desperate remedies-第32章

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press；　followed　in　the　movement　by　Gad　at　the　other　side；　the　two
grinders　expressing　by　looks　of　the　greatest　concern　that；　if　Miss
Aldclyffe　were　as　right　at　church　as　the　clerk；　she　must　be　right
indeed。

'Yes；　as　right　in　the　service　o'　God　as　I　be　myself；'　repeated　the
clerk。　　'But　last　Sunday；　when　we　were　in　the　tenth　commandment；
says　she；　〃Incline　our　hearts　to　keep　this　law；〃　says　she；　when
'twas　〃Laws　in　our　hearts；　we　beseech　Thee；〃　all　the　church　through。
Her　eye　was　upon　HIMshe　was　quite　lost〃Hearts　to　keep　this　law；〃
says　she；　she　was　no　more　than　a　mere　shadder　at　that　tenth　timea
mere　shadder。　　You　mi't　ha'　mouthed　across　to　her　〃Laws　in　our
hearts　we　beseech　Thee；〃　fifty　times　overshe'd　never　ha'　noticed
ye。　　She's　in　love　wi'　the　man；　that's　what　she　is。'

'Then　she's　a　bigger　stunpoll　than　I　took　her　for；'　said　Mr。
Springrove。　　'Why；　she's　old　enough　to　be　his　mother。'

'The　row'll　be　between　her　and　that　young　Curlywig；　you'll　see。　　She
won't　run　the　risk　of　that　pretty　face　be…en　near。'

'Clerk　Crickett；　I　d'　fancy　you　d'　know　everything　about　everybody；'
said　Gad。

'Well　so's；'　said　the　clerk　modestly。　　'I　do　know　a　little。　　It
comes　to　me。'

'And　I　d'　know　where　from。'

'Ah。'

'That　wife　o'　thine。　　She's　an　entertainen　woman；　not　to　speak
disrespectful。'

'She　is：　　and　a　winnen　one。　　Look　at　the　husbands　she've　hadGod
bless　her！'

'I　wonder　you　could　stand　third　in　that　list；　Clerk　Crickett；'　said
Mr。　Springrove。

'Well；　't　has　been　a　power　o'　marvel　to　myself　oftentimes。　　Yes；
matrimony　do　begin　wi'　〃Dearly　beloved；〃　and　ends　wi'　〃Amazement；〃
as　the　prayer…book　says。　　But　what　could　I　do；　naibour　Springrove？
'Twas　ordained　to　be。　　Well　do　I　call　to　mind　what　your　poor　lady
said　to　me　when　I　had　just　married。　　〃Ah；　Mr。　Crickett；〃　says　she；
〃your　wife　will　soon　settle　you　as　she　did　her　other　two：　　here's　a
glass　o'　rum；　for　I　shan't　see　your　poor　face　this　time　next　year。〃
I　swallered　the　rum；　called　again　next　year；　and　said；　〃Mrs。
Springrove；　you　gave　me　a　glass　o'　rum　last　year　because　I　was　going
to　diehere　I　be　alive　still；　you　see。〃　　〃Well　said；　clerk！　　Here's
two　glasses　for　you　now；　then；〃　says　she。　　　〃Thank　you；　mem；〃　I
said；　and　swallered　the　rum。　　Well；　dang　my　old　sides；　next　year　I
thought　I'd　call　again　and　get　three。　　And　call　I　did。　　But　she
wouldn't　give　me　a　drop　o'　the　commonest。　　〃No；　clerk；〃　says　she；
〃you　be　too　tough　for　a　woman's　pity。〃。　。　。　　Ah；　poor　soul；　'twas
true　enough！　　Here　be　I；　that　was　expected　to　die；　alive　and　hard　as
a　nail；　you　see；　and　there's　she　moulderen　in　her　grave。'

'I　used　to　think　'twas　your　wife's　fate　not　to　have　a　liven　husband
when　I　zid　'em　die　off　so；'　said　Gad。

'Fate？　　Bless　thy　simplicity；　so　'twas　her　fate；　but　she　struggled
to　have　one；　and　would；　and　did。　　Fate's　nothen　beside　a　woman's
schemen！'

'I　suppose；　then；　that　Fate　is　a　He；　like　us；　and　the　Lord；　and　the
rest　o'　'em　up　above　there；'　said　Gad；　lifting　his　eyes　to　the　sky。

'Hullo！　　Here's　the　young　woman　comen　that　we　were　a…talken　about
by…now；'　said　a　grinder；　suddenly　interrupting。　　'She's　comen　up
here；　as　I　be　alive！'

The　two　grinders　stood　and　regarded　Cytherea　as　if　she　had　been　a
ship　tacking　into　a　harbour；　nearly　stopping　the　mill　in　their　new
interest。

'Stylish　accoutrements　about　the　head　and　shoulders；　to　my　thinken；'
said　the　clerk。　　'Sheenen　curls；　and　plenty　o'　em。'

'If　there's　one　kind　of　pride　more　excusable　than　another　in　a　young
woman；　'tis　being　proud　of　her　hair；'　said　Mr。　Springrove。

'Dear　man！the　pride　there　is　only　a　small　piece　o'　the　whole。　　I
warrant　now；　though　she　can　show　such　a　figure；　she　ha'n't　a　stick
o'　furniture　to　call　her　own。'

'Come；　Clerk　Crickett；　let　the　maid　be　a　maid　while　she　is　a　maid；'
said　Farmer　Springrove　chivalrously。

