wessex tales-第22章

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'The　house　I　have　already　is　good　enough　for　me；　as　you　supposed。
It　is　my　own　freehold；　it　was　built　by　my　grandfather；　and　is　stout
enough　for　a　castle。　　My　father　was　born　there；　lived　there；　and
died　there。　　I　was　born　there；　and　have　always　lived　there；　yet　I
must　needs　build　a　new　one。'

'Why　do　you？'　said　Downe。

'Why　do　I？　　To　preserve　peace　in　the　household。　　I　do　anything　for
that；　but　I　don't　succeed。　　I　was　firm　in　resisting　〃Chateau
Ringdale；〃　however；　not　that　I　would　not　have　put　up　with　the
absurdity　of　the　name；　but　it　was　too　much　to　have　your　house
christened　after　Lord　Ringdale；　because　your　wife　once　had　a　fancy
for　him。　　If　you　only　knew　everything；　you　would　think　all　attempt
at　reconciliation　hopeless。　　In　your　happy　home　you　have　had　no　such
experiences；　and　God　forbid　that　you　ever　should。　　See；　here　they
are　all　ready　to　receive　you！'

'Of　course！　　And　so　will　your　wife　be　waiting　to　receive　you；'　said
Downe。　　'Take　my　word　for　it　she　will！　　And　with　a　dinner　prepared
for　you　far　better　than　mine。'

'I　hope　so；'　Barnet　replied　dubiously。

He　moved　on　to　Downe's　door；　which　the　solicitor's　family　had
already　opened。　　Downe　descended；　but　being　encumbered　with　his　bag
and　umbrella；　his　foot　slipped；　and　he　fell　upon　his　knees　in　the
gutter。

'O；　my　dear　Charles！'　said　his　wife；　running　down　the　steps；　and；
quite　ignoring　the　presence　of　Barnet；　she　seized　hold　of　her
husband；　pulled　him　to　his　feet；　and　kissed　him；　exclaiming；　'I　hope
you　are　not　hurt；　darling！'　　The　children　crowded　round；　chiming　in
piteously；　'Poor　papa！'

'He's　all　right；'　said　Barnet；　perceiving　that　Downe　was　only　a
little　muddy；　and　looking　more　at　the　wife　than　at　the　husband。
Almost　at　any　other　timecertainly　during　his　fastidious　bachelor
yearshe　would　have　thought　her　a　too　demonstrative　woman；　but
those　recent　circumstances　of　his　own　life　to　which　he　had　just
alluded　made　Mrs。　Downe's　solicitude　so　affecting　that　his　eye　grew
damp　as　he　witnessed　it。　　Bidding　the　lawyer　and　his　family　good…
night　he　left　them；　and　drove　slowly　into　the　main　street　towards
his　own　house。

The　heart　of　Barnet　was　sufficiently　impressionable　to　be　influenced
by　Downe's　parting　prophecy　that　he　might　not　be　so　unwelcome　home
as　he　imagined：　　the　dreary　night　might；　at　least　on　this　one
occasion；　make　Downe's　forecast　true。　　Hence　it　was　in　a　suspense
that　he　could　hardly　have　believed　possible　that　he　halted　at　his
door。　　On　entering　his　wife　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　and　he　inquired
for　her。　　The　servant　informed　him　that　her　mistress　had　the
dressmaker　with　her；　and　would　be　engaged　for　some　time。

'Dressmaker　at　this　time　of　day！'

'She　dined　early；　sir；　and　hopes　you　will　excuse　her　joining　you
this　evening。'

'But　she　knew　I　was　coming　to…night？'

'O　yes；　sir。'

'Go　up　and　tell　her　I　am　come。'

The　servant　did　so；　but　the　mistress　of　the　house　merely　transmitted
her　former　words。

Barnet　said　nothing　more；　and　presently　sat　down　to　his　lonely　meal；
which　was　eaten　abstractedly；　the　domestic　scene　he　had　lately
witnessed　still　impressing　him　by　its　contrast　with　the　situation
here。　　His　mind　fell　back　into　past　years　upon　a　certain　pleasing
and　gentle　being　whose　face　would　loom　out　of　their　shades　at　such
times　as　these。　　Barnet　turned　in　his　chair；　and　looked　with
unfocused　eyes　in　a　direction　southward　from　where　he　sat；　as　if　he
saw　not　the　room　but　a　long　way　beyond。　　'I　wonder　if　she　lives
there　still！'　he　said。



CHAPTER　II



He　rose　with　a　sudden　rebelliousness；　put　on　his　hat　and　coat；　and
went　out　of　the　house；　pursuing　his　way　along　the　glistening
pavement　while　eight　o'clock　was　striking　from　St。　Mary's　tower；　and
the　apprentices　and　shopmen　were　slamming　up　the　shutters　from　end
to　end　of　the　town。　　In　two　minutes　only　those　shops　which　could
boast　of　no　attendant　save　the　master　or　the　mistress　remained　with
open　eyes。　　These　were　ever　somewhat　less　prompt　to　exclude
customers　than　the　others：　　for　their　owners'　ears　the　closing　hour
had　scarcely　the　cheerfulness　that　it　possessed　for　the　hired
servants　of　the　rest。　　Yet　the　night　being　dreary　the　delay　was　not
for　long；　and　their　windows；　too；　blinked　together　one　by　one。

