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第17节

under the greenwood tree-第17节

小说: under the greenwood tree 字数: 每页4000字

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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!〃



The vicar drew back a little further; the tranter suddenly also

standing back a foot or two; to throw open the view of his father;

and pointing to him at the same time。



Old William moved uneasily in the large chair; and with a minute

smile on the mere edge of his lips; for good…manners; said he was

indeed very fond of tunes。



〃Now; you see exactly how it is;〃 Reuben continued; appealing to Mr。

Maybold's sense of justice by looking sideways into his eyes。  The

vicar seemed to see how it was so well that the gratified tranter

walked up to him again with even vehement eagerness; so that his

waistcoat…buttons almost rubbed against the vicar's as he continued:

〃As to father; if you or I; or any man or woman of the present

generation; at the time music is a…playing; was to shake your fist

in father's face; as may be this way; and say; 〃Don't you be

delighted with that music!the tranter went back to where Leaf was

sitting; and held his fist so close to Leaf's face that the latter

pressed his head back against the wall:  〃All right; Leaf; my sonny;

I won't hurt you; 'tis just to show my meaning to Mr。 Mayble。As I

was saying; if you or I; or any man; was to shake your fist in

father's face this way; and say; 〃William; your life or your music!〃

he'd say; 〃My life!〃  Now that's father's nature all over; and you

see; sir; it must hurt the feelings of a man of that kind for him

and his bass…viol to be done away wi' neck and crop。〃



The tranter went back to the vicar's front and again looked

earnestly at his face。



〃True; true; Dewy;〃 Mr。 Maybold answered; trying to withdraw his

head and shoulders without moving his feet; but finding this

impracticable; edging back another inch。  These frequent retreats

had at last jammed Mr。 Maybold between his easy…chair and the edge

of the table。



And at the moment of the announcement of the choir; Mr。 Maybold had

just re…dipped the pen he was using; at their entry; instead of

wiping it; he had laid it on the table with the nib overhanging。  At

the last retreat his coat…tails came in contact with the pen; and

down it rolled; first against the back of the chair; thence turning

a summersault into the seat; thence falling to the floor with a

rattle。



The vicar stooped for his pen; and the tranter; wishing to show

that; however great their ecclesiastical differences; his mind was

not so small as to let this affect his social feelings; stooped

also。



〃And have you anything else you want to explain to me; Dewy?〃 said

Mr。 Maybold from under the table。



〃Nothing; sir。  And; Mr。 Mayble; you be not offended?  I hope you

see our desire is reason?〃 said the tranter from under the chair。



〃Quite; quite; and I shouldn't think of refusing to listen to such a

reasonable request;〃 the vicar replied。  Seeing that Reuben had

secured the pen; he resumed his vertical position; and added; 〃You

know; Dewy; it is often said how difficult a matter it is to act up

to our convictions and please all parties。  It may be said with

equal truth; that it is difficult for a man of any appreciativeness

to have convictions at all。  Now in my case; I see right in you; and

right in Shiner。  I see that violins are good; and that an organ is

good; and when we introduce the organ; it will not be that fiddles

were bad; but that an organ was better。  That you'll clearly

understand; Dewy?〃



〃I will; and thank you very much for such feelings; sir。  Piph…h…h…

h!  How the blood do get into my head; to be sure; whenever I quat

down like that!〃 said Reuben; who having also risen to his feet

stuck the pen vertically in the inkstand and almost through the

bottom; that it might not roll down again under any circumstances

whatever。



Now the ancient body of minstrels in the passage felt their

curiosity surging higher and higher as the minutes passed。  Dick;

not having much affection for this errand; soon grew tired; and went

away in the direction of the school。  Yet their sense of propriety

would probably have restrained them from any attempt to discover

what was going on in the study had not the vicar's pen fallen to the

floor。  The conviction that the movement of chairs; etc。;

necessitated by the search; could only have been caused by the

catastrophe of a bloody fight beginning; overpowered all other

considerations; and they advanced to the door; which had only just

fallen to。  Thus; when Mr。 Maybold raised his eyes after the

stooping he beheld glaring through the door Mr。 Penny in full…length

portraiture; Mail's face and shoulders above Mr。 Penny's head;

