under the greenwood tree-第14节

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continued；　〃The　first　thing　he　done　when　he　came　here　was　to　be　hot

and　strong　about　church　business。〃



〃True；〃　said　Spinks；　〃that　was　the　very　first　thing　he　done。〃



Mr。　Penny；　having　now　been　offered　the　ear　of　the　assembly；　accepted

it；　ceased　stitching；　swallowed　an　unimportant　quantity　of　air　as　if

it　were　a　pill；　and　continued：



〃The　next　thing　he　do　do　is　to　think　about　altering　the　church；

until　he　found　'twould　be　a　matter　o'　cost　and　what　not；　and　then

not　to　think　no　more　about　it。〃



〃True：　　that　was　the　next　thing　he　done。〃



〃And　the　next　thing　was　to　tell　the　young　chaps　that　they　were　not

on　no　account　to　put　their　hats　in　the　christening　font　during

service。〃



〃True。〃



〃And　then　'twas　this；　and　then　'twas　that；　and　now　'tis〃



Words　were　not　forcible　enough　to　conclude　the　sentence；　and　Mr。

Penny　gave　a　huge　pull　to　signify　the　concluding　word。



〃Now　'tis　to　turn　us　out　of　the　quire　neck　and　crop；〃　said　the

tranter　after　an　interval　of　half　a　minute；　not　by　way　of　explaining

the　pause　and　pull；　which　had　been　quite　understood；　but　as　a　means

of　keeping　the　subject　well　before　the　meeting。



Mrs。　Penny　came　to　the　door　at　this　point　in　the　discussion。　　Like

all　good　wives；　however　much　she　was　inclined　to　play　the　Tory　to

her　husband's　Whiggism；　and　vice　versa；　in　times　of　peace；　she

coalesced　with　him　heartily　enough　in　time　of　war。



〃It　must　be　owned　he's　not　all　there；〃　she　replied　in　a　general　way

to　the　fragments　of　talk　she　had　heard　from　indoors。　　〃Far　below

poor　Mr。　Grinham〃　（the　late　vicar）。



〃Ay；　there　was　this　to　be　said　for　he；　that　you　were　quite　sure　he'd

never　come　mumbudgeting　to　see　ye；　just　as　you　were　in　the　middle　of

your　work；　and　put　you　out　with　his　fuss　and　trouble　about　ye。〃



〃Never。　　But　as　for　this　new　Mr。　Maybold；　though　he　mid　be　a　very

well…intending　party　in　that　respect；　he's　unbearable；　for　as　to

sifting　your　cinders；　scrubbing　your　floors；　or　emptying　your　slops；

why；　you　can't　do　it。　　I　assure　you　I've　not　been　able　to　empt　them

for　several　days；　unless　I　throw　'em　up　the　chimley　or　out　of

winder；　for　as　sure　as　the　sun　you　meet　him　at　the　door；　coming　to

ask　how　you　are；　and　'tis　such　a　confusing　thing　to　meet　a　gentleman

at　the　door　when　ye　are　in　the　mess　o'　washing。〃



〃'Tis　only　for　want　of　knowing　better；　poor　gentleman；〃　said　the

tranter。　　〃His　meaning's　good　enough。　　Ay；　your　pa'son　comes　by

fate：　　'tis　heads　or　tails；　like　pitch…halfpenny；　and　no　choosing；

so　we　must　take　en　as　he　is；　my　sonnies；　and　thank　God　he's　no

worse；　I　suppose。〃



〃I　fancy　I've　seen　him　look　across　at　Miss　Day　in　a　warmer　way　than

Christianity　asked　for；〃　said　Mrs。　Penny　musingly；　〃but　I　don't

quite　like　to　say　it。〃



〃O　no；　there's　nothing　in　that；〃　said　grandfather　William。



〃If　there's　nothing；　we　shall　see　nothing；〃　Mrs。　Penny　replied；　in

the　tone　of　a　woman　who　might　possibly　have　private　opinions　still。



