under the greenwood tree-第26节

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He　looked　into　Fancy's　eyes。　　Misery　of　miseries！guilt　was　written

there　still。



〃Now；　Fancy；　you've　not　told　me　all！〃　said　Dick；　rather　sternly　for

a　quiet　young　man。



〃O；　don't　speak　so　cruelly！　　I　am　afraid　to　tell　now！　　If　you　hadn't

been　harsh；　I　was　going　on　to　tell　all；　now　I　can't！〃



〃Come；　dear　Fancy；　tell：　　come。　　I'll　forgive；　I　must；by　heaven

and　earth；　I　must；　whether　I　will　or　no；　I　love　you　so！〃



〃Well；　when　I　put　my　hand　on　the　bridge；　he　touched　it〃



〃A　scamp！〃　said　Dick；　grinding　an　imaginary　human　frame　to　powder。



〃And　then　he　looked　at　me；　and　at　last　he　said；　'Are　you　in　love

with　Dick　Dewy？'　　And　I　said；　'Perhaps　I　am！'　and　then　he　said；　'I

wish　you　weren't　then；　for　I　want　to　marry　you；　with　all　my　soul。'〃



〃There's　a　villain　now！　　Want　to　marry　you！〃　　And　Dick　quivered　with

the　bitterness　of　satirical　laughter。　　Then　suddenly　remembering

that　he　might　be　reckoning　without　his　host：　　〃Unless；　to　he　sure；

you　are　willing　to　have　him；perhaps　you　are；〃　he　said；　with　the

wretched　indifference　of　a　castaway。



〃No；　indeed　I　am　not！〃　she　said；　her　sobs　just　beginning　to　take　a

favourable　turn　towards　cure。



〃Well；　then；〃　said　Dick；　coming　a　little　to　his　senses；　〃you've　been

stretching　it　very　much　in　giving　such　a　dreadful　beginning　to　such

a　mere　nothing。　　And　I　know　what　you've　done　it　for；just　because

of　that　gipsy…party！〃　　He　turned　away　from　her　and　took　five　paces

decisively；　as　if　he　were　tired　of　an　ungrateful　country；　including

herself　〃You　did　it　to　make　me　jealous；　and　I　won't　stand　it！〃　　He

flung　the　words　to　her　over　his　shoulder　and　then　stalked　on；

apparently　very　anxious　to　walk　to　the　remotest　of　the　Colonies　that

very　minute。



〃O；　O；　O；　DickDick！〃　she　cried；　trotting　after　him　like　a　pet

lamb；　and　really　seriously　alarmed　at　last；　〃you'll　kill　me！　　My

impulses　are　badmiserably　wicked；and　I　can't　help　it；　forgive

me；　Dick！　　And　I　love　you　always；　and　those　times　when　you　look

silly　and　don't　seem　quite　good　enough　for　me；just　the　same；　I　do；

Dick！　　And　there　is　something　more　serious；　though　not　concerning

that　walk　with　him。〃



〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　said　Dick；　altering　his　mind　about　walking　to

