five tales-第35章

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〃Well；　let's　go　on；　and　find　some　farm　where　we　can　put　up。〃　　In　uttering　those　words；　he　was　conscious　of　a　girl　coming　down　from　the　common　just　above　them。　　She　was　outlined　against　the　sky；　carrying　a　basket；　and　you　could　see　that　sky　through　the　crook　of　her　arm。　　And　Ashurst；　who　saw　beauty　without　wondering　how　it　could　advantage　him；　thought：　'How　pretty！'　　The　wind；　blowing　her　dark　frieze　skirt　against　her　legs；　lifted　her　battered　peacock　tam…o'…shanter；　her　greyish　blouse　was　worn　and　old；　her　shoes　were　split；　her　little　hands　rough　and　red；　her　neck　browned。　　Her　dark　hair　waved　untidy　across　her　broad　forehead；　her　face　was　short；　her　upper　lip　short；　showing　a　glint　of　teeth；　her　brows　were　straight　and　dark；　her　lashes　long　and　dark；　her　nose　straight；　but　her　grey　eyes　were　the　wonder…dewy　as　if　opened　for　the　first　time　that　day。　　She　looked　at　Ashurstperhaps　he　struck　her　as　strange；　limping　along　without　a　hat；　with　his　large　eyes　on　her；　and　his　hair　falling　back。　　He　could　not　take　off　what　was　not　on　his　head；　but　put　up　his　hand　in　a　salute；　and　said：

〃Can　you　tell　us　if　there's　a　farm　near　here　where　we　could　stay　the　night？　　I've　gone　lame。〃

〃There's　only　our　farm　near；　sir。〃　　She　spoke　without　shyness；　in　a　pretty　soft　crisp　voice。

〃And　where　is　that？〃

〃Down　here；　sir。〃

〃Would　you　put　us　up？〃

〃Oh！　　I　think　we　would。〃

〃Will　you　show　us　the　way？〃

〃Yes；　Sir。〃

He　limped　on；　silent；　and　Garton　took　up　the　catechism。

〃Are　you　a　Devonshire　girl？〃

〃No；　Sir。〃

〃What　then？〃

〃From　Wales。〃

〃Ah！　　I　thought　you　were　a　Celt；　so　it's　not　your　farm？〃

〃My　aunt's；　sir。〃

〃And　your　uncle's？〃

〃He　is　dead。〃

〃Who　farms　it；　then？〃

〃My　aunt；　and　my　three　cousins。〃

〃But　your　uncle　was　a　Devonshire　man？〃

〃Yes；　Sir。〃

〃Have　you　lived　here　long？〃　　〃Seven　years。〃

〃And　how　d'you　like　it　after　Wales？〃　　〃I　don't　know；　sir。〃

〃I　suppose　you　don't　remember？〃　　〃Oh；　yes！　　But　it　is　different。〃

〃I　believe　you！〃

Ashurst　broke　in　suddenly：　〃How　old　are　you？〃

〃Seventeen；　Sir。〃

〃And　what's　your　name？〃　　〃Megan　David。〃

〃This　is　Robert　Garton；　and　I　am　Frank　Ashurst。　　We　wanted　to　get　on　to　Chagford。〃

〃It　is　a　pity　your　leg　is　hurting　you。〃

Ashurst　smiled；　and　when　he　smiled　his　face　was　rather　beautiful。

Descending　past　the　narrow　wood；　they　came　on　the　farm　suddenly…a　long；　low；　stone…built　dwelling　with　casement　windows；　in　a　farmyard　where　pigs　and　fowls　and　an　old　mare　were　straying。　　A　short　steep…up　grass　hill　behind　was　crowned　with　a　few　Scotch　firs；　and　in　front；　an　old　orchard　of　apple　trees；　just　breaking　into　flower；　stretched　down　to　a　stream　and　a　long　wild　meadow。　　A　little　boy　with　oblique　dark　eyes　was　shepherding　a　pig；　and　by　the　house　door　stood　a　woman；　who　came　towards　them。　　The　girl　said：

〃It　is　Mrs。　Narracombe；　my　aunt。〃

〃Mrs。　Narracombe；　my　aunt；〃　had　a　quick；　dark　eye；　like　a　mother　wild…duck's；　and　something　of　the　same　snaky　turn　about　her　neck。

〃We　met　your　niece　on　the　road；〃　said　Ashurst；　〃she　thought　you　might　perhaps　put　us　up　for　the　night。〃

Mrs。　Narracombe；　taking　them　in　from　head　to　heel；　answered：

〃Well；　I　can；　if　you　don't　mind　one　room。　　Megan；　get　the　spare　room　ready；　and　a　bowl　of　cream。　　You'll　be　wanting　tea；　I　suppose。〃

Passing　through　a　sort　of　porch　made　by　two　yew　trees　and　some　flowering…currant　bushes；　the　girl　disappeared　into　the　house；　her　peacock　tam…o'…shanter　bright　athwart　that　rosy…pink　and　the　dark　green　of　the　yews。

〃Will　you　come　into　the　parlour　and　rest　your　leg？　　You'll　be　from　college；　perhaps？〃

〃We　were；　but　we've　gone　down　now。〃

Mrs。　Narracombe　nodded　sagely。

The　parlour；　brick…floored；　with　bare　table　and　shiny　chairs　and　sofa　stuffed　with　horsehair；　seemed　never　to　have　been　used；　it　was　so　terribly　clean。　　Ashurst　sat　down　at　once　on　the　sofa；　holding　his　lame　knee　between　his　hands；　and　Mrs。　Narracombe　gazed　at　him。　　He　was　the　only　son　of　a　late　professor　of　chemistry；　but　people　found　a　certain　lordliness　in　one　who　was　often　so　sublimely　unconscious　of　them。

