poor miss finch-第3章

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sea；　were　mixed　in　that　delicious　breeze。　The　short　turf；　fragrant　with
odorous　herbs；　rose　and　fell　elastic；　underfoot。　The　mountain…piles　of
white　cloud　moved　in　sublime　procession　along　the　blue　field　of　heaven；
overhead。　The　wild　growth　of　prickly　bushes；　spread　in　great　patches　over
the　grass；　was　in　a　glory　of　yellow　bloom。　On　we　went；　now　up；　now　down；
now　bending　to　the　right；　and　now　turning　to　the　left。　I　looked　about　me。
No　house；　no　road；　no　paths；　fences；　hedges；　walls；　no　land…marks　of　any
sort。　All　round　us；　turn　which　way　we　might；　nothing　was　to　be　seen　but
the　majestic　solitude　of　the　hills。　No　living　creatures　appeared　but　the
white　dots　of　sheep　scattered　over　the　soft　green　distance；　and　the
skylark　singing　his　hymn　of　happiness；　a　speck　above　my　head。　Truly　a
wonderful　place！　Distant　not　more　than　a　morning's　drive　from　noisy　and
populous　Brightona　stranger　to　this　neighborhood　could　only　have　found
his　way　by　the　compass；　exactly　as　if　he　had　been　sailing　on　the　sea！　The
farther　we　penetrated　on　our　land…voyage；　the　more　wild　and　the　more
beautiful　the　solitary　landscape　grew。　The　boy　picked　his　way　as　he
chosethere　were　no　barriers　here。　Plodding　behind；　I　saw　nothing；　at
one　time；　but　the　back　of　the　chaise；　tilted　up　in　the　air；　both　boy　and
pony　being　invisibly　buried　in　the　steep　descent　of　the　hill。　At　other
times；　the　pitch　was　all　the　contrary　way；　the　whole　interior　of　the
ascending　chaise　was　disclosed　to　my　view；　and　above　the　chaise　the　pony；
and　above　the　pony　the　boyand；　ah；　my　luggage　swaying　and　rocking　in
the　frail　embraces　of　the　rope　that　held　it。　Twenty　times　did　I
confidently　expect　to　see　baggage；　chaise；　pony；　boy；　all　rolling　down
into　the　bottom　of　a　valley　together。　But　no！　Not　the　least　little
accident　happened　to　spoil　my　enjoyment　of　the　day。　Politically
contemptible；　Finch's　boy　had　his　merithe　was　master　of　his　subject　as
guide　and　pony…leader　among　the　South　Down　Hills。

Arrived　at　the　top　of　（as　it　seemed　to　me）　our　fiftieth　grassy　summit；　I
began　to　look　about　for　signs　of　the　village。

Behind　me；　rolled　back　the　long　undulations　of　the　hills；　with　the
cloud…shadows　moving　over　the　solitudes　that　we　had　left。　Before　me；　at　a
break　in　the　purple　distance；　I　saw　the　soft　white　line　of　the　sea。
Beneath　me；　at　my　feet；　opened　the　deepest　valley　I　had　noticed　yetwith
one　first　sign　of　the　presence　of　Man　scored　hideously　on　the　face　of
Nature；　in　the　shape　of　a　square　brown　patch　of　cleared　and　ploughed　land
on　the　grassy　slope。　I　asked　if　we　were　getting　near　the　village　now。
Finch's　boy　winked；　and　answered；　〃Yes；　we　be。〃

Astonishing　Finch's　boy！　Ask　him　what　questions　I　might；　the　resources　of
his　vocabulary　remained　invariably　the　same。　Still　this　youthful　Oracle
answered　always　in　three　monosyllabic　words！

We　plunged　into　the　valley。

Arrived　at　the　bottom；　I　discovered　another　sign　of　Man。　Behold　the　first
road　I　had　seen　yeta　rough　wagon…road　ploughed　deep　in　the　chalky　soil！
We　crossed　this；　and　turned　a　corner　of　a　hill。　More　signs　of　human　life。
Two　small　boys　started　up　out　of　a　ditchapparently　posted　as　scouts　to
give　notice　of　our　approach。　They　yelled；　and　set　off　running　before　us；
by　some　short　cut；　known　only　to　themselves。　We　turned　again；　round
another　winding　of　the　valley；　and　crossed　a　brook。　I　considered　it　my
duty　to　make　myself　acquainted　with　the　local　names。　What　was　the　brook
called？　It　was　called　〃The　Cockshoot〃！　And　the　great　hill；　here；　on　my
right？　It　was　called　〃The　Overblow〃！　Five　minutes　more；　and　we　saw　our
first　houselonely　and　littlebuilt　of　mortar　and　flint　from　the　hills。
A　name　to　this　also？　Certainly。　Name　of　〃Browndown。〃　Another　ten　minutes
of　walking；　involving　us　more　and　more　deeply　in　the　mysterious　green
windings　of　the　valleyand　the　great　event　of　the　day　happened　at　last。
Finch's　boy　pointed　before　him　with　his　whip；　and　said　（even　at　this
supreme　moment；　still　in　three　monosyllabic　words）：

