还乡The Return Of The Native-第31部分

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“He　did　not　wish　to。　　You　are　not　friends　with　him；　he　says。　　He　would　like　the　wedding　to　be　the　day　after　tomorrow；　quite　privately；　at　the　church　of　his　parish—not　at　ours。”
“Oh！　And　what　did　you　say？”
“I　agreed　to　it；”　Thomasin　answered　firmly。　　“I　am　a　practical　woman　now。　　I　don’t　believe　in　hearts　at　all。　　I　would　marry　him　under　any　circumstances　since—since　Clym’s　letter。”
A　letter　was　lying　on　Mrs。　Yeobright’s　work…basket；　and　at　Thomasin’s　words　her　aunt　reopened　it；　and　silently　read　for　the　tenth　time　that　day：


What　is　the　meaning　of　this　silly　story　that　people　are　circulating　about　Thomasin　and　Mr。　Wildeve？　　I　should　call　such　a　scandal　humiliating　if　there　was　the　least　chance　of　its　being　true。　　How　could　such　a　gross　falsehood　have　arisen？　　It　is　said　that　one　should　go　abroad　to　hear　news　of　home；　and　I　appear　to　have　done　it。　　Of　course　I　contradict　the　tale　everywhere；　but　it　is　very　vexing；　and　I　wonder　how　it　could　have　originated。　　It　is　too　ridiculous　that　such　a　girl　as　Thomasin　could　so　mortify　us　as　to　get　jilted　on　the　wedding　day。　　What　has　she　done？


“Yes；”　Mrs。　Yeobright　said　sadly；　putting　down　the　letter。　　“If　you　think　you　can　marry　him；　do　so。　　And　since　Mr。　Wildeve　wishes　it　to　be　unceremonious；　let　it　be　that　too。　　I　can　do　nothing。　　It　is　all　in　your　own　hands　now。　　My　power　over　your　welfare　came　to　an　end　when　you　left　this　house　to　go　with　him　to　Anglebury。”　　She　continued；　half　in　bitterness；　“I　may　almost　ask；　why　do　you　consult　me　in　the　matter　at　all？　　If　you　had　gone　and　married　him　without　saying　a　word　to　me；　I　could　hardly　have　been　angry—simply　because；　poor　girl；　you　can’t　do　a　better　thing。”
“Don’t　say　that　and　dishearten　me。”
“You　are　right—I　will　not。”
“I　do　not　plead　for　him；　Aunt。　　Human　nature　is　weak；　and　I　am　not　a　blind　woman　to　insist　that　he　is　perfect。　　I　did　think　so；　but　I　don’t　now。　　But　I　know　my　course；　and　you　know　that　I　know　it。　　I　hope　for　the　best。”
“And　so　do　I；　and　we　will　both　continue　to；”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright；　rising　and　kissing　her。　　“Then　the　wedding；　if　it　es　off；　will　be　on　the　morning　of　the　very　day　Clym　es　home？”
“Yes。　I　decided　that　it　ought　to　be　over　before　he　came。　　After　that　you　can　look　him　in　the　face；　and　so　can　I。　Our　concealments　will　matter　nothing。”
Mrs。　Yeobright　moved　her　head　in　thoughtful　assent；　and　presently　said；　“Do　you　wish　me　to　give　you　away？　　I　am　willing　to　undertake　that；　you　know；　if　you　wish；　as　I　was　last　time。　　After　once　forbidding　the　banns　I　think　I　can　do　no　less。”
“I　don’t　think　I　will　ask　you　to　e；”　said　Thomasin　reluctantly；　but　with　decision。　　“It　would　be　unpleasant；　I　am　almost　sure。　　Better　let　there　be　only　strangers　present；　and　none　of　my　relations　at　all。　　I　would　rather　have　it　so。　　I　do　not　wish　to　do　anything　which　may　touch　your　credit；　and　I　feel　that　I　should　be　unfortable　if　you　were　there；　after　what　has　passed。　　I　am　only　your　niece；　and　there　is　no　necessity　why　you　should　concern　yourself　more　about　me。”
“Well；　he　has　beaten　us；”　her　aunt　said。　　“It　really　seems　as　if　he　had　been　playing　with　you　in　this　way　in　revenge　for　my　humbling　him　as　I　did　by　standing　up　against　him　at　first。”
“O　no；　Aunt；”　murmured　Thomasin。　
They　said　no　more　on　the　subject　then。　　Diggory　Venn’s　knock　came　soon　after；　and　Mrs。　Yeobright；　on　returning　from　her　interview　with　him　in　the　porch；　carelessly　observed；　“Another　lover　has　e　to　ask　for　you。”
