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第32节

five tales-第32节

小说: five tales 字数: 每页4000字

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place sat two small boys; idle; and good as gold; on the other sat a stout; light…eyed; red…faced youth with hair and lashes the colour of the tow he was running through the barrel of a gun; between them Mrs。 Narracombe dreamily stirred some savoury…scented stew in a large pot。  Two other youths; oblique…eyed; dark…haired; rather sly… faced; like the two little boys; were talking together and lolling against the wall; and a short; elderly; clean…shaven man in corduroys; seated in the window; was conning a battered journal。  The girl Megan seemed the only active creature…drawing cider and passing with the jugs from cask to table。  Seeing them thus about to eat; Garton said:

〃Ah!  If you'll let us; we'll come back when supper's over;〃 and without waiting for an answer they withdrew again to the parlour。 But the colour in the kitchen; the warmth; the scents; and all those faces; heightened the bleakness of their shiny room; and they resumed their seats moodily。

〃Regular gipsy type; those boys。  There was only one Saxonthe fellow cleaning the gun。  That girl is a very subtle study psychologically。〃

Ashurst's lips twitched。  Garton seemed to him an ass just then。 Subtle study!  She was a wild flower。  A creature it did you good to look at。  Study!

Garton went on:

〃Emotionally she would be wonderful。  She wants awakening。〃

〃Are you going to awaken her?〃

Garton looked at him and smiled。  'How coarse and English you are!' that curly smile seemed saying。

And Ashurst puffed his pipe。  Awaken her! That fool had the best opinion of himself!  He threw up the window and leaned out。  Dusk had gathered thick。  The farm buildings and the wheel…house were all dim and bluish; the apple trees but a blurred wilderness; the air smelled of woodsmoke from the kitchen fire。  One bird going to bed later than the others was uttering a half…hearted twitter; as though surprised at the darkness。  From the stable came the snuffle and stamp of a feeding horse。  And away over there was the loom of the moor; and away and away the shy stars which had not as yet full light; pricking white through the deep blue heavens。  A quavering owl hooted。 Ashurst drew a deep breath。  What a night to wander out in!  A padding of unshod hoofs came up the lane; and three dim; dark shapes passedponies on an evening march。  Their heads; black and fuzzy; showed above the gate。  At the tap of his pipe; and a shower of little sparks; they shied round and scampered。  A bat went fluttering past; uttering its almost inaudible 〃chip; chip。〃  Ashurst held out his hand; on the upturned palm he could feel the dew。  Suddenly from overhead he heard little burring boys' voices; little thumps of boots thrown down; and another voice; crisp and softthe girl's putting them to bed; no doubt; and nine clear words 〃No; Rick; you can't have the cat in bed〃; then came a skirmish of giggles and gurgles; a soft slap; a laugh so low and pretty that it made him shiver a little。  A blowing sound; and the glim of the candle which was fingering the dusk above; went out; silence reigned。  Ashurst withdrew into the room and sat down; his knee pained him; and his soul felt gloomy。

〃You go to the kitchen;〃 he said; 〃I'm going to bed。〃




3

For Ashurst the wheel of slumber was wont to turn noiseless and slick and swift; but though he seemed sunk in sleep when his companion came up; he was really wide awake; and long after Carton; smothered in the other bed of that low…roofed room; was worshipping darkness with his upturned nose; he heard the owls。  Barring the discomfort of his knee; it was not unpleasantthe cares of life did not loom large in night watches for this young man。  In fact he had none; just enrolled a barrister; with literary aspirations; the world before him; no father or mother; and four hundred a year of his own。  Did it matter where he went; what he did; or when he did it?  His bed; too; was hard; and this preserved him from fever。  He lay; sniffing the scent of the night which drifted into the low room through the open casement close to his head。  Except for a definite irritation with his friend; natural when you have tramped with a man for three days; Ashurst's memories and visions that sleepless night were kindly and wistful and exciting。  One vision; specially clear and unreasonable; for he had not even been conscious of noting it; was the face of the youth cleaning the gun; its intent; stolid; yet startled uplook at the kitchen doorway; quickly shifted to the girl carrying the cider jug。  This red; blue…eyed; light…lashed; tow…haired face stuck as firmly in his memory as the girl's own face; so dewy and simple。  But at last; in the square of darkness through the uncurtained casement; he saw day coming; and heard one hoarse and sleepy caw。  Then followed silence; dead as ever; till the song of a blackbird; not properly awake; adventured into the hush。  And; from staring at the framed brightening light; Ashurst fell asleep。

