wessex tales-第19节

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FELLOW…TOWNSMEN




CHAPTER　I



The　shepherd　on　the　east　hill　could　shout　out　lambing　intelligence
to　the　shepherd　on　the　west　hill；　over　the　intervening　town
chimneys；　without　great　inconvenience　to　his　voice；　so　nearly　did
the　steep　pastures　encroach　upon　the　burghers'　backyards。　　And　at
night　it　was　possible　to　stand　in　the　very　midst　of　the　town　and
hear　from　their　native　paddocks　on　the　lower　levels　of　greensward
the　mild　lowing　of　the　farmer's　heifers；　and　the　profound；　warm
blowings　of　breath　in　which　those　creatures　indulge。　　But　the
community　which　had　jammed　itself　in　the　valley　thus　flanked　formed
a　veritable　town；　with　a　real　mayor　and　corporation；　and　a　staple
manufacture。

During　a　certain　damp　evening　five…and…thirty　years　ago；　before　the
twilight　was　far　advanced；　a　pedestrian　of　professional　appearance；
carrying　a　small　bag　in　his　hand　and　an　elevated　umbrella；　was
descending　one　of　these　hills　by　the　turnpike　road　when　he　was
overtaken　by　a　phaeton。

'Hullo；　Downeis　that　you？'　said　the　driver　of　the　vehicle；　a　young
man　of　pale　and　refined　appearance。　　'Jump　up　here　with　me；　and　ride
down　to　your　door。'

The　other　turned　a　plump；　cheery；　rather　self…indulgent　face　over
his　shoulder　towards　the　hailer。

'O；　good　evening；　Mr。　Barnetthanks；'　he　said；　and　mounted　beside
his　acquaintance。

They　were　fellow…burgesses　of　the　town　which　lay　beneath　them；　but
though　old　and　very　good　friends；　they　were　differently
circumstanced。　　Barnet　was　a　richer　man　than　the　struggling　young
lawyer　Downe；　a　fact　which　was　to　some　extent　perceptible　in　Downe's
manner　towards　his　companion；　though　nothing　of　it　ever　showed　in
Barnet's　manner　towards　the　solicitor。　　Barnet's　position　in　the
town　was　none　of　his　own　making；　his　father　had　been　a　very
successful　flax…merchant　in　the　same　place；　where　the　trade　was
still　carried　on　as　briskly　as　the　small　capacities　of　its　quarters
would　allow。　　Having　acquired　a　fair　fortune；　old　Mr。　Barnet　had
retired　from　business；　bringing　up　his　son　as　a　gentleman…burgher；
and；　it　must　be　added；　as　a　well…educated；　liberal…minded　young　man。

'How　is　Mrs。　Barnet？'　asked　Downe。

'Mrs。　Barnet　was　very　well　when　I　left　home；'　the　other　answered
constrainedly；　exchanging　his　meditative　regard　of　the　horse　for　one
of　self…consciousness。

Mr。　Downe　seemed　to　regret　his　inquiry；　and　immediately　took　up
another　thread　of　conversation。　　He　congratulated　his　friend　on　his
election　as　a　council…man；　he　thought　he　had　not　seen　him　since　that
event　took　place；　Mrs。　Downe　had　meant　to　call　and　congratulate　Mrs。
Barnet；　but　he　feared　that　she　had　failed　to　do　so　as　yet。

Barnet　seemed　hampered　in　his　replies。　　'WE　should　have　been　glad　to
see　you。　　Imy　wife　would　welcome　Mrs。　Downe　at　any　time；　as　you
know　。　。　。　Yes；　I　am　a　member　of　the　corporationrather　an
inexperienced　member；　some　of　them　say。　　It　is　quite　true；　and　I
should　have　declined　the　honour　as　prematurehaving　other　things　on
my　hands　just　now；　tooif　it　had　not　been　pressed　upon　me　so　very
heartily。'

