wessex tales-第46章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　he　added；　'Perhaps　you　were　talking　of　things　you　did　not　wish
to　be　overheard？'

'I　was　talking　only　on　business；'　she　said。

'Lizzy；　be　frank！'　said　the　young　man。　　'If　it　was　only　on　business；
why　should　anybody　wish　to　listen　to　you？'

She　looked　curiously　at　him。　　'What　else　do　you　think　it　could　be；
then？'

'Wellthe　only　talk　between　a　young　woman　and　man　that　is　likely　to
amuse　an　eavesdropper。'

'Ah　yes；'　she　said；　smiling　in　spite　of　her　preoccupation。　　'Well；
my　cousin　Owlett　has　spoken　to　me　about　matrimony；　every　now　and
then；　that's　true；　but　he　was　not　speaking　of　it　then。　　I　wish　he
had　been　speaking　of　it；　with　all　my　heart。　　It　would　have　been　much
less　serious　for　me。'

'O　Mrs。　Newberry！'

'It　would。　　Not　that　I　should　ha'　chimed　in　with　him；　of　course。　　I
wish　it　for　other　reasons。　　I　am　glad；　Mr。　Stockdale；　that　you　have
told　me　of　that　listener。　　It　is　a　timely　warning；　and　I　must　see　my
cousin　again。'

'But　don't　go　away　till　I　have　spoken；'　said　the　minister。　　'I'll
out　with　it　at　once；　and　make　no　more　ado。　　Let　it　be　Yes　or　No
between　us；　Lizzy；　please　do！'　　And　he　held　out　his　hand；　in　which
she　freely　allowed　her　own　to　rest；　but　without　speaking。

'You　mean　Yes　by　that？'　he　asked；　after　waiting　a　while。

'You　may　be　my　sweetheart；　if　you　will。'

'Why　not　say　at　once　you　will　wait　for　me　until　I　have　a　house　and
can　come　back　to　marry　you。'

'Because　I　am　thinkingthinking　of　something　else；'　she　said　with
embarrassment。　　'It　all　comes　upon　me　at　once；　and　I　must　settle　one
thing　at　a　time。'

'At　any　rate；　dear　Lizzy；　you　can　assure　me　that　the　miller　shall
not　be　allowed　to　speak　to　you　except　on　business？　You　have　never
directly　encouraged　him？'

She　parried　the　question　by　saying；　'You　see；　he　and　his　party　have
been　in　the　habit　of　leaving　things　on　my　premises　sometimes；　and　as
I　have　not　denied　him；　it　makes　him　rather　forward。'

'Thingswhat　things？'

'Tubsthey　are　called　Things　here。'

'But　why　don't　you　deny　him；　my　dear　Lizzy？'

'I　cannot　well。'

'You　are　too　timid。　　It　is　unfair　of　him　to　impose　so　upon　you；　and
get　your　good　name　into　danger　by　his　smuggling　tricks。　　Promise　me
that　the　next　time　he　wants　to　leave　his　tubs　here　you　will　let　me
roll　them　into　the　street？'

She　shook　her　head。　　'I　would　not　venture　to　offend　the　neighbours
so　much　as　that；'　said　she；　'or　do　anything　that　would　be　so　likely
to　put　poor　Owlett　into　the　hands　of　the　excisemen。'

Stockdale　sighed；　and　said　that　he　thought　hers　a　mistaken
generosity　when　it　extended　to　assisting　those　who　cheated　the　king
of　his　dues。　　'At　any　rate；　you　will　let　me　make　him　keep　his
distance　as　your　lover；　and　tell　him　flatly　that　you　are　not　for
him？'

'Please　not；　at　present；'　she　said。　　'I　don't　wish　to　offend　my　old
neighbours。　　It　is　not　only　Owlett　who　is　concerned。'

'This　is　too　bad；'　said　Stockdale　impatiently。

'On　my　honour；　I　won't　encourage　him　as　my　lover；'　Lizzy　answered
earnestly。　　'A　reasonable　man　will　be　satisfied　with　that。'

'Well；　so　I　am；'　said　Stockdale；　his　countenance　clearing。



CHAPTER　IIITHE　MYSTERIOUS　GREATCOAT



Stockdale　now　began　to　notice　more　particularly　a　feature　in　the
life　of　his　fair　landlady；　which　he　had　casually　observed　but
scarcely　ever　thought　of　before。　　It　was　that　she　was　markedly
irregular　in　her　hours　of　rising。　　For　a　week　or　two　she　would　be
tolerably　punctual；　reaching　the　ground…floor　within　a　few　minutes
of　half…past　seven。　　Then　suddenly　she　would　not　be　visible　till
twelve　at　noon；　perhaps　for　three　or　four　days　in　succession；　and
twice　he　had　certain　proof　that　she　did　not　leave　her　room　till
half…past　three　in　the　afternoon。　　The　second　time　that　this　extreme
lateness　came　under　his　notice　was　on　a　day　when　he　had　particularly
wished　to　consult　with　her　about　his　future　movements；　and　he
concluded；　as　he　always　had　done；　that　she　had　a　cold；　headache；　or
other　ailment；　unless　she　had　kept　herself　invisible　to　avoid
meeting　and　talking　to　him；　which　he　could　hardly　believe。　　The
former　supposition　was　disproved；　however；　by　her　innocently　saying；
some　days　later；　when　they　were　speaking　on　a　question　of　health；
that　she　had　never　had　a　moment's　heaviness；　headache；　or　illness　of
any　kind　since　the　previous　January　twelvemonth。

