wessex tales-第41章

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change　in　the　household　economy；　and　not　much　in　its　appearance；
beyond　such　minor　particulars　as　that　the　crack　over　the　window；
which　had　been　a　hundred　years　coming；　was　a　trifle　wider；　that　the
beams　were　a　shade　blacker；　that　the　influence　of　modernism　had
supplanted　the　open　chimney　corner　by　a　grate；　that　Rebekah；　who　had
worn　a　cap　when　she　had　plenty　of　hair；　had　left　it　off　now　she　had
scarce　any；　because　it　was　reported　that　caps　were　not　fashionable；
and　that　Sally's　face　had　naturally　assumed　a　more　womanly　and
experienced　cast。

Mrs。　Hall　was　actually　lifting　coals　with　the　tongs；　as　she　had　used
to　do。

'Five　years　ago　this　very　night；　if　I　am　not　mistaken'　she　said；
laying　on　an　ember。

'Not　this　very　nightthough　'twas　one　night　this　week；'　said　the
correct　Sally。

'Well；　'tis　near　enough。　　Five　years　ago　Mr。　Darton　came　to　marry
you；　and　my　poor　boy　Phil　came　home　to　die。'　　She　sighed。　　'Ah；
Sally；'　she　presently　said；　'if　you　had　managed　well　Mr。　Darton
would　have　had　you；　Helena　or　none。'

'Don't　be　sentimental　about　that；　mother；'　begged　Sally。　　'I　didn't
care　to　manage　well　in　such　a　case。　　Though　I　liked　him；　I　wasn't　so
anxious。　　I　would　never　have　married　the　man　in　the　midst　of　such　a
hitch　as　that　was；'　she　added　with　decision；　'and　I　don't　think　I
would　if　he　were　to　ask　me　now。'

'I　am　not　sure　about　that；　unless　you　have　another　in　your　eye。'

'I　wouldn't；　and　I'll　tell　you　why。　　I　could　hardly　marry　him　for
love　at　this　time　o'　day。　　And　as　we've　quite　enough　to　live　on　if
we　give　up　the　dairy　to…morrow；　I　should　have　no　need　to　marry　for
any　meaner　reason　。　。　。　I　am　quite　happy　enough　as　I　am；　and　there's
an　end　of　it。'

Now　it　was　not　long　after　this　dialogue　that　there　came　a　mild　rap
at　the　door；　and　in　a　moment　there　entered　Rebekah；　looking　as
though　a　ghost　had　arrived。　　The　fact　was　that　that　accomplished
skimmer　and　churner　（now　a　resident　in　the　house）　had　overheard　the
desultory　observations　between　mother　and　daughter；　and　on　opening
the　door　to　Mr。　Darton　thought　the　coincidence　must　have　a　grisly
meaning　in　it。　　Mrs。　Hall　welcomed　the　farmer　with　warm　surprise；　as
did　Sally；　and　for　a　moment　they　rather　wanted　words。

'Can　you　push　up　the　chimney…crook　for　me；　Mr　Darton？　the　notches
hitch；'　said　the　matron。　　He　did　it；　and　the　homely　little　act
bridged　over　the　awkward　consciousness　that　he　had　been　a　stranger
for　four　years。

Mrs。　Hall　soon　saw　what　he　had　come　for；　and　left　the　principals
together　while　she　went　to　prepare　him　a　late　tea；　smiling　at
Sally's　recent　hasty　assertions　of　indifference；　when　she　saw　how
civil　Sally　was。　　When　tea　was　ready　she　joined　them。　　She　fancied
that　Darton　did　not　look　so　confident　as　when　he　had　arrived；　but
Sally　was　quite　light…hearted；　and　the　meal　passed　pleasantly。

About　seven　he　took　his　leave　of　them。　　Mrs。　Hall　went　as　far　as　the
door　to　light　him　down　the　slope。　　On　the　doorstep　he　said　frankly
'I　came　to　ask　your　daughter　to　marry　me；　chose　the　night　and
everything；　with　an　eye　to　a　favourable　answer。　　But　she　won't。'

'Then　she's　a　very　ungrateful　girl！'　emphatically　said　Mrs。　Hall。

Darton　paused　to　shape　his　sentence；　and　asked；　'II　suppose
there's　nobody　else　more　favoured？'

'I　can't　say　that　there　is；　or　that　there　isn't；'　answered　Mrs。
Hall。　　'She's　private　in　some　things。　　I'm　on　your　side；　however；
Mr。　Darton；　and　I'll　talk　to　her。'

'Thank　'ee；　thank　'ee！'　said　the　farmer　in　a　gayer　accent；　and　with
this　assurance　the　not　very　satisfactory　visit　came　to　an　end。
Darton　descended　the　roots　of　the　sycamore；　the　light　was　withdrawn；
and　the　door　closed。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　slope　he　nearly　ran
against　a　man　about　to　ascend。

'Can　a　jack…o'…lent　believe　his　few　senses　on　such　a　dark　night；　or
can't　he？'　exclaimed　one　whose　utterance　Darton　recognized　in　a
moment；　despite　its　unexpectedness。　　'I　dare　not　swear　he　can；
though　I　fain　would！'　　The　speaker　was　Johns。

