还乡The Return Of The Native-第42部分

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ot　appear。　　Nothing　had　as　yet　been　done　about　the　guineas；　for　Thomasin　feared　to　address　her　husband　again　on　the　subject；　and　Mrs。　Yeobright　had　insisted　upon　this。　

One　day　just　before　this　time　Wildeve　was　standing　at　the　door　of　the　Quiet　Woman。　　In　addition　to　the　upward　path　through　the　heath　to　Rainbarrow　and　Mistover；　there　was　a　road　which　branched　from　the　highway　a　short　distance　below　the　inn；　and　ascended　to　Mistover　by　a　circuitous　and　easy　incline。　　This　was　the　only　route　on　that　side　for　vehicles　to　the　captain’s　retreat。　　A　light　cart　from　the　nearest　town　descended　the　road；　and　the　lad　who　was　driving　pulled　up　in　front　of　the　inn　for　something　to　drink。
“You　e　from　Mistover？”　said　Wildeve。　
“Yes。　They　are　taking　in　good　things　up　there。　　Going　to　be　a　wedding。”　　And　the　driver　buried　his　face　in　his　mug。　
Wildeve　had　not　received　an　inkling　of　the　fact　before；　and　a　sudden　expression　of　pain　overspread　his　face。　　He　turned　for　a　moment　into　the　passage　to　hide　it。　
Then　he　came　back　again。　
“Do　you　mean　Miss　Vye？”　he　said。　　“How　is　it—that　she　can　be　married　so　soon？”
“By　the　will　of　God　and　a　ready　young　man；　I　suppose。”
“You　don’t　mean　Mr。　Yeobright？”
“Yes。　He　has　been　creeping　about　with　her　all　the　spring。”
“I　suppose—she　was　immensely　taken　with　him？”
“She　is　crazy　about　him；　so　their　general　servant　of　all　work　tells　me。　　And　that　lad　Charley　that　looks　after　the　horse　is　all　in　a　daze　about　it。　　The　stun…poll　has　got　fond…like　of　her。”
“Is　she　lively—is　she　glad？　　Going　to　be　married　so　soon—well！”
“It　isn’t　so　very　soon。”
“No；　not　so　very　soon。”
Wildeve　went　indoors　to　the　empty　room；　a　curious　heartache　within　him。　　He　rested　his　elbow　upon　the　mantelpiece　and　his　face　upon　his　hand。　　When　Thomasin　entered　the　room　he　did　not　tell　her　of　what　he　had　heard。　　The　old　longing　for　Eustacia　had　reappeared　in　his　soul—and　it　was　mainly　because　he　had　discovered　that　it　was　another　man’s　intention　to　possess　her。　
To　be　yearning　for　the　difficult；　to　be　weary　of　that　offered；　to　care　for　the　remote；　to　dislike　the　near；　it　was　Wildeve’s　nature　always。　　This　is　the　true　mark　of　the　man　of　sentiment。　　Though　Wildeve’s　fevered　feeling　had　not　been　elaborated　to　real　poetical　pass；　it　was　of　the　standard　sort。　　His　might　have　been　called　the　Rousseau　of　Egdon。　


7　… The　Morning　and　the　Evening　of　a　Day


The　wedding　morning　came。　　Nobody　would　have　imagined　from　appearances　that　Blooms…End　had　any　interest　in　Mistover　that　day。　　A　solemn　stillness　prevailed　around　the　house　of　Clym’s　mother；　and　there　was　no　more　animation　indoors。　　Mrs。　Yeobright；　who　had　declined　to　attend　the　ceremony；　sat　by　the　breakfast　table　in　the　old　room　which　municated　immediately　with　the　porch；　her　eyes　listlessly　directed　towards　the　open　door。　　It　was　the　room　in　which；　six　months　earlier；　the　merry　Christmas　party　had　met；　to　which　Eustacia　came　secretly　and　as　a　stranger。　　The　only　living　thing　that　entered　now　was　a　sparrow；　and　seeing　no　movements　to　cause　alarm；　he　hopped　boldly　round　the　room；　endeavoured　to　go　out　by　the　window；　and　fluttered　among　the　pot…flowers。　This　roused　the　lonely　sitter；　who　got　up；　released　the　bird；　and　went　to　the　door。　　She　was　expecting　Thomasin；　who　had　written　the　night　before　to　state　that　the　time　had　e　when　she　would　wish　to　have　the　money　and　that　she　would　if　possible　call　this　day。　
