desperate remedies-第99章

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SEQUEL

Fifteen　months　have　passed；　and　we　are　brought　on　to　Midsummer
Night；　1867。

The　picture　presented　is　the　interior　of　the　old　belfry　of　Carriford
Church；　at　ten　o'clock　in　the　evening。

Six　Carriford　men　and　one　stranger　are　gathered　there；　beneath　the
light　of　a　flaring　candle　stuck　on　a　piece　of　wood　against　the　wall。
The　six　Carriford　men　are　the　well…known　ringers　of　the　fine…toned
old　bells　in　the　key　of　F；　which　have　been　music　to　the　ears　of
Carriford　parish　and　the　outlying　districts　for　the　last　four
hundred　years。　　The　stranger　is　an　assistant；　who　has　appeared　from
nobody　knows　where。

The　six　nativesin　their　shirt…sleeves；　and　without　hatspull　and
catch　frantically　at　the　dancing　bellropes；　the　locks　of　their　hair
waving　in　the　breeze　created　by　their　quick　motions；　the　stranger；
who　has　the　treble　bell；　does　likewise；　but　in　his　right　mind　and
coat。　　Their　ever…changing　shadows　mingle　on　the　wall　in　an　endless
variety　of　kaleidoscopic　forms；　and　the　eyes　of　all　the　seven　are
religiously　fixed　on　a　diagram　like　a　large　addition　sum；　which　is
chalked　on　the　floor。

Vividly　contrasting　with　the　yellow　light　of　the　candle　upon　the
four　unplastered　walls　of　the　tower；　and　upon　the　faces　and　clothes
of　the　men；　is　the　scene　discernible　through　the　screen　beneath　the
tower　archway。　　At　the　extremity　of　the　long　mysterious　avenue　of
the　nave　and　chancel　can　be　seen　shafts　of　moonlight　streaming　in　at
the　east　window　of　the　churchblue；　phosphoric；　and　ghostly。

A　thorough　renovation　of　the　bell…ringing　machinery　and　accessories
had　taken　place　in　anticipation　of　an　interesting　event。　　New　ropes
had　been　provided；　every　bell　had　been　carefully　shifted　from　its
carriage；　and　the　pivots　lubricated。　　Bright　red　'sallies'　of
woollen　texturesoft　to　the　hands　and　easily　caughtglowed　on　the
ropes　in　place　of　the　old　ragged　knots；　all　of　which　newness　in
small　details　only　rendered　more　evident　the　irrepressible　aspect　of
age　in　the　mass　surrounding　them。

The　triple…bob…major　was　ended；　and　the　ringers　wiped　their　faces
and　rolled　down　their　shirt…sleeves；　previously　to　tucking　away　the
ropes　and　leaving　the　place　for　the　night。

'Piphhhh！　　A　good　forty　minutes；'　said　a　man　with　a　streaming
face；　and　blowing　out　his　breathone　of　the　pair　who　had　taken　the
tenor　bell。

'Our　friend　here　pulled　proper　wellthat　'a　didseeing　he's　but　a
stranger；'　said　Clerk　Crickett；　who　had　just　resigned　the　second
rope；　and　addressing　the　man　in　the　black　coat。

''A　did；'　said　the　rest。

'I　enjoyed　it　much；'　said　the　man　modestly。

'What　we　should　ha'　done　without　you　words　can't　tell。　　The　man　that
d'belong　by　rights　to　that　there　bell　is　ill　o'　two　gallons　o'　wold
cider。'

'And　now　so's；'　remarked　the　fifth　ringer；　as　pertaining　to　the　last
allusion；　'we'll　finish　this　drop　o'　metheglin　and　cider；　and　every
man　home…along　straight　as　a　line。'

'Wi'　all　my　heart；'　Clerk　Crickett　replied。　　'And　the　Lord　send　if　I
ha'n't　done　my　duty　by　Master　Teddy　Springrovethat　I　have　so。'

'And　the　rest　o'　us；'　they　said；　as　the　cup　was　handed　round。

'Ay；　ayin　ringenbut　I　was　spaken　in　a　spiritual　sense　o'　this
mornen's　business　o'　mine　up　by　the　chancel　rails　there。　　'Twas　very
convenient　to　lug　her　here　and　marry　her　instead　o'　doen　it　at　that
twopenny…halfpenny　town　o'　Budm'th。　　Very　convenient。'

'Very。　　There　was　a　little　fee　for　Master　Crickett。'

'Ahwell。　　Money's　moneyvery　much　soveryI　always　have　said
it。　　But　'twas　a　pretty　sight　for　the　nation。　　He　coloured　up　like
any　maid；　that　'a　did。'

'Well　enough　'a　mid　colour　up。　　'Tis　no　small　matter　for　a　man　to
play　wi'　fire。'

'Whatever　it　may　be　to　a　woman；'　said　the　clerk　absently。

'Thou'rt　thinken　o'　thy　wife；　clerk；'　said　Gad　Weedy。　　'She'll　play
wi'it　again　when　thou'st　got　mildewed。'

'Welllet　her；　God　bless　her；　for　I'm　but　a　poor　third　man；　I。　　The
Lord　have　mercy　upon　the　fourth！　。　。　。　　Ay；　Teddy's　got　his　own　at
last。　　What　little　white　ears　that　maid　hev；　to　be　sure！　choose　your
wife　as　you　choose　your　piga　small　ear　and　a　small　talethat　was
always　my　joke　when　I　was　a　merry　feller；　ahyears　agone　now！　　But
Teddy's　got　her。　　Poor　chap；　he　was　getten　as　thin　as　a　hermit　wi'
griefso　was　she。'

