desperate remedies-第31章

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Cytherea　caught　at　the　chance　afforded　her　of　not　betraying　herself。
'Yes；　I　know　her；'　she　said。

'Well；'　said　Miss　Hinton；　'I　am　really　vexed　if　my　speaking　so
lightly　of　any　friend　of　yours　has　hurt　your　feelings；　but'

'O；　never　mind；'　Cytherea　returned；　'it　doesn't　matter；　Miss　Hinton。
I　think　I　must　leave　you　now。　　I　have　to　call　at　other　places。　　Yes…
…I　must　go。'

Miss　Hinton；　in　a　perplexed　state　of　mind；　showed　her　visitor
politely　downstairs　to　the　door。　　Here　Cytherea　bade　her　a　hurried
adieu；　and　flitted　down　the　garden　into　the　lane。

She　persevered　in　her　duties　with　a　wayward　pleasure　in　giving
herself　misery；　as　was　her　wont。　　Mr。　Springrove's　name　was　next　on
the　list；　and　she　turned　towards　his　dwelling；　the　Three　Tranters
Inn。

3。　　FOUR　TO　FIVE　P。M。

The　cottages　along　Carriford　village　street　were　not　so　close　but
that　on　one　side　or　other　of　the　road　was　always　a　hedge　of　hawthorn
or　privet；　over　or　through　which　could　be　seen　gardens　or　orchards
rich　with　produce。　　It　was　about　the　middle　of　the　early　apple…
harvest；　and　the　laden　trees　were　shaken　at　intervals　by　the
gatherers；　the　soft　pattering　of　the　falling　crop　upon　the　grassy
ground　being　diversified　by　the　loud　rattle　of　vagrant　ones　upon　a
rail；　hencoop；　basket；　or　lean…to　roof；　or　upon　the　rounded　and
stooping　backs　of　the　collectorsmostly　children；　who　would　have
cried　bitterly　at　receiving　such　a　smart　blow　from　any　other
quarter；　but　smilingly　assumed　it　to　be　but　fun　in　apples。

The　Three　Tranters　Inn；　a　many…gabled；　mediaeval　building；
constructed　almost　entirely　of　timber；　plaster；　and　thatch；　stood
close　to　the　line　of　the　roadside；　almost　opposite　the　churchyard；
and　was　connected　with　a　row　of　cottages　on　the　left　by　thatched
outbuildings。　　It　was　an　uncommonly　characteristic　and　handsome
specimen　of　the　genuine　roadside　inn　of　bygone　times；　and　standing
on　one　of　the　great　highways　in　this　part　of　England；　had　in　its
time　been　the　scene　of　as　much　of　what　is　now　looked　upon　as　the
romantic　and　genial　experience　of　stage…coach　travelling　as　any
halting…place　in　the　country。　　The　railway　had　absorbed　the　whole
stream　of　traffic　which　formerly　flowed　through　the　village　and
along　by　the　ancient　door　of　the　inn；　reducing　the　empty…handed
landlord；　who　used　only　to　farm　a　few　fields　at　the　back　of　the
house；　to　the　necessity　of　eking　out　his　attenuated　income　by
increasing　the　extent　of　his　agricultural　business　if　he　would　still
maintain　his　social　standing。　　Next　to　the　general　stillness
pervading　the　spot；　the　long　line　of　outbuildings　adjoining　the
house　was　the　most　striking　and　saddening　witness　to　the　passed…away
fortunes　of　the　Three　Tranters　Inn。　　It　was　the　bulk　of　the　original
stabling；　and　where　once　the　hoofs　of　two…score　horses　had　daily
rattled　over　the　stony　yard；　to　and　from　the　stalls　within；　thick
grass　now　grew；　whilst　the　line　of　roofsonce　so　straightover　the
decayed　stalls；　had　sunk　into　vast　hollows　till　they　seemed　like　the
cheeks　of　toothless　age。

On　a　green　plot　at　the　other　end　of　the　building　grew　two　or　three
large；　wide…spreading　elm…trees；　from　which　the　sign　was　suspended
representing　the　three　men　called　tranters　（irregular　carriers）；
standing　side　by　side；　and　exactly　alike　to　a　hair's…breadth；　the
grain　of　the　wood　and　joints　of　the　boards　being　visible　through　the
thin　paint　depicting　their　forms；　which　were　still　further
disfigured　by　red　stains　running　downwards　from　the　rusty　nails
above。

Under　the　trees　now　stood　a　cider…mill　and　press；　and　upon　the　spot
sheltered　by　the　boughs　were　gathered　Mr。　Springrove　himself；　his
men；　the　parish　clerk；　two　or　three　other　men；　grinders　and
supernumeraries；　a　woman　with　an　infant　in　her　arms；　a　flock　of
pigeons；　and　some　little　boys　with　straws　in　their　mouths；
endeavouring；　whenever　the　men's　backs　were　turned；　to　get　a　sip　of
the　sweet　juice　issuing　from　the　vat。

