wessex tales-第30节

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Barnet　nodded；　and　smiled　again；　but　his　smile　was　sadder　than　hers。

'Because　I　married　Charles？'　she　asked。

'Yes；　solely　because　you　married　him　on　the　day　I　was　free　to　ask
you　to　marry　me。　　My　wife　died　four…and…twenty　hours　before　you　went
to　church　with　Downe。　　The　fixing　of　my　journey　at　that　particular
moment　was　because　of　her　funeral；　but　once　away　I　knew　I　should
have　no　inducement　to　come　back；　and　took　my　steps　accordingly。'

Her　face　assumed　an　aspect　of　gentle　reflection；　and　she　looked　up
and　down　his　form　with　great　interest　in　her　eyes。　　'I　never　thought
of　it！'　she　said。　　'I　knew；　of　course；　that　you　had　once　implied
some　warmth　of　feeling　towards　me；　but　I　concluded　that　it　passed
off。　　And　I　have　always　been　under　the　impression　that　your　wife　was
alive　at　the　time　of　my　marriage。　　Was　it　not　stupid　of　me！But　you
will　have　some　tea　or　something？　　I　have　never　dined　late；　you　know；
since　my　husband's　death。　　I　have　got　into　the　way　of　making　a
regular　meal　of　tea。　　You　will　have　some　tea　with　me；　will　you　not？'

The　travelled　man　assented　quite　readily；　and　tea　was　brought　in。
They　sat　and　chatted　over　the　meal；　regardless　of　the　flying　hour。
'Well；　well！'　said　Barnet　presently；　as　for　the　first　time　he
leisurely　surveyed　the　room；　'how　like　it　all　is；　and　yet　how
different！　　Just　where　your　piano　stands　was　a　board　on　a　couple　of
trestles；　bearing　the　patterns　of　wall…papers；　when　I　was　last　here。
I　was　choosing　themstanding　in　this　way；　as　it　might　be。　　Then　my
servant　came　in　at　the　door；　and　handed　me　a　note；　so。　　It　was　from
Downe；　and　announced　that　you　were　just　going　to　be　married　to　him。
I　chose　no　more　wall…paperstore　up　all　those　I　had　selected；　and
left　the　house。　　I　never　entered　it　again　till　now。'

'Ah；　at　last　I　understand　it　all；'　she　murmured。

They　had　both　risen　and　gone　to　the　fireplace。　　The　mantel　came
almost　on　a　level　with　her　shoulder；　which　gently　rested　against　it；
and　Barnet　laid　his　hand　upon　the　shelf　close　beside　her　shoulder。
'Lucy；'　he　said；　'better　late　than　never。　　Will　you　marry　me　now？'

She　started　back；　and　the　surprise　which　was　so　obvious　in　her
wrought　even　greater　surprise　in　him　that　it　should　be　so。　　It　was
difficult　to　believe　that　she　had　been　quite　blind　to　the　situation；
and　yet　all　reason　and　common　sense　went　to　prove　that　she　was　not
acting。

'You　take　me　quite　unawares　by　such　a　question！'　she　said；　with　a
forced　laugh　of　uneasiness。　　It　was　the　first　time　she　had　shown　any
embarrassment　at　all。　　'Why；'　she　added；　'I　couldn't　marry　you　for
the　world。'

'Not　after　all　this！　　Why　not？'

'It　isI　wouldI　really　think　I　may　say　itI　would　upon　the　whole
rather　marry　you；　Mr。　Barnet；　than　any　other　man　I　have　ever　met；　if
I　ever　dreamed　of　marriage　again。　　But　I　don't　dream　of　itit　is
quite　out　of　my　thoughts；　I　have　not　the　least　intention　of　marrying
again。'

'Buton　my　accountcouldn't　you　alter　your　plans　a　little？　　Come！'

'Dear　Mr。　Barnet；'　she　said　with　a　little　flutter；　'I　would　on　your
account　if　on　anybody's　in　existence。　　But　you　don't　know　in　the
least　what　it　is　you　are　askingsuch　an　impracticable　thingI
won't　say　ridiculous；　of　course；　because　I　see　that　you　are　really
in　earnest；　and　earnestness　is　never　ridiculous　to　my　mind。'

'Well；　yes；'　said　Barnet　more　slowly；　dropping　her　hand；　which　he
had　taken　at　the　moment　of　pleading；　'I　am　in　earnest。　　The　resolve；
two　months　ago；　at　the　Cape；　to　come　back　once　more　was；　it　is　true；
rather　sudden；　and　as　I　see　now；　not　well　considered。　　But　I　am　in
earnest　in　asking。'