“No？”
“Yes；　that　queer　young　man　Venn。”
“Asks　to　pay　his　addresses　to　me？”
“Yes；　and　I　told　him　he　was　too　late。”
Thomasin　looked　silently　into　the　candle…flame。　“Poor　Diggory！”　she　said；　and　then　aroused　herself　to　other　things。　
The　next　day　was　passed　in　mere　mechanical　deeds　of　preparation；　both　the　women　being　anxious　to　immerse　themselves　in　these　to　escape　the　emotional　aspect　of　the　situation。　　Some　wearing　apparel　and　other　articles　were　collected　anew　for　Thomasin；　and　remarks　on　domestic　details　were　frequently　made；　so　as　to　obscure　any　inner　misgivings　about　her　future　as　Wildeve’s　wife。　
The　appointed　morning　came。　　The　arrangement　with　Wildeve　was　that　he　should　meet　her　at　the　church　to　guard　against　any　unpleasant　curiosity　which　might　have　affected　them　had　they　been　seen　walking　off　together　in　the　usual　country　way。　
Aunt　and　niece　stood　together　in　the　bedroom　where　the　bride　was　dressing。　　The　sun；　where　it　could　catch　it；　made　a　mirror　of　Thomasin’s　hair；　which　she　always　wore　braided。　　It　was　braided　according　to　a　calendar　system—the　more　important　the　day　the　more　numerous　the　strands　in　the　braid。　　On　ordinary　working…days　she　braided　it　in　threes；　on　ordinary　Sundays　in　fours；　at　Maypolings；　gipsyings；　and　the　like；　she　braided　it　in　fives。　　Years　ago　she　had　said　that　when　she　married　she　would　braid　it　in　sevens。　　She　had　braided　it　in　sevens　today。　
“I　have　been　thinking　that　I　will　wear　my　blue　silk　after　all；”　she　said。　　“It　is　my　wedding　day；　even　though　there　may　be　something　sad　about　the　time。　　I　mean；”　she　added；　anxious　to　correct　any　wrong　impression；　“not　sad　in　itself；　but　in　its　having　had　great　disappointment　and　trouble　before　it。”
Mrs。　Yeobright　breathed　in　a　way　which　might　have　been　called　a　sigh。　　“I　almost　wish　Clym　had　been　at　home；”　she　said。　　“Of　course　you　chose　the　time　because　of　his　absence。”
“Partly。　I　have　felt　that　I　acted　unfairly　to　him　in　not　telling　him　all；　but；　as　it　was　done　not　to　grieve　him；　I　thought　I　would　carry　out　the　plan　to　its　end；　and　tell　the　whole　story　when　the　sky　was　clear。”
“You　are　a　practical　little　woman；”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright；　smiling。　　“I　wish　you　and　he—no；　I　don’t　wish　anything。　　There；　it　is　nine　o’clock；”　she　interrupted；　hearing　a　whizz　and　a　dinging　downstairs。
“I　told　Damon　I　would　leave　at　nine；”　said　Thomasin；　hastening　out　of　the　room。
Her　aunt　followed。　　When　Thomasin　was　going　up　the　little　walk　from　the　door　to　the　wicket…gate；　Mrs。　Yeobright　looked　reluctantly　at　her；　and　said；　“It　is　a　shame　to　let　you　go　alone。”
“It　is　necessary；”　said　Thomasin。
“At　any　rate；”　added　her　aunt　with　forced　cheerfulness；　“I　shall　call　upon　you　this　afternoon；　and　bring　the　cake　with　me。　　If　Clym　has　returned　by　that　time　he　will　perhaps　e　too。　
I　wish　to　show　Mr。　Wildeve　that　I　bear　him　no　ill…will。　　Let　the　past　be　forgotten。　　Well；　God　bless　you！　There；　I　don’t　believe　in　old　superstitions；　but　I’ll　do　it。”　She　threw　a　slipper　at　the　retreating　figure　of　the　girl；　who　turned；　smiled；　and　went　on　again。
A　few　steps　further；　and　she　looked　back。　　“Did　you　call　me；　Aunt？”　she　tremulously　inquired。　　“Good…bye！”
Moved　by　an　uncontrollable　feeling　as　she　looked　upon　Mrs。　Yeobright’s　worn；　wet　face；　she　ran　back；　when　her　aunt　came　forward；　and　they　met　again。　　“O—Tamsie；”　said　the　elder；　weeping；　“I　don’t　like　to　let　you　go。”