Edward　Springrove　the　elder；　the　landlord；　now　more　particularly　a
farmer；　and　for　two　months　in　the　year　a　cider…maker；　was　an
employer　of　labour　of　the　old　school；　who　worked　himself　among　his
men。　　He　was　now　engaged　in　packing　the　pomace　into　horsehair　bags
with　a　rammer；　and　Gad　Weedy；　his　man；　was　occupied　in　shovelling　up
more　from　a　tub　at　his　side。　　The　shovel　shone　like　silver　from　the
action　of　the　juice；　and　ever　and　anon；　in　its　motion　to　and　fro；
caught　the　rays　of　the　declining　sun　and　reflected　them　in　bristling
stars　of　light。

Mr。　Springrove　had　been　too　young　a　man　when　the　pristine　days　of
the　Three　Tranters　had　departed　for　ever　to　have　much　of　the　host
left　in　him　now。　　He　was　a　poet　with　a　rough　skin：　　one　whose
sturdiness　was　more　the　result　of　external　circumstances　than　of
intrinsic　nature。　　Too　kindly　constituted　to　be　very　provident；　he
was　yet　not　imprudent。　　He　had　a　quiet　humorousness　of　disposition；
not　out　of　keeping　with　a　frequent　melancholy；　the　general
expression　of　his　countenance　being　one　of　abstraction。　　Like　Walt
Whitman　he　felt　as　his　years　increased

　　　　　'I　foresee　too　much；　it　means　more　than　I　thought。'

On　the　present　occasion　he　wore　gaiters　and　a　leathern　apron；　and
worked　with　his　shirt…sleeves　rolled　up　beyond　his　elbows；
disclosing　solid　and　fleshy　rather　than　muscular　arms。　　They　were
stained　by　the　cider；　and　two　or　three　brown　apple…pips　from　the
pomace　he　was　handling　were　to　be　seen　sticking　on　them　here　and
there。

The　other　prominent　figure　was　that　of　Richard　Crickett；　the　parish
clerk；　a　kind　of　Bowdlerized　rake；　who　ate　only　as　much　as　a　woman；
and　had　the　rheumatism　in　his　left　hand。　　The　remainder　of　the
group；　brown…faced　peasants；　wore　smock…frocks　embroidered　on　the
shoulders　with　hearts　and　diamonds；　and　were　girt　round　their　middle
with　a　strap；　another　being　worn　round　the　right　wrist。

'And　have　you　seen　the　steward；　Mr。　Springrove？'　said　the　clerk。

'Just　a　glimpse　of　him；　but　'twas　just　enough　to　show　me　that　he's
not　here　for　long。'

'Why　mid　that　be？'

'He'll　never　stand　the　vagaries　of　the　female　figure　holden　the
reinsnot　he。'

'She　d'　pay　en　well；'　said　a　grinder；　'and　money's　money。'

'Ah'tis：　　very　much　so；'　the　clerk　replied。

'Yes；　yes；　naibour　Crickett；'　said　Springrove；　'but　she'll　vlee　in　a
passionall　the　fat　will　be　in　the　fireand　there's　an　end　o't。　。
。　。　　Yes；　she　is　a　one；'　continued　the　farmer；　resting；　raising　his
eyes；　and　reading　the　features　of　a　distant　apple。

'She　is；'　said　Gad；　resting　too　（it　is　wonderful　how　prompt　a
journeyman　is　in　following　his　master's　initiative　to　rest）　and
reflectively　regarding　the　ground　in　front　of　him。

'True：　　a　one　is　she；'　the　clerk　chimed　in；　shaking　his　head
ominously。

'She　has　such　a　temper；'　said　the　farmer；　'and　is　so　wilful　too。
You　may　as　well　try　to　stop　a　footpath　as　stop　her　when　she　has
taken　anything　into　her　head。　　I'd　as　soon　grind　little　green　crabs
all　day　as　live　wi'　her。'

''Tis　a　temper　she　hev；　'tis；'　the　clerk　replied；　'though　I　be　a
servant　of　the　Church　that　say　it。　　But　she　isn't　goen　to　flee　in　a
passion　this　time。'

The　audience　waited　for　the　continuation　of　the　speech；　as　if　they
knew　from　experience　the　exact　distance　off　it　lay　in　the　future。

The　clerk　swallowed　nothing　as　if　it　were　a　great　deal；　and　then
went　on；　'There's　some'at　between　'em：　　mark　my　words；　naibours
there's　some'at　between　'em。'

'D'ye　mean　it？'

'I　d'　know　it。　　He　came　last　Saturday；　didn't　he？'

''A　did；　truly；'　said　Gad　Weedy；　at　the　same　time　taking　an　apple
from　the　hopper　of　the　mill；　eating　a　piece；　and　flinging　back　the
remainder　to　be　ground　up　for　cider。

'He　went　to　church　a…Sunday；'　said　the　clerk　again。

''A　did。'

'And　she　kept　her　eye　upon　en　all　the　service；　her　face　flickeren
between　red　and　white；　but　never　stoppen　at　either。'

Mr。　Springrove　nodded；　and　went　to　the　press。

'Well；'　said　the　clerk；　'you　don't　call　her　the　kind　o'　woman　to
make　mistakes　in　just　trotten　through　the　weekly　service　o'　God？
Why；　as　a　rule　she's　as　right　as　I　be　myself。'

Mr。　Springrove　nodded　again；　and　gave　a　twist　to　the　screw　of　the
press；　followed　in　the　movement　by　Gad　at　the　other　side；　the　two
grinde