villa rubein and other stories-第34章

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little　streams　wherever　there's　a　place　for　one；　but　the　downs　along

the　cliff；　all　gorse　and　ferns；　are　wild。　　The　combe　ends　in　a　sandy

cove　with　black　rock　on　one　side；　pinkish　cliffs　away　to　the　headland

on　the　other；　and　a　coastguard　station。　　Just　now；　with　the　harvest

coming　on；　everything　looks　its　richest；　the　apples　ripening；　the

trees　almost　too　green。　　It's　very　hot；　still　weather；　the　country

and　the　sea　seem　to　sleep　in　the　sun。　　In　front　of　the　farm　are　half…

a…dozen　pines　that　look　as　if　they　had　stepped　out　of　another　land；

but　all　round　the　back　is　orchard　as　lush；　and　gnarled；　and　orthodox

as　any　one　could　wish。　　The　house；　a　long；　white　building　with　three

levels　of　roof；　and　splashes　of　brown　all　over　it；　looks　as　if　it

might　be　growing　down　into　the　earth。　　It　was　freshly　thatched　two

years　agoand　that's　all　the　newness　there　is　about　it；　they　say　the

front　door；　oak；　with　iron　knobs；　is　three　hundred　years　old　at

least。　　You　can　touch　the　ceilings　with　your　hand。　　The　windows

certainly　might　be　largera　heavenly　old　place；　though；　with　a

flavour　of　apples；　smoke；　sweetbriar；　bacon；　honeysuckle；　and　age；

all　over　it。



The　owner　is　a　man　called　John　Ford；　about　seventy；　and　seventeen

stone　in　weightvery　big；　on　long　legs；　with　a　grey；　stubbly　beard；

grey；　watery　eyes；　short　neck　and　purplish　complexion；　he　is

asthmatic；　and　has　a　very　courteous；　autocratic　manner。　　His　clothes

are　made　of　Harris　tweedexcept　on　Sundays；　when　he　puts　on　blacka

seal　ring；　and　a　thick　gold　cable　chain。　　There's　nothing　mean　or

small　about　John　Ford；　I　suspect　him　of　a　warm　heart；　but　he　doesn't

let　you　know　much　about　him。　　He's　a　north…country　man　by　birth；　and

has　been　out　in　New　Zealand　all　his　life。　　This　little　Devonshire

farm　is　all　he　has　now。　　He　had　a　large　〃station〃　in　the　North

Island；　and　was　much　looked　up　to；　kept　open　house；　did　everything；

as　one　would　guess；　in　a　narrow…minded；　large…handed　way。　　He　came　to

grief　suddenly；　I　don't　quite　know　how。　　I　believe　his　only　son　lost

money　on　the　turf；　and　then；　unable　to　face　his　father；　shot　himself；

if　you　had　seen　John　Ford；　you　could　imagine　that。　　His　wife　died；

too；　that　year。　　He　paid　up　to　the　last　penny；　and　came　home；　to　live

on　this　farm。　　He　told　me　the　other　night　that　he　had　only　one

relation　in　the　world；　his　granddaughter；　who　lives　here　with　him。

Pasiance　Voiseyold　spelling　for　Patience；　but　they　pronounce；　it

Pash…yenceis　sitting　out　here　with　me　at　this　moment　on　a　sort　of

rustic　loggia　that　opens　into　the　orchard。　　Her　sleeves　are　rolled

up；　and　she's　stripping　currants；　ready　for　black　currant　tea。　　Now

and　then　she　rests　her　elbows　on　the　table；　eats　a　berry；　pouts　her

lips；　and；　begins　again。　　She　has　a　round；　little　face；　a　long；

slender　body；　cheeks　like　poppies；　a　bushy　mass　of　black…brown　hair；

and　dark…brown；　almost　black；　eyes；　her　nose　is　snub；　her　lips　quick；

red；　rather　full；　all　her　motions　quick　and　soft。　　She　loves　bright

colours。　　She's　rather　like　a　little　cat；　sometimes　she　seems　all

sympathy；　then　in　a　moment　as　hard　as　tortoise…shell。　　She's　all

impulse；　yet　she　doesn't　like　to　show　her　feelings；　I　sometimes

wonder　whether　she　has　any。　　She　plays　the　violin。



It's　queer　to　see　these　two　together；　queer　and　rather　sad。　　The　old

man　has　a　fierce　tenderness　for　her　that　strikes　into　the　very　roots

of　him。　　I　see　him　torn　between　it；　and　his　cold　north…country　horror

of　his　feelings；　his　life　with　her　is　an　unconscious　torture　to　him。

She's　a　restless；　chafing　thing；　demure　enough　one　moment；　then

flashing　out　into　mocking　speeches　or　hard　little　laughs。　　Yet　she's

fond　of　him　in　her　fashion；　I　saw　her　kiss　him　once　when　he　was

asleep。　　She　obeys　him　generallyin　a　way　as　if　she　couldn't　breathe

while　she　was　doing　it。　　She's　had　a　queer　sort　of　education

history；　geography；　elementary　mathematics；　and　nothing　else；　never

