under the greenwood tree-第9章

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

wooden　stairs　of　the　gallery　like　a　regiment　of　cavalry；　the　other

boys　of　the　parish　waiting　outside　and　observing　birds；　cats；　and

other　creatures　till　the　vicar　entered；　when　they　suddenly　subsided

into　sober　church…goers；　and　passed　down　the　aisle　with　echoing

heels。



The　gallery　of　Mellstock　Church　had　a　status　and　sentiment　of　its

own。　　A　stranger　there　was　regarded　with　a　feeling　altogether

differing　from　that　of　the　congregation　below　towards　him。　　Banished

from　the　nave　as　an　intruder　whom　no　originality　could　make

interesting；　he　was　received　above　as　a　curiosity　that　no　unfitness

could　render　dull。　　The　gallery；　too；　looked　down　upon　and　knew　the

habits　of　the　nave　to　its　remotest　peculiarity；　and　had　an　extensive

stock　of　exclusive　information　about　it；　whilst　the　nave　knew

nothing　of　the　gallery　folk；　as　gallery　folk；　beyond　their　loud…

sounding　minims　and　chest　notes。　　Such　topics　as　that　the　clerk　was

always　chewing　tobacco　except　at　the　moment　of　crying　amen；　that　he

had　a　dust…hole　in　his　pew；　that　during　the　sermon　certain　young

daughters　of　the　village　had　left　off　caring　to　read　anything　so

mild　as　the　marriage　service　for　some　years；　and　now　regularly

studied　the　one　which　chronologically　follows　it；　that　a　pair　of

lovers　touched　fingers　through　a　knot…hole　between　their　pews　in　the

manner　ordained　by　their　great　exemplars；　Pyramus　and　Thisbe；　that

Mrs。　Ledlow；　the　farmer's　wife；　counted　her　money　and　reckoned　her

week's　marketing　expenses　during　the　first　lessonall　news　to　those

belowwere　stale　subjects　here。



Old　William　sat　in　the　centre　of　the　front　row；　his　violoncello

between　his　knees　and　two　singers　on　each　hand。　　Behind　him；　on　the

left；　came　the　treble　singers　and　Dick；　and　on　the　right　the　tranter

and　the　tenors。　　Farther　back　was　old　Mail　with　the　altos　and

supernumeraries。



But　before　they　had　taken　their　places；　and　whilst　they　were

standing　in　a　circle　at　the　back　of　the　gallery　practising　a　psalm

or　two；　Dick　cast　his　eyes　over　his　grandfather's　shoulder；　and　saw

the　vision　of　the　past　night　enter　the　porch…door　as　methodically　as

if　she　had　never　been　a　vision　at　all。　　A　new　atmosphere　seemed

suddenly　to　be　puffed　into　the　ancient　edifice　by　her　movement；

which　made　Dick's　body　and　soul　tingle　with　novel　sensations。

Directed　by　Shiner；　the　churchwarden；　she　proceeded　to　the　small

aisle　on　the　north　side　of　the　chancel；　a　spot　now　allotted　to　a

throng　of　Sunday…school　girls；　and　distinctly　visible　from　the

gallery…front　by　looking　under　the　curve　of　the　furthermost　arch　on

that　side。



Before　this　moment　the　church　had　seemed　comparatively　emptynow　it

was　thronged；　and　as　Miss　Fancy　rose　from　her　knees　and　looked

around　her　for　a　permanent　place　in　which　to　deposit　herself

finally　choosing　the　remotest　cornerDick　began　to　breathe　more

freely　the　warm　new　air　she　had　brought　with　her；　to　feel　rushings

of　blood；　and　to　have　impressions　that　there　was　a　tie　between　her

and　himself　visible　to　all　the　congregation。



Ever　afterwards　the　young　man　could　recollect　individually　each　part

of　the　service　of　that　bright　Christmas　morning；　and　the　trifling

occurrences　which　took　place　as　its　minutes　slowly　drew　along；　the

duties　of　that　day　dividing　themselves　by　a　complete　line　from　the

services　of　other　times。　　The　tunes　they　that　morning　essayed

remained　with　him　for　years；　apart　from　all　others；　also　the　text；

also　the　appearance　of　the　layer　of　dust　upon　the　capitals　of　the

piers；　that　the　holly…bough　in　the　chancel　archway　was　hung　a　little

out　of　the　centreall　the　ideas；　in　short；　that　creep　into　the　mind

when　reason　is　only　exercising　its　lowest　activity　through　the　eye。



By　chance　or　by　fate；　another　young　man　who　attended　Mellstock

Church　on　that　Christmas　morning　had　towards　the　end　of　the　service

the　same　instinctive　perception　of　an　interesting　presence；　in　the

