wessex tales-第54章

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each　side　of　the　tree；　and；　stooping　and　applying　their　hands　to　the
soil；　they　bodily　lifted　the　tree　and　the　turf　around　it。　　The
apple…tree　now　showed　itself　to　be　growing　in　a　shallow　box；　with
handles　for　lifting　at　each　of　the　four　sides。　　Under　the　site　of
the　tree　a　square　hole　was　revealed；　and　an　exciseman　went　and
looked　down。

'It　is　all　up　now；'　said　Owlett　quietly。　　'And　now　all　of　ye　get
down　before　they　notice　we　are　here；　and　be　ready　for　our　next　move。
I　had　better　bide　here　till　dark；　or　they　may　take　me　on　suspicion；
as　'tis　on　my　ground。　　I'll　be　with　ye　as　soon　as　daylight　begins　to
pink　in。'

'And　I？'　said　Lizzy。

'You　please　look　to　the　linch…pins　and　screws；　then　go　indoors　and
know　nothing　at　all。　　The　chaps　will　do　the　rest。'

The　ladder　was　replaced；　and　all　but　Owlett　descended；　the　men
passing　off　one　by　one　at　the　back　of　the　church；　and　vanishing　on
their　respective　errands。

Lizzy　walked　boldly　along　the　street；　followed　closely　by　the
minister。

'You　are　going　indoors；　Mrs。　Newberry？'　he　said。

She　knew　from　the　words　'Mrs。　Newberry'　that　the　division　between
them　had　widened　yet　another　degree。

'I　am　not　going　home；'　she　said。　　'I　have　a　little　thing　to　do
before　I　go　in。　　Martha　Sarah　will　get　your　tea。'

'O；　I　don't　mean　on　that　account；'　said　Stockdale。　　'What　CAN　you
have　to　do　further　in　this　unhallowed　affair？'

'Only　a　little；'　she　said。

'What　is　that？　　I'll　go　with　you。'

'No；　I　shall　go　by　myself。　　Will　you　please　go　indoors？　　I　shall　be
there　in　less　than　an　hour。'

'You　are　not　going　to　run　any　danger；　Lizzy？'　said　the　young　man；
his　tenderness　reasserting　itself。

'None　whateverworth　mentioning；'　answered　she；　and　went　down
towards　the　Cross。

Stockdale　entered　the　garden　gate；　and　stood　behind　it　looking　on。
The　excisemen　were　still　busy　in　the　orchard；　and　at　last　he　was
tempted　to　enter；　and　watch　their　proceedings。　　When　he　came　closer
he　found　that　the　secret　cellar；　of　whose　existence　he　had　been
totally　unaware；　was　formed　by　timbers　placed　across　from　side　to
side　about　a　foot　under　the　ground；　and　grassed　over。

The　excisemen　looked　up　at　Stockdale's　fair　and　downy　countenance；
and　evidently　thinking　him　above　suspicion；　went　on　with　their　work
again。　　As　soon　as　all　the　tubs　were　taken　out；　they　began　tearing
up　the　turf；　pulling　out　the　timbers；　and　breaking　in　the　sides；
till　the　cellar　was　wholly　dismantled　and　shapeless；　the　apple…tree
lying　with　its　roots　high　to　the　air。　　But　the　hole　which　had　in　its
time　held　so　much　contraband　merchandize　was　never　completely　filled
up；　either　then　or　afterwards；　a　depression　in　the　greensward
marking　the　spot　to　this　day。



CHAPTER　VIITHE　WALK　TO　WARM'ELL　CROSS　AND　AFTERWARDS



As　the　goods　had　all　to　be　carried　to　Budmouth　that　night；　the
excisemen's　next　object　was　to　find　horses　and　carts　for　the
journey；　and　they　went　about　the　village　for　that　purpose。　　Latimer
strode　hither　and　thither　with　a　lump　of　chalk　in　his　hand；　marking
broad…arrows　so　vigorously　on　every　vehicle　and　set　of　harness　that
he　came　across；　that　it　seemed　as　if　he　would　chalk　broad…arrows　on
the　very　hedges　and　roads。　　The　owner　of　every　conveyance　so　marked
was　bound　to　give　it　up　for　Government　purposes。　　Stockdale；　who　had
had　enough　of　the　scene；　turned　indoors　thoughtful　and　depressed。
Lizzy　was　already　there；　having　come　in　at　the　back；　though　she　had
not　yet　taken　off　her　bonnet。　　She　looked　tired；　and　her　mood　was
not　much　brighter　than　his　own。　　They　had　but　little　to　say　to　each
other；　and　the　minister　went　away　and　attempted　to　read；　but　at　this
he　could　not　succeed；　and　he　shook　the　little　bell　for　tea。

Lizzy　herself　brought　in　the　tray；　the　girl　having　run　off　into　the
village　during　the　afternoon；　too　full　of　excitement　at　the
proceedings　to　remember　her　state　of　life。　　However；　almost　before
the　sad　lovers　had　said　anything　to　each　other；　Martha　came　in　in　a
steaming　state。