the　Colonies　in　fact；　passing　to　the　other　extreme；　and　standing　so

rooted　to　the　road　that　he　was　apparently　not　even　going　home。



〃Why　this；〃　she　said；　drying　the　beginning　of　a　new　flood　of　tears

she　had　been　going　to　shed；　〃this　is　the　serious　part。　　Father　has

told　Mr。　Shiner　that　he　would　like　him　for　a　son…in…law；　if　he　could

get　me；that　he　has　his　right　hearty　consent　to　come　courting　me！〃







CHAPTER　IV：　　AN　ARRANGEMENT







〃That　IS　serious；〃　said　Dick；　more　intellectually　than　he　had　spoken

for　a　long　time。



The　truth　was　that　Geoffrey　knew　nothing　about　his　daughter's

continued　walks　and　meetings　with　Dick。　　When　a　hint　that　there　were

symptoms　of　an　attachment　between　them　had　first　reached　Geoffrey's

ears；　he　stated　so　emphatically　that　he　must　think　the　matter　over

before　any　such　thing　could　be　allowed　that；　rather　unwisely　on

Dick's　part；　whatever　it　might　have　been　on　the　lady's；　the　lovers

were　careful　to　be　seen　together　no　more　in　public；　and　Geoffrey；

forgetting　the　report；　did　not　think　over　the　matter　at　all。　　So　Mr。

Shiner　resumed　his　old　position　in　Geoffrey's　brain　by　mere　flux　of

time。　　Even　Shiner　began　to　believe　that　Dick　existed　for　Fancy　no

more；though　that　remarkably　easy…going　man　had　taken　no　active

steps　on　his　own　account　as　yet。



〃And　father　has　not　only　told　Mr。　Shiner　that；〃　continued　Fancy；

〃but　he　has　written　me　a　letter；　to　say　he　should　wish　me　to

encourage　Mr。　Shiner；　if　'twas　convenient！〃



〃I　must　start　off　and　see　your　father　at　once！〃　said　Dick；　taking

two　or　three　vehement　steps　to　the　south；　recollecting　that　Mr。　Day

lived　to　the　north；　and　coming　back　again。



〃I　think　we　had　better　see　him　together。　　Not　tell　him　what　you　come

for；　or　anything　of　the　kind；　until　he　likes　you；　and　so　win　his

brain　through　his　heart；　which　is　always　the　way　to　manage　people。

I　mean　in　this　way：　　I　am　going　home　on　Saturday　week　to　help　them

in　the　honey…taking。　　You　might　come　there　to　me；　have　something　to

eat　and　drink；　and　let　him　guess　what　your　coming　signifies；　without

saying　it　in　so　many　words。〃



〃We'll　do　it；　dearest。　　But　I　shall　ask　him　for　you；　flat　and　plain；

not　wait　for　his　guessing。〃　　And　the　lover　then　stepped　close　to

her；　and　attempted　to　give　her　one　little　kiss　on　the　cheek；　his

lips　alighting　however；　on　an　outlying　tract　of　her　back　hair　by

reason　of　an　impulse　that　had　caused　her　to　turn　her　head　with　a

jerk。　　〃Yes；　and　I'll　put　on　my　second…best　suit　and　a　clean　shirt

and　collar；　and　black　my　boots　as　if　'twas　a　Sunday。　　'Twill　have　a

good　appearance；　you　see；　and　that's　a　great　deal　to　start　with。〃



〃You　won't　wear　that　old　waistcoat；　will　you；　Dick？〃



〃Bless　you；　no！　　Why　I〃



〃I　didn't　mean　to　be　personal；　dear　Dick；〃　she　said；　fearing　she　had

hurt　his　feelings。　　〃'Tis　a　very　nice　waistcoat；　but　what　I　meant

was；　that　though　it　is　an　excellent　waistcoat　for　a　settled…down

man；　it　is　not　quite　one　for〃　（she　waited；　and　a　blush　expanded　over

her　face；　and　then　she　went　on　again）〃for　going　courting　in。〃



〃No；　I'll　wear　my　best　winter　one；　with　the　leather　lining；　that

mother　made。　　It　is　a　beautiful；　handsome　waistcoat　inside；　yes；　as

ever　anybody　saw。　　In　fact；　only　the　other　day；　I　unbuttoned　it　to

show　a　chap　that　very　lining；　and　he　said　it　was　the　strongest；

