wessex tales-第25章

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nicest　thing　if　she　will　try　it；　and　not　be　frightened　at　a
repulse。'

When　Barnet　and　Downe　had　parted；　the　former　went　to　the　Town
Savings…Bank；　of　which　he　was　a　trustee；　and　endeavoured　to　forget
his　troubles　in　the　contemplation　of　low　sums　of　money；　and　figures
in　a　network　of　red　and　blue　lines。　　He　sat　and　watched　the　working…
people　making　their　deposits；　to　which　at　intervals　he　signed　his
name。　　Before　he　left　in　the　afternoon　Downe　put　his　head　inside　the
door。

'Emily　has　seen　Mrs。　Barnet；'　he　said；　in　a　low　voice。　　'She　has　got
Mrs。　Barnet's　promise　to　take　her　for　a　drive　down　to　the　shore　to…
morrow；　if　it　is　fine。　　Good　afternoon！'

Barnet　shook　Downe　by　the　hand　without　speaking；　and　Downe　went
away。



CHAPTER　IV



The　next　day　was　as　fine　as　the　arrangement　could　possibly　require。
As　the　sun　passed　the　meridian　and　declined　westward；　the　tall
shadows　from　the　scaffold…poles　of　Barnet's　rising　residence
streaked　the　ground　as　far　as　to　the　middle　of　the　highway。　　Barnet
himself　was　there　inspecting　the　progress　of　the　works　for　the　first
time　during　several　weeks。　　A　building　in　an　old…fashioned　town
five…and…thirty　years　ago　did　not；　as　in　the　modern　fashion；　rise
from　the　sod　like　a　booth　at　a　fair。　　The　foundations　and　lower
courses　were　put　in　and　allowed　to　settle　for　many　weeks　before　the
superstructure　was　built　up；　and　a　whole　summer　of　drying　was　hardly
sufficient　to　do　justice　to　the　important　issues　involved。　　Barnet
stood　within　a　window…niche　which　had　as　yet　received　no　frame；　and
thence　looked　down　a　slope　into　the　road。　　The　wheels　of　a　chaise
were　heard；　and　then　his　handsome　Xantippe；　in　the　company　of　Mrs。
Downe；　drove　past　on　their　way　to　the　shore。　　They　were　driving
slowly；　there　was　a　pleasing　light　in　Mrs。　Downe's　face；　which
seemed　faintly　to　reflect　itself　upon　the　countenance　of　her
companionthat　politesse　du　coeur　which　was　so　natural　to　her
having　possibly　begun　already　to　work　results。　　But　whatever　the
situation；　Barnet　resolved　not　to　interfere；　or　do　anything　to
hazard　the　promise　of　the　day。　　He　might　well　afford　to　trust　the
issue　to　another　when　he　could　never　direct　it　but　to　ill　himself。
His　wife's　clenched　rein…hand　in　its　lemon…coloured　glove；　her　stiff
erect　figure；　clad　in　velvet　and　lace；　and　her　boldly…outlined　face；
passed　on；　exhibiting　their　owner　as　one　fixed　for　ever　above　the
level　of　her　companionsocially　by　her　early　breeding；　and
materially　by　her　higher　cushion。

Barnet　decided　to　allow　them　a　proper　time　to　themselves；　and　then
stroll　down　to　the　shore　and　drive　them　home。　　After　lingering　on　at
the　house　for　another　hour　he　started　with　this　intention。　　A　few
hundred　yards　below　'Chateau　Ringdale'　stood　the　cottage　in　which
the　late　lieutenant's　daughter　had　her　lodging。　　Barnet　had　not　been
so　far　that　way　for　a　long　time；　and　as　he　approached　the　forbidden
ground　a　curious　warmth　passed　into　him；　which　led　him　to　perceive
that；　unless　he　were　careful；　he　might　have　to　fight　the　battle　with
himself　about　Lucy　over　again。　　A　tenth　of　his　present　excuse　would；
however；　have　justified　him　in　travelling　by　that　road　to…day。

He　came　opposite　the　dwelling；　and　turned　his　eyes　for　a　momentary
glance　into　the　little　garden　that　stretched　from　the　palings　to　the
door。　　Lucy　was　in　the　enclosure；　she　was　walking　and　stooping　to
gather　some　flowers；　possibly　for　the　purpose　of　painting　them；　for
she　moved　about　quickly；　as　if　anxious　to　save　time。　　She　did　not
see　him；　he　might　have　passed　unnoticed；　but　a　sensation　which　was
not　in　strict　unison　with　his　previous　sentiments　that　day　led　him
to　pause　in　his　walk　and　watch　her。　　She　went　nimbly　round　and　round
the　beds　of　anemones；　tulips；　jonquils；　polyanthuses；　and　other　old…
fashioned　flowers；　looking　a　very　charming　figure　in　her　half…
mourning　bonnet；　and　with　an　incomplete　nosegay　in　her　left　hand。
Raising　herself　to　pull　down　a　lilac　blossom　she　observed　him。

'Mr。　Barnet！'　she　said；　innocently　smiling。　　'Why；　I　have　been
thinking　of　you　many　times　since　Mrs。　Barnet　went　by　in　the　pony…
carriage；　and　now　here　you　are！'

