wessex tales-第31章

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deliberately　tore　them　into　halves　and　quarters；　and　threw　them　into
the　empty　fireplace。　　Then　he　went　out　of　the　house；　locked　the
door；　and　stood　in　the　front　awhile。　　Instead　of　returning　into　the
town；　he　went　down　the　harbour…road　and　thoughtfully　lingered　about
by　the　sea；　near　the　spot　where　the　body　of　Downe's　late　wife　had
been　found　and　brought　ashore。

Barnet　was　a　man　with　a　rich　capacity　for　misery；　and　there　is　no
doubt　that　he　exercised　it　to　its　fullest　extent　now。　　The　events
that　had；　as　it　were；　dashed　themselves　together　into　one　half…hour
of　this　day　showed　that　curious　refinement　of　cruelty　in　their
arrangement　which　often　proceeds　from　the　bosom　of　the　whimsical　god
at　other　times　known　as　blind　Circumstance。　　That　his　few　minutes　of
hope；　between　the　reading　of　the　first　and　second　letters；　had
carried　him　to　extraordinary　heights　of　rapture　was　proved　by　the
immensity　of　his　suffering　now。　　The　sun　blazing　into　his　face　would
have　shown　a　close　watcher　that　a　horizontal　line；　which　he　had
never　noticed　before；　but　which　was　never　to　be　gone　thereafter；　was
somehow　gradually　forming　itself　in　the　smooth　of　his　forehead。　　His
eyes；　of　a　light　hazel；　had　a　curious　look　which　can　only　be
described　by　the　word　bruised；　the　sorrow　that　looked　from　them
being　largely　mixed　with　the　surprise　of　a　man　taken　unawares。

The　secondary　particulars　of　his　present　position；　too；　were　odd
enough；　though　for　some　time　they　appeared　to　engage　little　of　his
attention。　　Not　a　soul　in　the　town　knew；　as　yet；　of　his　wife's
death；　and　he　almost　owed　Downe　the　kindness　of　not　publishing　it
till　the　day　was　over：　　the　conjuncture；　taken　with　that　which　had
accompanied　the　death　of　Mrs。　Downe；　being　so　singular　as　to　be
quite　sufficient　to　darken　the　pleasure　of　the　impressionable
solicitor　to　a　cruel　extent；　if　made　known　to　him。　　But　as　Barnet
could　not　set　out　on　his　journey　to　London；　where　his　wife　lay；　for
some　hours　（there　being　at　this　date　no　railway　within　a　distance　of
many　miles）；　no　great　reason　existed　why　he　should　leave　the　town。

Impulse　in　all　its　forms　characterized　Barnet；　and　when　he　heard　the
distant　clock　strike　the　hour　of　ten　his　feet　began　to　carry　him　up
the　harbour…road　with　the　manner　of　a　man　who　must　do　something　to
bring　himself　to　life。　　He　passed　Lucy　Savile's　old　house；　his　own
new　one；　and　came　in　view　of　the　church。　　Now　he　gave　a　perceptible
start；　and　his　mechanical　condition　went　away。　　Before　the　church…
gate　were　a　couple　of　carriages；　and　Barnet　then　could　perceive　that
the　marriage　between　Downe　and　Lucy　was　at　that　moment　being
solemnized　within。　　A　feeling　of　sudden；　proud　self…confidence；　an
indocile　wish　to　walk　unmoved　in　spite　of　grim　environments；　plainly
possessed　him；　and　when　he　reached　the　wicket…gate　he　turned　in
without　apparent　effort。　　Pacing　up　the　paved　footway　he　entered　the
church　and　stood　for　a　while　in　the　nave　passage。　　A　group　of　people
was　standing　round　the　vestry　door；　Barnet　advanced　through　these
and　stepped　into　the　vestry。

There　they　were；　busily　signing　their　names。　　Seeing　Downe　about　to
look　round；　Barnet　averted　his　somewhat　disturbed　face　for　a　second
or　two；　when　he　turned　again　front　to　front　he　was　calm　and　quite
smiling；　it　was　a　creditable　triumph　over　himself；　and　deserved　to
be　remembered　in　his　native　town。　　He　greeted　Downe　heartily；
offering　his　congratulations。

It　seemed　as　if　Barnet　expected　a　half…guilty　look　upon　Lucy's　face；
but　no；　save　the　natural　flush　and　flurry　engendered　by　the　service
just　performed；　there　was　nothing　whatever　in　her　bearing　which
showed　a　disturbed　mind：　　her　gray…brown　eyes　carried　in　them　now　as
at　other　times　the　well…known　expression　of　common…sensed　rectitude
which　never　went　so　far　as　to　touch　on　hardness。　　She　shook　hands
with　him；　and　Downe　said　warmly；　'I　wish　you　could　have　come　sooner：
I　called　on　purpose　to　ask　you。　　You'll　drive　back　with　us　now？'

