wessex tales-第12章

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dairyman。

'And　his　heart　seemed　to　sink　within　him　like　a　stone；'　said　Oliver
Giles。

'And　he　bolted　as　if　he'd　been　shot　at；'　said　the　hedge…carpenter。

'Truehis　teeth　chattered；　and　his　heart　seemed　to　sink；　and　he
bolted　as　if　he'd　been　shot　at；'　slowly　summed　up　the　man　in　the
chimney…corner。

'I　didn't　notice　it；'　remarked　the　hangman。

'We　were　all　a…wondering　what　made　him　run　off　in　such　a　fright；'
faltered　one　of　the　women　against　the　wall；　'and　now　'tis
explained！'

The　firing　of　the　alarm…gun　went　on　at　intervals；　low　and　sullenly；
and　their　suspicions　became　a　certainty。　　The　sinister　gentleman　in
cinder…gray　roused　himself。　　'Is　there　a　constable　here？'　he　asked；
in　thick　tones。　　'If　so；　let　him　step　forward。'

The　engaged　man　of　fifty　stepped　quavering　out　from　the　wall；　his
betrothed　beginning　to　sob　on　the　back　of　the　chair。

'You　are　a　sworn　constable？'

'I　be；　sir。'

'Then　pursue　the　criminal　at　once；　with　assistance；　and　bring　him
back　here。　　He　can't　have　gone　far。'

'I　will；　sir；　I　willwhen　I've　got　my　staff。　　I'll　go　home　and　get
it；　and　come　sharp　here；　and　start　in　a　body。'

'Staff！never　mind　your　staff；　the　man'll　be　gone！'

'But　I　can't　do　nothing　without　my　staffcan　I；　William；　and　John；
and　Charles　Jake？　　No；　for　there's　the　king's　royal　crown　a　painted
on　en　in　yaller　and　gold；　and　the　lion　and　the　unicorn；　so　as　when　I
raise　en　up　and　hit　my　prisoner；　'tis　made　a　lawful　blow　thereby。　　I
wouldn't　'tempt　to　take　up　a　man　without　my　staffno；　not　I。　　If　I
hadn't　the　law　to　gie　me　courage；　why；　instead　o'　my　taking　up　him
he　might　take　up　me！'

'Now；　I'm　a　king's　man　myself；　and　can　give　you　authority　enough　for
this；'　said　the　formidable　officer　in　gray。　　'Now　then；　all　of　ye；
be　ready。　　Have　ye　any　lanterns？'

'Yeshave　ye　any　lanterns？I　demand　it！'　said　the　constable。

'And　the　rest　of　you　able…bodied'

'Able…bodied　menyesthe　rest　of　ye！'　said　the　constable。

'Have　you　some　good　stout　staves　and　pitch…forks'

'Staves　and　pitchforksin　the　name　o'　the　law！　　And　take　'em　in　yer
hands　and　go　in　quest；　and　do　as　we　in　authority　tell　ye！'

Thus　aroused；　the　men　prepared　to　give　chase。　　The　evidence　was；
indeed；　though　circumstantial；　so　convincing；　that　but　little
argument　was　needed　to　show　the　shepherd's　guests　that　after　what
they　had　seen　it　would　look　very　much　like　connivance　if　they　did
not　instantly　pursue　the　unhappy　third　stranger；　who　could　not　as
yet　have　gone　more　than　a　few　hundred　yards　over　such　uneven
country。

A　shepherd　is　always　well　provided　with　lanterns；　and；　lighting
these　hastily；　and　with　hurdle…staves　in　their　hands；　they　poured
out　of　the　door；　taking　a　direction　along　the　crest　of　the　hill；
away　from　the　town；　the　rain　having　fortunately　a　little　abated。

Disturbed　by　the　noise；　or　possibly　by　unpleasant　dreams　of　her
baptism；　the　child　who　had　been　christened　began　to　cry　heart…
brokenly　in　the　room　overhead。　　These　notes　of　grief　came　down
through　the　chinks　of　the　floor　to　the　ears　of　the　women　below；　who
jumped　up　one　by　one；　and　seemed　glad　of　the　excuse　to　ascend　and
comfort　the　baby；　for　the　incidents　of　the　last　half…hour　greatly
oppressed　them。　　Thus　in　the　space　of　two　or　three　minutes　the　room
on　the　ground…floor　was　deserted　quite。

But　it　was　not　for　long。　　Hardly　had　the　sound　of　footsteps　died
away　when　a　man　returned　round　the　corner　of　the　house　from　the
direction　the　pursuers　had　taken。　　Peeping　in　at　the　door；　and
seeing　nobody　there；　he　entered　leisurely。　　It　was　the　stranger　of
the　chimney…corner；　who　had　gone　out　with　the　rest。　　The　motive　of
his　return　was　shown　by　his　helping　himself　to　a　cut　piece　of
skimmer…cake　that　lay　on　a　ledge　beside　where　he　had　sat；　and　which
he　had　apparently　forgotten　to　take　with　him。　　He　also　poured　out
half　a　cup　more　mead　from　the　quantity　that　remained；　ravenously
eating　and　drinking　these　as　he　stood。　　He　had　not　finished　when
another　figure　came　in　just　as　quietlyhis　friend　in　cinder…gray。

