wessex tales-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


door；　and　left　her　alone。　　When　his　glance　again　fell　on　the　lamps
that　were　sparsely　ranged　along　the　dreary　level　road；　his　eyes　were
in　a　state　which　showed　straw…like　motes　of　light　radiating　from
each　flame　into　the　surrounding　air。

On　the　other　side　of　the　way　Barnet　observed　a　man　under　an
umbrella；　walking　parallel　with　himself。　　Presently　this　man　left
the　footway；　and　gradually　converged　on　Barnet's　course。　　The　latter
then　saw　that　it　was　Charlson；　a　surgeon　of　the　town；　who　owed　him
money。　　Charlson　was　a　man　not　without　ability；　yet　he　did　not
prosper。　　Sundry　circumstances　stood　in　his　way　as　a　medical
practitioner：　　he　was　needy；　he　was　not　a　coddle；　he　gossiped　with
men　instead　of　with　women；　he　had　married　a　stranger　instead　of　one
of　the　town　young　ladies；　and　he　was　given　to　conversational
buffoonery。　　Moreover；　his　look　was　quite　erroneous。　　Those　only
proper　features　in　the　family　doctor；　the　quiet　eye；　and　the　thin
straight　passionless　lips　which　never　curl　in　public　either　for
laughter　or　for　scorn；　were　not　his；　he　had　a　full…curved　mouth；　and
a　bold　black　eye　that　made　timid　people　nervous。　　His　companions
were　what　in　old　times　would　have　been　called　boon　companionsan
expression　which；　though　of　irreproachable　root；　suggests
fraternization　carried　to　the　point　of　unscrupulousness。　　All　this
was　against　him　in　the　little　town　of　his　adoption。

Charlson　had　been　in　difficulties；　and　to　oblige　him　Barnet　had　put
his　name　to　a　bill；　and；　as　he　had　expected；　was　called　upon　to　meet
it　when　it　fell　due。　　It　had　been　only　a　matter　of　fifty　pounds；
which　Barnet　could　well　afford　to　lose；　and　he　bore　no　ill…will　to
the　thriftless　surgeon　on　account　of　it。　　But　Charlson　had　a　little
too　much　brazen　indifferentism　in　his　composition　to　be　altogether　a
desirable　acquaintance。

'I　hope　to　be　able　to　make　that　little　bill…business　right　with　you
in　the　course　of　three　weeks；　Mr。　Barnet；'　said　Charlson　with　hail…
fellow　friendliness。

Barnet　replied　good…naturedly　that　there　was　no　hurry。

This　particular　three　weeks　had　moved　on　in　advance　of　Charlson's
present　with　the　precision　of　a　shadow　for　some　considerable　time。

'I've　had　a　dream；'　Charlson　continued。　　Barnet　knew　from　his　tone
that　the　surgeon　was　going　to　begin　his　characteristic　nonsense；　and
did　not　encourage　him。　　'I've　had　a　dream；'　repeated　Charlson；　who
required　no　encouragement。　　'I　dreamed　that　a　gentleman；　who　has
been　very　kind　to　me；　married　a　haughty　lady　in　haste；　before　he　had
quite　forgotten　a　nice　little　girl　he　knew　before；　and　that　one　wet
evening；　like　the　present；　as　I　was　walking　up　the　harbour…road；　I
saw　him　come　out　of　that　dear　little　girl's　present　abode。'

Barnet　glanced　towards　the　speaker。　　The　rays　from　a　neighbouring
lamp　struck　through　the　drizzle　under　Charlson's　umbrella；　so　as
just　to　illumine　his　face　against　the　shade　behind；　and　show　that
his　eye　was　turned　up　under　the　outer　corner　of　its　lid；　whence　it
leered　with　impish　jocoseness　as　he　thrust　his　tongue　into　his
cheek。

'Come；'　said　Barnet　gravely；　'we'll　have　no　more　of　that。'

'No；　noof　course　not；'　Charlson　hastily　answered；　seeing　that　his
humour　had　carried　him　too　far；　as　it　had　done　many　times　before。
He　was　profuse　in　his　apologies；　but　Barnet　did　not　reply。　　Of　one
thing　he　was　certainthat　scandal　was　a　plant　of　quick　root；　and
that　he　was　bound　to　obey　Lucy's　injunction　for　Lucy's　own　sake。



CHAPTER　III



He　did　so；　to　the　letter；　and　though；　as　the　crocus　followed　the
snowdrop　and　the　daffodil　the　crocus　in　Lucy's　garden；　the　harbour…
road　was　a　not　unpleasant　place　to　walk　in；　Barnet's　feet　never　trod
its　stones；　much　less　approached　her　door。　　He　avoided　a　saunter
that　way　as　he　would　have　avoided　a　dangerous　dram；　and　took　his
airings　a　long　distance　northward；　among　severely　square　and　brown
ploughed　fields；　where　no　other　townsman　came。　　Sometimes　he　went
round　by　the　lower　lanes　of　the　borough；　where　the　rope…walks
stretched　in　which　his　family　formerly　had　share；　and　looked　at　the
rope…makers　walking　backwards；　overhung　by　apple…trees　and　bushes；
and　intruded　on　by　cows　and　calves；　as　if　trade　had　established
itself　there　at　considerable　inconvenience　to　Nature。