Spinks's forehead and eyes over Mail's crown; and a fractional part

of Bowman's countenance under Spinks's armcrescent shaped portions

of other heads and faces being visible behind thesethe whole dozen

and odd eyes bristling with eager inquiry。



Mr。 Penny; as is the case with excitable boot…makers and men; seeing

the vicar look at him and hearing no word spoken; thought it

incumbent upon himself to say something of any kind。  Nothing

suggested itself till he had looked for about half a minute at the

vicar。



〃You'll excuse my naming of it; sir;〃 he said; regarding with much

commiseration the mere surface of the vicar's face; 〃but perhaps you

don't know that your chin have bust out a…bleeding where you cut

yourself a…shaving this morning; sir。〃



〃Now; that was the stooping; depend upon't;〃 the tranter suggested;

also looking with much interest at the vicar's chin。  〃Blood always

will bust out again if you hang down the member that's been

bleeding。〃



Old William raised his eyes and watched the vicar's bleeding chin

likewise; and Leaf advanced two or three paces from the bookcase;

absorbed in the contemplation of the same phenomenon; with parted

lips and delighted eyes。



〃Dear me; dear me!〃 said Mr。 Maybold hastily; looking very red; and

brushing his chin with his hand; then taking out his handkerchief

and wiping the place。



〃That's it; sir; all right again now; 'a b'lievea mere nothing;〃

said Mr。 Penny。  〃A little bit of fur off your hat will stop it in a

minute if it should bust out again。〃



〃I'll let 'ee have a bit off mine;〃 said Reuben; to show his good

feeling; 〃my hat isn't so new as yours; sir; and 'twon't hurt mine a

bit。〃



〃No; no; thank you; thank you;〃 Mr。 Maybold again nervously replied。



〃'Twas rather a deep cut seemingly?〃 said Reuben; feeling these to

be the kindest and best remarks he could make。



〃O; no; not particularly。〃



〃Well; sir; your hand will shake sometimes a…shaving; and just when

it comes into your head that you may cut yourself; there's the

blood。〃



〃I have been revolving in my mind that question of the time at which

we make the change;〃 said Mr。 Maybold; 〃and I know you'll meet me

half…way。  I think Christmas…day as much too late for me as the

present time is too early for you。  I suggest Michaelmas or

thereabout as a convenient time for both parties; for I think your

objection to a Sunday which has no name is not one of any real

weight。〃



〃Very good; sir。  I suppose mortal men mustn't expect their own way

entirely; and I express in all our names that we'll make shift and

be satisfied with what you say。〃  The tranter touched the brim of

his imaginary hat again; and all the choir did the same。  〃About

Michaelmas; then; as far as you are concerned; sir; and then we make

room for the next generation。〃



〃About Michaelmas;〃 said the vicar。







CHAPTER V:  RETURNING HOME WARD







〃'A took it very well; then?〃 said Mail; as they all walked up the

hill。



〃He behaved like a man; 'a did so;〃 said the tranter。  〃And I'm glad

we've let en know our minds。  And though; beyond that; we ha'n't got

much by going; 'twas worth while。  He won't forget it。  Yes; he took

it very well。  Supposing this tree here was Pa'son Mayble; and I

standing here; and thik gr't stone is father sitting in the easy…

chair。  'Dewy;' says he; 'I don't wish to change the church music in

a forcible way。'〃



〃That was very nice o' the man; even though words be wind。〃



〃Proper niceout and out nice。  The fact is;〃 said Reuben

confidentially; 〃'tis how you take a man。  Everybody must be

managed。  Queens must be managed:  kings must be managed; for men

want managing almost as much as women; and that's saying a good

deal。〃



〃'Tis truly!〃 murmured the husbands。



〃Pa'son Mayble and I were as good friends all through it as if we'd

been sworn brothers。  Ay; the man's well enough; 'tis what's put in

his head that spoils him; and that's why we've got to go。〃



〃There's really no believing half you hear about people nowadays。〃



〃Bless ye; my sonnies! 'tisn't the pa'son's move at all。  That

gentleman over there〃 (the tranter nodded in the directi

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