shape　of　the　same　bright　maiden；　though　his　emotion　reached　a　far

less　developed　stage。　　And　there　was　this　difference；　too；　that　the

person　in　question　was　surprised　at　his　condition；　and　sedulously

endeavoured　to　reduce　himself　to　his　normal　state　of　mind。　　He　was

the　young　vicar；　Mr。　Maybold。



The　music　on　Christmas　mornings　was　frequently　below　the　standard　of

church…performances　at　other　times。　　The　boys　were　sleepy　from　the

heavy　exertions　of　the　night；　the　men　were　slightly　wearied；　and

now；　in　addition　to　these　constant　reasons；　there　was　a　dampness　in

the　atmosphere　that　still　further　aggravated　the　evil。　　Their

strings；　from　the　recent　long　exposure　to　the　night　air；　rose　whole

semitones；　and　snapped　with　a　loud　twang　at　the　most　silent　moment；

which　necessitated　more　retiring　than　ever　to　the　back　of　the

gallery；　and　made　the　gallery　throats　quite　husky　with　the　quantity

of　coughing　and　hemming　required　for　tuning　in。　　The　vicar　looked

cross。



When　the　singing　was　in　progress　there　was　suddenly　discovered　to　be

a　strong　and　shrill　reinforcement　from　some　point；　ultimately　found

to　be　the　school…girls'　aisle。　　At　every　attempt　it　grew　bolder　and

more　distinct。　　At　the　third　time　of　singing；　these　intrusive

feminine　voices　were　as　mighty　as　those　of　the　regular　singers；　in

fact；　the　flood　of　sound　from　this　quarter　assumed　such　an

individuality；　that　it　had　a　time；　a　key；　almost　a　tune　of　its　own；

surging　upwards　when　the　gallery　plunged　downwards；　and　the　reverse。



Now　this　had　never　happened　before　within　the　memory　of　man。　　The

girls；　like　the　rest　of　the　congregation；　had　always　been　humble　and

respectful　followers　of　the　gallery；　singing　at　sixes　and　sevens　if

without　gallery　leaders；　never　interfering　with　the　ordinances　of

these　practised　artistshaving　no　will；　union；　power；　or　proclivity

except　it　was　given　them　from　the　established　choir　enthroned　above

them。



A　good　deal　of　desperation　became　noticeable　in　the　gallery　throats

and　strings；　which　continued　throughout　the　musical　portion　of　the

service。　　Directly　the　fiddles　were　laid　down；　Mr。　Penny's

spectacles　put　in　their　sheath；　and　the　text　had　been　given　out；　an

indignant　whispering　began。



〃Did　ye　hear　that；　souls？〃　Mr。　Penny　said；　in　a　groaning　breath。



〃Brazen…faced　hussies！〃　said　Bowman。



〃True；　why；　they　were　every　note　as　loud　as　we；　fiddles　and　all；　if

not　louder！〃



〃Fiddles　and　all！〃　echoed　Bowman　bitterly。



〃Shall　anything　saucier　be　found　than　united　'ooman？〃　Mr。　Spinks

murmured。



〃What　I　want　to　know　is；〃　said　the　tranter　（as　if　he　knew　already；

but　that　civilization　required　the　form　of　words）；　〃what　business

people　have　to　tell　maidens　to　sing　like　that　when　they　don't　sit　in

a　gallery；　and　never　have　entered　one　in　their　lives？　　That's　the

question；　my　sonnies。〃



〃'Tis　the　gallery　have　got　to　sing；　all　the　world　knows；〃　said　Mr。

Penny。　　〃Why；　souls；　what's　the　use　o'　the　ancients　spending　scores

of　pounds　to　build　galleries　if　people　down　in　the　lowest　depths　of

the　church　sing　like　that　at　a　moment's　notice？〃



〃Really；　I　think　we　useless　ones　had　better　march　out　of　church；

fiddles　and　all！〃　said　Mr。　Spinks；　with　a　laugh　which；　to　a

stranger；　would　have　sounded　mild　and　real。　　Only　the　initiated　body

of　men　he　addressed　could　understand　the　horrible　bitterness　of

irony　that　lurked　under　the　quiet　words　'useless　ones；'　and　the

ghastliness　of　the　laughter　apparently　so　natural。



〃Never　mind！　　Let　'em　sing　too'twill　make　it　all　the　louderhee；

hee！〃　said　Leaf。



〃Thomas　Leaf；　Thomas　Leaf！　　Where　have　you　lived　all　your　life？〃

said　grandfather　William　sternly。



The　quailing　Leaf　tried　to　leek　as　if　he　had　lived　nowhere　at　all。



〃When　all's　said　and　done；　my　sonnies；〃　Reuben　said；　〃there'd　have

been　no　real　harm　in　their　singing　if　they　had　let　nobody　hear　'em；

and　only　jined　in　now　and　then。〃



〃None　at　all；〃　said　Mr。　Penny。　　〃But　though　I　don't　wish