'O；'　replied　the　servant　of　the　Church；　'I've　nothen　to　say　against
itO　no：

　　　　　'〃The　chimney…sweeper's　daughter　Sue
　　　　　　　　　As　I　have　heard　declare；　O；
　　　　　　　Although　she's　neither　sock　nor　shoe
　　　　　　　　　Will　curl　and　deck　her　hair；　O。〃'

Cytherea　was　rather　disconcerted　at　finding　that　the　gradual
cessation　of　the　chopping　of　the　mill　was　on　her　account；　and　still
more　when　she　saw　all　the　cider…makers'　eyes　fixed　upon　her　except
Mr。　Springrove's；　whose　natural　delicacy　restrained　him。　　She　neared
the　plot　of　grass；　but　instead　of　advancing　further；　hesitated　on
its　border。

Mr。　Springrove　perceived　her　embarrassment；　which　was　relieved　when
she　saw　his　old…established　figure　coming　across　to　her；　wiping　his
hands　in　his　apron。

'I　know　your　errand；　missie；'　he　said；　'and　am　glad　to　see　you；　and
attend　to　it。　　I'll　step　indoors。'

'If　you　are　busy　I　am　in　no　hurry　for　a　minute　or　two；'　said
Cytherea。

'Then　if　so　be　you　really　wouldn't　mind；　we'll　wring　down　this　last
filling　to　let　it　drain　all　night？'

'Not　at　all。　　I　like　to　see　you。'

'We　are　only　just　grinding　down　the　early　pickthongs　and　griffins；'
continued　the　farmer；　in　a　half…apologetic　tone　for　detaining　by　his
cider…making　any　well…dressed　woman。　　'They　rot　as　black　as　a
chimney…crook　if　we　keep　'em　till　the　regulars　turn　in。'　　As　he
spoke　he　went　back　to　the　press；　Cytherea　keeping　at　his　elbow。
'I'm　later　than　I　should　have　been　by　rights；'　he　continued；　taking
up　a　lever　for　propelling　the　screw；　and　beckoning　to　the　men　to
come　forward。　　'The　truth　is；　my　son　Edward　had　promised　to　come　to…
day；　and　I　made　preparations；　but　instead　of　him　comes　a　letter：
〃London；　September　the　eighteenth；　Dear　Father；〃　says　he；　and　went
on　to　tell　me　he　couldn't。　　It　threw　me　out　a　bit。'

'Of　course；'　said　Cytherea。

'He's　got　a　place　'a　b'lieve？'　said　the　clerk；　drawing　near。

'No；　poor　mortal　fellow；　no。　　He　tried　for　this　one　here；　you　know；
but　couldn't　manage　to　get　it。　　I　don't　know　the　rights　o'　the
matter；　but　willy…nilly　they　wouldn't　have　him　for　steward。　　Now
mates；　form　in　line。'

Springrove；　the　clerk；　the　grinders；　and　Gad；　all　ranged　themselves
behind　the　lever　of　the　screw；　and　walked　round　like　soldiers
wheeling。

'The　man　that　the　old　quean　hev　got　is　a　man　you　can　hardly　get　upon
your　tongue　to　gainsay；　by　the　look　o'　en；'　rejoined　Clerk　Crickett。

'One　o'　them　people　that　can　contrive　to　be　thought　no　worse　o'　for
stealen　a　horse　than　another　man　for　looken　over　hedge　at　en；'　said
a　grinder。

'Well；　he's　all　there　as　steward；　and　is　quite　the　gentlemanno
doubt　about　that。'

'So　would　my　Ted　ha'　been；　for　the　matter　o'　that；'　the　farmer　said。

'That's　true：　　'a　would；　sir。'

'I　said；　I'll　give　Ted　a　good　education　if　it　do　cost　me　my　eyes；
and　I　would　have　done　it。'

'Ay；　that　you　would　so；'　said　the　chorus　of　assistants　solemnly。

'But　he　took　to　books　and　drawing　naturally；　and　cost　very　little；
and　as　a　wind…up　the　womenfolk　hatched　up　a　match　between　him　and
his　cousin。'

'When's　the　wedden　to　be；　Mr。　Springrove？'

'Uncertainbut　soon；　I　suppose。　　Edward；　you　see；　can　do　anything
pretty　nearly；　and　yet　can't　get　a　straightforward　living。　　I　wish
sometimes　I　had　kept　him　here；　and　let　professions　go。　　But　he　was
such　a　one　for　the　pencil。'

He　dropped　the　lever　in　the　hedge；　and　turned　to　his　visitor。

'Now　then；　missie；　if　you'll　come　indoors；　please。'

Gad　Weedy　looked　with　a　placid　criticism　at　Cytherea　as　she　withdrew
with　the　farmer。

'I　could　tell　by　the　tongue　o'　her　that　she　didn't　take　her　degrees
in　our　county；'　he　said　in　an　undertone。



'The　railways　have　left　you　lonely　here；'　she　observed；　when　they
were　indoors。

Save　the　withered　old　flies；　which　were　quite　tame　from　the
solitude；　not　a　being　was　in　the　house。　　Nobody　seemed　to　have
entered　it　since　the　last　passenger　had　been　called　out　to　mount　the
last　stage…coach　that　had　run　by。

'Yes；　the　Inn　and　I　seem　almost　a　pair　of　fossils；'　the　farmer
replied；　looking　at　the　room　and　then　at　himself。

'O；　Mr。　　Springrove；'　said　Cytherea；　suddenly　recollecting　herself；
'I　am　much　obliged　to　you　for　recommending　me　to　Miss　Aldclyffe。'
She　began　to　warm　towards　the　old　man；　there　was　in　him　a　gentleness
of　disposition　which　reminded　her　of　her　own　father。

'Recommending？　　Not　at　all；　mis