under the greenwood tree-第8章

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their　steps　along　the　waterside　track。　　〃A　strapping　lad　like　Dick

d'know　better　than　let　anything　happen　onawares；〃　Reuben　remarked。

〃There's　sure　to　be　some　poor　little　scram　reason　for't　staring　us

in　the　face　all　the　while。〃　　He　lowered　his　voice　to　a　mysterious

tone：　　'Neighbours；　have　ye　noticed　any　sign　of　a　scornful　woman　in

his　head；　or　suchlike？〃



〃Not　a　glimmer　of　such　a　body。　　He's　as　clear　as　water　yet。〃



〃And　Dicky　said　he　should　never　marry；〃　cried　Jimmy；　〃but　live　at

home　always　along　wi'　mother　and　we！〃



〃Ay；　ay；　my　sonny；　every　had　has　said　that　in　his　time。〃



They　had　now　again　reached　the　precincts　of　Mr。　Shiner's；　but

hearing　nobody　in　that　direction；　one　or　two　went　across　to　the

schoolhouse。　　A　light　was　still　burning　in　the　bedroom；　and　though

the　blind　was　down；　the　window　had　been　slightly　opened；　as　if　to

admit　the　distant　notes　of　the　carollers　to　the　ears　of　the　occupant

of　the　room。



Opposite　the　window；　leaning　motionless　against　a　beech　tree；　was

the　lost　man；　his　arms　folded；　his　head　thrown　back；　his　eyes　fixed

upon　the　illuminated　lattice。



〃Why；　Dick；　is　that　thee？　　What　b'st　doing　here？〃



Dick's　body　instantly　flew　into　a　more　rational　attitude；　and　his

head　was　seen　to　turn　east　and　west　in　the　gloom；　as　if　endeavouring

to　discern　some　proper　answer　to　that　question；　and　at　last　he　said

in　rather　feeble　accents〃Nothing；　father。〃



〃Th'st　take　long　enough　time　about　it　then；　upon　my　body；〃　said　the

tranter；　as　they　all　turned　anew　towards　the　vicarage。



〃I　thought　you　hadn't　done　having　snap　in　the　gallery；〃　said　Dick。



〃Why；　we've　been　traypsing　and　rambling　about；　looking　everywhere；

and　thinking　you'd　done　fifty　deathly　things；　and　here　have　you　been

at　nothing　at　all！〃



〃The　stupidness　lies　in　that　point　of　it　being　nothing　at　all；〃

murmured　Mr。　Spinks。



The　vicarage　front　was　their　next　field　of　operation；　and　Mr。

Maybold；　the　lately…arrived　incumbent；　duly　received　his　share　of

the　night's　harmonies。　　It　was　hoped　that　by　reason　of　his

profession　he　would　have　been　led　to　open　the　window；　and　an　extra

carol　in　quick　time　was　added　to　draw　him　forth。　　But　Mr。　Maybold

made　no　stir。



〃A　bad　sign！〃　said　old　William；　shaking　his　head。



However；　at　that　same　instant　a　musical　voice　was　heard　exclaiming

from　inner　depths　of　bedclothes〃Thanks；　villagers！〃



〃What　did　he　say？〃　asked　Bowman；　who　was　rather　dull　of　hearing。

Bowman's　voice；　being　therefore　loud；　had　been　heard　by　the　vicar

within。



〃I　said；　'Thanks；　villagers！'〃　cried　the　vicar　again。



〃Oh；　we　didn't　hear　'ee　the　first　time！〃　cried　Bowman。



〃Now　don't　for　heaven's　sake　spoil　the　young　man's　temper　by

answering　like　that！〃　said　the　tranter。



〃You　won't　do　that；　my　friends！〃　the　vicar　shouted。



〃Well　to　be　sure；　what　ears！〃　said　Mr。　Penny　in　a　whisper。　　〃Beats

any　horse　or　dog　in　the　parish；　and　depend　upon't；　that's　a　sign

he's　a　proper　clever　chap。〃



〃We　shall　see　that　in　time；〃　said　the　tranter。



Old　William；　in　his　gratitude　for　such　thanks　from　a　comparatively

new　inhabitant；　was　anxious　to　play　all　the　tunes　over　again；　but

renounced　his　desire　on　being　reminded　by　Reuben　that　it　would　be

best　to　leave　well　alone。



〃Now　putting　two　and　two　together；〃　the　tranter　continued；　as　they

went　their　way　over　the　hill；　and　across　to　the　last　remaining

houses；　〃that　is；　in　the　form　of　that　young　female　vision　we　zeed

just　now；　and　this　young　tenor…voiced　parson；　my　belief　is　she'll

wind　en　round　her　finger；　and　twist　the　pore　young　feller　about　like

the　figure　of　8that　she　will　so；　my　sonnies。〃







CHAPTER　VI：　　CHRISTMAS　MORNING







The　choir　at　last　reached　their　beds；　and　slept　like　the　rest　of　the

parish。　　Dick's　slumbers；　through　the　three　or　four　hours　remaining

for　rest；　were　disturbed　and　slight；　an　exhaustive　variation　upon

the　incidents　that　had　passed　that　night　in　connection　with　the

