还乡The Return Of The Native-第56部分

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y　to　whose　characters　is　undiscoverable。　　He　was　not　so　young　as　to　be　absolutely　without　a　sense　that　sympathy　was　demanded；　he　was　not　old　enough　to　be　free　from　the　terror　felt　in　childhood　at　beholding　misery　in　adult　quarters　hither…to　deemed　impregnable；　and　whether　she　were　in　a　position　to　cause　trouble　or　to　suffer　from　it；　whether　she　and　her　affliction　were　something　to　pity　or　something　to　fear；　it　was　beyond　him　to　decide。　　He　lowered　his　eyes　and　went　on　without　another　word。　　Before　he　had　gone　half　a　mile　he　had　forgotten　all　about　her；　except　that　she　was　a　woman　who　had　sat　down　to　rest。　
Mrs。　Yeobright’s　exertions；　physical　and　emotional；　had　well…nigh　prostrated　her；　but　she　continued　to　creep　along　in　short　stages　with　long　breaks　between。　　The　sun　had　now　got　far　to　the　west　of　south　and　stood　directly　in　her　face；　like　some　merciless　incendiary；　brand　in　hand；　waiting　to　consume　her。　　With　the　departure　of　the　boy　all　visible　animation　disappeared　from　the　landscape；　though　the　intermittent　husky　notes　of　the　male　grasshoppers　from　every　tuft　of　furze　were　enough　to　show　that　amid　the　prostration　of　the　larger　animal　species　an　unseen　insect　world　was　busy　in　all　the　fullness　of　life。　
In　two　hours　she　reached　a　slope　about　three…fourths　the　whole　distance　from　Alderworth　to　her　own　home；　where　a　little　patch　of　shepherd’s…thyme　intruded　upon　the　path；　and　she　sat　down　upon　the　perfumed　mat　it　formed　there。　　In　front　of　her　a　colony　of　ants　had　established　a　thoroughfare　across　the　way；　where　they　toiled　a　never…ending　and　heavy…laden　throng。　　To　look　down　upon　them　was　like　observing　a　city　street　from　the　top　of　a　tower。　　She　remembered　that　this　bustle　of　ants　had　been　in　progress　for　years　at　the　same　spot—doubtless　those　of　the　old　times　were　the　ancestors　of　these　which　walked　there　now。　　She　leant　back　to　obtain　more　thorough　rest；　and　the　soft　eastern　portion　of　the　sky　was　as　great　a　relief　to　her　eyes　as　the　thyme　was　to　her　head。　　While　she　looked　a　heron　arose　on　that　side　of　the　sky　and　flew　on　with　his　face　towards　the　sun。　　He　had　e　dripping　wet　from　some　pool　in　the　valleys；　and　as　he　flew　the　edges　and　lining　of　his　wings；　his　thighs　and　his　breast　were　so　caught　by　the　bright　sunbeams　that　he　appeared　as　if　formed　of　burnished　silver。　　Up　in　the　zenith　where　he　was　seemed　a　free　and　happy　place；　away　from　all　contact　with　the　earthly　ball　to　which　she　was　pinioned；　and　she　wished　that　she　could　arise　uncrushed　from　its　surface　and　fly　as　he　flew　then。　
But；　being　a　mother；　it　was　inevitable　that　she　should　soon　cease　to　ruminate　upon　her　own　condition。　　Had　the　track　of　her　next　thought　been　marked　by　a　streak　in　the　air；　like　the　path　of　a　meteor；　it　would　have　shown　a　direction　contrary　to　the　heron’s；　and　have　descended　to　the　eastward　upon　the　roof　of　Clym’s　house。　


7　… The　Tragic　Meeting　of　Two　Old　Friends


He　in　the　meantime　had　aroused　himself　from　sleep；　sat　up；　and　looked　around。　　Eustacia　was　sitting　in　a　chair　hard　by　him；　and　though　she　held　a　book　in　her　hand　she　had　not　looked　into　it　for　some　time。　
“Well；　indeed！”　said　Clym；　brushing　his　eyes　with　his　hands。　　“How　soundly　I　have　slept！　I　have　had　such　a　tremendous　dream；　too—one　I　shall　never　forget。”
“I　thought　you　had　been　dreaming；”　said　she。　