'There　is　one　thing　you　have　on　your　hands　which　I　can　never　quite
see　the　necessity　for；'　said　Downe；　with　good…humoured　freedom。
'What　the　deuce　do　you　want　to　build　that　new　mansion　for；　when　you
have　already　got　such　an　excellent　house　as　the　one　you　live　in？'

Barnet's　face　acquired　a　warmer　shade　of　colour；　but　as　the　question
had　been　idly　asked　by　the　solicitor　while　regarding　the　surrounding
flocks　and　fields；　he　answered　after　a　moment　with　no　apparent
embarrassment　…

'Well；　we　wanted　to　get　out　of　the　town；　you　know：　　the　house　I　am
living　in　is　rather　old　and　inconvenient。'　　Mr。　Downe　declared　that
he　had　chosen　a　pretty　site　for　the　new　building。　　They　would　be
able　to　see　for　miles　and　miles　from　the　windows。　　Was　he　going　to
give　it　a　name？　　He　supposed　so。

Barnet　thought　not。　　There　was　no　other　house　near　that　was　likely
to　be　mistaken　for　it。　　And　he　did　not　care　for　a　name。

'But　I　think　it　has　a　name！'　　Downe　observed：　　'I　went　pastwhen
was　it？this　morning；　and　I　saw　something；〃Chateau　Ringdale；〃　I
think　it　was；　stuck　up　on　a　board！'

'It　was　an　idea　shewe　had　for　a　short　time；'　said　Barnet　hastily。
'But　we　have　decided　finally　to　do　without　a　nameat　any　rate　such
a　name　as　that。　　It　must　have　been　a　week　ago　that　you　saw　it。　　It
was　taken　down　last　Saturday　。　。　。　Upon　that　matter　I　am　firm！'　he
added　grimly。

Downe　murmured　in　an　unconvinced　tone　that　he　thought　he　had　seen　it
yesterday。

Talking　thus　they　drove　into　the　town。　　The　street　was　unusually
still　for　the　hour　of　seven　in　the　evening；　an　increasing　drizzle
had　prevailed　since　the　afternoon；　and　now　formed　a　gauze　across　the
yellow　lamps；　and　trickled　with　a　gentle　rattle　down　the　heavy　roofs
of　stone　tile；　that　bent　the　house…ridges　hollow…backed　with　its
weight；　and　in　some　instances　caused　the　walls　to　bulge　outwards　in
the　upper　story。　　Their　route　took　them　past　the　little　town…hall；
the　Black…Bull　Hotel；　and　onward　to　the　junction　of　a　small　street
on　the　right；　consisting　of　a　row　of　those　two…and…two　windowed
brick　residences　of　no　particular　age；　which　are　exactly　alike
wherever　found；　except　in　the　people　they　contain。

'WaitI'll　drive　you　up　to　your　door；'　said　Barnet；　when　Downe
prepared　to　alight　at　the　corner。　　He　thereupon　turned　into　the
narrow　street；　when　the　faces　of　three　little　girls　could　be
discerned　close　to　the　panes　of　a　lighted　window　a　few　yards　ahead；
surmounted　by　that　of　a　young　matron；　the　gaze　of　all　four　being
directed　eagerly　up　the　empty　street。　　'You　are　a　fortunate　fellow；
Downe；'　Barnet　continued；　as　mother　and　children　disappeared　from
the　window　to　run　to　the　door。　　'You　must　be　happy　if　any　man　is。　　I
would　give　a　hundred　such　houses　as　my　new　one　to　have　a　home　like
yours。'

'Wellyes；　we　get　along　pretty　comfortably；'　replied　Downe
complacently。

'That　house；　Downe；　is　none　of　my　ordering；'　Barnet　broke　out；
revealing　a　bitterness　hitherto　suppressed；　and　checking　the　horse　a
moment　to　finish　his　speech　before　delivering　up　his　passenger。
'The　house　I　have　already　is　good　enough　for　me；　as　you　supposed。
It　is　my　own　freehold；　it　was　built　by　my　grandfather；　and　is　stout
enough　for　a　castle。　　My　father　was　born　there；　lived　there；　and
died　there。　　I　was　born　there；　and　have　always　lived　there；　yet　I
must　needs　build　a　new　one。'