〃Ah；　Mr。　Grinham　was　the　man！〃　said　Bowman。　　〃Why；　he　never　troubled

us　wi'　a　visit　from　year's　end　to　year's　end。　　You　might　go

anywhere；　do　anything：　　you'd　be　sure　never　to　see　him。〃



〃Yes；　he　was　a　right　sensible　pa'son；〃　said　Michael。　　〃He　never

entered　our　door　but　once　in　his　life；　and　that　was　to　tell　my　poor

wifeay；　poor　soul；　dead　and　gone　now；　as　we　all　shall　Ithat　as

she　was　such　a'　old　aged　person；　and　lived　so　far　from　the　church；

he　didn't　at　all　expect　her　to　come　any　more　to　the　service。〃



〃And　'a　was　a　very　jinerous　gentleman　about　choosing　the　psalms　and

hymns　o'　Sundays。　　'Confound　ye；'　says　he；　'blare　and　scrape　what　ye

will；　but　don't　bother　me！'〃



〃And　he　was　a　very　honourable　man　in　not　wanting　any　of　us　to　come

and　hear　him　if　we　were　all　on…end　for　a　jaunt　or　spree；　or　to　bring

the　babies　to　be　christened　if　they　were　inclined　to　squalling。

There's　good　in　a　man's　not　putting　a　parish　to　unnecessary

trouble。〃



〃And　there's　this　here　man　never　letting　us　have　a　bit　o'　peace；　but

keeping　on　about　being　good　and　upright　till　'tis　carried　to　such　a

pitch　as　I　never　see　the　like　afore　nor　since！〃



〃No　sooner　had　he　got　here　than　he　found　the　font　wouldn't　hold

water；　as　it　hadn't　for　years　off　and　on；　and　when　I　told　him　that

Mr。　Grinham　never　minded　it；　but　used　to　spet　upon　his　vinger　and

christen　'em　just　as　well；　'a　said；　'Good　Heavens！　　Send　for　a

workman　immediate。　　What　place　have　I　come　to！'　　Which　was　no

compliment　to　us；　come　to　that。〃



〃Still；　for　my　part；〃　said　old　William；　〃though　he's　arrayed　against

us；　I　like　the　hearty　borussnorus　ways　of　the　new　pa'son。〃



〃You；　ready　to　die　for　the　quire；〃　said　Bowman　reproachfully；　〃to

stick　up　for　the　quire's　enemy；　William！〃



〃Nobody　will　feel　the　loss　of　our　church…work　so　much　as　I；〃　said

the　old　man　firmly；　〃that　you　d'all　know。　　I've　a…been　in　the　quire

man　and　boy　ever　since　I　was　a　chiel　of　eleven。　　But　for　all　that

'tisn't　in　me　to　call　the　man　a　bad　man；　because　I　truly　and

sincerely　believe　en　to　be　a　good　young　feller。〃



Some　of　the　youthful　sparkle　that　used　to　reside　there　animated

William's　eye　as　he　uttered　the　words；　and　a　certain　nobility　of

aspect　was　also　imparted　to　him　by　the　setting　sun；　which　gave　him　a

Titanic　shadow　at　least　thirty　feet　in　length；　stretching　away　to

the　east　in　outlines　of　imposing　magnitude；　his　head　finally

terminating　upon　the　trunk　of　a　grand　old　oak…tree。



〃Mayble's　a　hearty　feller　enough；〃　the　tranter　replied；　〃and　will

spak　to　you　be　you　dirty　or　be　you　clane。　　The　first　time　I　met　en

was　in　a　drong；　and　though　'a　didn't　know　me　no　more　than　the　dead；

'a　passed　the　time　of　day。　　'D'ye　do？'　he　said；　says　he；　nodding　his

head。　　'A　fine　day。'　　Then　the　second　time　I　met　en　was　full…buff　in

town　street；　when　my　breeches　were　tore　into　a　long　strent　by

getting　through　a　copse　of　thorns　and　brimbles　for　a　short　cut　home…

along；　and　not　wanting　to　disgrace　the　man　by　spaking　in　that　state；