Yet　Thomasin　occupied　Mrs。　Yeobright’s　thoughts　but　slightly　as　she　looked　up　the　valley　of　the　heath；　alive　with　butterflies；　and　with　grasshoppers　whose　husky　noises　on　every　side　formed　a　whispered　chorus。　　A　domestic　drama；　for　which　the　preparations　were　now　being　made　a　mile　or　two　off；　was　but　little　less　vividly　present　to　her　eyes　than　if　enacted　before　her。　　She　tried　to　dismiss　the　vision；　and　walked　about　the　garden　plot；　but　her　eyes　ever　and　anon　sought　out　the　direction　of　the　parish　church　to　which　Mistover　belonged；　and　her　excited　fancy　clove　the　hills　which　divided　the　building　from　her　eyes。　　The　morning　wore　away。　　Eleven　o’clock　struck—could　it　be　that　the　wedding　was　then　in　progress？　　It　must　be　so。　　She　went　on　imagining　the　scene　at　the　church；　which　he　had　by　this　time　approached　with　his　bride。　　She　pictured　the　little　group　of　children　by　the　gate　as　the　pony　carriage　drove　up　in　which；　as　Thomasin　had　learnt；　they　were　going　to　perform　the　short　journey。　　Then　she　saw　them　enter　and　proceed　to　the　chancel　and　kneel；　and　the　service　seemed　to　go　on。　
She　covered　her　face　with　her　hands。　　“O；　it　is　a　mistake！”　she　groaned。　　“And　he　will　rue　it　some　day；　and　think　of　me！”
While　she　remained　thus；　overe　by　her　forebodings；　the　old　clock　indoors　whizzed　forth　twelve　strokes。　　Soon　after；　faint　sounds　floated　to　her　ear　from　afar　over　the　hills。　　The　breeze　came　from　that　quarter；　and　it　had　brought　with　it　the　notes　of　distant　bells；　gaily　starting　off　in　a　peal：　one；　two；　three；　four；　five。　　The　ringers　at　East　Egdon　were　announcing　the　nuptials　of　Eustacia　and　her　son。
“Then　it　is　over；”　she　murmured。　　“Well；　well！　and　life　too　will　be　over　soon。　　And　why　should　I　go　on　scalding　my　face　like　this？　　Cry　about　one　thing　in　life；　cry　about　all；　one　thread　runs　through　the　whole　piece。　　And　yet　we　say；　‘a　time　to　laugh！’”
Towards　evening　Wildeve　came。　　Since　Thomasin’s　marriage　Mrs。　Yeobright　had　shown　him　that　grim　friendliness　which　at　last　arises　in　all　such　cases　of　undesired　affinity。　　The　vision　of　what　ought　to　have　been　is　thrown　aside　in　sheer　weariness；　and　browbeaten　human　endeavour　listlessly　makes　the　best　of　the　fact　that　is。　　Wildeve；　to　do　him　justice；　had　behaved　very　courteously　to　his　wife’s　aunt；　and　it　was　with　no　surprise　that　she　saw　him　enter　now。
“Thomasin　has　not　been　able　to　e；　as　she　promised　to　do；”　he　replied　to　her　inquiry；　which　had　been　anxious；　for　she　knew　that　her　niece　was　badly　in　want　of　money。　
“The　captain　came　down　last　night　and　personally　pressed　her　to　join　them　today。　　So；　not　to　be　unpleasant；　she　determined　to　go。　　They　fetched　her　in　the　pony…chaise；　and　are　going　to　bring　her　back。”
“Then　it　is　done；”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright。　　“Have　they　gone　to　their　new　home？”
“I　don’t　know。　　I　have　had　no　news　from　Mistover　since　Thomasin　left　to　go。”
“You　did　not　go　with　her？”　said　she；　as　if　there　might　be　good　reasons　why。
“I　could　not；”　said　Wildeve；　reddening　slightly。　　“We　could　not　both　leave　the　house；　it　was　rather　a　busy　morning；　on　account　of　Anglebury　Great　Market。　　I　believe　you　have　something　to　give　to　Thomasin？　　If　you　like；　I　will　take　it。”
Mrs。　Yeobright　hesitated；　and　wondered　if　Wildeve　knew　what　the　something　was。　　“Did　she　tell　you　of　this？”　she　inquired。　
“Not　particularly。　　She　casually　dropped　a　remark　about　having　arranged　to　fetch　some　article　or　other。”
