wessex tales-第51章

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Each　man　on　reaching　the　top　was　seen　to　be　carrying　a　pair　of　tubs；
one　on　his　back　and　one　on　his　chest；　the　two　being　slung　together
by　cords　passing　round　the　chine　hoops；　and　resting　on　the　carrier's
shoulders。　　Some　of　the　stronger　men　carried　three　by　putting　an
extra　one　on　the　top　behind；　but　the　customary　load　was　a　pair；
these　being　quite　weighty　enough　to　give　their　bearer　the　sensation
of　having　chest　and　backbone　in　contact　after　a　walk　of　four　or　five
miles。

'Where　is　Owlett？'　said　Lizzy　to　one　of　them。

'He　will　not　come　up　this　way；'　said　the　carrier。　　'He's　to　bide　on
shore　till　we　be　safe　off。'　　Then；　without　waiting　for　the　rest；　the
foremost　men　plunged　across　the　down；　and；　when　the　last　had
ascended；　Lizzy　pulled　up　the　rope；　wound　it　round　her　arm；　wriggled
the　bar　from　the　sod；　and　turned　to　follow　the　carriers。

'You　are　very　anxious　about　Owlett's　safety；'　said　the　minister。

'Was　there　ever　such　a　man！'　said　Lizzy。　　'Why；　isn't　he　my　cousin？'

'Yes。　　Well；　it　is　a　bad　night's　work；'　said　Stockdale　heavily。
'But　I'll　carry　the　bar　and　rope　for　you。'

'Thank　God；　the　tubs　have　got　so　far　all　right；'　said　she。

Stockdale　shook　his　head；　and；　taking　the　bar；　walked　by　her　side
towards　the　downs；　and　the　moan　of　the　sea　was　heard　no　more。

'Is　this　what　you　meant　the　other　day　when　you　spoke　of　having
business　with　Owlett？'　the　young　man　asked。

'This　is　it；'　she　replied。　　'I　never　see　him　on　any　other　matter。'

'A　partnership　of　that　kind　with　a　young　man　is　very　odd。'

'It　was　begun　by　my　father　and　his；　who　were　brother…laws。'

Her　companion　could　not　blind　himself　to　the　fact　that　where　tastes
and　pursuits　were　so　akin　as　Lizzy's　and　Owlett's；　and　where　risks
were　shared；　as　with　them；　in　every　undertaking；　there　would　be　a
peculiar　appropriateness　in　her　answering　Owlett's　standing　question
on　matrimony　in　the　affirmative。　　This　did　not　soothe　Stockdale；　its
tendency　being　rather　to　stimulate　in　him　an　effort　to　make　the　pair
as　inappropriate　as　possible；　and　win　her　away　from　this　nocturnal
crew　to　correctness　of　conduct　and　a　minister's　parlour　in　some　far…
removed　inland　county。

They　had　been　walking　near　enough　to　the　file　of　carriers　for
Stockdale　to　perceive　that；　when　they　got　into　the　road　to　the
village；　they　split　up　into　two　companies　of　unequal　size；　each　of
which　made　off　in　a　direction　of　its　own。　　One　company；　the　smaller
of　the　two；　went　towards　the　church；　and　by　the　time　that　Lizzy　and
Stockdale　reached　their　own　house　these　men　had　scaled　the
churchyard　wall；　and　were　proceeding　noiselessly　over　the　grass
within。

'I　see　that　Owlett　has　arranged　for　one　batch　to　be　put　in　the
church　again；'　observed　Lizzy。　　'Do　you　remember　my　taking　you　there
the　first　night　you　came？'

'Yes；　of　course；'　said　Stockdale。　　'No　wonder　you　had　permission　to
broach　the　tubsthey　were　his；　I　suppose？'

'No；　they　were　notthey　were　mine；　I　had　permission　from　myself。
The　day　after　that　they　went　several　miles　inland　in　a　waggon…load
of　manure；　and　sold　very　well。'

At　this　moment　the　group　of　men　who　had　made　off　to　the　left　some
time　before　began　leaping　one　by　one　from　the　hedge　opposite　Lizzy's
house；　and　the　first　man；　who　had　no　tubs　upon　his　shoulders；　came
forward。

'Mrs。　Newberry；　isn't　it？'　he　said　hastily。

'Yes；　Jim；'　said　she。　　'What's　the　matter？'

'I　find　that　we　can't　put　any　in　Badger's　Clump　to…night；　Lizzy；'
said　Owlett。　　'The　place　is　watched。　　We　must　sling　the　apple…tree
in　the　orchet　if　there's　time。　　We　can't　put　any　more　under　the
church　lumber　than　I　have　sent　on　there；　and　my　mixen　hev　already
more　in　en　than　is　safe。'

'Very　well；'　she　said。　　'Be　quick　about　itthat's　all。　　What　can　I
do？'

'Nothing　at　all；　please。　　Ah；　it　is　the　minister！you　two　that
can't　do　anything　had　better　get　indoors　and　not　be　zeed。'