“Yes。　It　was　about　my　mother。　　I　dreamt　that　I　took　you　to　her　house　to　make　up　differences；　and　when　we　got　there　we　couldn’t　get　in；　though　she　kept　on　crying　to　us　for　help。　　However；　dreams　are　dreams。　　What　o’clock　is　it；　Eustacia？”
“Half…past　two。”
“So　late；　is　it？　　I　didn’t　mean　to　stay　so　long。　　By　the　time　I　have　had　something　to　eat　it　will　be　after　three。”
“Ann　is　not　e　back　from　the　village；　and　I　thought　I　would　let　you　sleep　on　till　she　returned。”
Clym　went　to　the　window　and　looked　out。　　Presently　he　said；　musingly；　“Week　after　week　passes；　and　yet　Mother　does　not　e。　　I　thought　I　should　have　heard　something　from　her　long　before　this。”
Misgiving；　regret；　fear；　resolution；　ran　their　swift　course　of　expression　in　Eustacia’s　dark　eyes。　　She　was　face　to　face　with　a　monstrous　difficulty；　and　she　resolved　to　get　free　of　it　by　postponement。
“I　must　certainly　go　to　Blooms…End　soon；”　he　continued；　“and　I　think　I　had　better　go　alone。”　　He　picked　up　his　leggings　and　gloves；　threw　them　down　again；　and　added；　“As　dinner　will　be　so　late　today　I　will　not　go　back　to　the　heath；　but　work　in　the　garden　till　the　evening；　and　then；　when　it　will　be　cooler；　I　will　walk　to　Blooms…End。　　I　am　quite　sure　that　if　I　make　a　little　advance　Mother　will　be　willing　to　forget　all。　　It　will　be　rather　late　before　I　can　get　home；　as　I　shall　not　be　able　to　do　the　distance　either　way　in　less　than　an　hour　and　a　half。　　But　you　will　not　mind　for　one　evening；　dear？　　What　are　you　thinking　of　to　make　you　look　so　abstracted？”
“I　cannot　tell　you；”　she　said　heavily。　　“I　wish　we　didn’t　live　here；　Clym。　　The　world　seems　all　wrong　in　this　place。”
“Well—if　we　make　it　so。　　I　wonder　if　Thomasin　has　been　to　Blooms…End　lately。　　I　hope　so。　　But　probably　not；　as　she　is；　I　believe；　expecting　to　be　confined　in　a　month　or　so。　　I　wish　I　had　thought　of　that　before。　　Poor　Mother　must　indeed　be　very　lonely。”
“I　don’t　like　you　going　tonight。”
“Why　not　tonight？”
“Something　may　be　said　which　will　terribly　injure　me。”
“My　mother　is　not　vindictive；”　said　Clym；　his　colour　faintly　rising。　
“But　I　wish　you　would　not　go；”　Eustacia　repeated　in　a　low　tone。　　“If　you　agree　not　to　go　tonight　I　promise　to　go　by　myself　to　her　house　tomorrow；　and　make　it　up　with　her；　and　wait　till　you　fetch　me。”
“Why　do　you　want　to　do　that　at　this　particular　time；　when　at　every　previous　time　that　I　have　proposed　it　you　have　refused？”
“I　cannot　explain　further　than　that　I　should　like　to　see　her　alone　before　you　go；”　she　answered；　with　an　impatient　move　of　her　head；　and　looking　at　him　with　an　anxiety　more　frequently　seen　upon　those　of　a　sanguine　temperament　than　upon　such　as　herself。　
“Well；　it　is　very　odd　that　just　when　I　had　decided　to　go　myself　you　should　want　to　do　what　I　proposed　long　ago。　　If　I　wait　for　you　to　go　tomorrow　another　day　will　be　lost；　and　I　know　I　shall　be　unable　to　rest　another　night　without　having　been。　　I　want　to　get　this　settled；　and　will。　　You　must　visit　her　afterwards—it　will　be　all　the　same。”
“I　could　even　go　with　you　now？”
“You　could　scarcely　walk　there　and　back　without　a　longer　rest　than　I　shall　take。　　No；　not　tonight；　Eustacia。”
“Let　it　be　as　you　say；　then；”　she　replied　in　the　quiet　way　of　one　who；　though　willing　to　ward　off　evil　consequences　by　a　mild　effort；　would　let　events　fall　out　as　they　might　sooner　than　wrestle　hard　to　direct　them。
Clym　then　went　into　the　garden；　and　a　thoughtful　languor　stole　over　Eustacia　for　the　remainder　of　the　afternoon；　which　her　husband　attributed　to　the　heat　of　the　weather。　
