under the greenwood tree-第35节

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embarrassed　with　the　sudden　weight　and　brilliancy　of　its　leaves；

when　the　night…jar　comes　and　strikes　up　for　the　summer　his　tune　of

one　note；　when　the　apple…trees　have　bloomed；　and　the　roads　and

orchard…grass　become　spotted　with　fallen　petals；　when　the　faces　of

the　delicate　flowers　are　darkened；　and　their　heads　weighed　down；　by

the　throng　of　honey…bees；　which　increase　their　humming　till　humming

is　too　mild　a　term　for　the　all…pervading　sound；　and　when　cuckoos；

blackbirds；　and　sparrows；　that　have　hitherto　been　merry　and

respectful　neighbours；　become　noisy　and　persistent　intimates。



The　exterior　of　Geoffrey　Day's　house　in　Yalbury　Wood　appeared

exactly　as　was　usual　at　that　season；　but　a　frantic　barking　of　the

dogs　at　the　back　told　of　unwonted　movements　somewhere　within。

Inside　the　door　the　eyes　beheld　a　gathering；　which　was　a　rarity

indeed　for　the　dwelling　of　the　solitary　wood…steward　and　keeper。



About　the　room　were　sitting　and　standing；　in　various　gnarled

attitudes；　our　old　acquaintance；　grandfathers　James　and　William；　the

tranter；　Mr。　Penny；　two　or　three　children；　including　Jimmy　and

Charley；　besides　three　or　four　country　ladies　and　gentlemen　from　a

greater　distance　who　do　not　require　any　distinction　by　name。

Geoffrey　was　seen　and　heard　stamping　about　the　outhouse　and　among

the　bushes　of　the　garden；　attending　to　details　of　daily　routine

before　the　proper　time　arrived　for　their　performance；　in　order　that

they　might　be　off　his　hands　for　the　day。　　He　appeared　with　his

shirt…sleeves　rolled　up；　his　best　new　nether　garments；　in　which　he

had　arrayed　himself　that　morning；　being　temporarily　disguised　under

a　weekday　apron　whilst　these　proceedings　were　in　operation。　　He

occasionally　glanced　at　the　hives　in　passing；　to　see　if　his　wife's

bees　were　swarming；　ultimately　rolling　down　his　shirt…sleeves　and

going　indoors；　talking　to　tranter　Dewy　whilst　buttoning　the

wristbands；　to　save　time；　next　going　upstairs　for　his　best

waistcoat；　and　coming　down　again　to　make　another　remark　whilst

buttoning　that；　during　the　time　looking　fixedly　in　the　tranter's

face　as　if　he　were　a　looking…glass。



The　furniture　had　undergone　attenuation　to　an　alarming　extent；　every

duplicate　piece　having　been　removed；　including　the　clock　by　Thomas

Wood；　Ezekiel　Saunders　being　at　last　left　sole　referee　in　matters　of

time。



Fancy　was　stationary　upstairs；　receiving　her　layers　of　clothes　and

adornments；　and　answering　by　short　fragments　of　laughter　which　had

more　fidgetiness　than　mirth　in　them；　remarks　that　were　made　from

time　to　time　by　Mrs。　Dewy　and　Mrs。　Penny；　who　were　assisting　her　at

the　toilet；　Mrs。　Day　having　pleaded　a　queerness　in　her　head　as　a

reason　for　shutting　herself　up　in　an　inner　bedroom　for　the　whole

morning。　　Mrs。　Penny　appeared　with　nine　corkscrew　curls　on　each　side

of　her　temples；　and　a　back　comb　stuck　upon　her　crown　like　a　castle

on　a　steep。



The　conversation　just　now　going　on　was　concerning　the　banns；　the