I　fixed　my　eye　on　the　weathercock　to　let　en　pass　me　as　a　stranger。

But　no：　　'How　d'ye　do；　Reuben？'　says　he；　right　hearty；　and　shook　my

hand。　　If　I'd　been　dressed　in　silver　spangles　from　top　to　toe；　the

man　couldn't　have　been　civiller。〃



At　this　moment　Dick　was　seen　coming　up　the　village…street；　and　they

turned　and　watched　him。







CHAPTER　III：　　A　TURN　IN　THE　DISCUSSION







〃I'm　afraid　Dick's　a　lost　man；〃　said　the　tranter。



〃What？no！〃　said　Mail；　implying　by　his　manner　that　it　was　a　far

commoner　thing　for　his　ears　to　report　what　was　not　said　than　that

his　judgment　should　be　at　fault。



〃Ay；〃　said　the　tranter；　still　gazing　at　Dick's　unconscious　advance。

〃I　don't　at　all　like　what　I　see！　　There's　too　many　o'　them　looks　out

of　the　winder　without　noticing　anything；　too　much　shining　of　boots；

too　much　peeping　round　corners；　too　much　looking　at　the　clock；

telling　about　clever　things　SHE　did　till　you　be　sick　of　it；　and　then

upon　a　hint　to　that　effect　a　horrible　silence　about　her。　　I've

walked　the　path　once　in　my　life　and　know　the　country；　neighbours；

and　Dick's　a　lost　man！〃　　The　tranter　turned　a　quarter　round　and

smiled　a　smile　of　miserable　satire　at　the　setting　new　moon；　which

happened　to　catch　his　eye。



The　others　became　far　too　serious　at　this　announcement　to　allow　them

to　speak；　and　they　still　regarded　Dick　in　the　distance。



〃'Twas　his　mother's　fault；〃　the　tranter　continued；　〃in　asking　the

young　woman　to　our　party　last　Christmas。　　When　I　eyed　the　blue　frock

and　light　heels　o'　the　maid；　I　had　my　thoughts　directly。　　'God　bless

thee；　Dicky　my　sonny；'　I　said　to　myself；　'there's　a　delusion　for

thee！'〃



〃They　seemed　to　be　rather　distant　in　manner　last　Sunday；　I　thought？〃

Mail　tentatively　observed；　as　became　one　who　was　not　a　member　of　the

family。



〃Ay；　that's　a　part　of　the　zickness。　　Distance　belongs　to　it；　slyness

belongs　to　it；　queerest　things　on　earth　belongs　to　it！　　There；　'tmay

as　well　come　early　as　late　s'far　as　I　know。　　The　sooner　begun；　the

sooner　over；　for　come　it　will。〃



〃The　question　I　ask　is；〃　said　Mr。　Spinks；　connecting　into　one　thread

the　two　subjects　of　discourse；　as　became　a　man　learned　in　rhetoric；

and　beating　with　his　hand　in　a　way　which　signified　that　the　manner

rather　than　the　matter　of　his　speech　was　to　be　observed；　〃how　did

Mr。　Maybold　know　she　could　play　the　organ？　　You　know　we　had　it　from

her　own　lips；　as　far　as　hips　go；　that　she　has　never；　first　or　last；

breathed　such　a　thing　to　him；　much　less　that　she　ever　would　play。〃



In　the　midst　of　this　puzzle　Dick　joined　the　party；　and　the　news

which　had　caused　such　a　convulsion　among　the　ancient　musicians　was

unfolded　to　him。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　blushing　at　the　allusion　to　Miss

Day；　〃I　know　by　some　words　of　hers　that　she　has　a　particular　wish

not　to　play；　because　she　is　a　friend　of　ours；　and　how　the　alteration

comes；　I　don't　know。〃



〃Now；　this　is　my　plan；〃　said　the　tranter；　reviving　the　spirit　of　th