school…window　going　on　in　his　brain　every　moment　of　the　time。



In　the　morning；　do　what　he　wouldgo　upstairs；　downstairs；　out　of

doors；　speak　of　the　wind　and　weather；　or　what　nothe　could　not

refrain　from　an　unceasing　renewal；　in　imagination；　of　that

interesting　enactment。　　Tilted　on　the　edge　of　one　foot　he　stood

beside　the　fireplace；　watching　his　mother　grilling　rashers；　but

there　was　nothing　in　grilling；　he　thought；　unless　the　Vision

grilled。　　The　limp　rasher　hung　down　between　the　bars　of　the　gridiron

like　a　cat　in　a　child's　arms；　but　there　was　nothing　in　similes；

unless　She　uttered　them。　　He　looked　at　the　daylight　shadows　of　a

yellow　hue；　dancing　with　the　firelight　shadows　in　blue　on　the

whitewashed　chimney　corner；　but　there　was　nothing　in　shadows。

〃Perhaps　the　new　young　womschMiss　Fancy　Day　will　sing　in　church

with　us　this　morning；〃　he　said。



The　tranter　looked　a　long　time　before　he　replied；　〃I　fancy　she　will；

and　yet　I　fancy　she　won't。〃



Dick　implied　that　such　a　remark　was　rather　to　be　tolerated　than

admired；　though　deliberateness　in　speech　was　known　to　have；　as　a

rule；　more　to　do　with　the　machinery　of　the　tranter's　throat　than

with　the　matter　enunciated。



They　made　preparations　for　going　to　church　as　usual；　Dick　with

extreme　alacrity；　though　he　would　not　definitely　consider　why　he　was

so　religious。　　His　wonderful　nicety　in　brushing　and　cleaning　his

best　light　boots　had　features　which　elevated　it　to　the　rank　of　an

art。　　Every　particle　and　speck　of　last　week's　mud　was　scraped　and

brushed　from　toe　and　heel；　new　blacking　from　the　packet　was

carefully　mixed　and　made　use　of；　regardless　of　expense。　　A　coat　was

laid　on　and　polished；　then　another　coat　for　increased　blackness；　and

lastly　a　third；　to　give　the　perfect　and　mirror…like　jet　which　the

hoped…for　rencounter　demanded。



It　being　Christmas…day；　the　tranter　prepared　himself　with　Sunday

particularity。　　Loud　sousing　and　snorting　noises　were　heard　to

proceed　from　a　tub　in　the　back　quarters　of　the　dwelling；　proclaiming

that　he　was　there　performing　his　great　Sunday　wash；　lasting　half…an…

hour；　to　which　his　washings　on　working…day　mornings　were　mere

flashes　in　the　pan。　　Vanishing　into　the　outhouse　with　a　large　brown

towel；　and　the　above…named　bubblings　and　snortings　being　carried　on

for　about　twenty　minutes；　the　tranter　would　appear　round　the　edge　of

the　door；　smelling　like　a　summer　fog；　and　looking　as　if　he　had　just

narrowly　escaped　a　watery　grave　with　the　loss　of　much　of　his

clothes；　having　since　been　weeping　bitterly　till　his　eyes　were　red；

a　crystal　drop　of　water　hanging　ornamentally　at　the　bottom　of　each

ear；　one　at　the　tip　of　his　nose；　and　others　in　the　form　of　spangles

about　his　hair。



After　a　great　deal　of　crunching　upon　the　sanded　stone　floor　by　the

feet　of　father；　son；　and　grandson　as　they　moved　to　and　fro　in　these

preparations；　the　bass…viol　and　fiddles　were　taken　from　their　nook；

and　the　strings　examined　and　screwed　a　little　above　concert…pitch；

that　they　might　keep　their　tone　when　the　service　began；　to　obviate

the　awkward　contingency　of　having　to　retune　them　at　the　back　of　the

gallery　during　a　cough；　sneeze；　or　amenan　inconvenience　which　had

been　known　to　arise　in　damp　wintry　weather。



The　three　left　the　door　and　paced　down　Mellstock…lane　and　across　the

ewe…lease；　bearing　under　their　arms　the　instruments　in　faded　green…

baize　bags；　and　old　brown　music…books　in　their　hands；　Dick

continually　finding　himself　in　advance　of　the　other　two；　and　the

tranter　moving　on　with　toes　turned　outwards　to　an　enormous　angle。



At　the　foot　of　an　incline　the　church　became　visible　through　the

north　gate；　or　'church　hatch；'　as　it　was　called　here。　　Seven　agile

figures　in　a　clump　were　observable　beyond；　which　proved　to　be　the

choristers　waiting；　sitting　on　an　altar…tomb　to　pass　the　time；　and

letting　their　heels　dangle　against　it。　　The　musicians　being　now　in

sight；　the　youthful　party　scampered　off　and　rattled　up　the　old

wooden　stairs