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第6节

under the greenwood tree-第6节

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good; your drum…man is a rare bowel…shakergood again。  But I don't

care who hears me say it; nothing will spak to your heart wi' the

sweetness o' the man of strings!〃



〃Strings for ever!〃 said little Jimmy。



〃Strings alone would have held their ground against all the new

comers in creation。〃  (〃True; true!〃 said Bowman。)  〃But clarinets

was death。〃  (〃Death they was!〃 said Mr。 Penny。)  〃And harmonions;〃

William continued in a louder voice; and getting excited by these

signs of approval; 〃harmonions and barrel…organs〃  (〃Ah!〃 and groans

from Spinks) 〃be miserablewhat shall I call 'em?miserable〃



〃Sinners;〃 suggested Jimmy; who made large strides like the men; and

did not lag behind like the other little boys。



〃Miserable dumbledores!〃



〃Right; William; and so they bemiserable dumbledores!〃 said the

choir with unanimity。



By this time they were crossing to a gate in the direction of the

school; which; standing on a slight eminence at the junction of

three ways; now rose in unvarying and dark flatness against the sky。

The instruments were retuned; and all the band entered the school

enclosure; enjoined by old William to keep upon the grass。



〃Number seventy…eight;〃 he softly gave out as they formed round in a

semicircle; the boys opening the lanterns to get a clearer light;

and directing their rays on the books。



Then passed forth into the quiet night an ancient and time…worn

hymn; embodying a quaint Christianity in words orally transmitted

from father to son through several generations down to the present

characters; who sang them out right earnestly:





〃Remember Adam's fall;

O thou Man:

Remember Adam's fall

From Heaven to Hell。

Remember Adam's fall

How he hath condemn'd all

In Hell perpetual

There for to dwell。



Remember God's goodnesse;

O thou Man:

Remember God's goodnesse;

His promise made。

Remember God's goodnesse;

He sent His Son sinlesse

Our ails for to redress;

Be not afraid



In Bethlehem He was born;

O thou Man:

In Bethlehem He was born;

For mankind's sake。



In Bethlehem He was born;

Christmas…day i' the morn:

Our Saviour thought no scorn

Our faults to take。



Give thanks to God alway;

O thou Man:

Give thanks to God alway

With heart…most joy。

Give thanks to God alway

On this our joyful day:

Let all men sing and say;

Holy; Holy!〃





Having concluded the last note; they listened for a minute or two;

but found that no sound issued from the schoolhouse。



〃Four breaths; and then; 〃O; what unbounded goodness!〃 number fifty…

nine;〃 said William。



This was duly gone through; and no notice whatever seemed to be

taken of the performance。



〃Good guide us; surely 'tisn't a' empty house; as befell us in the

year thirty…nine and forty…three!〃 said old Dewy。



〃Perhaps she's jist come from some musical city; and sneers at our

doings?〃 the tranter whispered。



〃'Od rabbit her!〃 said Mr。 Penny; with an annihilating look at a

corner of the school chimney; 〃I don't quite stomach her; if this is

it。  Your plain music well done is as worthy as your other sort done

bad; a' b'lieve; souls; so say I。〃



〃Four breaths; and then the last;〃 said the leader authoritatively。

〃'Rejoice; ye Tenants of the Earth;' number sixty…four。〃



At the close; waiting yet another minute; he said in a clear loud

voice; as he had said in the village at that hour and season for the

previous forty years〃A merry Christmas to ye!〃







CHAPTER V:  THE LISTENERS







When the expectant stillness consequent upon the exclamation had

nearly died out of them all; an increasing light made itself visible

in one of the windows of the upper floor。  It came so close to the

blind that the exact position of the flame could be perceived from

the outside。  Remaining steady for an instant; the blind went upward

from before it; revealing to thirty concentrated eyes a young girl;

