adam bede(亚当[1].比德)-第124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！
clothing for her when she’s married； an’ she’ll live i’ the parish wi’
us； and never go out of our sights—like a fool as I am for thinking
aught about her； as is no better nor a cherry wi’ a hard stone
inside it。”
“Nay； nay； thee mustna make much of a trifle；” said Mr。 Poyser；
soothingly。 “She’s fond on us； I’ll be bound； but she’s young； an’
gets things in her head as she can’t rightly give account on。 Them
young fillies ’ull run away often wi’…out knowing why。”
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 446…
Adam Bede 446
Her uncle’s answers； however； had had another effect on Hetty
besides that of disappointing her and making her cry。 She knew
quite well whom he had in his mind in his allusions to marriage；
and to a sober； solid husband； and when she was in her bedroom
again； the possibility of her marrying Adam presented itself to her
in a new light。 In a mind where no strong sympathies are at work；
where there is no supreme sense of right to which the agitated
nature can cling and steady itself to quiet endurance； one of the
first results of sorrow is a desperate vague clutching after any
deed that will change the actual condition。 Poor Hetty’s vision of
consequences； at no time more than a narrow fantastic calculation
of her own probable pleasures and pains； was now quite shut out
by reckless irritation under present suffering； and she was ready
for one of those convulsive； motiveless actions by which wretched
men and women leap from a temporary sorrow into a lifelong
misery。
Why should she not marry Adam？ She did not care what she
did； so that it made some change in her life。 She felt confident that
he would still want to marry her； and any further thought about
Adam’s happiness in the matter had never yet visited her。
“Strange！” perhaps you will say； “this rush of impulse to…wards
a course that might have seemed the most repugnant to her
present state of mind； and in only the second night of her
sadness！”
Yes； the actions of a little trivial soul like Hetty’s； struggling
amidst the serious sad destinies of a human being； are strange。 So
are the motions of a little vessel without ballast tossed about on a
stormy sea。 How pretty it looked with its parti…coloured sail in the
sunlight； moored in the quiet bay！
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 447…
Adam Bede 447
“Let that man bear the loss who loosed it from its moorings。”
But that will not save the vessel—the pretty thing that might
have been a lasting joy。
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 448…
Adam Bede 448
Chapter XXXII
Mrs。 Poyser “Has Her Say Out”
HE next Saturday evening there was much excited
discussion at the Donnithorne Arms concerning an
T
incident which had occurred that very day—no less than a
second appearance of the smart man in top…boots said by some to
be a mere farmer in treaty for the Chase Farm； by others to be the
future steward； but by Mr。 Casson himself； the personal witness to
the stranger’s visit； pronounced contemptuously to be nothing
better than a bailiff； such as Satchell had been before him。 No one
had thought of denying Mr。 Casson’s testimony to the fact that he
had seen the stranger； nevertheless； he proffered various
corroborating circumstances。
“I see him myself；” he said； “I see him coming along by the
Crab…tree Meadow on a bald…faced hoss。 I’d just been t’ hev a
pint—it was half after ten i’ the fore…noon； when I hev my pint as
reg’lar as the clock—and I says to Knowles； as druv up with his
waggon； ‘You’ll get a bit o’ barley to…day； Knowles；’ I says； ‘if you
look about you’； and then I went round by the rick…yard； and
towart the Treddles’on road； and just as I come up by the big ash…
tree； I see the man i’ top…boots coming along on a bald…faced
hoss—I wish I may never stir if I didn’t。 And I stood still till he
come up； and I says； ‘Good morning； sir；’ I says； for I wanted to
hear the turn of his tongue； as I might know whether he was a
this…country man； so I says； ‘Good morning； sir： it ’ll ’old hup for
the barley this morning； I think。 There’ll be a bit got hin； if we’ve
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 449…
Adam Bede 449
good luck。’ And he says； ‘Eh； ye may be raight； there’s noo tallin’；’
he says； and I knowed by that”—here Mr。 Casson gave a wink—
“as he didn’t come from a hundred mile off。 I daresay he’d think
me a hodd talker； as you Loamshire folks allays does hany one as
talks the right language。”
“The right language！” said Bartle Massey； contemptuously。
“You’re about as near the right language as a pig’s squeaking is
like a tune played on a key…bugle。”
“Well； I don’t know；” answered Mr。 Casson； with an angry
smile。 “I should think a man as has lived among the gentry from a
by； is likely to know what’s the right language pretty nigh as well
as a schoolmaster。”
“Aye； aye； man；” said Bartle； with a tone of sarcastic
consolation； “you talk the right language for you。 When Mike
Holdsworth’s goat says ba…a…a； it’s all right—it ’ud be unnatural for
it to make any other noise。”
The rest of the party being Loamshire men； Mr。 Casson had the
laugh strongly against him； and wisely fell back on the previous
question； which； far from being exhausted in a single evening； was
renewed in the churchyard； before service； the next day； with the
fresh interest conferred on all news when there is a fresh person
to hear it； and that fresh hearer was Martin Poyser； who； as his
wife said； “never went boozin’ with that set at Casson’s； a…sittin’
soakin’ in drink； and looking as wise as a lot o’ cod…fish wi’ red
faces。”
It was probably owing to the conversation she had had with her
husband on their way from church concerning this problematic
stranger that Mrs。 Poyser’s thoughts immediately reverted to him
when； a day or two afterwards； as she was standing at the house…
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 450…
Adam Bede 450
door with her knitting； in that eager leisure which came to her
when the afternoon cleaning was done； she saw the old squire
enter the yard on his black pony； followed by John the groom。 She
always cited it afterwards as a case of prevision； which really had
