under the greenwood tree-第36节

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



〃Ay；〃　said　Nat；　looking　round　the　room　at　points　from　which

furniture　had　been　removed。　　〃And　so　awkward　to　carry；　too。　　'Twas

ath'art　and　across　Dick's　garden；　in　and　out　Dick's　door；　up　and

down　Dick's　stairs；　round　and　round　Dick's　chammers　till　legs　were

worn　to　stumps：　　and　Dick　is　so　particular；　too。　　And　the　stores　of

victuals　and　drink　that　lad　has　laid　in：　　why；　'tis　enough　for

Noah's　ark！　　I'm　sure　I　never　wish　to　see　a　choicer　half…dozen　of

hams　than　he's　got　there　in　his　chimley；　and　the　cider　I　tasted　was

a　very　pretty　drop；　indeed；none　could　desire　a　prettier　cider。〃



〃They　be　for　the　love　and　the　stalled　ox　both；　Ah；　the　greedy

martels！〃　said　grandfather　James。



〃Well；　may…be　they　be。　　Surely；〃　says　I；　〃that　couple　between　'em

have　heaped　up　so　much　furniture　and　victuals；　that　anybody　would

think　they　were　going　to　take　hold　the　big　end　of　married　life

first；　and　begin　wi'　a　grown…up　family。　　Ah；　what　a　bath　of　heat　we

two　chaps　were　in；　to　be　sure；　a…getting　that　furniture　in　order！〃



〃I　do　so　wish　the　room　below　was　ceiled；〃　said　Fancy；　as　the

dressing　went　on；　〃we　can　hear　all　they　say　and　do　down　there。〃



〃Hark！　　Who's　that？〃　exclaimed　a　small　pupil…teacher；　who　also

assisted　this　morning；　to　her　great　delight。　　She　ran　half…way　down

the　stairs；　and　peeped　round　the　banister。　　〃O；　you　should；　you

should；　you　should！〃　she　exclaimed；　scrambling　up　to　the　room　again。



〃What？〃　said　Fancy。



〃See　the　bridesmaids！　　They've　just　a　come！　'Tis　wonderful；　really！

'tis　wonderful　how　muslin　can　be　brought　to　it。　　There；　they　don't

look　a　bit　like　themselves；　but　like　some　very　rich　sisters　o'

theirs　that　nobody　knew　they　had！〃



〃Make　'em　come　up　to　me；　make　'em　come　up！〃　cried　Fancy

ecstatically；　and　the　four　damsels　appointed；　namely；　Miss　Susan

Dewy；　Miss　Bessie　Dewy；　Miss　Vashti　Sniff；　and　Miss　Mercy　Onmey；

surged　upstairs；　and　floated　along　the　passage。



〃I　wish　Dick　would　come！〃　was　again　the　burden　of　Fancy。



The　same　instant　a　small　twig　and　flower　from　the　creeper　outside

the　door　flew　in　at　the　open　window；　and　a　masculine　voice　said；

〃Ready；　Fancy　dearest？〃



〃There　he　is；　he　is！〃　cried　Fancy；　tittering　spasmodically；　and

breathing　as　it　were　for　the　first　time　that　morning。



The　bridesmaids　crowded　to　the　window　and　turned　their　heads　in　the

direction　pointed　out；　at　which　motion　eight　earrings　all　swung　as

one：　not　looking　at　Dick　because　they　particularly　wanted　to　see

him；　but　with　an　important　sense　of　their　duty　as　obedient　ministers

of　the　will　of　that　apotheosised　beingthe　Bride。



〃He　looks　very　taking！〃　said　Miss　Vashti　Sniff；　a　young　lady　who

blushed　cream…colour　and　wore　yellow　bonnet　ribbons。



Dick　was　advancing　to　the　door　in　a　painfully　new　coat　of　shining

cloth；　primrose…coloured　waistcoat；　hat　of　the　same　painful　style　of

newness；　and　with　an　extra　quantity　of　whiskers　shaved　off　his　face；

and　hair　cut　to　an　unwonted　shortness　in　honour　of　the　occasion。



〃Now；　I'll　run　down；〃　said　Fancy；　looking　at　herself　over　her

shoulder　in　the　glass；　and　flitting　off。



〃O　Dick！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　am　so　glad　you　are　come！　　I　knew　you

