under the greenwood tree-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



considered　him　a　miser；　some；　rather　slovenly　in　his　habits。　　He　now

came　forward　from　behind　grandfather　William；　and　his　stooping

figure　formed　a　well…illuminated　picture　as　he　passed　towards　the

fire…place。　　Being　by　trade　a　mason；　he　wore　a　long　linen　apron

reaching　almost　to　his　toes；　corduroy　breeches　and　gaiters；　which；

together　with　his　boots；　graduated　in　tints　of　whitish…brown　by

constant　friction　against　lime　and　stone。　　He　also　wore　a　very　stiff

fustian　coat；　having　folds　at　the　elbows　and　shoulders　as　unvarying

in　their　arrangement　as　those　in　a　pair　of　bellows：　　the　ridges　and

the　projecting　parts　of　the　coat　collectively　exhibiting　a　shade

different　from　that　of　the　hollows；　which　were　lined　with　small

ditch…like　accumulations　of　stone　and　mortar…dust。　　The　extremely

large　side…pockets；　sheltered　beneath　wide　flaps；　bulged　out

convexly　whether　empty　or　full；　and　as　he　was　often　engaged　to　work

at　buildings　far　awayhis　breakfasts　and　dinners　being　eaten　in　a

strange　chimney…corner；　by　a　garden　wall；　on　a　heap　of　stones；　or

walking　along　the　roadhe　carried　in　these　pockets　a　small　tin

canister　of　butter；　a　small　canister　of　sugar；　a　small　canister　of

tea；　a　paper　of　salt；　and　a　paper　of　pepper；　the　bread；　cheese；　and

meat；　forming　the　substance　of　his　meals；　hanging　up　behind　him　in

his　basket　among　the　hammers　and　chisels。　　If　a　passer…by　looked

hard　at　him　when　he　was　drawing　forth　any　of　these；　〃My　buttery；〃　he

said；　with　a　pinched　smile。



〃Better　try　over　number　seventy…eight　before　we　start；　I　suppose？〃

said　William；　pointing　to　a　heap　of　old　Christmas…carol　books　on　a

side　table。



〃Wi'　all　my　heart；〃　said　the　choir　generally。



〃Number　seventy…eight　was　always　a　teaseralways。　　I　can　mind　him

ever　since　I　was　growing　up　a　hard　boy…chap。〃



〃But　he's　a　good　tune；　and　worth　a　mint　o'　practice；〃　said　Michael。



〃He　is；　though　I've　been　mad　enough　wi'　that　tune　at　times　to　seize

en　and　tear　en　all　to　linnit。　　Ay；　he's　a　splendid　carrelthere's

no　denying　that。〃



〃The　first　line　is　well　enough；〃　said　Mr。　Spinks；　〃but　when　you　come

to　'O；　thou　man；'　you　make　a　mess　o't。〃



〃We'll　have　another　go　into　en；　and　see　what　we　can　make　of　the

martel。　　Half…an…hour's　hammering　at　en　will　conquer　the　toughness

of　en；　I'll　warn　it。〃



〃'Od　rabbit　it　all！〃　said　Mr。　Penny；　interrupting　with　a　flash　of

his　spectacles；　and　at　the　same　time　clawing　at　something　in　the

depths　of　a　large　side…pocket。　　〃If　so　be　I　hadn't　been　as　scatter…

brained　and　thirtingill　as　a　chiel；　I　should　have　called　at　the

schoolhouse　wi'　a　boot　as　I　cam　up　along。　　Whatever　is　coming　to　me

I　really　can't　estimate　at　all！〃



〃The　brain　has　its　weaknesses；〃　murmured　Mr。　Spinks；　waving　his　head

ominously。　　Mr。　Spinks　was　considered　to　be　a　scholar；　having　once

kept　a　night…school；　and　always　spoke　up　to　that　level。



〃Well；　I　must　call　with　en　the　first　thing　tomorrow。　　And　I'll　empt