While　Owlett　thus　conversed；　in　a　tone　so　full　of　contraband　anxiety
and　so　free　from　lover's　jealousy；　the　men　who　followed　him　had　been
descending　one　by　one　from　the　hedge；　and　it　unfortunately　happened
that　when　the　hindmost　took　his　leap；　the　cord　slipped　which
sustained　his　tubs：　　the　result　was　that　both　the　kegs　fell　into　the
road；　one　of　them　being　stove　in　by　the　blow。

''Od　drown　it　all！'　said　Owlett；　rushing　back。

'It　is　worth　a　good　deal；　I　suppose？'　said　Stockdale。

'O　noabout　two　guineas　and　half　to　us　now；'　said　Lizzy　excitedly。
'It　isn't　thatit　is　the　smell！　　It　is　so　blazing　strong　before　it
has　been　lowered　by　water；　that　it　smells　dreadfully　when　spilt　in
the　road　like　that！　　I　do　hope　Latimer　won't　pass　by　till　it　is　gone
off。'

Owlett　and　one　or　two　others　picked　up　the　burst　tub　and　began　to
scrape　and　trample　over　the　spot；　to　disperse　the　liquor　as　much　as
possible；　and　then　they　all　entered　the　gate　of　Owlett's　orchard；
which　adjoined　Lizzy's　garden　on　the　right。　　Stockdale　did　not　care
to　follow　them；　for　several　on　recognizing　him　had　looked
wonderingly　at　his　presence；　though　they　said　nothing。　　Lizzy　left
his　side　and　went　to　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　looking　over　the
hedge　into　the　orchard；　where　the　men　could　be　dimly　seen　bustling
about；　and　apparently　hiding　the　tubs。　　All　was　done　noiselessly；
and　without　a　light；　and　when　it　was　over　they　dispersed　in
different　directions；　those　who　had　taken　their　cargoes　to　the
church　having　already　gone　off　to　their　homes。

Lizzy　returned　to　the　garden…gate；　over　which　Stockdale　was　still
abstractedly　leaning。　　'It　is　all　finished：　　I　am　going　indoors
now；'　she　said　gently。　　'I　will　leave　the　door　ajar　for　you。'

'O　noyou　needn't；'　said　Stockdale；　'I　am　coming　too。'

But　before　either　of　them　had　moved；　the　faint　clatter　of　horses'
hoofs　broke　upon　the　ear；　and　it　seemed　to　come　from　the　point　where
the　track　across　the　down　joined　the　hard　road。

'They　are　just　too　late！'　cried　Lizzy　exultingly。

'Who？'　said　Stockdale。

'Latimer；　the　riding…officer；　and　some　assistant　of　his。　　We　had
better　go　indoors。'

They　entered　the　house；　and　Lizzy　bolted　the　door。　　'Please　don't
get　a　light；　Mr。　Stockdale；'　she　said。

'Of　course　I　will　not；'　said　he。

'I　thought　you　might　be　on　the　side　of　the　king；'　said　Lizzy；　with
faintest　sarcasm。

'I　am；'　said　Stockdale。　　'But；　Lizzy　Newberry；　I　love　you；　and　you
know　it　perfectly　well；　and　you　ought　to　know；　if　you　do　not；　what　I
have　suffered　in　my　conscience　on　your　account　these　last　few　days！'

'I　guess　very　well；'　she　said　hurriedly。　　'Yet　I　don't　see　why。　　Ah；
you　are　better　than　I！'

The　trotting　of　the　horses　seemed　to　have　again　died　away；　and　the
pair　of　listeners　touched　each　other's　fingers　in　the　cold　'Good…
night'　of　those　whom　something　seriously　divided。　　They　were　on　the
landing；　but　before　they　had　taken　three　steps　apart；　the　tramp　of
the　horsemen　suddenly　revived；　almost　close　to　the　house。　　Lizzy
turned　to　the　staircase　window；　opened　the　casement　about　an　inch；
and　put　her　face　close　to　the　aperture。　　'Yes；　one　of　'em　is
Latimer；'　she　whispered。　　'He　always　rides　a　white　horse。　　One　would
think　it　was　the　last　colour　for　a　man　in　that　line。'

Stockdale　looked；　and　saw　the　white　shape　of　the　animal　as　it　passed
by；　but　before　the　riders　had　gone　another　ten　yards；　Latimer　reined
in　his　horse；　and　said　something　to　his　companion　which　neither
Stockdale　nor　Lizzy　could　hear。　　Its　drift　was；　however；　soon　made
evident；　for　the　other　man　stopped　also；　and　sharply　turning　the
horses'　heads　they　cautiously　retraced　their　steps。　　When　they　were
again　opposite　Mrs。　Newberry's　garden；　Latimer　dismounted；　and　the
man　on　the　dark　horse　did　the　same。

Lizzy　and　Stockdale；　intently　listening　and　observing　the
proceedings；　naturally　put　their　heads　as　close　as　possible　to　the
slit　formed　by　the　slightly　opened　casement；　and　thus　it　occurred
that　at　last　their　cheeks　came　positively　into　contact。　　They　went
on　listening；　as　if　they　did　not　know　of　the　singular　incident　which
had　happened　to　their　faces；　and　the　pressure　of　each　to　each　rather
increased　than　lessened　with　the　lapse　of　time。

They　could　hear　the　excisemen　sniffing　the　air　like　hounds　as　they
paced　slowly　along。　　When　they　reached