wessex tales-第44章

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take　the　lantern　while　I　move　them？'

'I　can　manage　it；'　said　the　young　man；　and　acting　as　she　ordered；　he
uncovered；　to　his　surprise；　a　row　of　little　barrels　bound　with　wood
hoops；　each　barrel　being　about　as　large　as　the　nave　of　a　heavy
waggon…wheel。

When　they　were　laid　open　Lizzy　fixed　her　eyes　on　him；　as　if　she
wondered　what　he　would　say。

'You　know　what　they　are？'　she　asked；　finding　that　he　did　not　speak。

'Yes；　barrels；'　said　Stockdale　simply。　　He　was　an　inland　man；　the
son　of　highly　respectable　parents；　and　brought　up　with　a　single　eye
to　the　ministry；　and　the　sight　suggested　nothing　beyond　the　fact
that　such　articles　were　there。

'You　are　quite　right；　they　are　barrels；'　she　said；　in　an　emphatic
tone　of　candour　that　was　not　without　a　touch　of　irony。

Stockdale　looked　at　her　with　an　eye　of　sudden　misgiving。　　'Not
smugglers'　liquor？'　he　said。

'Yes；'　said　she。　　'They　are　tubs　of　spirit　that　have　accidentally
come　over　in　the　dark　from　France。'

In　Nether…Moynton　and　its　vicinity　at　this　date　people　always　smiled
at　the　sort　of　sin　called　in　the　outside　world　illicit　trading；　and
these　little　kegs　of　gin　and　brandy　were　as　well　known　to　the
inhabitants　as　turnips。　　So　that　Stockdale's　innocent　ignorance；　and
his　look　of　alarm　when　he　guessed　the　sinister　mystery；　seemed　to
strike　Lizzy　first　as　ludicrous；　and　then　as　very　awkward　for　the
good　impression　that　she　wished　to　produce　upon　him。

'Smuggling　is　carried　on　here　by　some　of　the　people；'　she　said　in　a
gentle；　apologetic　voice。　　'It　has　been　their　practice　for
generations；　and　they　think　it　no　harm。　　Now；　will　you　roll　out　one
of　the　tubs？'

'What　to　do　with　it？'　said　the　minister。

'To　draw　a　little　from　it　to　cure　your　cold；'　she　answered。　　'It　is
so　'nation　strong　that　it　drives　away　that　sort　of　thing　in　a　jiffy。
O；　it　is　all　right　about　our　taking　it。　　I　may　have　what　I　like；　the
owner　of　the　tubs　says　so。　　I　ought　to　have　had　some　in　the　house；
and　then　I　shouldn't　ha'　been　put　to　this　trouble；　but　I　drink　none
myself；　and　so　I　often　forget　to　keep　it　indoors。'

'You　are　allowed　to　help　yourself；　I　suppose；　that　you　may　not
inform　where　their　hiding…place　is？'

'Well；　no；　not　that　particularly；　but　I　may　take　any　if　I　want　it。
So　help　yourself。'

'I　will；　to　oblige　you；　since　you　have　a　right　to　it；'　murmured　the
minister；　and　though　he　was　not　quite　satisfied　with　his　part　in　the
performance；　he　rolled　one　of　the　'tubs'　out　from　the　corner　into
the　middle　of　the　tower　floor。　　'How　do　you　wish　me　to　get　it　out
with　a　gimlet；　I　suppose？'

'No；　I'll　show　you；'　said　his　interesting　companion；　and　she　held　up
with　her　other　hand　a　shoemaker's　awl　and　a　hammer。　　'You　must　never
do　these　things　with　a　gimlet；　because　the　wood…dust　gets　in；　and
when　the　buyers　pour　out　the　brandy　that　would　tell　them　that　the
tub　had　been　broached。　　An　awl　makes　no　dust；　and　the　hole　nearly
closes　up　again。　　Now　tap　one　of　the　hoops　forward。'

Stockdale　took　the　hammer　and　did　so。

'Now　make　the　hole　in　the　part　that　was　covered　by　the　hoop。'

He　made　the　hole　as　directed。　　'It　won't　run　out；'　he　said。

'O　yes　it　will；'　said　she。　　'Take　the　tub　between　your　knees；　and
squeeze　the　heads；　and　I'll　hold　the　cup。'

Stockdale　obeyed；　and　the　pressure　taking　effect　upon　the　tub；　which
seemed；　to　be　thin；　the　spirit　spirted　out　in　a　stream。　　When　the
cup　was　full　he　ceased　pressing；　and　the　flow　immediately　stopped。
'Now　we　must　fill　up　the　keg　with　water；'　said　Lizzy；　'or　it　will
cluck　like　forty　hens　when　it　is　handled；　and　show　that　'tis　not
full。'

'But　they　tell　you　you　may　take　it？'

'Yes；　the　SMUGGLERS：　　but　the　BUYERS　must　not　know　that　the
smugglers　have　been　kind　to　me　at　their　expense。'

'I　see；'　said　Stockdale　doubtfully。　　'I　much　question　the　honesty　of
this　proceeding。'