During　this　time　Barnet　had　proceeded　with　decided　step　in　a
direction　at　right　angles　to　the　broad　main　thoroughfare　of　the
town；　by　a　long　street　leading　due　southward。　　Here；　though　his
family　had　no　more　to　do　with　the　flax　manufacture；　his　own　name
occasionally　greeted　him　on　gates　and　warehouses；　being　used
allusively　by　small　rising　tradesmen　as　a　recommendation；　in　such
words　as　'Smith；　from　Barnet　&　Co。''Robinson；　late　manager　at
Barnet's。'　　The　sight　led　him　to　reflect　upon　his　father's　busy
life；　and　he　questioned　if　it　had　not　been　far　happier　than　his　own。

The　houses　along　the　road　became　fewer；　and　presently　open　ground
appeared　between　them　on　either　side；　the　track　on　the　right　hand
rising　to　a　higher　level　till　it　merged　in　a　knoll。　　On　the　summit　a
row　of　builders'　scaffold…poles　probed　the　indistinct　sky　like
spears；　and　at　their　bases　could　be　discerned　the　lower　courses　of　a
building　lately　begun。　　Barnet　slackened　his　pace　and　stood　for　a
few　moments　without　leaving　the　centre　of　the　road；　apparently　not
much　interested　in　the　sight；　till　suddenly　his　eye　was　caught　by　a
post　in　the　fore　part　of　the　ground　bearing　a　white　board　at　the
top。　　He　went　to　the　rails；　vaulted　over；　and　walked　in　far　enough
to　discern　painted　upon　the　board　'Chateau　Ringdale。'

A　dismal　irony　seemed　to　lie　in　the　words；　and　its　effect　was　to
irritate　him。　　Downe；　then；　had　spoken　truly。　　He　stuck　his　umbrella
into　the　sod；　and　seized　the　post　with　both　hands；　as　if　intending
to　loosen　and　throw　it　down。　　Then；　like　one　bewildered　by　an
opposition　which　would　exist　none　the　less　though　its　manifestations
were　removed；　he　allowed　his　arms　to　sink　to　his　side。

'Let　it　be；'　he　said　to　himself。　　'I　have　declared　there　shall　be
peaceif　possible。'

Taking　up　his　umbrella　he　quietly　left　the　enclosure；　and　went　on
his　way；　still　keeping　his　back　to　the　town。　　He　had　advanced　with
more　decision　since　passing　the　new　building；　and　soon　a　hoarse
murmur　rose　upon　the　gloom；　it　was　the　sound　of　the　sea。　　The　road
led　to　the　harbour；　at　a　distance　of　a　mile　from　the　town；　from
which　the　trade　of　the　district　was　fed。　　After　seeing　the　obnoxious
name…board　Barnet　had　forgotten　to　open　his　umbrella；　and　the　rain
tapped　smartly　on　his　hat；　and　occasionally　stroked　his　face　as　he
went　on。

Though　the　lamps　were　still　continued　at　the　roadside；　they　stood　at
wider　intervals　than　before；　and　the　pavement　had　given　place　to
common　road。　　Every　time　he　came　to　a　lamp　an　increasing　shine　made
itself　visible　upon　his　shoulders；　till　at　last　they　quite　glistened
with　wet。　　The　murmur　from　the　shore　grew　stronger；　but　it　was　still
some　distance　off　when　he　paused　before　one　of　the　smallest　of　the
detached　houses　by　the　wayside；　standing　in　its　own　garden；　the
latter　being　divided　from　the　road　by　a　row　of　wooden　palings。
Scrutinizing　the　spot　to　ensure　that　he　was　not　mistaken；　he　opened
the　gate　and　gently　knocked　at　the　cottage　door。

When　he　had　patiently　waited　minutes　enough　to　lead　any　man　in
ordinary　cases　to　knock　again；　the　door　was　heard　to　open；　though　it
was　impossible　to　see　by　whose　hand；　there　being　no　light　in　the
passage。　　Barnet　said　at　random；　'Does　Miss　Savile　live　here？'

A　youthful　voice　assured　him　that　she　did　live　there；　and　by　a
sudden　afterthought　asked　him　to　come　in。　　It　would　soon　get　a
light；　it　said：　　but　the　night　being　wet；　mother　had　not　thought　it
worth　while　to　trim　the　passage　lamp。

'Don't　trouble　yourself　to　get　a　light　for　me；'　said　Barnet　hastily；
'it　is　not　necessary　at　all。　　Which　is　Miss　Savile's　sitting…room？'

The　young　person；　whose　white　pinafore　could　just　be　discerned；
signified　a　door　in　the　side　of　the　passage；　and　Barnet　went　forward
at　the　same　moment；　so　that　no　light　should　fall　upon　his　face。　　On
entering　the　room　he　closed　the　door　behind　him；　pausing　till　he
heard　the　retreating　footsteps　of　the　child。

He　found　him