wessex tales-第10节

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enigma；　the　shepherd's　wife　once　more　called　for　a　song。　　The　same
obstacles　presented　themselves　as　at　the　former　timeone　had　no
voice；　another　had　forgotten　the　first　verse。　　The　stranger　at　the
table；　whose　soul　had　now　risen　to　a　good　working　temperature；
relieved　the　difficulty　by　exclaiming　that；　to　start　the　company；　he
would　sing　himself。　　Thrusting　one　thumb　into　the　arm…hole　of　his
waistcoat；　he　waved　the　other　hand　in　the　air；　and；　with　an
extemporizing　gaze　at　the　shining　sheep…crooks　above　the
mantelpiece；　began：…


'O　my　trade　it　is　the　rarest　one；
Simple　shepherds　all　…
My　trade　is　a　sight　to　see；
For　my　customers　I　tie；　and　take　them　up　on　high；
And　waft　'em　to　a　far　countree！'


The　room　was　silent　when　he　had　finished　the　versewith　one
exception；　that　of　the　man　in　the　chimney…corner；　who；　at　the
singer's　word；　'Chorus！　'joined　him　in　a　deep　bass　voice　of　musical
relish　…


'And　waft　'em　to　a　far　countree！'


Oliver　Giles；　John　Pitcher　the　dairyman；　the　parish…clerk；　the
engaged　man　of　fifty；　the　row　of　young　women　against　the　wall；
seemed　lost　in　thought　not　of　the　gayest　kind。　　The　shepherd　looked
meditatively　on　the　ground；　the　shepherdess　gazed　keenly　at　the
singer；　and　with　some　suspicion；　she　was　doubting　whether　this
stranger　were　merely　singing　an　old　song　from　recollection；　or　was
composing　one　there　and　then　for　the　occasion。　　All　were　as
perplexed　at　the　obscure　revelation　as　the　guests　at　Belshazzar's
Feast；　except　the　man　in　the　chimney…corner；　who　quietly　said；
'Second　verse；　stranger；'　and　smoked　on。

The　singer　thoroughly　moistened　himself　from　his　lips　inwards；　and
went　on　with　the　next　stanza　as　requested：…


'My　tools　are　but　common　ones；
Simple　shepherds　all　…
My　tools　are　no　sight　to　see：
A　little　hempen　string；　and　a　post　whereon　to　swing；
Are　implements　enough　for　me！'


Shepherd　Fennel　glanced　round。　　There　was　no　longer　any　doubt　that
the　stranger　was　answering　his　question　rhythmically。　　The　guests
one　and　all　started　back　with　suppressed　exclamations。　　The　young
woman　engaged　to　the　man　of　fifty　fainted　half…way；　and　would　have
proceeded；　but　finding　him　wanting　in　alacrity　for　catching　her　she
sat　down　trembling。

'O；　he's　the！'　whispered　the　people　in　the　background；　mentioning
the　name　of　an　ominous　public　officer。　　'He's　come　to　do　it！　　'Tis
to　be　at　Casterbridge　jail　to…morrowthe　man　for　sheep…stealing
the　poor　clock…maker　we　heard　of；　who　used　to　live　away　at
Shottsford　and　had　no　work　to　doTimothy　Summers；　whose　family　were
a…starving；　and　so　he　went　out　of　Shottsford　by　the　high…road；　and
took　a　sheep　in　open　daylight；　defying　the　farmer　and　the　farmer's
wife　and　the　farmer's　lad；　and　every　man　jack　among　'em。　　He'　（and
they　nodded　towards　the　stranger　of　the　deadly　trade）　'is　come　from
up　the　country　to　do　it　because　there's　not　enough　to　do　in　his　own
county…town；　and　he's　got　the　place　here　now　our　own　county　man's
dead；　he's　going　to　live　in　the　same　cottage　under　the　prison　wall。'