last　publication　of　which　had　been　on　the　Sunday　previous。



〃And　how　did　they　sound？〃　Fancy　subtly　inquired。



〃Very　beautiful　indeed；〃　said　Mrs。　Penny。　　〃I　never　heard　any　sound

better。〃



〃But　HOW？〃



〃O；　SO　natural　and　elegant；　didn't　they；　Reuben！〃　she　cried；　through

the　chinks　of　the　unceiled　floor；　to　the　tranter　downstairs。



〃What's　that？〃　said　the　tranter；　looking　up　inquiringly　at　the　floor

above　him　for　an　answer。



〃Didn't　Dick　and　Fancy　sound　well　when　they　were　called　home　in

church　last　Sunday？〃　came　downwards　again　in　Mrs。　Penny's　voice。



〃Ay；　that　they　did；　my　sonnies！especially　the　first　time。　　There

was　a　terrible　whispering　piece　of　work　in　the　congregation；　wasn't

there；　neighbour　Penny？〃　said　the　tranter；　taking　up　the　thread　of

conversation　on　his　own　account　and；　in　order　to　be　heard　in　the

room　above；　speaking　very　loud　to　Mr。　Penny；　who　sat　at　the　distance

of　three　feet　from　him；　or　rather　less。



〃I　never　can　mind　seeing　such　a　whispering　as　there　was；〃　said　Mr。

Penny；　also　loudly；　to　the　room　above。　　〃And　such　sorrowful　envy　on

the　maidens'　faces；　really；　I　never　did　see　such　envy　as　there　was！〃



Fancy's　lineaments　varied　in　innumerable　little　flushes；　and　her

heart　palpitated　innumerable　little　tremors　of　pleasure。　　〃But

perhaps；〃　she　said；　with　assumed　indifference；　〃it　was　only　because

no　religion　was　going　on　just　then？〃



〃O；　no；　nothing　to　do　with　that。　　'Twas　because　of　your　high

standing　in　the　parish。　　It　was　just　as　if　they　had　one　and　all

caught　Dick　kissing　and　coling　ye　to　death；　wasn't　it；　Mrs。　Dewy？〃



〃Ay；　that　'twas。〃



〃How　people　will　talk　about　one's　doings！〃　Fancy　exclaimed。



〃Well；　if　you　make　songs　about　yourself；　my　dear；　you　can't　blame

other　people　for　singing　'em。〃



〃Mercy　me！　how　shall　I　go　through　it？〃　said　the　young　lady　again；

but　merely　to　those　in　the　bedroom；　with　a　breathing　of　a　kind

between　a　sigh　and　a　pant；　round　shining　eyes；　and　warm　face。



〃O；　you'll　get　through　it　well　enough；　child；〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy

placidly。　　〃The　edge　of　the　performance　is　took　off　at　the　calling

home；　and　when　once　you　get　up　to　the　chancel　end　o'　the　church；　you

feel　as　saucy　as　you　please。　　I'm　sure　I　felt　as　brave　as　a　sodger

all　through　the　deedthough　of　course　I　dropped　my　face　and　looked

modest；　as　was　becoming　to　a　maid。　　Mind　you　do　that；　Fancy。〃



〃And　I　walked　into　the　church　as　quiet　as　a　lamb；　I'm　sure；〃

subjoined　Mrs。　Penny。　　〃There；　you　see　Penny　is　such　a　little　small

man；　But　certainly；　I　was　flurried　in　the　inside　o'　me。　　Well；

thinks　I；　'tis　to　be；　and　here　goes！　　And　do　you　do　the　same：　　say；

''Tis　to　be；　and　here　goes！'〃



〃Is　there　such　wonderful　virtue　in　''Tis　to　be；　and　here　goes！'〃

inquired　Fancy。



〃Wonderful！　　'Twill　carry　a　body　through　it　all　from　wedding　to

churching；　if　you　only　let　it　out　with　spirit　enough。〃



〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　Fancy；　blushing。　　〃'Tis　to　be；　and　here

goes！〃



〃That's　a　girl　for　a　husband！〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy。