Darton　said　he　was　glad　of　this　opportunity；　bad　as　it　was；　of
putting　an　end　to　the　silence　of　years；　and　asked　the　dairyman　what
he　was　travelling　that　way　for。

Japheth　showed　the　old　jovial　confidence　in　a　moment。　　'I'm　going　to
see　yourrelationsas　they　always　seem　to　me；'　he　said'Mrs。　Hall
and　Sally。　　Well；　Charles；　the　fact　is　I　find　the　natural
barbarousness　of　man　is　much　increased　by　a　bachelor　life；　and；　as
your　leavings　were　always　good　enough　for　me；　I'm　trying
civilization　here。'　　He　nodded　towards　the　house。

'Not　with　Sallyto　marry　her？'　said　Darton；　feeling　something　like
a　rill　of　ice　water　between　his　shoulders。

'Yes；　by　the　help　of　Providence　and　my　personal　charms。　　And　I　think
I　shall　get　her。　　I　am　this　road　every　weekmy　present　dairy　is
only　four　miles　off；　you　know；　and　I　see　her　through　the　window。
'Tis　rather　odd　that　I　was　going　to　speak　practical　to…night　to　her
for　the　first　time。　　You've　just　called？'

'Yes；　for　a　short　while。　　But　she　didn't　say　a　word　about　you。'

'A　good　sign；　a　good　sign。　　Now　that　decides　me。　　I'll　swing　the
mallet　and　get　her　answer　this　very　night　as　I　planned。'

A　few　more　remarks；　and　Darton；　wishing　his　friend　joy　of　Sally　in　a
slightly　hollow　tone　of　jocularity；　bade　him　good…bye。　　Johns
promised　to　write　particulars；　and　ascended；　and　was　lost　in　the
shade　of　the　house　and　tree。　　A　rectangle　of　light　appeared　when
Johns　was　admitted；　and　all　was　dark　again。

'Happy　Japheth！'　said　Darton。　　'This　then　is　the　explanation！'

He　determined　to　return　home　that　night。　　In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　he
passed　out　of　the　village；　and　the　next　day　went　about　his　swede…
lifting　and　storing　as　if　nothing　had　occurred。

He　waited　and　waited　to　hear　from　Johns　whether　the　wedding…day　was
fixed：　　but　no　letter　came。　　He　learnt　not　a　single　particular　till；
meeting　Johns　one　day　at　a　horse…auction；　Darton　exclaimed　genially…
…rather　more　genially　than　he　felt'When　is　the　joyful　day　to　be？'

To　his　great　surprise　a　reciprocity　of　gladness　was　not　conspicuous
in　Johns。　　'Not　at　all；'　he　said；　in　a　very　subdued　tone。　　''Tis　a
bad　job；　she　won't　have　me。'

Darton　held　his　breath　till　he　said　with　treacherous　solicitude；
'Try　again'tis　coyness。'

'O　no；'　said　Johns　decisively。　　'There's　been　none　of　that。　　We
talked　it　over　dozens　of　times　in　the　most　fair　and　square　way。　　She
tells　me　plainly；　I　don't　suit　her。　　'Twould　be　simply　annoying　her
to　ask　her　again。　　Ah；　Charles；　you　threw　a　prize　away　when　you　let
her　slip　five　years　ago。'

'I　didI　did；'　said　Darton。

He　returned　from　that　auction　with　a　new　set　of　feelings　in　play。
He　had　certainly　made　a　surprising　mistake　in　thinking　Johns　his
successful　rival。　　It　really　seemed　as　if　he　might　hope　for　Sally
after　all。

This　time；　being　rather　pressed　by　business；　Darton　had　recourse　to
pen…and…ink；　and　wrote　her　as　manly　and　straightforward　a　proposal
as　any　woman　could　wish　to　receive。　　The　reply　came　promptly：…


'DEAR　MR。　DARTON；I　am　as　sensible　as　any　woman　can　be　of　the
goodness　that　leads　you　to　make　me　this　offer　a　second　time。　　Better
women　than　I　would　be　proud　of　the　honour；　for　when　I　read　your　nice
long　speeches　on　mangold…wurzel；　and　such　like　topics；　at　the
Casterbridge　Farmers'　Club；　I　do　feel　it　an　honour；　I　assure　you。
But　my　answer　is　just　the　same　as　before。　　I　will　not　try　to　explain
what；　in　truth；　I　cannot　explainmy　reasons；　I　will　simply　say　that
I　must　decline　to　be　married　to　you。　　With　good　wishes　as　in　former
times；　I　am；　your　faithful　friend；

'SALLY　HALL。'


Darton　dropped　the　letter　hopelessly。　　Beyond　the　negative；　there
was　just　a　possibility　of　sarcasm　in　it'nice　long　speeches　on
mangold…wurzel'　had　a　suspicious　sound。　　However；　sarcasm　or　none；
there　was　the　answer；　and　he　had　to　be　content。

He　proceeded　to　seek　relief　in　a　business　which　at　this　time
engrossed　much　of　his　attentionthat　of　clearing　up　a　curious
mistake　just　current　in　the　county；　that　he　had　been　nearly　ruined
by　the　recent　failure　of　a　local　bank。　　A　farmer　named　Darton　had
lost　heavily；　and　the　similarity　of　name　had　probably　led　to　the
error。　　Belief　in　it　was　so　persistent　that　it　demanded　several　days
of　letter…writin