wessex tales-第52章

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They　could　hear　the　excisemen　sniffing　the　air　like　hounds　as　they
paced　slowly　along。　　When　they　reached　the　spot　where　the　tub　had
burst；　both　stopped　on　the　instant。

'Ay；　ay；　'tis　quite　strong　here；'　said　the　second　officer。　　'Shall
we　knock　at　the　door？'

'Well；　no；'　said　Latimer。　　'Maybe　this　is　only　a　trick　to　put　us　off
the　scent。　　They　wouldn't　kick　up　this　stink　anywhere　near　their
hiding…place。　　I　have　known　such　things　before。'

'Anyhow；　the　things；　or　some　of　'em；　must　have　been　brought　this
way；'　said　the　other。

'Yes；'　said　Latimer　musingly。　　'Unless　'tis　all　done　to　tole　us　the
wrong　way。　　I　have　a　mind　that　we　go　home　for　to…night　without
saying　a　word；　and　come　the　first　thing　in　the　morning　with　more
hands。　　I　know　they　have　storages　about　here；　but　we　can　do　nothing
by　this　owl's　light。　　We　will　look　round　the　parish　and　see　if
everybody　is　in　bed；　John；　and　if　all　is　quiet；　we　will　do　as　I
say。'

They　went　on；　and　the　two　inside　the　window　could　hear　them　passing
leisurely　through　the　whole　village；　the　street　of　which　curved
round　at　the　bottom　and　entered　the　turnpike　road　at　another
junction。　　This　way　the　excisemen　followed；　and　the　amble　of　their
horses　died　quite　away。

'What　will　you　do？'　said　Stockdale；　withdrawing　from　his　position。

She　knew　that　he　alluded　to　the　coming　search　by　the　officers；　to
divert　her　attention　from　their　own　tender　incident　by　the　casement；
which　he　wished　to　be　passed　over　as　a　thing　rather　dreamt　of　than
done。　　'O；　nothing；'　she　replied；　with　as　much　coolness　as　she　could
command　under　her　disappointment　at　his　manner。　　'We　often　have　such
storms　as　this。　　You　would　not　be　frightened　if　you　knew　what　fools
they　are。　　Fancy　riding　o'　horseback　through　the　place：　　of　course
they　will　hear　and　see　nobody　while　they　make　that　noise；　but　they
are　always　afraid　to　get　off；　in　case　some　of　our　fellows　should
burst　out　upon　'em；　and　tie　them　up　to　the　gate…post；　as　they　have
done　before　now。　　Good…night；　Mr。　Stockdale。'

She　closed　the　window　and　went　to　her　room；　where　a　tear　fell　from
her　eyes；　and　that　not　because　of　the　alertness　of　the　riding…
officers。



CHAPTER　VITHE　GREAT　SEARCH　AT　NETHER…MOYNTON



Stockdale　was　so　excited　by　the　events　of　the　evening；　and　the
dilemma　that　he　was　placed　in　between　conscience　and　love；　that　he
did　not　sleep；　or　even　doze；　but　remained　as　broadly　awake　as　at
noonday。　　As　soon　as　the　grey　light　began　to　touch　ever　so　faintly
the　whiter　objects　in　his　bedroom　he　arose；　dressed　himself；　and
went　downstairs　into　the　road。

The　village　was　already　astir。　　Several　of　the　carriers　had　heard
the　well…known　tramp　of　Latimer's　horse　while　they　were　undressing
in　the　dark　that　night；　and　had　already　communicated　with　each　other
and　Owlett　on　the　subject。　　The　only　doubt　seemed　to　be　about　the
safety　of　those　tubs　which　had　been　left　under　the　church　gallery…
stairs；　and　after　a　short　discussion　at　the　corner　of　the　mill；　it
was　agreed　that　these　should　be　removed　before　it　got　lighter；　and
hidden　in　the　middle　of　a　double　hedge　bordering　the　adjoining
field。　　However；　before　anything　could　be　carried　into　effect；　the
footsteps　of　many　men　were　heard　coming　down　the　lane　from　the
highway。

'Damn　it；　here　they　be；'　said　Owlett；　who；　having　already　drawn　the
hatch　and　started　his　mill　for　the　day；　stood　stolidly　at　the　mill…
door　covered　with　flour；　as　if　the　interest　of　his　whole　soul　was
bound　up　in　the　shaking　walls　around　him。

The　two　or　three　with　whom　he　had　been　talking　dispersed　to　their
usual　work；　and　when　the　excise　officers；　and　the　formidable　body　of
men　they　had　hired；　reached　the　village　cross；　between　the　mill　and
Mrs。　Newberry's　house；　the　village　wore　the　natural　aspect　of　a
place　beginning　its　morning　labours。

'Now；'　said　Latimer　to　his　associates；　who　numbered　thirteen　men　in
all；　'what　I　know　is　that　the　things　are　somewhere　in　this　here
place。　　We　have　got　the　day　before　us；　and　'tis　hard　if　we　can't
light　upon　'em　and　get　'em　to　Budmouth　Custom…house　before　night。
First　we　will　try　the　fuel…houses；　and　then　we'll　work　our　way　into
the　chimmers；　and　then　to　the　ricks　and　stables；　and　so　creep　round。
You　have　nothing　but　your　noses　to　guide　ye；　mind；　so　use　'em　to…day
if　you　never　did　in　your　lives　before。'