handsomest　lining　you　could　wish　to　see　on　the　king's　waistcoat

himself。〃



〃_I_　don't　quite　know　what　to　wear；〃　she　said；　as　if　her　habitual

indifference　alone　to　dress　had　kept　back　so　important　a　subject

till　now。



〃Why；　that　blue　frock　you　wore　last　week。〃



〃Doesn't　set　well　round　the　neck。　　I　couldn't　wear　that。〃



〃But　I　shan't　care。〃



〃No；　you　won't　mind。〃



〃Well；　then　it's　all　right。　　Because　you　only　care　how　you　look　to

me；　do　you；　dear？　　I　only　dress　for　you；　that's　certain。〃



〃Yes；　but　you　see　I　couldn't　appear　in　it　again　very　well。〃



〃Any　strange　gentleman　you　mid　meet　in　your　journey　might　notice　the

set　of　it；　I　suppose。　　Fancy；　men　in　love　don't　think　so　much　about

how　they　look　to　other　women。〃　　It　is　difficult　to　say　whether　a

tone　of　playful　banter　or　of　gentle　reproach　prevailed　in　the

speech。



〃Well　then；　Dick；〃　she　said；　with　good…humoured　frankness；　〃I'll　own

it。　　I　shouldn't　like　a　stranger　to　see　me　dressed　badly；　even

though　I　am　in　love。　　'Tis　our　nature；　I　suppose。〃



〃You　perfect　woman！〃



〃Yes；　if　you　lay　the　stress　on　'woman；'〃　she　murmured；　looking　at　a

group　of　hollyhocks　in　flower；　round　which　a　crowd　of　butterflies

had　gathered　like　female　idlers　round　a　bonnet…shop。



〃But　about　the　dress。　　Why　not　wear　the　one　you　wore　at　our　party？〃



〃That　sets　well；　but　a　girl　of　the　name　of　Bet　Tallor；　who　lives

near　our　house；　has　had　one　made　almost　like　it　（only　in　pattern；

though　of　miserably　cheap　stuff）；　and　I　couldn't　wear　it　on　that

account。　　Dear　me；　I　am　afraid　I　can't　go　now。〃



〃O　yes；　you　must；　I　know　you　will！〃　said　Dick；　with　dismay。　　〃Why

not　wear　what　you've　got　on？〃



〃What！　this　old　one！　　After　all；　I　think　that　by　wearing　my　gray　one

Saturday；　I　can　make　the　blue　one　do　for　Sunday。　　Yes；　I　will。　　A

hat　or　a　bonnet；　which　shall　it　be？　　Which　do　I　look　best　in？〃



〃Well；　I　think　the　bonnet　is　nicest；　more　quiet　and　matronly。〃



〃What's　the　objection　to　the　hat？　　Does　it　make　me　look　old？〃



〃O　no；　the　hat　is　well　enough；　but　it　makes　you　look　rather　tooyou

won't　mind　me　saying　it；　dear？〃



〃Not　at　all；　for　I　shall　wear　the　bonnet。〃



〃Rather　too　coquettish　and　flirty　for　an　engaged　young　woman。〃



She　reflected　a　minute。　　〃Yes；　yes。　　Still；　after　all；　the　hat　would

do　best；　hats　ARE　best；　you　see。　　Yes；　I　must　wear　the　hat；　dear

Dicky；　because　I　ought　to　wear　a　hat；　you　know。〃









PART　THE　FORTHAUTUMN









CHAPTER　I：　　GOING　NUTTING





Dick；　dressed　in　his　'second…best'　suit；　burst　into　Fancy's　sitting…

room　with　a　glow　of　pleasure　on　his　face。



It　was　two　o'clock　on　Friday；　the　day　be　fore　her　contemplated　visit

to　her　father；　and　for　some　reason　connected　with　cleaning　the

school　the　children　had　been　given　this　Friday　afternoon　for

pastime；　in　addition　to　the　usual　Saturday。



〃Fancy！　it　happens　just　right　that　it　is　a　leisure　half　day　with

you。　　Smart　is　lame　in　his　near…foot…afore；　and　so；　as　I　can't　do

anything；　I've　made　a　holiday　afternoon　of　it；　and　am　come　for　you

to　go　nutting　with　me！〃



She　was　sitting　by　the　parlour　window；　with　a　blue　frock　lying

across　her　lap　and　scissors　in　her　hand。



〃Go　nutting！　　Yes。　　But　I'm　afraid　I　can't　go　for　an　hour　or　so。〃



〃Why　not？　　'Tis　the　only　spare　afternoon　we　may　both　have　together

for　weeks。〃