wessex tales-第20节

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which　was　eaten　abstractedly；　the　domestic　scene　he　had　lately
witnessed　still　impressing　him　by　its　contrast　with　the　situation
here。　　His　mind　fell　back　into　past　years　upon　a　certain　pleasing
and　gentle　being　whose　face　would　loom　out　of　their　shades　at　such
times　as　these。　　Barnet　turned　in　his　chair；　and　looked　with
unfocused　eyes　in　a　direction　southward　from　where　he　sat；　as　if　he
saw　not　the　room　but　a　long　way　beyond。　　'I　wonder　if　she　lives
there　still！'　he　said。



CHAPTER　II



He　rose　with　a　sudden　rebelliousness；　put　on　his　hat　and　coat；　and
went　out　of　the　house；　pursuing　his　way　along　the　glistening
pavement　while　eight　o'clock　was　striking　from　St。　Mary's　tower；　and
the　apprentices　and　shopmen　were　slamming　up　the　shutters　from　end
to　end　of　the　town。　　In　two　minutes　only　those　shops　which　could
boast　of　no　attendant　save　the　master　or　the　mistress　remained　with
open　eyes。　　These　were　ever　somewhat　less　prompt　to　exclude
customers　than　the　others：　　for　their　owners'　ears　the　closing　hour
had　scarcely　the　cheerfulness　that　it　possessed　for　the　hired
servants　of　the　rest。　　Yet　the　night　being　dreary　the　delay　was　not
for　long；　and　their　windows；　too；　blinked　together　one　by　one。

During　this　time　Barnet　had　proceeded　with　decided　step　in　a
direction　at　right　angles　to　the　broad　main　thoroughfare　of　the
town；　by　a　long　street　leading　due　southward。　　Here；　though　his
family　had　no　more　to　do　with　the　flax　manufacture；　his　own　name
occasionally　greeted　him　on　gates　and　warehouses；　being　used
allusively　by　small　rising　tradesmen　as　a　recommendation；　in　such
words　as　'Smith；　from　Barnet　&　Co。''Robinson；　late　manager　at
Barnet's。'　　The　sight　led　him　to　reflect　upon　his　father's　busy
life；　and　he　questioned　if　it　had　not　been　far　happier　than　his　own。

The　houses　along　the　road　became　fewer；　and　presently　open　ground
appeared　between　them　on　either　side；　the　track　on　the　right　hand
rising　to　a　higher　level　till　it　merged　in　a　knoll。　　On　the　summit　a
row　of　builders'　scaffold…poles　probed　the　indistinct　sky　like
spears；　and　at　their　bases　could　be　discerned　the　lower　courses　of　a
building　lately　begun。　　Barnet　slackened　his　pace　and　stood　for　a
few　moments　without　leaving　the　centre　of　the　road；　apparently　not
much　interested　in　the　sight；　till　suddenly　his　eye　was　caught　by　a
post　in　the　fore　part　of　the　ground　bearing　a　white　board　at　the
top。　　He　went　to　the　rails；　vaulted　over；　and　walked　in　far　enough
to　discern　painted　upon　the　board　'Chateau　Ringdale。'

A　dismal　irony　seemed　to　lie　in　the　words；　and　its　effect　was　to
irritate　him。　　Downe；　then；　had　spoken　truly。　　He　stuck　his　umbrella
into　the　sod；　and　seized　the　post　with　both　hands；　as　if　intending
to　loosen　and　throw　it　down。　　Then；　like　one　bewildered　by　an
opposition　which　would　exist　none　the　less　though　its　manifestations
were　removed；　he　allowed　his　arms　to　sink　to　his　side。

'Let　it　be；'　he　said　to　himself。　　'I　have　declared　there　shall　be
peaceif　possible。'

Taking　up　his　umbrella　he　quietly　left　the　enclosure；　and　went　on
his　way；　still　keeping　his　back　to　the　town。　　He　had　advanced　with
more　decision　since　passing　the　new　building；　and　soon　a　hoarse
murmur　rose　upon　the　gloom；　it　was　the　sound　of　the　sea。　　The　road
led　to　the　harbour；　at　a　distance　of　a　mile　from　the　town；　from
which　the　trade　of　the　district　was　fed。　　After　seeing　the　obnoxious
name…board　Barnet　had　forgotten　to　open　his　umbrella；　and　the　rain
tapped　smartly　on　his　hat；　and　occasionally　stroked　his　face　as　he
went　on。

Though　the　lamps　were　still　continued　at　the　roadside；　they　stood　at
wider　intervals　than　before；　and　the　pavement　had　given　place　to
common　road。　　Every　time　he　came　to　a　lamp　an　increasing　shine　made
itself　visible　upon　his　shoulders；　till　at　last　they　quite　glistened
with　wet。　　The　murmur　from　the　shore　grew　stronger；　but　it　was　still
some　distance　off　when　he　paused　before　one　of　the　smallest　of　the
detached　houses　by　the　wayside；　standing　in　its　own　garden；　the
latter　being　divided　from　the　road　by　a　row　of　wooden　palings。
Scrutinizing　the　spot　to　ensure　that　he　was　not　mistaken；　he　opened
the　gate　and　gently　knocked　at　the　cottage　door。

When　he　had　patiently　waited　minutes　enough　to　lead　any　man　in
ordinary　cases　to　knock　again；　the　door　was　heard　to　open；　though　it
was　impossible　to　see　by　whose　hand；　there　being　no　light　in　the
passage。　　Barnet　said　at　random；　'Does　Miss　Savile　live　here？'

A　youthful　voice　assured　him　that　she　did　live　there；　and　by　a
sudden　afterthought　asked　him　to　come　in。　　It　would　soon　get　a
light；　it　said：　　but　the　night　being　wet；　mother　had　not　thought　it
worth　while　to　trim　the　passage　lamp。

