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第16节

under the greenwood tree-第16节

小说: under the greenwood tree 字数: 每页4000字

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edge had made; vanished into the passage as Mr。 Maybold remarked;

〃Show them in; Jane。〃



A few minutes later a shuffling and jostling (reduced to as refined

a form as was compatible with the nature of shuffles and jostles)

was heard in the passage; then an earnest and prolonged wiping of

shoes; conveying the notion that volumes of mud had to be removed;

but the roads being so clean that not a particle of dirt appeared on

the choir's boots (those of all the elder members being newly oiled;

and Dick's brightly polished); this wiping might have been set down

simply as a desire to show that respectable men had no wish to take

a mean advantage of clean roads for curtailing proper ceremonies。

Next there came a powerful whisper from the same quarter:…



〃Now stand stock…still there; my sonnies; one and all!  And don't

make no noise; and keep your backs close to the wall; that company

may pass in and out easy if they want to without squeezing through

ye:  and we two are enough to go in。〃 。 。 。 The voice was the

tranter's。



〃I wish I could go in too and see the sight!〃 said a reedy voice

that of Leaf。



〃'Tis a pity Leaf is so terrible silly; or else he might;〃 said

another。



〃I never in my life seed a quire go into a study to have it out

about the playing and singing;〃 pleaded Leaf; 〃and I should like to

see it just once!〃



〃Very well; we'll let en come in;〃 said the tranter。  〃You'll be

like chips in porridge; {1} Leafneither good nor hurt。  All right;

my sonny; come along;〃 and immediately himself; old William; and

Leaf appeared in the room。



〃We took the liberty to come and see 'ee; sir;〃 said Reuben; letting

his hat hang in his left hand; and touching with his right the brim

of an imaginary one on his head。  〃We've come to see 'ee; sir; man

and man; and no offence; I hope?〃



〃None at all;〃 said Mr。 Maybold。



〃This old aged man standing by my side is father; William Dewy by

name; sir。〃



〃Yes; I see it is;〃 said the vicar; nodding aside to old William;