The　stranger　in　cinder…gray　took　no　notice　of　this　whispered　string
of　observations；　but　again　wetted　his　lips。　　Seeing　that　his　friend
in　the　chimney…corner　was　the　only　one　who　reciprocated　his
joviality　in　any　way；　he　held　out　his　cup　towards　that　appreciative
comrade；　who　also　held　out　his　own。　　They　clinked　together；　the　eyes
of　the　rest　of　the　room　hanging　upon　the　singer's　actions。　　He
parted　his　lips　for　the　third　verse；　but　at　that　moment　another
knock　was　audible　upon　the　door。　　This　time　the　knock　was　faint　and
hesitating。

The　company　seemed　scared；　the　shepherd　looked　with　consternation
towards　the　entrance；　and　it　was　with　some　effort　that　he　resisted
his　alarmed　wife's　deprecatory　glance；　and　uttered　for　the　third
time　the　welcoming　words；　'Walk　in！'

The　door　was　gently　opened；　and　another　man　stood　upon　the　mat。　　He；
like　those　who　had　preceded　him；　was　a　stranger。　　This　time　it　was　a
short；　small　personage；　of　fair　complexion；　and　dressed　in　a　decent
suit　of　dark　clothes。

'Can　you　tell　me　the　way　to？'　he　began：　　when；　gazing　round　the
room　to　observe　the　nature　of　the　company　amongst　whom　he　had
fallen；　his　eyes　lighted　on　the　stranger　in　cinder…gray。　　It　was
just　at　the　instant　when　the　latter；　who　had　thrown　his　mind　into
his　song　with　such　a　will　that　he　scarcely　heeded　the　interruption；
silenced　all　whispers　and　inquiries　by　bursting　into　his　third
verse：…


'To…morrow　is　my　working　day；
Simple　shepherds　all　…
To…morrow　is　a　working　day　for　me：
For　the　farmer's　sheep　is　slain；　and　the　lad　who　did　it　ta'en；
And　on　his　soul　may　God　ha'　merc…y！'


The　stranger　in　the　chimney…corner；　waving　cups　with　the　singer　so
heartily　that　his　mead　splashed　over　on　the　hearth；　repeated　in　his
bass　voice　as　before：…


'And　on　his　soul　may　God　ha'　merc…y！'


All　this　time　the　third　stranger　had　been　standing　in　the　doorway。
Finding　now　that　he　did　not　come　forward　or　go　on　speaking；　the
guests　particularly　regarded　him。　　They　noticed　to　their　surprise
that　he　stood　before　them　the　picture　of　abject　terrorhis　knees
trembling；　his　hand　shaking　so　violently　that　the　door…latch　by
which　he　supported　himself　rattled　audibly：　　his　white　lips　were
parted；　and　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　merry　officer　of　justice　in　the
middle　of　the　room。　　A　moment　more　and　he　had　turned；　closed　the
door；　and　fled。

'What　a　man　can　it　be？'　said　the　shepherd。

The　rest；　between　the　awfulness　of　their　late　discovery　and　the　odd
conduct　of　this　third　visitor；　looked　as　if　they　knew　not　what　to
think；　and　said　nothing。　　Instinctively　they　withdrew　further　and
further　from　the　grim　gentleman　in　their　midst；　whom　some　of　them
seemed　to　take　for　the　Prince　of　Darkness　himself；　till　they　formed
a　remote　circle；　an　empty　space　of　floor　being　left　between　them　and
him　…


'　。　。　。　circulus；　cujus　centrum　diabolus。'


The　room　was　so　silentthough　there　were　more　than　twenty　people　in
itthat　nothing　could　be　heard　but　the　patter　of　the　rain　against
the　window…shutters；　accompanied　by　the　occasional　hiss　of　a　stray
drop　that　fell　down　the　chimney　into　the　fire；　and　the　steady
puffing　of　the　man　in　the　corner；　who　had　now　resumed　his　pipe　of
long　clay。