'No；　no；'　said　Barnet；　'I　am　not　at　all　prepared；　but　I　thought　I
would　look　in　upon　you　for　a　moment；　even　though　I　had　not　time　to
go　home　and　dress。　　I'll　stand　back　and　see　you　pass　out；　and
observe　the　effect　of　the　spectacle　upon　myself　as　one　of　the
public。'

Then　Lucy　and　her　husband　laughed；　and　Barnet　laughed　and　retired；
and　the　quiet　little　party　went　gliding　down　the　nave　and　towards
the　porch；　Lucy's　new　silk　dress　sweeping　with　a　smart　rustle　round
the　base…mouldings　of　the　ancient　font；　and　Downe's　little　daughters
following　in　a　state　of　round…eyed　interest　in　their　position；　and
that　of　Lucy；　their　teacher　and　friend。

So　Downe　was　comforted　after　his　Emily's　death；　which　had　taken
place　twelve　months；　two　weeks；　and　three　days　before　that　time。

When　the　two　flys　had　driven　off　and　the　spectators　had　vanished；
Barnet　followed　to　the　door；　and　went　out　into　the　sun。　　He　took　no
more　trouble　to　preserve　a　spruce　exterior；　his　step　was　unequal；
hesitating；　almost　convulsive；　and　the　slight　changes　of　colour
which　went　on　in　his　face　seemed　refracted　from　some　inward　flame。
In　the　churchyard　he　became　pale　as　a　summer　cloud；　and　finding　it
not　easy　to　proceed　he　sat　down　on　one　of　the　tombstones　and
supported　his　head　with　his　hand。

Hard　by　was　a　sexton　filling　up　a　grave　which　he　had　not　found　time
to　finish　on　the　previous　evening。　　Observing　Barnet；　he　went　up　to
him；　and　recognizing　him；　said；　'Shall　I　help　you　home；　sir？'

'O　no；　thank　you；'　said　Barnet；　rousing　himself　and　standing　up。
The　sexton　returned　to　his　grave；　followed　by　Barnet；　who；　after
watching　him　awhile；　stepped　into　the　grave；　now　nearly　filled；　and
helped　to　tread　in　the　earth。

The　sexton　apparently　thought　his　conduct　a　little　singular；　but　he
made　no　observation；　and　when　the　grave　was　full；　Barnet　suddenly
stopped；　looked　far　away；　and　with　a　decided　step　proceeded　to　the
gate　and　vanished。　　The　sexton　rested　on　his　shovel　and　looked　after
him　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　began　banking　up　the　mound。

In　those　short　minutes　of　treading　in　the　dead　man　Barnet　had　formed
a　design；　but　what　it　was　the　inhabitants　of　that　town　did　not　for
some　long　time　imagine。　　He　went　home；　wrote　several　letters　of
business；　called　on　his　lawyer；　an　old　man　of　the　same　place　who　had
been　the　legal　adviser　of　Barnet's　father　before　him；　and　during　the
evening　overhauled　a　large　quantity　of　letters　and　other　documents
in　his　possession。　　By　eleven　o'clock　the　heap　of　papers　in　and
before　Barnet's　grate　had　reached　formidable　dimensions；　and　he
began　to　burn　them。　　This；　owing　to　their　quantity；　it　was　not　so
easy　to　do　as　he　had　expected；　and　he　sat　long　into　the　night　to
complete　the　task。

The　next　morning　Barnet　departed　for　London；　leaving　a　note　for
Downe　to　inform　him　of　Mrs。　Barnet's　sudden　death；　and　that　he　was
gone　to　bury　her；　but　when　a　thrice…sufficient　time　for　that　purpose
had　elapsed；　he　was　not　seen　again　in　his　accustomed　walks；　or　in
his　new　house；　or　in　his　old　one。　　He　was　gone　for　good；　nobody　knew
whither。　　It　was　soon　discovered　that　he　had　empowered　his　lawyer　to
dispose　of　all　his　property；　real　and　personal；　in　the　borough；　and
pay　in　the　proceeds　to　the　account　of　an　unknown　person　at　one　of
the　large　London　banks。　　The　person　was　by　some　supposed　to　be
himself　under　an　assumed　name；　but　few；　if　any；　had　certain
knowledge　of　that　fact。

The　elegant　new　residence　was　sold　with　the　rest　of　his　possessions；
and　its　purchaser　was　no　other　than　Downe；　now　a　thriving　man　in　the
borough；　and　one　whose　growing　family　and　new　wife　required　more
roomy　accommodation　than　was　afforded　by　the　little　house　up　the
narrow　side　street。　　Barnet's　old　habitation　was　bought　by　the
trustees　of　the　Congregational　Baptist　body　in　that　town；　who　pulled
down　the　time…honoured　dwelling　and　built　a　new　chapel　on　its　site。
By　the　time　the　last　hour　of　that；　to　Barnet；　eventful　year　had
chimed；　every　vestige　of　him　had　disappeared　from　the　precincts　of
his　native　place；　and　the　name　became　extinct　in　the　borough　of
Port…Bredy；　after　having　been　a　living　force　therein　for　more　than
two　hundred　years。



CHAPTER　IX



Twenty…one　years　and　six