of　foxes　in　the　direction　of　Yalbury　Wood；

or　the　brush　of　a　rabbit　among　the　grass　now　and　then；　as　it

scampered　out　of　their　way。



Most　of　the　outlying　homesteads　and　hamlets　had　been　visited　by

about　two　o'clock；　they　then　passed　across　the　outskirts　of　a　wooded

park　toward　the　main　village；　nobody　being　at　home　at　the　Manor。

Pursuing　no　recognized　track；　great　care　was　necessary　in　walking

lest　their　faces　should　come　in　contact　with　the　low…hanging　boughs

of　the　old　lime…trees；　which　in　many　spots　formed　dense　over…growths

of　interlaced　branches。



〃Times　have　changed　from　the　times　they　used　to　be；〃　said　Mail；

regarding　nobody　can　tell　what　interesting　old　panoramas　with　an

inward　eye；　and　letting　his　outward　glance　rest　on　the　ground；

because　it　was　as　convenient　a　position　as　any。　　〃People　don't　care

much　about　us　now！　　I've　been　thinking　we　must　be　almost　the　last

left　in　the　county　of　the　old　string　players？　　Barrel…organs；　and

the　things　next　door　to　'em　that　you　blow　wi'　your　foot；　have　come

in　terribly　of　late　years。〃



〃Ay！〃　said　Bowman；　shaking　his　head；　and　old　William；　on　seeing　him；

did　the　same　thing。



〃More's　the　pity；〃　replied　another。　　〃Time　waslong　and　merry　ago

now！when　not　one　of　the　varmits　was　to　be　heard　of；　but　it　served

some　of　the　quires　right。　　They　should　have　stuck　to　strings　as　we

did；　and　kept　out　clarinets；　and　done　away　with　serpents。　　If　you'd

thrive　in　musical　religion；　stick　to　strings；　says　I。〃



〃Strings　be　safe　soul…lifters；　as　far　as　that　do　go；〃　said　Mr。

Spinks。



〃Yet　there's　worse　things　than　serpents；〃　said　Mr。　Penny。　　〃Old

things　pass　away；　'tis　true；　but　a　serpent　was　a　good　old　note：　　a

deep　rich　note　was　the　serpent。〃



〃Clar'nets；　however；　be　bad　at　all　times；〃　said　Michael　Mail。　　〃One

Christmasyears　agone　now；　yearsI　went　the　rounds　wi'　the

Weatherbury　quire。　　'Twas　a　hard　frosty　night；　and　the　keys　of　all

the　clar'nets　frozeah；　they　did　freeze！so　that　'twas　like

drawing　a　cork　every　time　a　key　was　opened；　and　the　players　o'　'em

had　to　go　into　a　hedger…and…ditcher's　chimley…corner；　and　thaw　their

clar'nets　every　now　and　then。　　An　icicle　o'　spet　hung　down　from　the

end　of　every　man's　clar'net　a　span　long；　and　as　to　fingerswell；

there；　if　ye'll　believe　me；　we　bad　no　fingers　at　all；　to　our

knowing。〃



〃I　can　well　bring　back　to　my　mind；〃　said　Mr。　Penny；　〃what　I　said　to

poor　Joseph　Ryme　（who　took　the　treble　part　in　Chalk…Newton　Church

for　two…and…forty　year）　when　they　thought　of　having　clar'nets　there。

〃Joseph；〃　I　said；　says　I；　〃depend　upon't；　if　so　be　you　have　them

tooting　clar'nets　you'll　spoil　the　whole　set…out。　　Clar'nets　were

not　made　for　the　service　of　the　Lard；　you　can　see　it　by　looking　at

'em；〃　I　said。　　And　what　came　o't？　　Why；　souls；　the　parson　set　up　a

barrel…organ　on　his　own　account　within　two　years　o'　the　time　I

spoke；　and　the　old　quire　went　to　nothing。〃



〃As　far　as　look　is　concerned；〃　said　the　tranter；　〃I　don't　for　my

part　see　that　a　fiddle　is　much　nearer　heaven　than　a　clar'net。　　'Tis

further　off。　　There's　always　a　rakish；　scampish　twist　about　a

fiddle's　looks　that　seems　to　say　the　Wicked　One　had　a　hand　in　making

o'en；　while　angels　be　supposed　to　play　clar'nets　in　heaven；　or