would；　of　course；　but　I　thought；　Oh　if　you　shouldn't！〃



〃Not　come；　Fancy！　　Het　or　wet；　blow　or　snow；　here　come　I　to…day！

Why；　what's　possessing　your　little　soul？　　You　never　used　to　mind

such　things　a　bit。〃



〃Ah；　Mr。　Dick；　I　hadn't　hoisted　my　colours　and　committed　myself

then！〃　said　Fancy。



〃'Tis　a　pity　I　can't　marry　the　whole　five　of　ye！〃　said　Dick；

surveying　them　all　round。



〃Heh…heh…heh！〃　laughed　the　four　bridesmaids；　and　Fancy　privately

touched　Dick　and　smoothed　him　down　behind　his　shoulder；　as　if　to

assure　herself　that　he　was　there　in　flesh　and　blood　as　her　own

property。



〃Well；　whoever　would　have　thought　such　a　thing？〃　said　Dick；　taking

off　his　hat；　sinking　into　a　chair；　and　turning　to　the　elder　members

of　the　company。



The　latter　arranged　their　eyes　and　lips　to　signify　that　in　their

opinion　nobody　could　have　thought　such　a　thing；　whatever　it　was。



〃That　my　bees　should　ha'　swarmed　just　then；　of　all　times　and

seasons！〃　continued　Dick；　throwing　a　comprehensive　glance　like　a　net

over　the　whole　auditory。　　〃And　'tis　a　fine　swarm；　too：　　I　haven't

seen　such　a　fine　swarm　for　these　ten　years。〃



〃A'　excellent　sign；〃　said　Mrs。　Penny；　from　the　depths　of　experience。

〃A'　excellent　sign。〃



〃I　am　glad　everything　seems　so　right；〃　said　Fancy　with　a　breath　of

relief。



〃And　so　am　I；〃　said　the　four　bridesmaids　with　much　sympathy。



〃Well；　bees　can't　be　put　off；〃　observed　the　inharmonious　grandfather

James。　　〃Marrying　a　woman　is　a　thing　you　can　do　at　any　moment；　but　a

swarm　o'　bees　won't　come　for　the　asking。〃



Dick　fanned　himself　with　his　hat。　　〃I　can't　think；〃　he　said

thoughtfully；　〃whatever　'twas　I　did　to　offend　Mr。　Maybold；　a　man　I

like　so　much　too。　　He　rather　took　to　me　when　he　came　first；　and　used

to　say　he　should　like　to　see　me　married；　and　that　he'd　marry　me；

whether　the　young　woman　I　chose　lived　in　his　parish　or　no。　　I　just

hinted　to　him　of　it　when　I　put　in　the　banns；　but　he　didn't　seem　to

take　kindly　to　the　notion　now；　and　so　I　said　no　more。　　I　wonder　how

it　was。〃



〃I　wonder！〃　said　Fancy；　looking　into　vacancy　with　those　beautiful

eyes　of　herstoo　refined　and　beautiful　for　a　tranter's　wife；　but；

perhaps；　not　too　good。



〃Altered　his　mind；　as　folks　will；　I　suppose；〃　said　the　tranter。

〃Well；　my　sonnies；　there'll　he　a　good　strong　party　looking　at　us　to…

day　as　we　go　along。〃



〃And　the　body　of　the　church；〃　said　Geoffrey；　〃will　be　lined　with

females；　and　a　row　of　young　fellers'　heads；　as　far　down　as　the　eyes；

will　be　noticed　just　above　the　sills　of　the　chancel…winders。〃



〃Ay；　you've　been　through　it　twice；〃　said　Reuben；　〃and　well　mid

know。〃



〃I　can　put　up　with　it　for　once；〃　said　Dick；　〃or　twice　either；　or　a

dozen　times。〃



〃O　Dick！〃　said　Fancy　reproachfully。



〃Why；　dear；　that's　nothing；only　just　a　bit　of　a　flourish。　　You　be

as　nervous　as　a　cat　to…day。〃