Then　the　search　began。　　Owlett；　during　the　early　part；　watched　from
his　mill…window；　Lizzy　from　the　door　of　her　house；　with　the　greatest
self…possession。　　A　farmer　down　below；　who　also　had　a　share　in　the
run；　rode　about　with　one　eye　on　his　fields　and　the　other　on　Latimer
and　his　myrmidons；　prepared　to　put　them　off　the　scent　if　he　should
be　asked　a　question。　　Stockdale；　who　was　no　smuggler　at　all；　felt
more　anxiety　than　the　worst　of　them；　and　went　about　his　studies　with
a　heavy　heart；　coming　frequently　to　the　door　to　ask　Lizzy　some
question　or　other　on　the　consequences　to　her　of　the　tubs　being
found。

'The　consequences；'　she　said　quietly；　'are　simply　that　I　shall　lose
'em。　　As　I　have　none　in　the　house　or　garden；　they　can't　touch　me
personally。'

'But　you　have　some　in　the　orchard？'

'Owlett　rents　that　of　me；　and　he　lends　it　to　others。　　So　it　will　be
hard　to　say　who　put　any　tubs　there　if　they　should　be　found。'

There　was　never　such　a　tremendous　sniffing　known　as　that　which　took
place　in　Nether…Moynton　parish　and　its　vicinity　this　day。　　All　was
done　methodically；　and　mostly　on　hands　and　knees。　　At　different
hours　of　the　day　they　had　different　plans。　　From　daybreak　to
breakfast…time　the　officers　used　their　sense　of　smell　in　a　direct
and　straightforward　manner　only；　pausing　nowhere　but　at　such　places
as　the　tubs　might　be　supposed　to　be　secreted　in　at　that　very　moment；
pending　their　removal　on　the　following　night。　　Among　the　places
tested　and　examined　were

Hollow　trees　　　　　　　　Cupboards　　　　　　　　　Culverts
Potato…graves　　　　　　　Clock…cases　　　　　　　Hedgerows
Fuel…houses　　　　　　　　　Chimney…flues　　　　　Faggot…ricks
Bedrooms　　　　　　　　　　　　Rainwater…butts　　　Haystacks
Apple…lofts　　　　　　　　　Pigsties　　　　　　　　　　Coppers　and　ovens。

After　breakfast　they　recommenced　with　renewed　vigour；　taking　a　new
line；　that　is　to　say；　directing　their　attention　to　clothes　that
might　be　supposed　to　have　come　in　contact　with　the　tubs　in　their
removal　from　the　shore；　such　garments　being　usually　tainted　with　the
spirit；　owing　to　its　oozing　between　the　staves。　　They　now　sniffed　at
…

Smock…frocks　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Smiths'　and　shoemakers'　aprons
Old　shirts　and　waistcoats　　　　Knee…naps　and　hedging…gloves
Coats　and　hats　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Tarpaulins
Breeches　and　leggings　　　　　　　　Market…cloaks
Women's　shawls　and　gowns　　　　　Scarecrows

And　as　soon　as　the　mid…day　meal　was　over；　they　pushed　their　search
into　places　where　the　spirits　might　have　been　thrown　away　in　alarm：…

Horse…ponds　　　　　　　Mixens　　　　　　　　　Sinks　in　yards
Stable…drains　　　　　Wet　ditches　　　　Road…scrapings；　and
Cinder…heaps　　　　　　Cesspools　　　　　　Back…door　gutters。

But　still　these　indefatigable　excisemen　discovered　nothing　more　than
the　original　tell…tale　smell　in　the　road　opposite　Lizzy's　house；
which　even　yet　had　not　passed　off。

'I'll　tell　ye　what　it　is；　men；'　said　Latimer；　about　three　o'clock　in
the　afternoon；　'we　must　begin　over　again。　　Find　them　tubs　I　will。'

The　men；　who　had　been　hired　for　the　day；　looked　at　their　hands　and
knees；　muddy　with　creeping　on　all　fours　so　frequently；　and　rubbed
their　noses；　as　if　they　had　almost　had　enough　of　it；　for　the
quantity　of　bad　air　which　had　passed　into　each　one's　nostril　had
rendered　it　nearly　as　insensible　as　a　flue。　　However；　after　a
moment's　hesitation；　they　prepared　to　start　anew；　except　three；
whose　power　of　smell　had　quite　succumbed　under　the　excessive　wear
and　tear　of　the　day。

By　this　time　not　a　male　villager　was　to　be　seen　in　the　parish。
Owlett　was　not　at　his　mill；　the　farmers　were　not　in　their　fields；
the　parson　was　not　in　his　garden；　the　smith　had　left　his　forge；　and
the　wheelwright's　shop　was　silent。

'Where　the　divil　are　the　folk　gone？'　said　Latimer；　waking　up　to　the
fact　of　their　absence；　and　looking　round。　　'I'll　have　'em　up　for
this！　　Why　don't　they　come　and　help　us？　　There's　not　a　man　about　the
place　but　the　Method