framed as a picture by the window architrave; and unconsciously

illuminating her countenance to a vivid brightness by a candle she

held in her left hand; close to her face; her right hand being

extended to the side of the window。  She was wrapped in a white robe

of some kind; whilst down her shoulders fell a twining profusion of

marvellously rich hair; in a wild disorder which proclaimed it to be

only during the invisible hours of the night that such a condition

was discoverable。  Her bright eyes were looking into the grey world

outside with an uncertain expression; oscillating between courage

and shyness; which; as she recognized the semicircular group of dark

forms gathered before her; transformed itself into pheasant

resolution。



Opening the window; she said lightly and warmly〃Thank you;

singers; thank you!〃



Together went the window quickly and quietly; and the blind started

downward on its return to its place。  Her fair forehead and eyes

vanished; her little mouth; her neck and shoulders; all of her。

Then the spot of candlelight shone nebulously as before; then it

moved away。



〃How pretty!〃 exclaimed Dick Dewy。



〃If she'd been rale wexwork she couldn't ha' been comelier;〃 said

Michael Mail。



〃As near a thing to a spiritual vision as ever I wish to see!〃 said

tranter Dewy。



〃O; sich I never; never see!〃 said Leaf fervently。



All the rest; after clearing their threats and adjusting their hats;

agreed that such a sight was worth singing for。



〃Now to Farmer Shiner's; and then replenish our insides; father?〃

said the tranter。



〃Wi' all my heart;〃 said old William; shouldering his bass…viol。



Farmer Shiner's was a queer lump of a house; standing at the corner

of a lane that ran into the principal thoroughfare。  The upper

windows were much wider than they were high; and this feature;

together with a broad bay…window where the door might have been

expected; gave it by day the aspect of a human countenance turned

askance; and wearing a sly and wicked leer。  To…night nothing was

visible but the outline of the roof upon the sky。



The front of this building was reached; and the preliminaries

arranged as usual。



〃Four breaths; and number thirty…two; 'Behold the Morning Star;'〃

said old William。



They had reached the end of the second verse; and the fiddlers were

doing the up bow…stroke previously to pouring forth the opening

chord of the third verse; when; without a light appearing or any

signal being given; a roaring voice exclaimed …



〃Shut up; woll 'ee!  Don't make your blaring row here!  A feller wi'

a headache enough to split his skull likes a quiet night!〃



Slam went the window。



〃Hullo; that's a' ugly blow for we!〃 said the tranter; in a keenly

appreciative voice; and turning to his companions。



〃Finish the carrel; all who be friends of harmony!〃 commanded old

William; and they continued to the end。



〃Four breaths; and number nineteen!〃 said William firmly。  〃Give it

him well; the quire can't be insulted in this manner!〃



A light now flashed into existence; the window opened; and the

farmer stood revealed as one in a terrific passion。



〃Drown en!drown en!〃 the tranter cried; fiddling frantically。

〃Play fortissimy; and drown his spaking!〃



〃Fortissimy!〃 said Michael Mail; and the music and singing waxed so

loud that it was impossible to know what Mr。 Shiner had said; was

saying; or was about to say; but wildly flinging his arms and body

about in the forms of capital Xs and Ys; he appeared to utter enough

invectives to consign the whole parish to perdition。



〃Very onseemlyvery!〃 said old William; as they retired。  〃Never

such a dreadful scene in the whole round o' my carrel practice

never!  And he a churchwarden!〃



〃Only a drap o' drink got into his head;〃 said the tranter。  〃Man's

well enough when he's in his religious frame。  He's in his worldly

frame now。  Must ask en to our bit of a party to…morrow night; I

suppose; and so put en in humour again。  We bear no mortal man ill…

will。〃



They now crossed Mellstock Bridge; and went along an embowered path

beside the Froom towards the church and vicarage; meeting Voss with

the hot mead and bread…and…cheese as they were approaching the

churchyard。  This determined them to eat and drink before proceeding

further; and they entered the church and ascended to the gallery。

The lanterns were opened; and the whole body sat round against the

walls on benches and whatever else was available; and made a hearty

meal。  In the pauses of conversation there could be heard through

the floor overhead a little world of undertones and creaks from the

halting clockwork; which never spread further than the tower they

were born in; and raised in the more meditative minds a fancy that

here hay the direct pathway of Time。



Having done eating and drinking; they again tuned the instruments;

and once more the party emerged into the night air。



〃Where's 

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