wessex tales-第35章

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travestied　in　jerks　still　less　softened　by　art　in　the　person　of　the
lad　who　attended　them。　　A　pair　of　whitish　objects　hung　one　on　each
side　of　the　latter；　bumping　against　him　at　each　step；　and　still
further　spoiling　the　grace　of　his　seat。　　On　close　inspection　they
might　have　been　perceived　to　be　open　rush　basketsone　containing　a
turkey；　and　the　other　some　bottles　of　wine。

'D'ye　feel　ye　can　meet　your　fate　like　a　man；　neighbour　Darton？'
asked　Johns；　breaking　a　silence　which　had　lasted　while　five…and…
twenty　hedgerow　trees　had　glided　by。

Mr。　Darton　with　a　half…laugh　murmured；　'Aycall　it　my　fate！
Hanging　and　wiving　go　by　destiny。'　　And　then　they　were　silent　again。

The　darkness　thickened　rapidly；　at　intervals　shutting　down　on　the
land　in　a　perceptible　flap；　like　the　wave　of　a　wing。　　The　customary
close　of　day　was　accelerated　by　a　simultaneous　blurring　of　the　air。
With　the　fall　of　night　had　come　a　mist　just　damp　enough　to
incommode；　but　not　sufficient　to　saturate　them。　　Countrymen　as　they
wereborn；　as　may　be　said；　with　only　an　open　door　between　them　and
the　four　seasonsthey　regarded　the　mist　but　as　an　added
obscuration；　and　ignored　its　humid　quality。

They　were　travelling　in　a　direction　that　was　enlivened　by　no　modern
current　of　traffic；　the　place　of　Darton's　pilgrimage　being　an　old…
fashioned　villageone　of　the　Hintocks　（several　villages　of　that
name；　with　a　distinctive　prefix　or　affix；　lying　thereabout）where
the　people　make　the　best　cider　and　cider…wine　in　all　Wessex；　and
where　the　dunghills　smell　of　pomace　instead　of　stable　refuse　as
elsewhere。　　The　lane　was　sometimes　so　narrow　that　the　brambles　of
the　hedge；　which　hung　forward　like　anglers'　rods　over　a　stream；
scratched　their　hats　and　curry…combed　their　whiskers　as　they　passed。
Yet　this　neglected　lane　had　been　a　highway　to　Queen　Elizabeth's
subjects　and　the　cavalcades　of　the　past。　　Its　day　was　over　now；　and
its　history　as　a　national　artery　done　for　ever。

'Why　I　have　decided　to　marry　her；'　resumed　Darton　（in　a　measured
musical　voice　of　confidence　which　revealed　a　good　deal　of　his
composition）；　as　he　glanced　round　to　see　that　the　lad　was　not　too
near；　'is　not　only　that　I　like　her；　but　that　I　can　do　no　better；
even　from　a　fairly　practical　point　of　view。　　That　I　might　ha'　looked
higher　is　possibly　true；　though　it　is　really　all　nonsense。　　I　have
had　experience　enough　in　looking　above　me。　　〃No　more　superior　women
for　me；〃　said　Iyou　know　when。　　Sally　is　a　comely；　independent；
simple　character；　with　no　make…up　about　her；　who'll　think　me　as　much
a　superior　to　her　as　I　used　to　thinkyou　know　who　I　meanwas　to
me。'

'Ay；'　said　Johns。　　'However；　I　shouldn't　call　Sally　Hall　simple。
Primary；　because　no　Sally　is；　secondary；　because　if　some　could　be；
this　one　wouldn't。　　'Tis　a　wrong　denomination　to　apply　to　a　woman；
Charles；　and　affects　me；　as　your　best　man；　like　cold　water。　　'Tis
like　recommending　a　stage　play　by　saying　there's　neither　murder；
villainy；　nor　harm　of　any　sort　in　it；　when　that's　what　you've　paid
your　half…crown　to　see。'

'Well；　may　your　opinion　do　you　good。　　Mine's　a　different　one。'　　And
turning　the　conversation　from　the　philosophical　to　the　practical；
Darton　expressed　a　hope　that　the　said　Sally　had　received　what　he'd
sent　on　by　the　carrier　that　day。

Johns　wanted　to　know　what　that　was。

'It　is　a　dress；'　said　Darton。　　'Not　exactly　a　wedding…dress；　though
she　may　use　it　as　one　if　she　likes。　　It　is　rather　serviceable　than
showysuitable　for　the　winter　weather。'

'Good；'　said　Johns。　　'Serviceable　is　a　wise　word　in　a　bridegroom。　　I
commend　ye；　Charles。'

'For；'　said　Darton；　'why　should　a　woman　dress　up　like　a　rope…dancer
because　she's　going　to　do　the　most　solemn　deed　of　her　life　except
dying？'

'Faith；　why？　　But　she　will；　because　she　will；　I　suppose；'　said
Dairyman　Johns。

'H'm；'　said　Darton。

The　lane　they　followed　had　been　nearly　straight　for　several　miles；
but　it　now　took　a　turn；　and　winding　uncertainly　for　some　distance
forked　into　two。　　By　night　country　roads　are　apt　to　reveal　ungainly
qualities　which　pass　without　observation　during　day；　and　though
Darton　had　travelled　this　way　before；　he　had　not　done　so　frequently；
Sally　having　been　wooed　at　the　house　of　a　relative　near　his　own。　　He
never　remembered　seeing　at　this　spot　a　pair　of　alternative　ways
looking　so　equally　probable　as　these　two　did　now。　　Johns　rode　on　a
few　steps。