Next day his knee was badly swollen; the walking tour was obviously over。  Garton; due back in London on the morrow; departed at midday with an ironical smile which left a scar of irritationhealed the moment his loping figure vanished round the corner of the steep lane。 All day Ashurst rested his knee; in a green…painted wooden chair on the patch of grass by the yew…tree porch; where the sunlight distilled the scent of stocks and gillyflowers; and a ghost of scent from the flowering…currant bushes。  Beatifically he smoked; dreamed; watched。

A farm in spring is all birth…young things coming out of bud and shell; and human beings watching over the process with faint excitement feeding and tending what has been born。  So still the young man sat; that a mother…goose; with stately cross…footed waddle; brought her six yellow…necked grey…backed goslings to strop their little beaks against the grass blades at his feet。  Now and again Mrs。 Narracombe or the girl Megan would come and ask if he wanted anything; and he would smile and say: 〃Nothing; thanks。  It's splendid here。〃  Towards tea…time they came out together; bearing a long poultice of some dark stuff in a bowl; and after a long and solemn scrutiny of his swollen knee; bound it on。  When they were gone; he thought of the girl's soft 〃Oh!〃of her pitying eyes; and the little wrinkle in her brow。  And again he felt that unreasoning irritation against his departed friend; who had talked such rot about her。  When she brought out his tea; he said:

〃How did you like my friend; Megan?〃

She forced down her upper lip; as if afraid that to smile was not polite。  〃He was a funny gentleman; he made us laugh。  I think he is very clever。〃

〃What did he say to make you laugh?〃

〃He said I was a daughter of the bards。  What are they?〃

〃Welsh poets; who lived hundreds of years ago。〃

〃Why am I their daughter; please?〃

〃He meant that you were the sort of girl they sang about。〃

She wrinkled her brows。  〃I think he likes to joke。  Am I?〃

〃Would you believe me; if I told you?〃

〃Oh; yes。〃

〃Well; I think he was right。〃

She smiled。

And Ashurst thought: 'You are a pretty thing!'

〃He said; too; that Joe was a Saxon type。  What would that be?〃

〃Which is Joe?  With the blue eyes and red face?〃

〃Yes。  My uncle's nephew。〃

〃Not your cousin; then?〃

〃No。〃

〃Well; he meant that Joe was like the men who came over to England about fourteen hundred years ago; and conquered it。〃

〃Oh!  I know about them; but is he?〃

〃Garton's crazy about that sort of thing; but I must say Joe does look a bit Early Saxon。〃

〃Yes。〃

That 〃Yes〃 tickled Ashurst。  It was so crisp and graceful; so conclusive; and politely acquiescent in what was evidently。  Greek to her。

〃He said that all the other boys were regular gipsies。  He should not have said that。  My aunt laughed; but she didn't like it; of course; and my cousins were angry。  Uncle was a farmerfarmers are not gipsies。  It is wrong to hurt people。〃

Ashurst wanted to take her hand and give it a squeeze; but he only answered:

〃Quite right; Megan。  By the way; I heard you putting the little ones to bed last night。〃

She flushed a little。  〃Please to drink your teait is getting cold。 Shall I get you some fresh?〃

〃Do you ever have time to do anything for yourself?〃

〃Oh!  Yes。〃

〃I've been watching; but I haven't seen it yet。

She wrinkled her brows in a puzzled frown; and her colour deepened。

When she was gone; Ashurst thought: 'Did she think I was chaffing her?  I wouldn't for the world!' He was at that age when to some men 〃Beauty's a flower;〃 as the poet says; and inspires in them the thoughts of chivalry。  Never very conscious of his surroundings; it was some time before he was aware that the youth whom Garton had called 〃a Saxon type〃 was standing outside the stable door; and a fine bit of colour he made in his soiled brown velvet…cords; muddy gaiters; and blue shirt; red…armed; red…faced; the sun turning his hair from tow to flax; immovably stolid; persistent; unsmiling he stood。  Then; seeing Ashurst looking at him; he crossed the yard at that gait of the young countryman always ashamed not to be slow and heavy…dwelling on each leg; and disappeared round the end of the house towards the kitchen entrance。  A chi

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