〃And　then；　of　course；　when　'tis　all　over；〃　continued　the　tranter；

〃we　shall　march　two　and　two　round　the　parish。〃



〃Yes；　sure；〃　said　Mr。　Penny：　　〃two　and　two：　　every　man　hitched　up　to

his　woman；　'a　b'lieve。〃



〃I　never　can　make　a　show　of　myself　in　that　way！〃　said　Fancy；　looking

at　Dick　to　ascertain　if　he　could。



〃I'm　agreed　to　anything　you　and　the　company　like；　my　dear！〃　said　Mr。

Richard　Dewy　heartily。



〃Why；　we　did　when　we　were　married；　didn't　we；　Ann？〃　said　the

tranter；　〃and　so　do　everybody；　my　sonnies。〃



〃And　so　did　we；〃　said　Fancy's　father。



〃And　so　did　Penny　and　I；〃　said　Mrs。　Penny：　　〃I　wore　my　best　Bath

clogs；　I　remember；　and　Penny　was　cross　because　it　made　me　look　so

tall。〃



〃And　so　did　father　and　mother；〃　said　Miss　Mercy　Onmey。



〃And　I　mean　to；　come　next　Christmas！〃　said　Nat　the　groomsman

vigorously；　and　looking　towards　the　person　of　Miss　Vashti　Sniff。



〃Respectable　people　don't　nowadays；〃　said　Fancy。　　〃Still；　since　poor

mother　did；　I　will。〃



〃Ay；〃　resumed　the　tranter；　〃'twas　on　a　White　Tuesday　when　I

committed　it。　　Mellstock　Club　walked　the　same　day；　and　we　new…

married　folk　went　a…gaying　round　the　parish　behind　'em。　　Everybody

used　to　wear　something　white　at　Whitsuntide　in　them　days。　　My

sonnies；　I've　got　the　very　white　trousers　that　I　wore；　at　home　in

box　now；　Ha'n't　I；　Ann？〃



〃You　had　till　I　cut　'em　up　for　Jimmy；〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy。



〃And　we　ought；　by　rights；　after　doing　this　parish；　to　go　round

Higher　and　Lower　Mellstock；　and　call　at　Viney's；　and　so　work　our　way

hither　again　across　He'th；〃　said　Mr。　Penny；　recovering　scent　of　the

matter　in　hand。　　〃Dairyman　Viney　is　a　very　respectable　man；　and　so

is　Farmer　Kex；　and　we　ought　to　show　ourselves　to　them。〃



〃True；〃　said　the　tranter；　〃we　ought　to　go　round　Mellstock　to　do　the

thing　well。　　We　shall　form　a　very　striking　object　walking　along　in

rotation；　good…now；　neighbours？〃



〃That　we　shall：　　a　proper　pretty　sight　for　the　nation；〃　said　Mrs。

Penny。



〃Hullo！〃　said　the　tranter；　suddenly　catching　sight　of　a　singular

human　figure　standing　in　the　doorway；　and　wearing　a　long　smock…frock

of　pillow…case　cut　and　of　snowy　whiteness。　　〃Why；　Leaf！　whatever

dost　thou　do　here？〃



〃I've　come　to　know　if　so　be　I　can　come　to　the　weddinghee…hee！〃

said　Leaf　in　a　voice　of　timidity。



〃Now；　Leaf；〃　said　the　tranter　reproachfully；　〃you　know　we　don't　want

'ee　here　to…day：　　we've　got　no　room　for　ye；　Leaf。〃



〃Thomas　Leaf；　Thomas　Leaf；　fie　upon　ye　for　prying！〃　said　old

William。



〃I　know　I've　got　no　head；　but　I　thought；　if　I　washed　and　put　on　a

clane　shirt　and　smock…frock；　I　might　just　call；〃　said　Leaf；　turning

away　disappointed　and　trembling。



〃Poor　feller！〃　said　the　tranter；　turning　to　Geoffrey。　　〃Suppose　we

must　let　en　come？　　His　looks　are　rather　against　en；　and　he　is