'Don't　be　out　of　heart；　sonny；'　he　cried。　　'Here's　a　handpost。
Enochcome　and　climm　this　post；　and　tell　us　the　way。'

The　lad　dismounted；　and　jumped　into　the　hedge　where　the　post　stood
under　a　tree。

'Unstrap　the　baskets；　or　you'll　smash　up　that　wine！'　cried　Darton；
as　the　young　man　began　spasmodically　to　climb　the　post；　baskets　and
all。

'Was　there　ever　less　head　in　a　brainless　world？'　said　Johns。　　'Here；
simple　Nocky；　I'll　do　it。'　　He　leapt　off；　and　with　much　puffing
climbed　the　post；　striking　a　match　when　he　reached　the　top；　and
moving　the　light　along　the　arm；　the　lad　standing　and　gazing　at　the
spectacle。

'I　have　faced　tantalization　these　twenty　years　with　a　temper　as　mild
as　milk！'　said　Japheth；　'but　such　things　as　this　don't　come　short　of
devilry！'　　And　flinging　the　match　away；　he　slipped　down　to　the
ground。

'What's　the　matter？'　asked　Darton。

'Not　a　letter；　sacred　or　heathennot　so　much　as　would　tell　us　the
way　to　the　great　fireplaceever　I　should　sin　to　say　it！　　Either　the
moss　and　mildew　have　eat　away　the　words；　or　we　have　arrived　in　a
land　where　the　natyves　have　lost　the　art　o'　writing；　and　should　ha'
brought　our　compass　like　Christopher　Columbus。'

'Let　us　take　the　straightest　road；'　said　Darton　placidly；　'I　shan't
be　sorry　to　get　there'tis　a　tiresome　ride。　　I　would　have　driven　if
I　had　known。'

'Nor　I　neither；　sir；'　said　Enoch。　　'These　straps　plough　my　shoulder
like　a　zull。　　If　'tis　much　further　to　your　lady's　home；　Maister
Darton；　I　shall　ask　to　be　let　carry　half　of　these　good　things　in　my
innerdshee；　hee！'

'Don't　you　be　such　a　reforming　radical；　Enoch；'　said　Johns　sternly。
'Here；　I'll　take　the　turkey。'

This　being　done；　they　went　forward　by　the　right…hand　lane；　which
ascended　a　hill；　the　left　winding　away　under　a　plantation。　　The　pit…
a…pat　of　their　horses'　hoofs　lessened　up　the　slope；　and　the　ironical
directing…post　stood　in　solitude　as　before；　holding　out　its　blank
arms　to　the　raw　breeze；　which　brought　a　snore　from　the　wood　as　if
Skrymir　the　Giant　were　sleeping　there。



CHAPTER　II



Three　miles　to　the　left　of　the　travellers；　along　the　road　they　had
not　followed；　rose　an　old　house　with　mullioned　windows　of　Ham…hill
stone；　and　chimneys　of　lavish　solidity。　　It　stood　at　the　top　of　a
slope　beside　King's…Hintock　village…street；　and　immediately　in　front
of　it　grew　a　large　sycamore…tree；　whose　bared　roots　formed　a
convenient　staircase　from　the　road　below　to　the　front　door　of　the
dwelling。　　Its　situation　gave　the　house　what　little　distinctive　name
it　possessed；　namely；　'The　Knap。'　　Some　forty　yards　off　a　brook
dribbled　past；　which；　for　its　size；　made　a　great　deal　of　noise。　　At
the　back　was　a　dairy　barton；　accessible　for　vehicles　and　live…stock
by　a　side　'drong。'　　Thus　much　only　of　the　character　of　the　homestead
could　be　divined　out　of　doors　at　this　shady　evening…time。

But　within　there　was　plenty　of　light　to　see　by；　as　plenty　was
construed　at　Hintock。　　Beside　a　Tudor　fireplace；　whose　moulded　four…
centred　arch　was　nearly　hidden　by　a　figured　blue…cloth　blower；　were
seated　two　womenmother　and　daughterMrs。　Hall；　and　Sarah；　or
Sally；　for　this　was　a　part　of　the　world　where　the　latter
modification　had　not　as　yet　been　effaced　as　a　vulgarity　by　the　march
of　intellect。　　The　owner　of　the　name　was　the　young　woman　by　whose
means　Mr。　Darton　proposed　to　put　an　end　to　his　bachelor　condition　on
the　approaching　day。

The　mother's　bereavement　had　been　so　long　ago　as　not　to　leave　much
mark　of　its　occurrence　upon　her　now；　either　in　face　or　clothes。　　She
had　resumed　the　mob…cap　of　her　early　married　life；　enlivening　its
whiteness　by　a　few　rose…du…Barry　ribbons。　　Sally　required　no　such
aids　to　pinkness。　　Roseate　good…nature　lit　up　her　gaze；　her　features
showed　curves　of　decision　and　judgment；　and　she　might　have　be