who smiled。



〃I thought you mightn't know en without his bass…viol;〃 the tranter

apologized。  〃You see; he always wears his best clothes and his

bass…viol a…Sundays; and it do make such a difference in a' old

man's look。〃



〃And who's that young man?〃 the vicar said。



〃Tell the pa'son yer name;〃 said the tranter; turning to Leaf; who

stood with his elbows nailed back to a bookcase。



〃Please; Thomas Leaf; your holiness!〃 said Leaf; trembling。



〃I hope you'll excuse his looks being so very thin;〃 continued the

tranter deprecatingly; turning to the vicar again。  〃But 'tisn't his

fault; poor feller。  He's rather silly by nature; and could never

get fat; though he's a' excellent treble; and so we keep him on。〃



〃I never had no head; sir;〃 said Leaf; eagerly grasping at this

opportunity for being forgiven his existence。



〃Ah; poor young man!〃 said Mr。 Maybold。



〃Bless you; he don't mind it a bit; if you don't; sir;〃 said the

tranter assuringly。  〃Do ye; Leaf?〃



〃Not Inot a morselhee; hee!  I was afeard it mightn't please

your holiness; sir; that's all。〃



The tranter; finding Leaf get on so very well through his negative

qualities; was tempted in a fit of generosity to advance him still

higher; by giving him credit for positive ones。  〃He's very clever

for a silly chap; good…now; sir。  You never knowed a young feller

keep his smock…frocks so clane; very honest too。  His ghastly looks

is all there is against en; poor feller; but we can't help our

looks; you know; sir。〃



〃True:  we cannot。  You live with your mother; I think; Leaf?〃



The tranter looked at Leaf to express that the most friendly

assistant to his tongue could do no more for him now; and that he

must be left to his own resources。



〃Yes; sir:  a widder; sir。  Ah; if brother Jim had lived she'd have

had a clever son to keep her without work!〃



〃Indeed! poor woman。  Give her this half…crown。  I'll call and see

your mother。〃



〃Say; 'Thank you; sir;'〃 the tranter whispered imperatively towards

Leaf。



〃Thank you; sir!〃 said Leaf。



〃That's it; then; sit down; Leaf;〃 said Mr。 Maybold。



〃Y…yes; sir!〃



The tranter cleared his throat after this accidental parenthesis

about Leaf; rectified his bodily position; and began his speech。



〃Mr。 Mayble;〃 he said; 〃I hope you'll excuse my common way; but I

always like to look things in the face。〃



Reuben made a point of fixing this sentence in the vicar's mind by

gazing hard at him at the conclusion of it; and then out of the

window。



Mr。 Maybold and old William looked in the same direction; apparently

under the impression that the things' faces alluded to were there

visible。



〃What I have been thinking〃the tranter implied by this use of the

past tense that he was hardly so discourteous as to be positively

thinking it then〃is that the quire ought to be gie'd a little

time; and not done away wi' till Christmas; as a fair thing between

man and man。  And; Mr。 Mayble; I hope you'll excuse my common way?〃



〃I will; I will。  Till Christmas;〃 the vicar murmured; stretching

the two words to a great length; as if the distance to Christmas

might be measured in that way。  〃Well; I want you all to understand

that I have no personal fault to find; and that I don't wish to

change the church music by forcible means; or in a way which should

hurt the feelings of any parishioners。  Why I have at last spoken

definitely on the subject is that a player has been brought underI

may say pressed uponmy notice several times by one of the

churchwardens。  And as the organ I brought with me is here waiting〃

(pointing to a cabinet…organ standing in the study); 〃there is no

reason for longer delay。〃



〃We made a mistake I suppose then; sir?  But we understood the young

woman didn't want to play particularly?〃  The tranter arranged his

countenance to signify that he did not want to be inquisitive in the

least。



〃No; nor did she。  Nor did I definitely wish her to just yet; for

your playing is very good。  But; as I said; one of the churchwardens

has been so anxious for a change; that; as matters stand; I couldn't

consistently refuse my consent。〃



Now for some reason or other; the vicar at this point seemed to have

an idea that he had prevaricated; and as an honest vicar; it was a

thing he determined not to do。  He corrected himself; blushing as he

did so; though why he should blush was not known to Reuben。



〃Understand me rightly;〃 he said:  〃the church…warden proposed it to

me; but I had thought myself of gettingMiss Day to play。〃



〃Which churchwarden might that be who proposed her; sir?excusing

my common way。〃  The tranter intimated by his tone that; so far from

being inquisitive; he did not even wish to ask a single question。



〃Mr。 Shiner; I believe。〃



〃Clk; my sonny!beg your pardon; sir; that's only a form of words

of mine; and slipped out accidentalhe nourishes enmity against us

for some reason or another; perhaps because we played rather hard

upon en Christmas night。  Anyhow 'tis certain sure that Mr。 Shiner's

real love for music of a particular kind isn't his reason。  He've no

more ear than that chair。  But let that be。〃



〃I don't think you should conclude that; because Mr。 Shiner wants a

different music; he has any ill…feeling for you。  I myself; I must

own; prefer organ…music to any other。  I consider it most proper;

and feel justified in endeavouring to introduce it; but then;

although other music is better; I don't say yours is not good。〃



〃Well then; Mr。 Mayble; since death's to be; we'll die like men any

day you name (excusing my common way)。〃



Mr。 Maybold bowed his head。



〃All we thought was; that for us old ancient singers to be choked

off quiet at no time in particular; as now; in the Sundays after

Easter; would seem rather mean in the eyes of other parishes; sir。

But if we fell glorious with a bit of a flourish at Christmas; we

should have a respectable end; and not dwindle away at some nameless

paltry second…Sunday…after or Sunday…next…before something; that's

got no name of his own。〃



〃Yes; yes; that's reasonable; I own it's reasonable。〃



〃You see; Mr。 Mayble; we've gotdo I keep you inconvenient long;

sir?〃



〃No; no。〃



〃We've got our feelingsfather there especially。〃



The tranter; in his earnestness; had advanced his person to within

six inches of the vicar's。



〃Certainly; certainly!〃 said Mr。 Maybold; retreating a little for

convenience of seeing。  〃You are all enthusiastic on the subject;

and I am all the more gratified to find you so。  A Laodicean

lukewarmness is worse than wrongheadedness itself。〃



〃Exactly; sir。  In fact now; Mr。 Mayble;〃 Reuben continued; more

impressively; and advancing a little closer still to the vicar;

〃father there is a perfect figure o' wonder; in the way of being

fond of music!〃



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