〃Here　we　be！〃

So　this　is　Dimchurch！　I　shake　out　the　chalk…dust　from　the　skirts　of　my
dress。　I　long　（quite　vainly）　for　the　least　bit　of　looking…glass　to　see
myself　in。　Here　is　the　population　（to　the　number　of　at　least　five　or
six）；　gathered　together；　informed　by　the　scoutsand　it　is　my　woman's
business　to　produce　the　best　impression　of　myself　that　I　can。　We　advance
along　the　little　road。　I　smile　upon　the　population。　The　population　stares
at　me　in　return。　On　one　side；　I　remark　three　or　four　cottages；　and　a　bit
of　open　ground；　also　an　inn　named　〃The　Cross…Hands；〃　and　a　bit　more　of
open　ground；　also　a　tiny；　tiny　butcher's　shop；　with　sanguinary　insides　of
sheep　on　one　blue　pie…dish　in　the　window；　and　no　other　meat　than　that；
and　nothing　to　see　beyond；　but　again　the　open　ground；　and　again　the
hills；　indicating　the　end　of　the　village　this　side。　On　the　other　side
there　appears；　for　some　distance；　nothing　but　a　long　flint　wall　guarding
the　outhouses　of　a　farm。　Beyond　this；　comes　another　little　group　of
cottages；　with　the　seal　of　civilization　set　on　them；　in　the　form　of　a
post…office。　The　post…office　deals　in　general　commoditiesin　boots　and
bacon；　biscuits　and　flannel；　crinoline　petticoats　and　religious　tracts。
Farther　on；　behold　another　flint　wall；　a　garden；　and　a　private
dwelling…house；　proclaiming　itself　as　the　rectory。　Farther　yet；　on　rising
ground；　a　little　desolate　church；　with　a　tiny　white　circular　steeple；
topped　by　an　extinguisher　in　red　tiles。　Beyond　this；　the　hills　and　the
heavens　once　more。　And　there　is　Dimchurch！

As　for　the　inhabitantswhat　am　I　to　say？　I　suppose　I　must　tell　the
truth。

I　remarked　one　born　gentleman　among　the　inhabitants；　and　he　was　a
sheep…dog。　He　alone　did　the　honors　of　the　place。　He　had　a　stump　of　a
tail；　which　he　wagged　at　me　with　extreme　difficulty；　and　a　good　honest
white　and　black　face　which　he　poked　companionably　into　my　hand。　〃Welcome；
Madame　Pratolungo；　to　Dimchurch；　and　excuse　these　male　and　female
laborers　who　stand　and　stare　at　you。　The　good　God　who　makes　us　all　has
made　them　too；　but　has　not　succeeded　so　well　as　with　you　and　me。〃　I
happen　to　be　one　of　the　few　people　who　can　read　dogs'　language　as　written
in　dogs'　faces。　I　correctly　report　the　language　of　the　gentleman
sheep…dog　on　this　occasion。

We　opened　the　gate　of　the　rectory；　and　passed　in。　So　my　Land…Voyage　over
the　South　Down　Hills　came　prosperously　to　its　end。

CHAPTER　THE　THIRD

Poor　Miss　Finch

THE　rectory　resembled；　in　one　respect；　this　narrative　that　I　am　now
writing。　It　was　in　Two　Parts。　Part　the　First；　in　front；　composed　of　the
everlasting　flint　and　mortar　of　the　neighborhood；　failed　to　interest　me。
Part　the　Second；　running　back　at　a　right　angle；　asserted　itself　as
ancient。　It　had　been；　in　its　time；　as　I　afterwards　heard；　a　convent　of
nuns。　Here　were　snug　little　Gothic　windows；　and　dark　ivy…covered　walls　of
venerable　stone：　repaired　in　places；　at　some　past　period；　with　quaint　red
bricks。　I　had　hoped　that　I　should　enter　the　house　by　this　side　of　it。　But
no。　The　boyafter　appearing　to　be　at　a　loss　what　to　do　with　meled　the
way　to　a　door　on　the　modern　side　of　the　building；　and　rang　the　bell。

A　slovenly　young　maid…servant　admitted　me　to　the　house。

Possibly；　this　person　was　new　to　the　duty　of　receiving　visitors。
Possibly；　she　was　bewildered　by　a　sudden　invasion　of　children　in　dirty
frocks；　darting　out　on　us　in　the　hall；　and　then　darting　away　again　into
invisible　back　regions；　screeching　at　the　sight　of　a　stranger。　At　any
rate；　she　too　appeared　to　be　at　a　loss　what　to　do　with　me。　After　staring
hard　at　my　foreign　face；　she　suddenly　opened　a　door　in　the　wall　of　the
passage；　and　admitted　me　into　a　small　room。　Two　more　children　in　dirty
frocks　darted；　screaming；　out　of　the　asylum　thus　offered　to　me。　I
mentioned　my　name；　as　soon　as　I　could　make　myself　heard。　The　maid
appeared　to　be　terrified　at　the　length　of　it。　I　gave　her　my　card。　The
maid　took　it　between　a　dirty　finger　and　thumblooked　at　it　as　if　it　was
some　extraordinary　natural　curiosityturned　it　round；　exhibiting　correct
black　impressions　in　various　parts　of　it　of　her　finger　and　thumbgave　up
understanding　it　in　despair；　and　left　the　room。　She　was　stopped　outside
（as　I