One　morning；　when　the　sun　was　so　warm　as　to　raise　a　steam　from　the
south…eastern　slopes　of　those　flanking　hills　that　looked　so　lovely
above　the　old　roofs；　but　made　every　low…chimneyed　house　in　the　town
as　smoky　as　Tophet；　Barnet　glanced　from　the　windows　of　the　town…
council　room　for　lack　of　interest　in　what　was　proceeding　within。
Several　members　of　the　corporation　were　present；　but　there　was　not
much　business　doing；　and　in　a　few　minutes　Downe　came　leisurely
across　to　him；　saying　that　he　seldom　saw　Barnet　now。

Barnet　owned　that　he　was　not　often　present。

Downe　looked　at　the　crimson　curtain　which　hung　down　beside　the
panes；　reflecting　its　hot　hues　into　their　faces；　and　then　out　of　the
window。　　At　that　moment　there　passed　along　the　street　a　tall
commanding　lady；　in　whom　the　solicitor　recognized　Barnet's　wife。
Barnet　had　done　the　same　thing；　and　turned　away。

'It　will　be　all　right　some　day；'　said　Downe；　with　cheering　sympathy。

'You　have　heard；　then；　of　her　last　outbreak？'

Downe　depressed　his　cheerfulness　to　its　very　reverse　in　a　moment。
'No；　I　have　not　heard　of　anything　serious；'　he　said；　with　as　long　a
face　as　one　naturally　round　could　be　turned　into　at　short　notice。
'I　only　hear　vague　reports　of　such　things。'

'You　may　think　it　will　be　all　right；'　said　Barnet　drily。　　'But　I
have　a　different　opinion　。　。　。　No；　Downe；　we　must　look　the　thing　in
the　face。　　Not　poppy　nor　mandragorahowever；　how　are　your　wife　and
children？'

Downe　said　that　they　were　all　well；　thanks；　they　were　out　that
morning　somewhere；　he　was　just　looking　to　see　if　they　were　walking
that　way。　　Ah；　there　they　were；　just　coming　down　the　street；　and
Downe　pointed　to　the　figures　of　two　children　with　a　nursemaid；　and　a
lady　walking　behind　them。

'You　will　come　out　and　speak　to　her？'　he　asked。

'Not　this　morning。　　The　fact　is　I　don't　care　to　speak　to　anybody
just　now。'

'You　are　too　sensitive；　Mr。　Barnet。　　At　school　I　remember　you　used
to　get　as　red　as　a　rose　if　anybody　uttered　a　word　that　hurt　your
feelings。'

Barnet　mused。　　'Yes；'　he　admitted；　'there　is　a　grain　of　truth　in
that。　　It　is　because　of　that　I　often　try　to　make　peace　at　home。
Life　would　be　tolerable　then　at　any　rate；　even　if　not　particularly
bright。'

'I　have　thought　more　than　once　of　proposing　a　little　plan　to　you；'
said　Downe　with　some　hesitation。　　'I　don't　know　whether　it　will　meet
your　views；　but　take　it　or　leave　it；　as　you　choose。　　In　fact；　it　was
my　wife　who　suggested　it：　　that　she　would　be　very　glad　to　call　on
Mrs。　Barnet　and　get　into　her　confidence。　　She　seems　to　think　that
Mrs。　Barnet　is　rather　alone　in　the　town；　and　without　advisers。　　Her
impression　is　that　your　wife　will　listen　to　reason。　　Emily　has　a
wonderful　way　of　winning　the　hearts　of　people　of　her　own　sex。'

'And　of　the　other　sex　too；　I　think。　　She　is　a　charming　woman；　and
you　were　a　lucky　fellow　to　find　her。'

'Well；　perhaps　I　was；'　simpered　Downe；　trying　to　wear　an　aspect　of
being　the　last　man　in　the　world　to　feel　pride。　　'However；　she　will
be　likely　to　find　out　what　ruffles　Mrs。　Barnet。　　Perhaps　it　is　some
misunderstanding；　you　knowsomething　that　she　is　too　proud　to　ask
you　to　explain；　or　some　little　thing　in　your　conduct　that　irritates
her　because　she　does　not　fully　comprehend　you。　　The　truth　is；　Emily
would　have　been　more　ready　to　make　advances　if　she　had　been　quite
sure　of　her　fitness　for　Mrs。　Barnet's　society；　who　has　of　course
been　accustomed　to　London　people　of　good　position；　which　made　Emily
fearful　of　intruding。'

Barnet　expressed　his　warmest　thanks　for　the　well…intentioned
proposition。　　There　was　reason　in　Mrs。　Downe's　fearthat　he　owned。
'But　do　let　her　call；'　he　said。　　'There　is　no　woman　in　England　I
would　so　soon　trust　on　such　an　errand。　　I　am　afraid　there　will　not
be　any　brilliant　result；　still　I　shall　take　it　as　the　kindest　and
nicest　thing　if　she　will　try　it；　and　not　be　frightened　at　a
repulse。'

When　Barnet　and　Downe　had　part