〃I　do　hope　he'll　come　in　time！〃　continued　the　bride…elect；　inventing

a　new　cause　of　affright；　now　that　the　other　was　demolished。



〃'Twould　be　a　thousand　pities　if　he　didn't　come；　now　you　he　so

brave；〃　said　Mrs。　Penny。



Grandfather　James；　having　overheard　some　of　these　remarks；　said

downstairs　with　mischievous　loudness〃I've　known　some　would…be

weddings　when　the　men　didn't　come。〃



〃They've　happened　not　to　come；　before　now；　certainly；〃　said　Mr。

Penny；　cleaning　one　of　the　glasses　of　his　spectacles。



〃O；　do　hear　what　they　are　saying　downstairs；〃　whispered　Fancy。

〃Hush；　hush！〃



She　listened。



〃They　have；　haven't　they；　Geoffrey？〃　continued　grandfather　James；　as

Geoffrey　entered。



〃Have　what？〃　said　Geoffrey。



〃The　men　have　been　known　not　to　come。〃



〃That　they　have；〃　said　the　keeper。



〃Ay；　I've　knowed　times　when　the　wedding　had　to　be　put　off　through

his　not　appearing；　being　tired　of　the　woman。　　And　another　case　I

knowed　was　when　the　man　was　catched　in　a　man…trap　crossing　Oaker's

Wood；　and　the　three　months　had　run　out　before　he　got　well；　and　the

banns　had　to　be　published　over　again。〃



〃How　horrible！〃　said　Fancy。



〃They　only　say　it　on　purpose　to　tease　'ee；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy。



〃'Tis　quite　sad　to　think　what　wretched　shifts　poor　maids　have　been

put　to；〃　came　again　from　downstairs。　　〃Ye　should　hear　Clerk　Wilkins；

my　brother…law；　tell　his　experiences　in　marrying　couples　these　last

thirty　year：　　sometimes　one　thing；　sometimes　another'tis　quite

heart…rendingenough　to　make　your　hair　stand　on　end。〃



〃Those　things　don't　happen　very　often；　I　know；〃　said　Fancy；　with

smouldering　uneasiness。



〃Well；　really　'tis　time　Dick　was　here；〃　said　the　tranter。



〃Don't　keep　on　at　me　so；　grandfather　James　and　Mr。　Dewy；　and　all　you

down　there！〃　Fancy　broke　out；　unable　to　endure　any　longer。　　〃I　am

sure　I　shall　die；　or　do　something；　if　you　do！〃



〃Never　you　hearken　to　these　old　chaps；　Miss　Day！〃　cried　Nat

Callcome；　the　best　man；　who　had　just　entered；　and　threw　his　voice

upward　through　the　chinks　of　the　floor　as　the　others　had　done。

〃'Tis　all　right；　Dick's　coming　on　like　a　wild　feller；　he'll　be　here

in　a　minute。　　The　hive　o'　bees　his　mother　gie'd　en　for　his　new

garden　swarmed　jist　as　he　was　starting；　and　he　said；　〃I　can't　afford

to　lose　a　stock　o'　bees；　no；　that　I　can't；　though　I　fain　would；　and

Fancy　wouldn't　wish　it　on　any　account。〃　　So　he　jist　stopped　to　ting

to　'em　and　shake　'em。〃



〃A　genuine　wise　man；〃　said　Geoffrey。



〃To　be　sure；　what　a　day's　work　we　had　yesterday！〃　Mr。　Callcome

continued；　lowering　his　voice　as　if　it　were　not　necessary　any　longer

to　include　those　in　the　room　above　among　his　audience；　and　selecting

a　remote　corner　of　his　best　clean　handkerchief　for　wiping　his　face。

〃To　be　sure！〃



〃Things　so　heavy；　I　suppose；〃　said　Geoffrey；　as　if　reading　through

the　chimney…window　from　the　far　end　of　the　vista。



〃Ay；〃　said　Nat；　loo