“It　is　hardly　necessary　to　send　it。　　She　can　have　it　whenever　she　chooses　to　e。”
“That　won’t　be　yet。　　In　the　present　state　of　her　health　she　must　not　go　on　walking　so　much　as　she　has　done。”　He　added；　with　a　faint　twang　of　sarcasm；　“What　wonderful　thing　is　it　that　I　cannot　be　trusted　to　take？”
“Nothing　worth　troubling　you　with。”
“One　would　think　you　doubted　my　honesty；”　he　said；　with　a　laugh；　though　his　colour　rose　in　a　quick　resentfulness　frequent　with　him。　
“You　need　think　no　such　thing；”　said　she　drily。　　“It　is　simply　that　I；　in　mon　with　the　rest　of　the　world；　feel　that　there　are　certain　things　which　had　better　be　done　by　certain　people　than　by　others。”
“As　you　like；　as　you　like；”　said　Wildeve　laconically。　　“It　is　not　worth　arguing　about。　　Well；　I　think　I　must　turn　homeward　again；　as　the　inn　must　not　be　left　long　in　charge　of　the　lad　and　the　maid　only。”
He　went　his　way；　his　farewell　being　scarcely　so　courteous　as　his　greeting。　　But　Mrs。　Yeobright　knew　him　thoroughly　by　this　time；　and　took　little　notice　of　his　manner；　good　or　bad。
When　Wildeve　was　gone　Mrs。　Yeobright　stood　and　considered　what　would　be　the　best　course　to　adopt　with　regard　to　the　guineas；　which　she　had　not　liked　to　entrust　to　Wildeve。　　It　was　hardly　credible　that　Thomasin　had　told　him　to　ask　for　them；　when　the　necessity　for　them　had　arisen　from　the　difficulty　of　obtaining　money　at　his　hands。　　At　the　same　time　Thomasin　really　wanted　them；　and　might　be　unable　to　e　to　Blooms…End　for　another　week　at　least。　　To　take　or　send　the　money　to　her　at　the　inn　would　be　impolite；　since　Wildeve　would　pretty　surely　be　present；　or　would　discover　the　transaction；　and　if；　as　her　aunt　suspected；　he　treated　her　less　kindly　than　she　deserved　to　be　treated；　he　might　then　get　the　whole　sum　out　of　her　gentle　hands。　　But　on　this　particular　evening　Thomasin　was　at　Mistover；　and　anything　might　be　conveyed　to　her　there　without　the　knowledge　of　her　husband。　　Upon　the　whole　the　opportunity　was　worth　taking　advantage　of。　
Her　son；　too；　was　there；　and　was　now　married。　　There　could　be　no　more　proper　moment　to　render　him　his　share　of　the　money　than　the　present。　　And　the　chance　that　would　be　afforded　her；　by　sending　him　this　gift；　of　showing　how　far　she　was　from　bearing　him　ill…will；　cheered　the　sad　mother’s　heart。　
She　went　upstairs　and　took　from　a　locked　drawer　a　little　box；　out　of　which　she　poured　a　hoard　of　broad　unworn　guineas　that　had　lain　there　many　a　year。　　There　were　a　hundred　in　all；　and　she　divided　them　into　two　heaps；　fifty　in　each。　　Tying　up　these　in　small　canvas　bags；　she　went　down　to　the　garden　and　called　to　Christian　Cantle；　who　was　loitering　about　in　hope　of　a　supper　which　was　not　really　owed　him。　　Mrs。　Yeobright　gave　him　the　moneybags；　charged　him　to　go　to　Mistover；　and　on　no　account　to　deliver　them　into　any　one’s　hands　save　her　son’s　and　Thomasin’s。　On　further　thought　she　deemed　it　advisable　to　tell　Christian　precisely　what　the　two　bags　contained；　that　he　might　be　fully　impressed　with　their　importance。　　Christian　pocketed　the　moneybags；　promised　the　greatest　carefulness；　and　set　out　on　his　way。　
“You　need　not　hurry；”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright。　　“It　will　be　better　not　to　get　there　till　after　dusk；　and　then　nobody　will　notice　you。　　e　back　here　to　supper；　if　it　is　not　too　late。”
It　was　nearly　nine　o’clock　when　he　began　to　ascend　the　vale　towards　Mistover；　but　the　long　days　of　summer　being　at　their　cli