'Maybe　she'll　pick　up　now。'

'True'tis　nater's　law；　which　no　man　shall　gainsay。　　Ah；　well　do　I
bear　in　mind　what　I　said　to　Pa'son　Raunham；　about　thy　mother's
family　o'　seven；　Gad；　the　very　first　week　of　his　comen　here；　when　I
was　just　in　my　prime。　　〃And　how　many　daughters　has　that　poor　Weedy
got；　clerk？〃　he　says。　　〃Six；　sir；〃　says　I；　〃and　every　one　of　'em　has
a　brother！〃　　〃Poor　woman；〃　says　he；　〃a　dozen　children！give　her
this　half…sovereign　from　me；　clerk。〃　　'A　laughed　a　good　five　minutes
afterwards；　when　he　found　out　my　merry　nater'a　did。　　But　there；
'tis　over　wi'　me　now。　　Enteren　the　Church　is　the　ruin　of　a　man's　wit
for　wit's　nothen　without　a　faint　shadder　o'　sin。'

'If　so　be　Teddy　and　the　lady　had　been　kept　apart　for　life；　they'd
both　ha'　died；'　said　Gad　emphatically。

'But　now　instead　o'　death　there'll　be　increase　o'　life；'　answered
the　clerk。

'It　all　went　proper　well；'　said　the　fifth　bell…ringer。　　'They　didn't
flee　off　to　Babylonish　placesnot　they。'　　He　struck　up　an　attitude…
…'Here's　Master　Springrove　standen　so：　　here's　the　married　woman
standen　likewise；　here　they　d'walk　across　to　Knapwater　House；　and
there　they　d'bide　in　the　chimley　corner；　hard　and　fast。'

'Yes；　'twas　a　pretty　wedden；　and　well　attended；'　added　the　clerk。
'Here　was　my　lady　herselfred　as　scarlet：　　here　was　Master
Springrove；　looken　as　if　he　half　wished　he'd　never　a…comeah；　poor
souls！the　men　always　do！　　The　women　do　stand　it　bestthe　maid　was
in　her　glory。　　Though　she　was　so　shy　the　glory　shone　plain　through
that　shy　skin。　　Ah；　it　did　so's。'

'Ay；'　said　Gad；　'and　there　was　Tim　Tankins　and　his　five　journeymen
carpenters；　standen　on　tiptoe　and　peepen　in　at　the　chancel　winders。
There　was　Dairyman　Dodman　waiten　in　his　new　spring…cart　to　see　'em
come　outwhip　in　handthat　'a　was。　　Then　up　comes　two　master
tailors。　　Then　there　was　Christopher　Runt　wi'　his　pickaxe　and
shovel。　　There　was　wimmen…folk　and　there　was　men…folk　traypsen　up
and　down　church'ard　till　they　wore　a　path　wi'　traypsen　soletten
the　squallen　children　slip　down　through　their　arms　and　nearly
skinnen　o'　em。　　And　these　were　all　over　and　above　the　gentry　and
Sunday…clothes　folk　inside。　　Well；　I　seed　Mr。　Graye　at　last　dressed
up　quite　the　dand。　　〃Well；　Mr。　Graye；〃　says　I　from　the　top　o'
church'ard　wall；　〃how's　yerself？〃　　Mr。　Graye　never　spokehe'd
prided　away　his　hearen。　　Seize　the　man；　I　didn'　want　en　to　spak。
Teddy　hears　it；　and　turns　round：　　〃All　right；　Gad！〃　says　he；　and
laughed　like　a　boy。　　There's　more　in　Teddy。'

'Well；'　said　Clerk　Crickett；　turning　to　the　man　in　black；　'now
you've　been　among　us　so　long；　and　d'know　us　so　well；　won't　ye　tell
us　what　ye've　come　here　for；　and　what　your　trade　is？'

'I　am　no　trade；'　said　the　thin　man；　smiling；　'and　I　came　to　see　the
wickedness　of　the　land。'

'I　said　thou　wast　one　o'　the　devil's　brood　wi'　thy　black　clothes；'
replied　a　sturdy　ringer；　who　had　not　spoken　before。

'No；　the　truth　is；'　said　the　thin　man；　retracting　at　this　horrible
translation；　'I　came　for　a　walk　because　it　is　a　fine　evening。'

'Now　let's　be　off；　neighbours；'　the　clerk　interrupted。

The　candle　was　inverted　in　the　socket；　and　the　whole　party　stepped
out　into　the　churchyard。　　The　moon　was　shining　within　a　day　or　two
of　full；　and　just　overlooked　the　three　or　four　vast　yews　that　stood
on　the　south…east　side　of　the　church；　and　rose　in　unvaried　and　flat
darkness　against　the　illuminated　atmosphere　behind　them。

'Good…night；'　the　clerk　said　to　his　comrades；　when　the　door　was
locked。　　'My　nearest　way　is　through　the　park。'

'I　suppose　mine　is　too？'　said　the　stranger。　　'I　am　going　to　the
railway…station。'

'Of　coursecome　on。'

The　two　men　went　over　a　stile　to　the　west；　the　remainder　of　the
party　going　into　the　road　on　the　opposite　side。

'And　so　the　romance　has　ended　well；'　the　clerk's　companion　remarked；
as　they　brushed　along　through　the　grass。　　'But　what　is　the　truth　of
the　story　about　the　property？'