'O；　there's　such　a　stoor；　Mrs。　Newberry　and　Mr。　Stockdale！　　The
king's　excisemen　can't　get　the　carts　ready　nohow　at　all！　　They
pulled　Thomas　Ballam's；　and　William　Rogers's；　and　Stephen　Sprake's
carts　into　the　road；　and　off　came　the　wheels；　and　down　fell　the
carts；　and　they　found　there　was　no　linch…pins　in　the　arms；　and　then
they　tried　Samuel　Shane's　waggon；　and　found　that　the　screws　were
gone　from　he；　and　at　last　they　looked　at　the　dairyman's　cart；　and
he's　got　none　neither！　　They　have　gone　now　to　the　blacksmith's　to
get　some　made；　but　he's　nowhere　to　be　found！'

Stockdale　looked　at　Lizzy；　who　blushed　very　slightly；　and　went　out
of　the　room；　followed　by　Martha　Sarah。　　But　before　they　had　got
through　the　passage　there　was　a　rap　at　the　front　door；　and　Stockdale
recognized　Latimer's　voice　addressing　Mrs。　Newberry；　who　had　turned
back。

'For　God's　sake；　Mrs。　Newberry；　have　you　seen　Hardman　the　blacksmith
up　this　way？　　If　we　could　get　hold　of　him；　we'd　e'en　a'most　drag　him
by　the　hair　of　his　head　to　his　anvil；　where　he　ought　to　be。'

'He's　an　idle　man；　Mr。　Latimer；'　said　Lizzy　archly。　　'What　do　you
want　him　for？'

'Why；　there　isn't　a　horse　in　the　place　that　has　got　more　than　three
shoes　on；　and　some　have　only　two。　　The　waggon…wheels　be　without
strakes；　and　there's　no　linch…pins　to　the　carts。　　What　with　that；
and　the　bother　about　every　set　of　harness　being　out　of　order；　we
shan't　be　off　before　nightfallupon　my　soul　we　shan't。　　'Tis　a
rough　lot；　Mrs。　Newberry；　that　you've　got　about　you　here；　but
they'll　play　at　this　game　once　too　often；　mark　my　words　they　will！
There's　not　a　man　in　the　parish　that　don't　deserve　to　be　whipped。'

It　happened　that　Hardman　was　at　that　moment　a　little　further　up　the
lane；　smoking　his　pipe　behind　a　holly…bush。　　When　Latimer　had　done
speaking　he　went　on　in　this　direction；　and　Hardman；　hearing　the
exciseman's　steps；　found　curiosity　too　strong　for　prudence。　　He
peeped　out　from　the　bush　at　the　very　moment　that　Latimer's　glance
was　on　it。　　There　was　nothing　left　for　him　to　do　but　to　come　forward
with　unconcern。

'I've　been　looking　for　you　for　the　last　hour！'　said　Latimer　with　a
glare　in　his　eye。

'Sorry　to　hear　that；'　said　Hardman。　　'I've　been　out　for　a　stroll；　to
look　for　more　hid　tubs；　to　deliver　'em　up　to　Gover'ment。'

'O　yes；　Hardman；　we　know　it；'　said　Latimer；　with　withering　sarcasm。
'We　know　that　you'll　deliver　'em　up　to　Gover'ment。　　We　know　that　all
the　parish　is　helping　us；　and　have　been　all　day！　　Now　you　please
walk　along　with　me　down　to　your　shop；　and　kindly　let　me　hire　ye　in
the　king's　name。'

They　went　down　the　lane　together；　and　presently　there　resounded　from
the　smithy　the　ring　of　a　hammer　not　very　briskly　swung。　　However；
the　carts　and　horses　were　got　into　some　sort　of　travelling
condition；　but　it　was　not　until　after　the　clock　had　struck　six；　when
the　muddy　roads　were　glistening　under　the　horizontal　light　of　the
fading　day。　　The　smuggled　tubs　were　soon　packed　into　the　vehicles；
and　Latimer；　with　three　of　his　assistants；　drove　slowly　out　of　the
village　in　the　direction　of　the　port　of　Budmouth；　some　considerable
number　of　miles　distant；　the　other　excisemen　being　left　to　watch　for
the　remainder　of　the　cargo；　which　they　knew　to　have　been　sunk
somewhere　between　Ringsworth　and　Lulstead　Cove；　and　to　unearth
Owlett；　the　only　person　clearly　implicated　by　the　discovery　of　the
cave。

Women　and　children　stood　at　the　doors　as　the　carts；　each　chalked
with　the　Government　pitchfork；　passed　in　the　increasing　twilight；
and　as　they　stood　they　looked　at　the　confiscated　property　with　a
melancholy　expression　that　told　only　too　plainly　the　relation　which
they　bore　to　the　trade。

'Well；　Lizzy；'　said　Stockdale；　when　the　crackle　of　the　wheels　had
nearly　died　away。　　'This　is　a　fit　finish　to　your　adventure。　　I　am
truly　thankful　that　you　have　got　off　without　suspicion；　and　the　loss
only　of　the　liquor。　　Will　you　sit　down　and　let　me　talk　to　you？'

'By　and　by；'　she　said。　　'But　I　must　go　out　now。'

'Not　to　that　horrid　shore　again？'　he　said　blankly。

'No；　not　there。　　I　am　only　going　to　see　the　end　of　this　day's
business。'

He　did　not　answer　to　this；　and　she　moved　towards　the　door　slowly；　as
if　waiti