my　pocket　o'　this　last　too；　if　you　don't　mind；　Mrs。　Dewy。〃　　He　drew

forth　a　last；　and　placed　it　on　a　table　at　his　elbow。　　The　eyes　of

three　or　four　followed　it。



〃Well；〃　said　the　shoemaker；　seeming　to　perceive　that　the　interest

the　object　had　excited　was　greater　than　he　had　anticipated；　and

warranted　the　last's　being　taken　up　again　and　exhibited；　〃now；　whose

foot　do　ye　suppose　this　last　was　made　for？　　It　was　made　for　Geoffrey

Day's　father；　over　at　Yalbury　Wood。　　Ah；　many's　the　pair　o'　boots

he've　had　off　the　last！　　Well；　when　'a　died；　I　used　the　last　for

Geoffrey；　and　have　ever　since；　though　a　little　doctoring　was　wanted

to　make　it　do。　　Yes；　a　very　queer　natured　last　it　is　now；　'a

b'lieve；〃　he　continued；　turning　it　over　caressingly。　　〃Now；　you

notice　that　there〃　（pointing　to　a　lump　of　leather　bradded　to　the

toe）；　〃that's　a　very　bad　bunion　that　he've　had　ever　since　'a　was　a

boy。　　Now；　this　remarkable　large　piece〃　（pointing　to　a　patch　nailed

to　the　side）；　〃shows　a'　accident　he　received　by　the　tread　of　a

horse；　that　squashed　his　foot　a'most　to　a　pomace。　　The　horseshoe　cam

full…butt　on　this　point；　you　see。　　And　so　I've　just　been　over　to

Geoffrey's；　to　know　if　he　wanted　his　bunion　altered　or　made　bigger

in　the　new　pair　I'm　making。〃



During　the　hatter　part　of　this　speech；　Mr。　Penny's　left　hand

wandered　towards　the　cider…cup；　as　if　the　hand　had　no　connection

with　the　person　speaking；　and　bringing　his　sentence　to　an　abrupt

chose；　all　but　the　extreme　margin　of　the　bootmaker's　face　was

eclipsed　by　the　circular　brim　of　the　vessel。



〃However；　I　was　going　to　say；〃　continued　Penny；　putting　down　the

cup；　〃I　ought　to　have　called　at　the　school'here　he　went　groping

again　in　the　depths　of　his　pocket'to　leave　this　without　fail；

though　I　suppose　the　first　thing　to…morrow　will　do。〃



He　now　drew　forth　and　placed　upon　the　table　a　bootsmall；　light；

and　prettily　shapedupon　the　heel　of　which　he　had　been　operating。



〃The　new　schoolmistress's！〃



〃Ay；　no　less；　Miss　Fancy　Day；　as　neat　a　little　figure　of　fun　as　ever

I　see；　and　just　husband…high。〃



〃Never　Geoffrey's　daughter　Fancy？〃　said　Bowman；　as　all　glances

present　converged　like　wheel…spokes　upon　the　boot　in　the　centre　of

them。



〃Yes；　sure；〃　resumed　Mr。　Penny；　regarding　the　boot　as　if　that　alone

were　his　auditor；　〃'tis　she　that's　come　here　schoolmistress。　　You

knowed　his　daughter　was　in　training？〃



〃Strange；　isn't　it；　for　her　to　be　here　Christmas　night；　Master

Penny？〃



〃Yes；　but　here　she　is；　'a　b'lieve。〃



〃I　know　how　she　comes　hereso　I　do！〃　chirruped　one　of　the　children。



〃Why？〃　Dick　inquired；　with　subtle　interest。



〃Pa'son　Maybold　was　afraid　he　couldn't　manage　us　all　to…morrow　at

the　dinner；　and　he　talked　o'　getting　her　jist　to　come　over　and　help

him　hand　about　the　plates；　and　see　we　didn't　make　pigs　of　ourselves；

and　that's　what　she's　come　for！〃



〃And　that's　the　boot；　then；〃　continued　its　mender　imaginatively；

〃that　she'll　walk　to　church　in　tomorrow　morning。　　I　don't　care　to