'Why　do　you？'　said　Downe。

'Why　do　I？　　To　preserve　peace　in　the　household。　　I　do　anything　for
that；　but　I　don't　succeed。　　I　was　firm　in　resisting　〃Chateau
Ringdale；〃　however；　not　that　I　would　not　have　put　up　with　the
absurdity　of　the　name；　but　it　was　too　much　to　have　your　house
christened　after　Lord　Ringdale；　because　your　wife　once　had　a　fancy
for　him。　　If　you　only　knew　everything；　you　would　think　all　attempt
at　reconciliation　hopeless。　　In　your　happy　home　you　have　had　no　such
experiences；　and　God　forbid　that　you　ever　should。　　See；　here　they
are　all　ready　to　receive　you！'

'Of　course！　　And　so　will　your　wife　be　waiting　to　receive　you；'　said
Downe。　　'Take　my　word　for　it　she　will！　　And　with　a　dinner　prepared
for　you　far　better　than　mine。'

'I　hope　so；'　Barnet　replied　dubiously。

He　moved　on　to　Downe's　door；　which　the　solicitor's　family　had
already　opened。　　Downe　descended；　but　being　encumbered　with　his　bag
and　umbrella；　his　foot　slipped；　and　he　fell　upon　his　knees　in　the
gutter。

'O；　my　dear　Charles！'　said　his　wife；　running　down　the　steps；　and；
quite　ignoring　the　presence　of　Barnet；　she　seized　hold　of　her
husband；　pulled　him　to　his　feet；　and　kissed　him；　exclaiming；　'I　hope
you　are　not　hurt；　darling！'　　The　children　crowded　round；　chiming　in
piteously；　'Poor　papa！'

'He's　all　right；'　said　Barnet；　perceiving　that　Downe　was　only　a
little　muddy；　and　looking　more　at　the　wife　than　at　the　husband。
Almost　at　any　other　timecertainly　during　his　fastidious　bachelor
yearshe　would　have　thought　her　a　too　demonstrative　woman；　but
those　recent　circumstances　of　his　own　life　to　which　he　had　just
alluded　made　Mrs。　Downe's　solicitude　so　affecting　that　his　eye　grew
damp　as　he　witnessed　it。　　Bidding　the　lawyer　and　his　family　good…
night　he　left　them；　and　drove　slowly　into　the　main　street　towards
his　own　house。

The　heart　of　Barnet　was　sufficiently　impressionable　to　be　influenced
by　Downe's　parting　prophecy　that　he　might　not　be　so　unwelcome　home
as　he　imagined：　　the　dreary　night　might；　at　least　on　this　one
occasion；　make　Downe's　forecast　true。　　Hence　it　was　in　a　suspense
that　he　could　hardly　have　believed　possible　that　he　halted　at　his
door。　　On　entering　his　wife　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　and　he　inquired
for　her。　　The　servant　informed　him　that　her　mistress　had　the
dressmaker　with　her；　and　would　be　engaged　for　some　time。

'Dressmaker　at　this　time　of　day！'

'She　dined　early；　sir；　and　hopes　you　will　excuse　her　joining　you
this　evening。'

'But　she　knew　I　was　coming　to…night？'

'O　yes；　sir。'

'Go　up　and　tell　her　I　am　come。'

The　servant　did　so；　but　the　mistress　of　the　house　merely　transmitted
her　former　words。

Barnet　said　nothing　more；　and　presently　sat　down　to　his　lonely　meal；
which　was　eaten　abstractedly；　the　domestic　scene　he　had　lately
witne