'Oyou　here？'　said　the　latter；　smiling。　　'I　thought　you　had　gone　to
help　in　the　capture。'　　And　this　speaker　also　revealed　the　object　of
his　return　by　looking　solicitously　round　for　the　fascinating　mug　of
old　mead。

'And　I　thought　you　had　gone；'　said　the　other；　continuing　his
skimmer…cake　with　some　effort。

'Well；　on　second　thoughts；　I　felt　there　were　enough　without　me；'
said　the　first　confidentially；　'and　such　a　night　as　it　is；　too。
Besides；　'tis　the　business　o'　the　Government　to　take　care　of　its
criminalsnot　mine。'

'True；　so　it　is。　　And　I　felt　as　you　did；　that　there　were　enough
without　me。'

'I　don't　want　to　break　my　limbs　running　over　the　humps　and　hollows
of　this　wild　country。'

'Nor　I　neither；　between　you　and　me。'

'These　shepherd…people　are　used　to　itsimple…minded　souls；　you
know；　stirred　up　to　anything　in　a　moment。　　They'll　have　him　ready
for　me　before　the　morning；　and　no　trouble　to　me　at　all。'

'They'll　have　him；　and　we　shall　have　saved　ourselves　all　labour　in
the　matter。'

'True；　true。　　Well；　my　way　is　to　Casterbridge；　and　'tis　as　much　as
my　legs　will　do　to　take　me　that　far。　　Going　the　same　way？'

'No；　I　am　sorry　to　say！　　I　have　to　get　home　over　there'　（he　nodded
indefinitely　to　the　right）；　'and　I　feel　as　you　do；　that　it　is　quite
enough　for　my　legs　to　do　before　bedtime。'

The　other　had　by　this　time　finished　the　mead　in　the　mug；　after
which；　shaking　hands　heartily　at　the　door；　and　wishing　each　other
well；　they　went　their　several　ways。

In　the　meantime　the　company　of　pursuers　had　reached　the　end　of　the
hog's…back　elevation　which　dominated　this　part　of　the　down。　　They
had　decided　on　no　particular　plan　of　action；　and；　finding　that　the
man　of　the　baleful　trade　was　no　longer　in　their　company；　they　seemed
quite　unable　to　form　any　such　plan　now。　　They　descended　in　all
directions　down　the　hill；　and　straightway　several　of　the　party　fell
into　the　snare　set　by　Nature　for　all　misguided　midnight　ramblers
over　this　part　of　the　cretaceous　formation。　　The　'lanchets；'　or
flint　slopes；　which　belted　the　escarpment　at　intervals　of　a　dozen
yards；　took　the　less　cautious　ones　unawares；　and　losing　their
footing　on　the　rubbly　steep　they　slid　sharply　downwards；　the
lanterns　rolling　from　their　hands　to　the　bottom；　and　there　lying　on
their　sides　till　the　horn　was　scorched　through。

When　they　had　again　gathered　themselves　together；　the　shepherd；　as
the　man　who　knew　the　country　best；　took　the　lead；　and　guided　them
round　these　treacherous　inclines。　　The　lanterns；　which　seemed　rather
to　dazzle　their　eyes　and　warn　the　fugitive　than　to　assist　them　in
the　exploration；　were　extinguished；　due　silence　was　observed；　and　in
this　more　rational　order　they　plunged　into　the　vale。　　It　was　a
grassy；　briery；　moist　defile；　affording　some　shelter　to　any　person
who　had　sought　it；　but　the　party　perambulated　it　in　vain；　and
ascended　on　the　other　side。　　Here　they　wandered　apart；　and　after　an
interval　closed　together　again　to　report　progress。

At　the　second　time　of　closing　in　they　found　themselves　near　a　lonely
ash；　the　single　tree　on　this　part　of　the　coomb；　probably　sown　there
by　a　passing　bird　some　fifty　years　before。　　And　here；　standing　a
little　to　one　side　of　the　trunk；　as　motionless　as　the　trunk　itself；
appeared　the　man　they　were　in　quest　of；　his　outline　being　well
defined　against　the　sky　beyond。　　The　band　noiselessly　drew　up　and
faced　him。

'Your　money　or　your　life！'　said　the　constable　sternly　to　the　still
figure。

'No；　no；'　whispered　John　Pitcher。　　''Tisn't　our　side　ought　to　say
that。　　That's　the　doctrine　of　vagabonds　like　him；　and　we　be　on　the
side　of　the　law。'

'Well；　well；'　replied　the　constable　impatiently；　'I　must　say
something；　mustn't　I？　and　if　you　had　all　the　weight　o'　this
undertaking　upon　your　mind；　perhaps　you'd　say　the　wrong　thing　too！
Prisoner　at　the　bar；　surrender；　in　the　name　of　the　Fatherthe
Crown；　I　mane！'

The　man　under　the　tree　seemed　now　to　notice　them　for　the　first　time；
and；　giving　them　no　opportunity　whatever　for　exhibiting　their
courage；　he　strolled　slowly　towards　them。　　He　was；　indeed；　the
little　man；　the　third　stranger；　but　his　trepidation　had　in　a　great
measure　gone。

'We