In　the　evening　he　set　out　on　the　journey。　　Although　the　heat　of　summer　was　yet　intense　the　days　had　considerably　shortened；　and　before　he　had　advanced　a　mile　on　his　way　all　the　heath　purples；　browns；　and　greens　had　merged　in　a　uniform　dress　without　airiness　or　graduation；　and　broken　only　by　touches　of　white　where　the　little　heaps　of　clean　quartz　sand　showed　the　entrance　to　a　rabbit　burrow；　or　where　the　white　flints　of　a　footpath　lay　like　a　thread　over　the　slopes。　　In　almost　every　one　of　the　isolated　and　stunted　thorns　which　grew　here　and　there　a　nighthawk　revealed　his　presence　by　whirring　like　the　clack　of　a　mill　as　long　as　he　could　hold　his　breath；　then　stopping；　flapping　his　wings；　wheeling　round　the　bush；　alighting；　and　after　a　silent　interval　of　listening　beginning　to　whirr　again。　　At　each　brushing　of　Clym’s　feet　white　millermoths　flew　into　the　air　just　high　enough　to　catch　upon　their　dusty　wings　the　mellowed　light　from　the　west；　which　now　shone　across　the　depressions　and　levels　of　the　ground　without　falling　thereon　to　light　them　up。　
Yeobright　walked　on　amid　this　quiet　scene　with　a　hope　that　all　would　soon　be　well。　　Three　miles　on　he　came　to　a　spot　where　a　soft　perfume　was　wafted　across　his　path；　and　he　stood　still　for　a　moment　to　inhale　the　familiar　scent。　　It　was　the　place　at　which；　four　hours　earlier；　his　mother　had　sat　down　exhausted　on　the　knoll　covered　with　shepherd’s…thyme。　While　he　stood　a　sound　between　a　breathing　and　a　moan　suddenly　reached　his　ears。
He　looked　to　where　the　sound　came　from；　but　nothing　appeared　there　save　the　verge　of　the　hillock　stretching　against　the　sky　in　an　unbroken　line。　　He　moved　a　few　steps　in　that　direction；　and　now　he　perceived　a　recumbent　figure　almost　close　to　his　feet。　
Among　the　different　possibilities　as　to　the　person’s　individuality　there　did　not　for　a　moment　occur　to　Yeobright　that　it　might　be　one　of　his　own　family。　　Sometimes　furze…cutters　had　been　known　to　sleep　out　of　doors　at　these　times；　to　save　a　long　journey　homeward　and　back　again；　but　Clym　remembered　the　moan　and　looked　closer；　and　saw　that　the　form　was　feminine；　and　a　distress　came　over　him　like　cold　air　from　a　cave。　　But　he　was　not　absolutely　certain　that　the　woman　was　his　mother　till　he　stooped　and　beheld　her　face；　pallid；　and　with　closed　eyes。
His　breath　went；　as　it　were；　out　of　his　body　and　the　cry　of　anguish　which　would　have　escaped　him　died　upon　his　lips。　　During　the　momentary　interval　that　elapsed　before　he　became　conscious　that　something　must　be　done　all　sense　of　time　and　place　left　him；　and　it　seemed　as　if　he　and　his　mother　were　as　when　he　was　a　child　with　her　many　years　ago　on　this　heath　at　hours　similar　to　the　present。　　Then　he　awoke　to　activity；　and　bending　yet　lower　he　found　that　she　still　breathed；　and　that　her　breath　though　feeble　was　regular；　except　when　disturbed　by　an　occasional　gasp。　
“O；　what　is　it！　Mother；　are　you　very　ill—you　are　not　dying？”　he　cried；　pressing　his　lips　to　her　face。　　“I　am　your　Clym。　　How　did　you　e　here？　　What　does　it　all　mean？”
At　that　moment　the　chasm　in　their　lives　which　his　love　for　Eustacia　had　caused　was　not　remembered　by　Yeobright；　and　to　him　the　present　joined　continuously　with　that　friendly　past　that　had　been　their　experience　before　the　division。　
She　moved　her　lips；　appeared　to　know　him；　but　could　not　speak；　and　then　Clym　strove　to　consider　how　best　to　move　her；　as　it　would　be　nece