〃Is　there　a　stream　where　we　could　bathe？〃

〃There's　the　strame　at　the　bottom　of　the　orchard；　but　sittin'　down　you'll　not　be　covered！〃

〃How　deep？〃

〃Well；　'tis　about　a　foot　and　a　half；　maybe。〃

〃Oh！　　That'll　do　fine。　　Which　way？〃

〃Down　the　lane；　through　the　second　gate　on　the　right；　an'　the　pool's　by　the　big　apple　tree　that　stands　by　itself。　　There's　trout　there；　if　you　can　tickle　them。〃

〃They're　more　likely　to　tickle　us！〃

Mrs。　Narracombe　smiled。　　〃There'll　be　the　tea　ready　when　you　come　back。〃

The　pool；　formed　by　the　damming　of　a　rock；　had　a　sandy　bottom；　and　the　big　apple　tree；　lowest　in　the　orchard；　grew　so　close　that　its　boughs　almost　overhung　the　water；　it　was　in　leaf；　and　all　but　in　flower…its　crimson　buds　just　bursting。　　There　was　not　room　for　more　than　one　at　a　time　in　that　narrow　bath；　and　Ashurst　waited　his　turn；　rubbing　his　knee　and　gazing　at　the　wild　meadow；　all　rocks　and　thorn　trees　and　feld　flowers；　with　a　grove　of　beeches　beyond；　raised　up　on　a　flat　mound。　　Every　bough　was　swinging　in　the　wind；　every　spring　bird　calling；　and　a　slanting　sunlight　dappled　the　grass。　　He　thought　of　Theocritus；　and　the　river　Cherwell；　of　the　moon；　and　the　maiden　with　the　dewy　eyes；　of　so　many　things　that　he　seemed　to　think　of　nothing；　and　he　felt　absurdly　happy。




2

During　a　late　and　sumptuous　tea　with　eggs　to　it；　cream　and　jam；　and　thin；　fresh　cakes　touched　with　saffron；　Garton　descanted　on　the　Celts。　　It　was　about　the　period　of　the　Celtic　awakening；　and　the　discovery　that　there　was　Celtic　blood　about　this　family　had　excited　one　who　believed　that　he　was　a　Celt　himself。　　Sprawling　on　a　horse　hair　chair；　with　a　hand…made　cigarette　dribbling　from　the　corner　of　his　curly　lips；　he　had　been　plunging　his　cold　pin…points　of　eyes　into　Ashurst's　and　praising　the　refinement　of　the　Welsh。　　To　come　out　of　Wales　into　England　was　like　the　change　from　china　to　earthenware！　Frank；　as　a　d…d　Englishman；　had　not　of　course　perceived　the　exquisite　refinement　and　emotional　capacity　of　that　Welsh　girl！　　And；　delicately　stirring　in　the　dark　mat　of　his　still　wet　hair；　he　explained　how　exactly　she　illustrated　the　writings　of　the　Welsh　bard　Morgan…ap…Something　in　the　twelfth　century。

Ashurst；　full　length　on　the　horsehair　sofa；　and　jutting　far　beyond　its　end；　smoked　a　deeply…coloured　pipe；　and　did　not　listen；　thinking　of　the　girl's　face　when　she　brought　in　a　relay　of　cakes。　　It　had　been　exactly　like　looking　at　a　flower；　or　some　other　pretty　sight　in　Nature…till；　with　a　funny　little　shiver；　she　had　lowered　her　glance　and　gone　out；　quiet　as　a　mouse。

〃Let's　go　to　the　kitchen；〃　said　Garton；　〃and　see　some　more　of　her。〃

The　kitchen　was　a　white…washed　room　with　rafters；　to　which　were　attached　smoked　hams；　there　were　flower…pots　on　the　window…sill；　and　guns　hanging　on　nails；　queer　mugs；　china　and　pewter；　and　portraits　of　Queen　Victoria。　　A　long；　narrow　table　of　plain　wood　was　set　with　bowls　and　spoons；　under　a　string　of　high…hung　onions；　two　sheep…dogs　and　three　cats　lay　here　and　there。　　On　one　side　of　the　recessed　fireplace　sat　two　small　boys；　idle；　and　good　as　gold；　on　the　other　sat　a　stout；　light…eyed；　red…faced　youth　with　hair　and　lashes　the　colour　of　the　tow　he　was　running　through　the　barrel　of　a　gun；　between　them　Mrs。　Narracombe　dreamily　stirred　some　savoury…scented　stew　in　a　large　pot。　　Two　other　youths；　oblique…eyed；　dark…haired；　rather　sly…　faced；　like　the　two　little　boys；　were　talking　together　and　lolling　against　the　wall；　and　a　short；　elderly；　clean…shaven　man　in　corduroys；　seated　in　the　window；　was　conning　a　battered　journal。　　The　girl　Megan　seemed　the　only　active　creature…drawing　cider　and　passing　with　the　jugs　from　cask　to　table。　　Seeing　them　thus　about　to　eat；　Garton　said：

〃Ah！　　If　you'll　let　us；　we'll　come　back　when　supper's　over；〃　and　without　waiting　for　an　answer　they　withdrew　again　to　the　parlour。　But　the　colour　in　the　kitchen；　the　warmth；　the　scents；　and　all　those　faces；　heightened　the　bleakness　of　their　shiny　room；　and　they　resumed　their　seats　moodily。

〃Regular　gipsy　type；　those　boys。　　There　was　only　one　Saxonthe　fellow　cleaning　the　gun。　　That　girl　is　a　very　subtle　study　ps