'Yes；　Lucy；'　he　said。

Then　she　seemed　to　recall　particulars　of　their　last　meeting；　and　he
believed　that　she　flushed；　though　it　might　have　been　only　the　fancy
of　his　own　supersensitivenesss。

'I　am　going　to　the　harbour；'　he　added。

'Are　you？'　Lucy　remarked　simply。　　'A　great　many　people　begin　to　go
there　now　the　summer　is　drawing　on。'

Her　face　had　come　more　into　his　view　as　she　spoke；　and　he　noticed
how　much　thinner　and　paler　it　was　than　when　he　had　seen　it　last。
'Lucy；　how　weary　you　look！　tell　me；　can　I　help　you？'　he　was　going　to
cry　out。'If　I　do；'　he　thought；　'it　will　be　the　ruin　of　us　both！'
He　merely　said　that　the　afternoon　was　fine；　and　went　on　his　way。

As　he　went　a　sudden　blast　of　air　came　over　the　hill　as　if　in
contradiction　to　his　words；　and　spoilt　the　previous　quiet　of　the
scene。　　The　wind　had　already　shifted　violently；　and　now　smelt　of　the
sea。

The　harbour…road　soon　began　to　justify　its　name。　　A　gap　appeared　in
the　rampart　of　hills　which　shut　out　the　sea；　and　on　the　left　of　the
opening　rose　a　vertical　cliff；　coloured　a　burning　orange　by　the
sunlight；　the　companion　cliff　on　the　right　being　livid　in　shade。
Between　these　cliffs；　like　the　Libyan　bay　which　sheltered　the
shipwrecked　Trojans；　was　a　little　haven；　seemingly　a　beginning　made
by　Nature　herself　of　a　perfect　harbour；　which　appealed　to　the
passer…by　as　only　requiring　a　little　human　industry　to　finish　it　and
make　it　famous；　the　ground　on　each　side　as　far　back　as　the　daisied
slopes　that　bounded　the　interior　valley　being　a　mere　layer　of　blown
sand。　　But　the　Port…Bredy　burgesses　a　mile　inland　had；　in　the　course
of　ten　centuries；　responded　many　times　to　that　mute　appeal；　with　the
result　that　the　tides　had　invariably　choked　up　their　works　with　sand
and　shingle　as　soon　as　completed。　　There　were　but　few　houses　here：
a　rough　pier；　a　few　boats；　some　stores；　an　inn；　a　residence　or　two；
a　ketch　unloading　in　the　harbour；　were　the　chief　features　of　the
settlement。　　On　the　open　ground　by　the　shore　stood　his　wife's　pony…
carriage；　empty；　the　boy　in　attendance　holding　the　horse。

When　Barnet　drew　nearer；　he　saw　an　indigo…coloured　spot　moving
swiftly　along　beneath　the　radiant　base　of　the　eastern　cliff；　which
proved　to　be　a　man　in　a　jersey；　running　with　all　his　might。　　He　held
up　his　hand　to　Barnet；　as　it　seemed；　and　they　approached　each　other。
The　man　was　local；　but　a　stranger　to　him。

'What　is　it；　my　man？'　said　Barnet。

'A　terrible　calamity！'　the　boatman　hastily　explained。　　Two　ladies
had　been　capsized　in　a　boatthey　were　Mrs。　Downe　and　Mrs。　Barnet　of
the　old　town；　they　had　driven　down　there　that　afternoonthey　had
alighted；　and　it　was　so　fine；　that；　after　walking　about　a　little
while；　they　had　been　tempted　to　go　out　for　a　short　sail　round　the
cliff。　　Just　as　they　were　putting　in　to　the　shore；　the　wind　shifted
with　a　sudden　gust；　the　boat　listed　over；　and　it　was　thought　they
were　both　drowned。　　How　it　could　have　happened　was　beyond　his　mind
to　fathom；　for　John　Green　knew　how　to　sail　a　boat　as　well　as　any　man
there。

'Which　is　the　way　to　the　place？'　said　Barnet。

It　was　just　round　the　cliff。

'Run　to　the　carriage　and　tell　the　boy　to　bring　it　to　the　place　as
soon　as　you　can。　　Then　go　to　the　Harbour　Inn　and　tell　them　to　ride
to　town　for　a　doctor。　　Have　they　been　got　out　of　the　water？'

'One　lady　has。'

'Which？'

'Mrs。　Barnet。　　Mrs。　Downe；　it　is　feared；　has　fleeted　out　to　sea。'

Barnet　ran　on　to　that　part　of　the　shore　which　the　cliff　had　hitherto
obscured　from　his　view；　and　there　discerned；　a　long　way　ahead；　a
group　of　fishermen　standing。　　As　soon　as　he　came　up　one　or　two
recognized　him；　and；　not　liking　to　meet　his　eye；　turned　aside　with
misgiving。　　He　went　amidst　them　and　saw　a　small　sailing…boat　lying
draggled　at　the　water's　edge；　and；　on　the　sloping　shingle　beside　it；
a　soaked　and　sandy　woman's　form　in　the　velvet　dress　and　yellow
gloves　of　his　wife。



CHAPTER　V



All　had　been　done　that　could　be　done。　　Mrs。　Barnet　was　in　her　own
house　under　medical　hands；　but　the　result　was　still　unce