som'at　like　'em；　if　ye　may　believe　picters。〃



〃Robert　Penny；　you　was　in　the　right；〃　broke　in　the　eldest　Dewy。

〃They　should　ha'　stuck　to　strings。　　Your　brass…man　is　a　rafting　dog…

…well　and　good；　your　reed…man　is　a　dab　at　stirring　yewell　and

good；　your　drum…man　is　a　rare　bowel…shakergood　again。　　But　I　don't

care　who　hears　me　say　it；　nothing　will　spak　to　your　heart　wi'　the

sweetness　o'　the　man　of　strings！〃



〃Strings　for　ever！〃　said　little　Jimmy。



〃Strings　alone　would　have　held　their　ground　against　all　the　new

comers　in　creation。〃　　（〃True；　true！〃　said　Bowman。）　　〃But　clarinets

was　death。〃　　（〃Death　they　was！〃　said　Mr。　Penny。）　　〃And　harmonions；〃

William　continued　in　a　louder　voice；　and　getting　excited　by　these

signs　of　approval；　〃harmonions　and　barrel…organs〃　　（〃Ah！〃　and　groans

from　Spinks）　〃be　miserablewhat　shall　I　call　'em？miserable〃



〃Sinners；〃　suggested　Jimmy；　who　made　large　strides　like　the　men；　and

did　not　lag　behind　like　the　other　little　boys。



〃Miserable　dumbledores！〃



〃Right；　William；　and　so　they　bemiserable　dumbledores！〃　said　the

choir　with　unanimity。



By　this　time　they　were　crossing　to　a　gate　in　the　direction　of　the

school；　which；　standing　on　a　slight　eminence　at　the　junction　of

three　ways；　now　rose　in　unvarying　and　dark　flatness　against　the　sky。

The　instruments　were　retuned；　and　all　the　band　entered　the　school

enclosure；　enjoined　by　old　William　to　keep　upon　the　grass。



〃Number　seventy…eight；〃　he　softly　gave　out　as　they　formed　round　in　a

semicircle；　the　boys　opening　the　lanterns　to　get　a　clearer　light；

and　directing　their　rays　on　the　books。



Then　passed　forth　into　the　quiet　night　an　ancient　and　time…worn

hymn；　embodying　a　quaint　Christianity　in　words　orally　transmitted

from　father　to　son　through　several　generations　down　to　the　present

characters；　who　sang　them　out　right　earnestly：





〃Remember　Adam's　fall；

O　thou　Man：

Remember　Adam's　fall

From　Heaven　to　Hell。

Remember　Adam's　fall

How　he　hath　condemn'd　all

In　Hell　perpetual

There　for　to　dwell。



Remember　God's　goodnesse；

O　thou　Man：

Remember　God's　goodnesse；

His　promise　made。

Remember　God's　goodnesse；

He　sent　His　Son　sinlesse

Our　ails　for　to　redress；

Be　not　afraid



In　Bethlehem　He　was　born；

O　thou　Man：

In　Bethlehem　He　was　born；

For　mankind's　sake。



In　Bethlehem　He　was　born；

Christmas…day　i'　the　morn：

Our　Saviour　thought　no　scorn

Our　faults　to　take。



Give　thanks　to　God　alway；

O　thou　Man：

Give　thanks　to　God　alway

With　heart…most　joy。

Give　thanks　to　God　alway

On　this　our　joyful　day：

Let　all　men　sing　and　say；

Holy；　Holy！〃





Having　concluded　the　last　note；　they　listened　for　a　minute　or　two；

but　found　that　no　sound　issued　from　the　schoolhouse。



〃Four　breaths；　and　then；　〃O；　what　unbounded　goodness！〃　number　fifty…

nine；〃　said　William。



This　was　duly　gone　through；　and　no　notice　whatever　seemed　to　be

taken　of　the　performance。



〃Good　guide　us；　surely　'tisn't　a'　empty　house；　as　befell　us　in　the

year　thirty…nine　and　forty…three！〃　said　old　Dewy。



〃Perhaps　she's　jist　come　from　some　musical　city；　and　sneers　at　our

doings？〃　the　tranter　whispered。



〃'Od　rabbit　her！〃　said　Mr。　Penny；　with　an　annihilating　look　at　a

corner　of　the　school　chimney；　〃I　don't　quite　stomach　her；　if　this　is

it。　　Your　plain　music