“I—I　am—“　Thomasin　began；　giving　way　likewise。
But；　quelling　her　grief；　she　said　“Good…bye！”　again　and　went　on。　
Then　Mrs。　Yeobright　saw　a　little　figure　wending　its　way　between　the　scratching　furze…bushes；　and　diminishing　far　up　the　valley—a　pale…blue　spot　in　a　vast　field　of　neutral　brown；　solitary　and　undefended　except　by　the　power　of　her　own　hope。　
But　the　worst　feature　in　the　case　was　one　which　did　not　appear　in　the　landscape；　it　was　the　man。　
The　hour　chosen　for　the　ceremony　by　Thomasin　and　Wildeve　had　been　so　timed　as　to　enable　her　to　escape　the　awkwardness　of　meeting　her　cousin　Clym；　who　was　returning　the　same　morning。　　To　own　to　the　partial　truth　of　what　he　had　heard　would　be　distressing　as　long　as　the　humiliating　position　resulting　from　the　event　was　unimproved。　　It　was　only　after　a　second　and　successful　journey　to　the　altar　that　she　could　lift　up　her　head　and　prove　the　failure　of　the　first　attempt　a　pure　accident。
She　had　not　been　gone　from　Blooms…End　more　than　half　an　hour　when　Yeobright　came　by　the　meads　from　the　other　direction　and　entered　the　house。　
“I　had　an　early　breakfast；”　he　said　to　his　mother　after　greeting　her。　　“Now　I　could　eat　a　little　more。”
They　sat　down　to　the　repeated　meal；　and　he　went　on　in　a　low；　anxious　voice；　apparently　imagining　that　Thomasin　had　not　yet　e　downstairs；　“What’s　this　I　have　heard　about　Thomasin　and　Mr。　Wildeve？”
“It　is　true　in　many　points；”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright　quietly；
“but　it　is　all　right　now；　I　hope。”　　She　looked　at　the　clock。　
“True？”
“Thomasin　is　gone　to　him　today。”
Clym　pushed　away　his　breakfast。　　“Then　there　is　a　scandal　of　some　sort；　and　that’s　what’s　the　matter　with　Thomasin。　　Was　it　this　that　made　her　ill？”
“Yes。　Not　a　scandal—a　misfortune。　　I　will　tell　you　all　about　it；　Clym。　　You　must　not　be　angry；　but　you　must　listen；　and　you’ll　find　that　what　we　have　done　has　been　done　for　the　best。”
She　then　told　him　the　circumstances。　　All　that　he　had　known　of　the　affair　before　he　returned　from　Paris　was　that　there　had　existed　an　attachment　between　Thomasin　and　Wildeve；　which　his　mother　had　at　first　discountenanced；　but　had　since；　owing　to　the　arguments　of　Thomasin；　looked　upon　in　a　little　more　favourable　light。　　When　she；　therefore；　proceeded　to　explain　all　he　was　greatly　surprised　and　troubled。　
“And　she　determined　that　the　wedding　should　be　over　before　you　came　back；”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright；　“that　there　might　be　no　chance　of　her　meeting　you；　and　having　a　very　painful　time　of　it。　　That’s　why　she　has　gone　to　him；　they　have　arranged　to　be　married　this　morning。”
“But　I　can’t　understand　it；”　said　Yeobright；　rising。　　“’Tis　so　unlike　her。　　I　can　see　why　you　did　not　write　to　me　after　her　unfortunate　return　home。　　But　why　didn’t　you　let　me　know　when　the　wedding　was　going　to　be—the　first　time？”
“Well；　I　felt　vexed　with　her　just　then。　　She　seemed　to　me　to　be　obstinate；　and　when　I　found　that　you　were　nothing　in　her　mind　I　vowed　that　she　should　be　nothing　in　yours。　　I　felt　that　she　was　only　my　niece　after　all；　I　told　her　she　might　marry；　but　that　I　should　take　no　interest　in　it；　and　should　not　bother　you　about　it　either。”
“It　wouldn’t　have　been　bothering　me。　　Mother；　you　did　wrong。”
“I　thought　it　might　disturb　you　in　your　business；　and　that　you　might　throw　up　your　situation；　or　injure　your　prospects　in　some　way　because　of　it；　so　I　said　no