been　to　school；　had　a　few　lessons　on　the　violin；　but　has　taught

herself　most　of　what　she　knows。　　She　is　well　up　in　the　lore　of　birds；

flowers；　and　insects；　has　three　cats；　who　follow　her　about；　and　is

full　of　pranks。　　The　other　day　she　called　out　to　me；　〃I've　something

for　you。　　Hold　out　your　hand　and　shut　your　eyes！〃　　It　was　a　large；

black　slug！　　She's　the　child　of　the　old　fellow's　only　daughter；　who

was　sent　home　for　schooling　at　Torquay；　and　made　a　runaway　match　with

one　Richard　Voisey；　a　yeoman　farmer；　whom　she　met　in　the　hunting…

field。　　John　Ford　was　furioushis　ancestors；　it　appears；　used　to

lead　ruffians　on　the　Cumberland　side　of　the　Borderhe　looked　on

〃Squire〃　Rick　Voisey　as　a　cut　below　him。　　He　was　called　〃Squire；〃　as

far　as　I　can　make　out；　because　he　used　to　play　cards　every　evening

with　a　parson　in　the　neighbourhood　who　went　by　the　name　of　〃Devil〃

Hawkins。　　Not　that　the　Voisey　stock　is　to　be　despised。　　They　have　had

this　farm　since　it　was　granted　to　one　Richard　Voysey　by　copy　dated

8th　September；　13　Henry　VIII。　　Mrs。　Hopgood；　the　wife　of　the　bailiff…

…a　dear；　quaint；　serene　old　soul　with　cheeks　like　a　rosy；　withered

apple；　and　an　unbounded　love　of　Pasianceshowed　me　the　very

document。



〃I　kape　it；〃　she　said。　　〃Mr。　Ford　be　tu　proudbut　other　folks　be

proud　tu。　　'Tis　a　pra…aper　old　fam'ly：　all　the　women　is　Margery；

Pasiance；　or　Mary；　all　the　men's　Richards　an'　Johns　an'　Rogers；　old

as　they　apple…trees。〃



Rick　Voisey　was　a　rackety；　hunting　fellow；　and　〃dipped〃　the　old　farm

up　to　its　thatched　roof。　　John　Ford　took　his　revenge　by　buying　up　the

mortgages；　foreclosing；　and　commanding　his　daughter　and　Voisey　to　go

on　living　here　rent　free；　this　they　dutifully　did　until　they　were

both　killed　in　a　dog…cart　accident；　eight　years　ago。　　Old　Ford's

financial　smash　came　a　year　later；　and　since　then　he's　lived　here

with　Pasiance。　　I　fancy　it's　the　cross　in　her　blood　that　makes　her　so

restless；　and　irresponsible：　if　she　had　been　all　a　native　she'd　have

been　happy　enough　here；　or　all　a　stranger　like　John　Ford　himself；　but

the　two　strains　struggling　for　mastery　seem　to　give　her　no　rest。

You'll　think　this　a　far…fetched　theory；　but　I　believe　it　to　be　the

true　one。　　She'll　stand　with　lips　pressed　together；　her　arms　folded

tight　across　her　narrow　chest；　staring　as　if　she　could　see　beyond　the

things　round　her；　then　something　catches　her　attention；　her　eyes　will

grow　laughing；　soft；　or　scornful　all　in　a　minute！　She's　eighteen；

perfectly　fearless　in　a　boat；　but　you　can't　get　her　to　mount　a　horse…

…a　sore　subject　with　her　grandfather；　who　spends　most　of　his　day　on　a

lean；　half…bred　pony；　that　carries　him　like　a　feather；　for　all　his

weight。



They　put　me　up　here　as　a　favour　to　Dan　Treffry；　there's　an

arrangement　of　L。　s。　d。　with　Mrs。　Hopgood　in　the　background。　　They

aren't　at　all　well　off；　this　is　the　largest　farm　about；　but　it

doesn't　bring　them　in　much。　　To　look　at　John　Ford；　it　seems

incredible　he　should　be　short　of　moneyhe's　too　large。



We　have　family　prayers　at　eight；　then；　breakfastafter　that　freedom

for　writing　or　anything　else　till　supper　and　evening　prayers。　　At

midday　one　forages　for　oneself。　　On　Sundays；　two　miles　to　church

twice；　or　you　get　into　John　Ford's　black　books。。。。　　Dan　Treffry

himself　is　staying　at　Kingswear。　　He　says　he's　made　his　pile；　it

suits　him　down　herelike　a　sleep　after　years　of　being　too　wide…

awake；　he　had　a　rough　time　in　New　Zealand；　until　that　mine　made　his

fortune。　　You'd　hardly　remember　him；　he　reminds　me　of　his　uncle；　old

Nicholas　Treffry；　the　same　slow　way　of　speaking；　with　a　hesitation；

and　a　trick　of　repeating　your　name　with　everything　he　says；　left…

handed　too；　and　the　same　slow　twinkle　in　his　eyes。　　He　has　a　dark；

short　beard；　and　red…brown　cheeks；　is　a　little　bald　on　the　temples；

and　a　bit　grey；　but　hard　as　iron。　　He　rides　over　nearly　every　day；

attended　by　a　black　spaniel　with　a　wonderful　nose　and　a　horror　of

petticoats。　　He　has　told　me　lots　of　good　stories　of　John　Ford　in　the

early　squatter's　times；　his　feats　with　horses　live