under the greenwood tree-第38节
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on the outlying Yalbury estate； dancing and chatting with Fancy Day。
Five country dances； including 'Haste to the Wedding；' two reels；
and three fragments of horn…pipes； brought them to the time for
supper； which； on account of the dampness of the grass from the
immaturity of the summer season； was spread indoors。 At the
conclusion of the meal Dick went out to put the horse in； and Fancy；
with the elder half of the four bridesmaids； retired upstairs to
dress for the journey to Dick's new cottage near Mellstock。
〃How long will you be putting on your bonnet； Fancy？〃 Dick inquired
at the foot of the staircase。 Being now a man of business and
married； he was strong on the importance of time； and doubled the
emphasis of his words in conversing； and added vigour to his nods。
〃Only a minute。〃
〃How long is that？〃
〃Well； dear； five。〃
〃Ah； sonnies！〃 said the tranter； as Dick retired； 〃'tis a talent of
the female race that low numbers should stand for high； more
especially in matters of waiting； matters of age； and matters of
money。〃
〃True； true； upon my body；〃 said Geoffrey。
〃Ye spak with feeling； Geoffrey； seemingly。〃
〃Anybody that d'know my experience might guess that。〃
〃What's she doing now； Geoffrey？〃
〃Claning out all the upstairs drawers and cupboards； and dusting the
second…best chaineya thing that's only done once a year。 'If
there's work to be done I must do it；' says she； 'wedding or no。'〃
〃'Tis my belief she's a very good woman at bottom。〃
〃She's terrible deep； then。〃
Mrs。 Penny turned round。 〃Well； 'tis humps and hollers with the
best of us； but still and for all that； Dick and Fancy stand as fair
a chance of having a bit of sunsheen as any married pair in the
land。〃
〃Ay； there's no gainsaying it。〃
Mrs。 Dewy came up； talking to one person and looking at another。
〃Happy； yes；〃 she said。 〃'Tis always so when a couple is so exactly
in tune with one another as Dick and she。〃
〃When they be'n't too poor to have time to sing；〃 said grandfather
James。
〃I tell ye； neighbours； when the pinch comes；〃 said the tranter：
〃when the oldest daughter's boots be only a size less than her
mother's； and the rest o' the flock close behind her。 A sharp time
for a man that； my sonnies； a very sharp time！ Chanticleer's comb
is a…cut then； 'a believe。〃
〃That's about the form o't；〃 said Mr。 Penny。 〃That'll put the stuns
upon a man； when you must measure mother and daughter's lasts to
tell 'em apart。〃
〃You've no cause to complain； Reuben； of such a close…coming flock；〃
said Mrs。 Dewy； 〃for ours was a straggling lot enough； God knows！〃
〃I d'know it； I d'know it；〃 said the tranter。 〃You be a well…enough
woman； Ann。〃
Mrs。 Dewy put her mouth in the form of a smile； and put it back
again without smiling。
〃And if they come together； they go together；〃 said Mrs。 Penny；
whose family had been the reverse of the tranter's； 〃and a little
money will make either fate tolerable。 And money can be made by our
young couple； I know。〃
〃Yes； that it can！〃 said the impulsive voice of Leaf； who had
hitherto humbly admired the proceedings from a corner。 〃It can be
doneall that's wanted is a few pounds to begin with。 That's all！
I know a story about it！〃
〃Let's hear thy story； Leaf；〃 said the tranter。 〃I never knew you
were clever enough to tell a story。 Silence； all of ye！ Mr。 Leaf
will tell a story。〃
〃Tell your story； Thomas Leaf；〃 said grandfather William in the tone
of a schoolmaster。
〃Once；〃 said the delighted Leaf； in an uncertain voice； 〃there was a
man who lived in a house！ Well； this man went thinking and thinking
night and day。 At last； he said to himself； as I might； 'If I had
only ten pound； I'd make a fortune。' At last by hook or by crook；
behold he got the ten pounds！〃
〃Only think of that！〃 said Nat Callcome satirically。
〃Silence！〃 said the tranter。
〃Well； now comes the interesting part of the story！ In a little
time he made that ten pounds twenty。 Then a little time after that
he doubled it； and made it forty。 Well； he went on； and a good
while after that he made it eighty； and on to a hundred。 Well； by…
and…by he made it two hundred！ Well； you'd never believe it； but
he went on and made it four hundred！ He went on； and what did he
do？ Why； he made it eight hundred！ Yes； he did；〃 continued Leaf；
in the highest pitch of excitement； bringing down his fist upon his
knee with such force that he quivered with the pain； 〃yes； and he
went on and made it A THOUSAND！〃
〃Hear； hear！〃 said the tranter。 〃Better than the history of
England； my sonnies！〃
〃Thank you for your story； Thomas Leaf；〃 said grandfather William；
and then Leaf gradually sank into nothingness again。
Amid a medley of laughter； old shoes； and elder…wine； Dick and his
bride took their departure； side by side in the excellent new
spring…cart which the young tranter now possessed。 The moon was
just over the full； rendering any light from lamps or their own
beauties quite unnecessary to the pair。 They drove slowly along
Yalbury Bottom； where the road passed between two copses。 Dick was
talking to his companion。
〃Fancy；〃 he said； 〃why we are so happy is because there is such full
confidence between us。 Ever since that time you confessed to that
little flirtation with Shiner by the river （which was really no
flirtation at all）； I have thought how artless and good you must be
to tell me o' such a trifling thing； and to be so frightened about
it as you were。 It has won me to tell you my every deed and word
since then。 We'll have no secrets from each other； darling； will we
ever？no secret at all。〃
〃None from to…day；〃 said Fancy。 〃Hark！ what's that？〃
From a neighbouring thicket was suddenly heard to issue in a loud；
musical； and liquid voice …
〃Tippiwit！ swe…e…et！ ki…ki…ki！ Come hither； come hither； come
hither！〃
〃O； 'tis the nightingale；〃 murmured she； and thought of a secret she
would never tell。
Footnotes：
｛1｝ This； a local expression； must be a corruption of something less
questionable。
End
