wessex tales-第55章

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'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　waiting　for　him　to　say　something　more。

'You　don't　offer　to　come　with　me；'　she　added　at　last。　　'I　suppose
that's　because　you　hate　me　after　all　this？'

'Can　you　say　it；　Lizzy；　when　you　know　I　only　want　to　save　you　from
such　practices？　　Come　with　you　of　course　I　will；　if　it　is　only　to
take　care　of　you。　　But　why　will　you　go　out　again？'

'Because　I　cannot　rest　indoors。　　Something　is　happening；　and　I　must
know　what。　　Now；　come！'　　And　they　went　into　the　dusk　together。

When　they　reached　the　turnpike…road　she　turned　to　the　right；　and　he
soon　perceived　that　they　were　following　the　direction　of　the
excisemen　and　their　load。　　He　had　given　her　his　arm；　and　every　now
and　then　she　suddenly　pulled　it　back；　to　signify　that　he　was　to　halt
a　moment　and　listen。　　They　had　walked　rather　quickly　along　the　first
quarter　of　a　mile；　and　on　the　second　or　third　time　of　standing　still
she　said；　'I　hear　them　aheaddon't　you？'

'Yes；'　he　said；　'I　hear　the　wheels。　　But　what　of　that？'

'I　only　want　to　know　if　they　get　clear　away　from　the　neighbourhood。'

'Ah；'　said　he；　a　light　breaking　upon　him。　　'Something　desperate　is
to　be　attempted！and　now　I　remember　there　was　not　a　man　about　the
village　when　we　left。'

'Hark！'　she　murmured。　　The　noise　of　the　cartwheels　had　stopped；　and
given　place　to　another　sort　of　sound。

''Tis　a　scuffle！'　said　Stockdale。　　'There'll　be　murder！　　Lizzy；　let
go　my　arm；　I　am　going　on。　　On　my　conscience；　I　must　not　stay　here
and　do　nothing！'

'There'll　be　no　murder；　and　not　even　a　broken　head；'　she　said。　　'Our
men　are　thirty　to　four　of　them：　　no　harm　will　be　done　at　all。'

'Then　there　IS　an　attack！'　exclaimed　Stockdale；　'and　you　knew　it　was
to　be。　　Why　should　you　side　with　men　who　break　the　laws　like　this？'

'Why　should　you　side　with　men　who　take　from　country　traders　what
they　have　honestly　bought　wi'　their　own　money　in　France？'　said　she
firmly。

'They　are　not　honestly　bought；'　said　he。

'They　are；'　she　contradicted。　　'I　and　Owlett　and　the　others　paid
thirty　shillings　for　every　one　of　the　tubs　before　they　were　put　on
board　at　Cherbourg；　and　if　a　king　who　is　nothing　to　us　sends　his
people　to　steal　our　property；　we　have　a　right　to　steal　it　back
again。'

Stockdale　did　not　stop　to　argue　the　matter；　but　went　quickly　in　the
direction　of　the　noise；　Lizzy　keeping　at　his　side。　　'Don't　you
interfere；　will　you；　dear　Richard？'　she　said　anxiously；　as　they　drew
near。　　'Don't　let　us　go　any　closer：　　'tis　at　Warm'ell　Cross　where
they　are　seizing　'em。　　You　can　do　no　good；　and　you　may　meet　with　a
hard　blow！'

'Let　us　see　first　what　is　going　on；'　he　said。　　But　before　they　had
got　much　further　the　noise　of　the　cartwheels　began　again；　and
Stockdale　soon　found　that　they　were　coming　towards　him。　　In　another
minute　the　three　carts　came　up；　and　Stockdale　and　Lizzy　stood　in　the
ditch　to　let　them　pass。

Instead　of　being　conducted　by　four　men；　as　had　happened　when　they
went　out　of　the　village；　the　horses　and　carts　were　now　accompanied
by　a　body　of　from　twenty　to　thirty；　all　of　whom；　as　Stockdale
perceived　to　his　astonishment；　had　blackened　faces。　　Among　them
walked　six　or　eight　huge　female　figures；　whom；　from　their　wide
strides；　Stockdale　guessed　to　be　men　in　disguise。　　As　soon　as　the
party　discerned　Lizzy　and　her　companion　four　or　five　fell　back；　and
when　the　carts　had　passed；　came　close　to　the　pair。

'There　is　no　walking　up　this　way　for　the　present；'　said　one　of　the
gaunt　women；　who　wore　curls　a　foot　long；　dangling　down　the　sides　of
her　face；　in　the　fashion　of　the　time。　　Stockdale　recognized　this
lady's　voice　as　Owlett's。

'Why　not？'　said　Stockdale。　　'This　is　the　public　highway。'

'Now　look　here；　youngster；'　said　Owlett。　　'O；　'tis　the　Methodist
parson！what；　and　Mrs。　Newberry！　　Well；　you'd　better　not　go　up　that
way；　Lizzy。　　They've　all　run　off；　and　folks　have　got　their　own
again。'

The　miller　then　hastened　on　and　joined　his　comrades。　　Stockdale　and
Lizzy　also　turned　back。　　'I　wish　all　this　hadn't　been　forced　upon
us；'　she　said　regretfully。　　'But　if　those　excisemen　had　got　off　with
the　tubs；　half　the　people　in　the　parish　would　have　been　in　want　for
the　next　month　or　two。'