'I　am　glad　to　hear　it；'　said　he。　　'I　thought　quite　otherwise。'

'What；　do　I　look　sickly？'　she　asked；　turning　up　her　face　to　show　the
impossibility　of　his　gazing　on　it　and　holding　such　a　belief　for　a
moment。

'Not　at　all；　I　merely　thought　so　from　your　being　sometimes　obliged
to　keep　your　room　through　the　best　part　of　the　day。'

'O；　as　for　thatit　means　nothing；'　she　murmured；　with　a　look　which
some　might　have　called　cold；　and　which　was　the　worst　look　that　he
liked　to　see　upon　her。　　'It　is　pure　sleepiness；　Mr。　Stockdale。'

'Never！'

'It　is；　I　tell　you。　　When　I　stay　in　my　room　till　half…past　three　in
the　afternoon；　you　may　always　be　sure　that　I　slept　soundly　till
three；　or　I　shouldn't　have　stayed　there。'

'It　is　dreadful；'　said　Stockdale；　thinking　of　the　disastrous　effects
of　such　indulgence　upon　the　household　of　a　minister；　should　it
become　a　habit　of　everyday　occurrence。

'But　then；'　she　said；　divining　his　good　and　prescient　thoughts；　'it
only　happens　when　I　stay　awake　all　night。　　I　don't　go　to　sleep　till
five　or　six　in　the　morning　sometimes。'

'Ah；　that's　another　matter；'　said　Stockdale。　　'Sleeplessness　to　such
an　alarming　extent　is　real　illness。　　Have　you　spoken　to　a　doctor？'

'O　nothere　is　no　need　for　doing　thatit　is　all　natural　to　me。'
And　she　went　away　without　further　remark。

Stockdale　might　have　waited　a　long　time　to　know　the　real　cause　of
her　sleeplessness；　had　it　not　happened　that　one　dark　night　he　was
sitting　in　his　bedroom　jotting　down　notes　for　a　sermon；　which
occupied　him　perfunctorily　for　a　considerable　time　after　the　other
members　of　the　household　had　retired。　　He　did　not　get　to　bed　till
one　o'clock。　　Before　he　had　fallen　asleep　he　heard　a　knocking　at　the
front　door；　first　rather　timidly　performed；　and　then　louder。　　Nobody
answered　it；　and　the　person　knocked　again。　　As　the　house　still
remained　undisturbed；　Stockdale　got　out　of　bed；　went　to　his　window；
which　overlooked　the　door；　and　opening　it；　asked　who　was　there。

A　young　woman's　voice　replied　that　Susan　Wallis　was　there；　and　that
she　had　come　to　ask　if　Mrs。　Newberry　could　give　her　some　mustard　to
make　a　plaster　with；　as　her　father　was　taken　very　ill　on　the　chest。

The　minister；　having　neither　bell　nor　servant；　was　compelled　to　act
in　person。　　'I　will　call　Mrs。　Newberry；'　he　said。　　Partly　dressing
himself；　he　went　along　the　passage　and　tapped　at　Lizzy's　door。　　She
did　not　answer；　and；　thinking　of　her　erratic　habits　in　the　matter　of
sleep；　he　thumped　the　door　persistently；　when　he　discovered；　by　its
moving　ajar　under　his　knocking；　that　it　had　only　been　gently　pushed
to。　　As　there　was　now　a　sufficient　entry　for　the　voice；　he　knocked
no　longer；　but　said　in　firm　tones；　'Mrs。　Newberry；　you　are　wanted。'

The　room　was　quite　silent；　not　a　breathing；　not　a　rustle；　came　from
any　part　of　it。　　Stockdale　now　sent　a　positive　shout　through　the
open　space　of　the　door：　　'Mrs。　Newberry！'still　no　answer；　or
movement　of　any　kind　within。　　Then　he　heard　sounds　from　the　opposite
room；　that　of　Lizzy's　mother；　as　if　she　had　been　aroused　by　his
uproar　though　Lizzy　had　not；　and　was　dressing　herself　hastily。
Stockdale　softly　closed　the　younger　woman's　door　and　went　on　to　the
other；　which　was　opened　by　Mrs。　Simpkins　before　he　could　reach　it。
She　was　in　her　ordinary　clothes；　and　had　a　light　in　her　hand。

'What's　the　person　calling　about？'　she　said　in　alarm。

Stockdale　told　the　girl's　errand；　adding　seriously；　'I　cannot　wake
Mrs。　Newberry。'

'It　is　no　matter；'　said　her　mother。　　'I　can　let　the　girl　have　what
she　wants　as　well　as　my　daughter。'　　And　she　came　out　of　the　room　and
went　downstairs。

Stockdale　retired　towards　his　own　apartment；　saying；　however；　to
Mrs。　Simpkins　from　the　landing；　as　if　on　second　thoughts；　'I　suppose
there　is　nothing　the　matter　with　Mrs。　Newberry；　that　I　could　not
wake　her？'

'O　no；'　said　the　old　lady　hastil