The　stillness　was　unexpectedly　broken。　　The　distant　sound　of　a　gun
reverberated　through　the　airapparently　from　the　direction　of　the
county…town。

'Be　jiggered！'　cried　the　stranger　who　had　sung　the　song；　jumping　up。

'What　does　that　mean？'　asked　several。

'A　prisoner　escaped　from　the　jailthat's　what　it　means。'

All　listened。　　The　sound　was　repeated；　and　none　of　them　spoke　but
the　man　in　the　chimney…corner；　who　said　quietly；　'I've　often　been
told　that　in　this　county　they　fire　a　gun　at　such　times；　but　I　never
heard　it　till　now。'

'I　wonder　if　it　is　MY　man？'　murmured　the　personage　in　cinder…gray。

'Surely　it　is！'　said　the　shepherd　involuntarily。　　'And　surely　we've
zeed　him！　　That　little　man　who　looked　in　at　the　door　by　now；　and
quivered　like　a　leaf　when　he　zeed　ye　and　heard　your　song！'

'His　teeth　chattered；　and　the　breath　went　out　of　his　body；'　said　the
dairyman。

'And　his　heart　seemed　to　sink　within　him　like　a　stone；'　said　Oliver
Giles。

'And　he　bolted　as　if　he'd　been　shot　at；'　said　the　hedge…carpenter。

'Truehis　teeth　chattered；　and　his　heart　seemed　to　sink；　and　he
bolted　as　if　he'd　been　shot　at；'　slowly　summed　up　the　man　in　the
chimney…corner。

'I　didn't　notice　it；'　remarked　the　hangman。

'We　were　all　a…wondering　what　made　him　run　off　in　such　a　fright；'
faltered　one　of　the　women　against　the　wall；　'and　now　'tis
explained！'

The　firing　of　the　alarm…gun　went　on　at　intervals；　low　and　sullenly；
and　their　suspicions　became　a　certainty。　　The　sinister　gentleman　in
cinder…gray　roused　himself。　　'Is　there　a　constable　here？'　he　asked；
in　thick　tones。　　'If　so；　let　him　step　forward。'

The　engaged　man　of　fifty　stepped　quavering　out　from　the　wall；　his
betrothed　beginning　to　sob　on　the　back　of　the　chair。

'You　are　a　sworn　constable？'

'I　be；　sir。'

'Then　pursue　the　criminal　at　once；　with　assistance；　and　bring　him
back　here。　　He　can't　have　gone　far。'

'I　will；　sir；　I　willwhen　I've　got　my　staff。　　I'll　go　home　and　get
it；　and　come　sharp　here；　and　start　in　a　body。'

'Staff！never　mind　your　staff；　the　man'll　be　gone！'

'But　I　can't　do　nothing　without　my　staffcan　I；　William；　and　John；
and　Charles　Jake？　　No；　for　there's　the　king's　royal　crown　a　painted
on　en　in　yaller　and　gold；　and　the　lion　and　the　unicorn；　so　as　when　I
raise　en　up　and　hit　my　prisoner；　'tis　made　a　lawful　blow　thereby。　　I
wouldn't　'tempt　to　take　up　a　man　without　my　staffno；　not　I。　　If　I
hadn't　the　law　to　gie　me　courage；　why；　instead　o'　my　taking　up　him
he　might　take　up　me！'

'Now；　I'm　a　king's　man　myself；　and　can　give　you　authority　enough　for
this；'　said　the　formidable　officer　in　gray。　　'Now　then；　all　of　ye；
be　ready。　　Have　ye　any　lanterns？'

'Yeshave　ye　any　lanterns？I　demand　it！'　said　the　constable。

'And　the　rest　of　you　able…bodied'

'Able…bodied　menyesthe　rest　of　ye！'　said　the　constable。

'Have　you　some　good　stout　staves　and　pitch…forks'

'Staves　and　pitchforksin　the　name　o'　the　law！　　And　take　'em　in　yer
hands　and　go　in　quest；　and