By　her　direction　he　held　the　tub　with　the　hole　upwards；　and　while　he
went　through　the　process　of　alternately　pressing　and　ceasing　to
press；　she　produced　a　bottle　of　water；　from　which　she　took
mouthfuls；　conveying　each　to　the　keg　by　putting　her　pretty　lips　to
the　hole；　where　it　was　sucked　in　at　each　recovery　of　the　cask　from
pressure。　　When　it　was　again　full　he　plugged　the　hole；　knocked　the
hoop　down　to　its　place；　and　buried　the　tub　in　the　lumber　as　before。

'Aren't　the　smugglers　afraid　that　you　will　tell？'　he　asked；　as　they
recrossed　the　churchyard。

'O　no；　they　are　not　afraid　of　that。　　I　couldn't　do　such　a　thing。'

'They　have　put　you　into　a　very　awkward　corner；'　said　Stockdale
emphatically。　　'You　must；　of　course；　as　an　honest　person；　sometimes
feel　that　it　is　your　duty　to　informreally　you　must。'

'Well；　I　have　never　particularly　felt　it　as　a　duty；　and；　besides；　my
first　husband'　　She　stopped；　and　there　was　some　confusion　in　her
voice。　　Stockdale　was　so　honest　and　unsophisticated　that　he　did　not
at　once　discern　why　she　paused：　　but　at　last　he　did　perceive　that
the　words　were　a　slip；　and　that　no　woman　would　have　uttered　'first
husband'　by　accident　unless　she　had　thought　pretty　frequently　of　a
second。　　He　felt　for　her　confusion；　and　allowed　her　time　to　recover
and　proceed。　　'My　husband；'　she　said；　in　a　self…corrected　tone；
'used　to　know　of　their　doings；　and　so　did　my　father；　and　kept　the
secret。　　I　cannot　inform；　in　fact；　against　anybody。'

'I　see　the　hardness　of　it；'　he　continued；　like　a　man　who　looked　far
into　the　moral　of　things。　　'And　it　is　very　cruel　that　you　should　be
tossed　and　tantalized　between　your　memories　and　your　conscience。　　I
do　hope；　Mrs。　Newberry；　that　you　will　soon　see　your　way　out　of　this
unpleasant　position。'

'Well；　I　don't　just　now；'　she　murmured。

By　this　time　they　had　passed　over　the　wall　and　entered　the　house；
where　she　brought　him　a　glass　and　hot　water；　and　left　him　to　his　own
reflections。　　He　looked　after　her　vanishing　form；　asking　himself
whether　he；　as　a　respectable　man；　and　a　minister；　and　a　shining
light；　even　though　as　yet　only　of　the　halfpenny…candle　sort；　were
quite　justified　in　doing　this　thing。　　A　sneeze　settled　the　question；
and　he　found　that　when　the　fiery　liquor　was　lowered　by　the　addition
of　twice　or　thrice　the　quantity　of　water；　it　was　one　of　the
prettiest　cures　for　a　cold　in　the　head　that　he　had　ever　known；
particularly　at　this　chilly　time　of　the　year。

Stockdale　sat　in　the　deep　chair　about　twenty　minutes　sipping　and
meditating；　till　he　at　length　took　warmer　views　of　things；　and
longed　for　the　morrow；　when　he　would　see　Mrs。　Newberry　again。　　He
then　felt　that；　though　chronologically　at　a　short　distance；　it　would
in　an　emotional　sense　be　very　long　before　to…morrow　came；　and　walked
restlessly　round　the　room。　　His　eye　was　attracted　by　a　framed　and
glazed　sampler　in　which　a　running　ornament　of　fir…trees　and　peacocks
surrounded　the　following　pretty　bit　of　sentiment：…


'Rose…leaves　smell　when　roses　thrive；
Here's　my　work　while　I'm　alive；
Rose…leaves　smell　when　shrunk　and　shed；
Here's　my　work　when　I　am　dead。

'Lizzy　Simpkins。　　Fear　God。　　Honour　the　King。
'Aged　11　years。


''Tis　hers；'　he　said　to　himself。　　'Heavens；　how　I　like　that　name！'

Before　he　had　done　thinking　that　no　other　name　from　Abigail　to
Zenobia　would　have　suited　his　young　landlady　so　well；　tap…tap　came
again　upon　the　door；　and　the　minister　started　as　her　face　appeared
yet　another　time；　looking　so　disinterested　that　the　most　ingenious
would　have　refrained　from　asserting　that　she　had　come　to　affect　his
feelings　by　her　seductive　eyes。

'Would　you　like　a　fire　in　your　room；　Mr。　Stockdale；　on　account　of
your　cold？'

The　minister；　being　still　a　little　pricked　in　the　conscience　for
countenancing　her　in　watering　the　spirits；　saw　here　a　way　to　self…
chastisement。　　'No；　I　thank　you；'　he　said　firmly；　'it　is　not
necessary。　　I　have　never　been　used　to　one　in　my　life；　and　it　would
be　giving　way　to　luxury　too　far。'

'Then　I　won't　insist；'　she　said；　and　disconcerted　him　by　vanishing
instantly。

Wondering　if　she　was　vexed　by　his　refusal；　he　wished　that　he　had
chosen　to　have　a　fire；　even　though　it　should　have　scorched　him　out
of　bed　and　endangered　his　self…discipline　for　a　dozen　days。
However；　he　consoled　himself　with　what　was　in　truth　a　rare
consolation　for　a　budd