'Don't　trouble　yourself　to　get　a　light　for　me；'　said　Barnet　hastily；
'it　is　not　necessary　at　all。　　Which　is　Miss　Savile's　sitting…room？'

The　young　person；　whose　white　pinafore　could　just　be　discerned；
signified　a　door　in　the　side　of　the　passage；　and　Barnet　went　forward
at　the　same　moment；　so　that　no　light　should　fall　upon　his　face。　　On
entering　the　room　he　closed　the　door　behind　him；　pausing　till　he
heard　the　retreating　footsteps　of　the　child。

He　found　himself　in　an　apartment　which　was　simply　and　neatly；　though
not　poorly　furnished；　everything；　from　the　miniature　chiffonnier　to
the　shining　little　daguerreotype　which　formed　the　central　ornament
of　the　mantelpiece；　being　in　scrupulous　order。　　The　picture　was
enclosed　by　a　frame　of　embroidered　card…boardevidently　the　work　of
feminine　handsand　it　was　the　portrait　of　a　thin　faced；　elderly
lieutenant　in　the　navy。　　From　behind　the　lamp　on　the　table　a　female
form　now　rose　into　view；　that　of　a　young　girl；　and　a　resemblance
between　her　and　the　portrait　was　early　discoverable。　　She　had　been
so　absorbed　in　some　occupation　on　the　other　side　of　the　lamp　as　to
have　barely　found　time　to　realize　her　visitor's　presence。

They　both　remained　standing　for　a　few　seconds　without　speaking。　　The
face　that　confronted　Barnet　had　a　beautiful　outline；　the
Raffaelesque　oval　of　its　contour　was　remarkable　for　an　English
countenance；　and　that　countenance　housed　in　a　remote　country…road　to
an　unheard…of　harbour。　　But　her　features　did　not　do　justice　to　this
splendid　beginning：　　Nature　had　recollected　that　she　was　not　in
Italy；　and　the　young　lady's　lineaments；　though　not　so　inconsistent
as　to　make　her　plain；　would　have　been　accepted　rather　as　pleasing
than　as　correct。　　The　preoccupied　expression　which；　like　images　on
the　retina；　remained　with　her　for　a　moment　after　the　state　that
caused　it　had　ceased；　now　changed　into　a　reserved；　half…proud；　and
slightly　indignant　look；　in　which　the　blood　diffused　itself　quickly
across　her　cheek；　and　additional　brightness　broke　the　shade　of　her
rather　heavy　eyes。

'I　know　I　have　no　business　here；'　he　said；　answering　the　look。　　'But
I　had　a　great　wish　to　see　you；　and　inquire　how　you　were。　　You　can
give　your　hand　to　me；　seeing　how　often　I　have　held　it　in　past　days？'

'I　would　rather　forget　than　remember　all　that；　Mr。　Barnet；'　she
answered；　as　she　coldly　complied　with　the　request。　　'When　I　think　of
the　circumstances　of　our　last　meeting；　I　can　hardly　consider　it　kind
of　you　to　allude　to　such　a　thing　as　our　pastor；　indeed；　to　come
here　at　all。'

'There　was　no　harm　in　it　surely？　　I　don't　trouble　you　often；　Lucy。'

'I　have　not　had　the　honour　of　a　visit　from　you　for　a　very　long　time；
certainly；　and　I　did　not　expect　it　now；'　she　said；　with　the　same
stiffness　in　her　air。　　'I　hope　Mrs。　Barnet　is　very　well？'

'Yes；　yes！'　he　impatiently　returned。　　'At　least　I　suppose　sothough
I　only　speak　from　inference！'

'But　she　is　your　wife；　sir；'　said　the　young　girl　tremulously。

The　unwonted　tones　of　a　man's　voice　in　that　feminine　chamber　had
startled　a　canary　that　was　roosting　in　its　cage　by　the　window；　the
bird　awoke　hastily；　and　fluttered　against　the　bars。　　She　went　and
stilled　it　by　laying　her　face　against　the　cage　and　murmuring　a
coaxing　sound。　　It　might　partly　have　been　done　to　still　herself。

'I　didn't　come　to　talk　of　Mrs。　Barnet；'　he　pursued；　'I　came　to　talk
of　you；　of　yourself　alone；　to　inquire　how　you　are　getting　on　since
your　great　loss。'　　And　he　turned　towards　the　portrait　of　her　father。

'I　am　getting　on　fairly　well；　thank　you。'

The　force　of　her　utterance　was　scarcely　borne　out　by　her　look；　but
Barnet　courteously　reproached　himself　for　not　having　guessed　a　thing
so　natural；　and　to　dissipate　all　embarrassment；　added；　as　he　bent
over　the　table；　'What　were　you　doing　when　I　came？painting　flowers；
and　by　candlelight？'

'O　no；'　she　said；　'not　painting　themonly　sketching　the　outlines。
I　do　that　at　night　to　save　timeI　have　to　get　three　dozen　done　by
the　end　of　the　month。'

Barnet　looked　as　if　he　regretted　it　deeply。　　'You　will　wear　your
poor　eyes　out；'　he　said；　with　more　sentiment　than　he　had　hitherto
shown。　　'You　ought　not　to　do　it。　　There　was　a　time　when　I　should
have　said　you　must　not。　　WellI　almost　wish　I　had　never　seen　light
with　my　own　eyes　when　I　think　of　that！'

'Is　this　a　time　or　place　for　recalling　such　matters？'　she　asked；
with　dignity。　　'You　used　to　have　a　gentlemanly　respect　for　me；　and
for　yourself。　　Don't　speak　any　more　as　you　have　spok