mend　boots　I　don't　make；　but　there's　no　knowing　what　it　may　lead　to；

and　her　father　always　comes　to　me。〃



There；　between　the　cidermug　and　the　candle；　stood　this　interesting

receptacle　of　the　little　unknown's　foot；　and　a　very　pretty　boot　it

was。　　A　character；　in　factthe　flexible　bend　at　the　instep；　the

rounded　localities　of　the　small　nestling　toes；　scratches　from

careless　scampers　now　forgottenall；　as　repeated　in　the　tell…tale

leather；　evidencing　a　nature　and　a　bias。　　Dick　surveyed　it　with　a

delicate　feeling　that　he　had　no　right　to　do　so　without　having　first

asked　the　owner　of　the　foot's　permission。



〃Now；　neighbours；　though　no　common　eye　can　see　it；〃　the　shoemaker；

went　on；　〃a　man　in　the　trade　can　see　the　likeness　between　this　boot

and　that　last；　although　that　is　so　deformed　as　hardly　to　recall　one

of　God's　creatures；　and　this　is　one　of　as　pretty　a　pair　as　you'd　get

for　ten…and…sixpence　in　Casterbridge。　　To　you；　nothing；　but　'tis

father's　voot　and　daughter's　voot　to　me；　as　plain　as　houses。〃



〃I　don't　doubt　there's　a　likeness；　Master　Pennya　mild　likenessa

fantastical　likeness；〃　said　Spinks。　　〃But　_I_　han't　got　imagination

enough　to　see　it；　perhaps。〃



Mr。　Penny　adjusted　his　spectacles。



〃Now；　I'll　tell　ye　what　happened　to　me　once　on　this　very　point。　　You

used　to　know　Johnson　the　dairyman；　William？〃



〃Ay；　sure；　I　did。〃



〃Well；　'twasn't　opposite　his　house；　but　a　little　lower　downby　his

paddock；　in　front　o'　Parkmaze　Pool。　　I　was　a…bearing　across　towards

Bloom's　End；and　ho　and　behold；　there　was　a　man　just　brought　out　o'

the　Pool；　dead；　he　had　un'rayed　for　a　dip；　but　not　being　able　to

pitch　it　just　there　had　gone　in　flop　over　his　head。　　Men　looked　at

en；　women　looked　at　en；　children　looked　at　en；　nobody　knowed　en。　　He

was　covered　wi'　a　sheet；　but　I　catched　sight　of　his　voot；　just

showing　out　as　they　carried　en　along。　　'I　don't　care　what　name　that

man　went　by；'　I　said；　in　my　way；　'but　he's　John　Woodward's　brother；

I　can　swear　to　the　family　voot。'　　At　that　very　moment　up　comes　John

Woodward；　weeping　and　teaving；　'I've　lost　my　brother！　　I've　lost　my

brother！'〃



〃Only　to　think　of　that！〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy。



〃'Tis　well　enough　to　know　this　foot　and　that　foot；〃　said　Mr。　Spinks。

〃'Tis　long…headed；　in　fact；　as　far　as　feet　do　go。　　I　know　little；

'tis　trueI　say　no　more；　but　show　ME　a　man's　foot；　and　I'll　tell

you　that　man's　heart。〃



〃You　must　be　a　cleverer　feller；　then；　than　mankind　in　jineral；〃　said

the　tranter。



〃Well；　that's　nothing　for　me　to　speak　of；〃　returned　Mr。　Spinks。　　〃A

man　hives　and　learns。　　Maybe　I've　read　a　leaf　or　two　in　my　time。　　I

don't　wish　to　say　anything　large；　mind　you；　but　nevertheless；　maybe

I　have。〃



〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Michael　soothingly；　〃and　all　the　parish　knows；

that　ye've　read　sommat　of　everything　a'most；　and　have　been　a　great

filler　of　young　folks'　brains。　　Learning's　a　worthy　thing；　and　ye've

got　it；　Master　Spinks。〃



〃I　make　no　boast；　though　I　ma