Stockdale　was　not　paying　much　attention　to　her　words；　and　he　said；
'I　don't　think　I　can　go　back　like　this。　　Those　four　poor　excisemen
may　be　murdered　for　all　I　know。'

'Murdered！'　said　Lizzy　impatiently。　　'We　don't　do　murder　here。'

'Well；　I　shall　go　as　far　as　Warm'ell　Cross　to　see；'　said　Stockdale
decisively；　and；　without　wishing　her　safe　home　or　anything　else；　the
minister　turned　back。　　Lizzy　stood　looking　at　him　till　his　form　was
absorbed　in　the　shades；　and　then；　with　sadness；　she　went　in　the
direction　of　Nether…Moynton。

The　road　was　lonely；　and　after　nightfall　at　this　time　of　the　year
there　was　often　not　a　passer　for　hours。　　Stockdale　pursued　his　way
without　hearing　a　sound　beyond　that　of　his　own　footsteps；　and　in　due
time　he　passed　beneath　the　trees　of　the　plantation　which　surrounded
the　Warm'ell　Cross…road。　　Before　he　had　reached　the　point　of
intersection　he　heard　voices　from　the　thicket。

'Hoi…hoi…hoi！　　Help；　help！'

The　voices　were　not　at　all　feeble　or　despairing；　but　they　were
unmistakably　anxious。　　Stockdale　had　no　weapon；　and　before　plunging
into　the　pitchy　darkness　of　the　plantation　he　pulled　a　stake　from
the　hedge；　to　use　in　case　of　need。　　When　he　got　among　the　trees　he
shouted'What's　the　matterwhere　are　you？'

'Here；'　answered　the　voices；　and；　pushing　through　the　brambles　in
that　direction；　he　came　near　the　objects　of　his　search。

'Why　don't　you　come　forward？'　said　Stockdale。

'We　be　tied　to　the　trees！'

'Who　are　you？'

'Poor　Will　Latimer　the　exciseman！'　said　one　plaintively。　　'Just　come
and　cut　these　cords；　there's　a　good　man。　　We　were　afraid　nobody
would　pass　by　to…night。'

Stockdale　soon　loosened　them；　upon　which　they　stretched　their　limbs
and　stood　at　their　ease。

'The　rascals！'　said　Latimer；　getting　now　into　a　rage；　though　he　had
seemed　quite　meek　when　Stockdale　first　came　up。　　''Tis　the　same　set
of　fellows。　　I　know　they　were　Moynton　chaps　to　a　man。'

'But　we　can't　swear　to　'em；'　said　another。　　'Not　one　of　'em　spoke。'

'What　are　you　going　to　do？'　said　Stockdale。

'I'd　fain　go　back　to　Moynton；　and　have　at　'em　again！'　said　Latimer。

'So　would　we！'　said　his　comrades。

'Fight　till　we　die！'　said　Latimer。

'We　will；　we　will！'　said　his　men。

'But；'　said　Latimer；　more　frigidly；　as　they　came　out　of　the
plantation；　'we　don't　KNOW　that　these　chaps　with　black　faces　were
Moynton　men？　　And　proof　is　a　hard　thing。'

'So　it　is；'　said　the　rest。

'And　therefore　we　won't　do　nothing　at　all；'　said　Latimer；　with
complete　dispassionateness。　　'For　my　part；　I'd　sooner　be　them　than
we。　　The　clitches　of　my　arms　are　burning　like　fire　from　the　cords
those　two　strapping　women　tied　round　'em。　　My　opinion　is；　now　I　have
had　time　to　think　o't；　that　you　may　serve　your　Gover'ment　at　too
high　a　price。　　For　these　two　nights　and　days　I　have　not　had　an
hour's　rest；　and；　please　God；　here's　for　home…along。'

The　other　officers　agreed　heartily　to　this　course；　and；　thanking
Stockdale　for　his　timely　assistance；　they　parted　from　him　at　the
Cross；　taking　themselves　the　western　road；　and　Stockdale　going　back
to　Nether…Moynton。

During　that　walk　the　minister　was　lost　in　reverie　of　the　most
painful　kind。　　As　soon　as　he　got　into　the　house；　and　before　entering
his　own　rooms；　he　advanced　to　the　door　of　the　little　back　parlour　in
which　Lizzy　usually　sat　with　her　mother。　　He　found　her　there　alone。
Stockdale　went　forward；　and；　like　a　man　in　a　dream；　looked　down　upon
the　table　that　stood　between　him　and　the　young　woman；　who　had　her
bonnet　and　cloak　still　on。　　As　he　did　not　speak；　she　looked　up　from
her　chair　at　him；　with　misgiving　in　her　eye。

'Where　are　they　gone？'　he　then　said　listlessly。

'Who？I　don't　know。　　I　have　seen　nothing　of　them　since。　　I　came
straight　in　here。'

'If　your　men　can　manage　to　get　off　with　those　tubs；　it　will　be　a
great　profit　to　you；　I　suppose？'

'A　share　will　be　mine；　a　share　my　cousin