'And　I　in　declining。　　With　all　good　feeling　and　all　kindness；　let　me
say　that　I　am　quite　opposed　to　the　idea　of　marrying　a　second　time。'

'Well；　no　harm　has　been　done；'　he　answered；　with　the　same　subdued
and　tender　humorousness　that　he　had　shown　on　such　occasions　in　early
life。　　'If　you　really　won't　accept　me；　I　must　put　up　with　it；　I
suppose。'　　His　eye　fell　on　the　clock　as　he　spoke。　　'Had　you　any
notion　that　it　was　so　late？'　he　asked。　　'How　absorbed　I　have　been！'

She　accompanied　him　to　the　hall；　helped　him　to　put　on　his　overcoat；
and　let　him　out　of　the　house　herself。

'Good…night；'　said　Barnet；　on　the　doorstep；　as　the　lamp　shone　in　his
face。　　'You　are　not　offended　with　me？'

'Certainly　not。　　Nor　you　with　me？'

'I'll　consider　whether　I　am　or　not；'　he　pleasantly　replied。　　'Good…
night。'

She　watched　him　safely　through　the　gate；　and　when　his　footsteps　had
died　away　upon　the　road；　closed　the　door　softly　and　returned　to　the
room。　　Here　the　modest　widow　long　pondered　his　speeches；　with　eyes
dropped　to　an　unusually　low　level。　　Barnet's　urbanity　under　the　blow
of　her　refusal　greatly　impressed　her。　　After　having　his　long　period
of　probation　rendered　useless　by　her　decision；　he　had　shown　no
anger；　and　had　philosophically　taken　her　words　as　if　he　deserved　no
better　ones。　　It　was　very　gentlemanly　of　him；　certainly；　it　was　more
than　gentlemanly；　it　was　heroic　and　grand。　　The　more　she　meditated；
the　more　she　questioned　the　virtue　of　her　conduct　in　checking　him　so
peremptorily；　and　went　to　her　bedroom　in　a　mood　of　dissatisfaction。
On　looking　in　the　glass　she　was　reminded　that　there　was　not　so　much
remaining　of　her　former　beauty　as　to　make　his　frank　declaration　an
impulsive　natural　homage　to　her　cheeks　and　eyes；　it　must　undoubtedly
have　arisen　from　an　old　staunch　feeling　of　his；　deserving　tenderest
consideration。　　She　recalled　to　her　mind　with　much　pleasure　that　he
had　told　her　he　was　staying　at　the　Black…Bull　Hotel；　so　that　if；
after　waiting　a　day　or　two；　he　should　not；　in　his　modesty；　call
again；　she　might　then　send　him　a　nice　little　note。　　To　alter　her
views　for　the　present　was　far　from　her　intention；　but　she　would
allow　herself　to　be　induced　to　reconsider　the　case；　as　any　generous
woman　ought　to　do。

The　morrow　came　and　passed；　and　Mr。　Barnet　did　not　drop　in。　　At
every　knock；　light　youthful　hues　flew　across　her　cheek；　and　she　was
abstracted　in　the　presence　of　her　other　visitors。　　In　the　evening
she　walked　about　the　house；　not　knowing　what　to　do　with　herself；　the
conditions　of　existence　seemed　totally　different　from　those　which
ruled　only　four…and…twenty　short　hours　ago。　　What　had　been　at　first
a　tantalizing　elusive　sentiment　was　getting　acclimatized　within　her
as　a　definite　hope；　and　her　person　was　so　informed　by　that　emotion
that　she　might　almost　have　stood　as　its　emblematical　representative
by　the　time　the　clock　struck　ten。　　In　short；　an　interest　in　Barnet
precisely　resembling　that　of　her　early　youth　led　her　present　heart
to　belie　her　yesterday's　words　to　him；　and　she　longed　to　see　him
again。

The　next　day　she　walked　out　early；　thinking　she　might　meet　him　in
the　street。　　The　growing　beauty　of　her　romance　absorbed　her；　and　she
went　from　the　street　to　the　fields；　and　from　the　fields　to　the
shore；　without　any　consciousness　of　distance；　till　reminded　by　her
weariness　that　she　could　go　no　further。　　He　had　nowhere　appeared。
In　the　evening　she　took　a　step　which　under　the　circumstances　seemed
justifiable；　she　wrote　a　note　to　him　at　the　hotel；　inviting　him　to
tea　with　her　at　six　precisely；　and　signing　her　note　'Lucy。'

In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　the　messenger　came　back。　　Mr。　Barnet　had
left　the　hotel　early　in　the　morning　of　the　day　before；　but　he　had
stated　that　he　would　probably　return　in　the　course　of　the　week。

The　note　was　sent　back；　to　be　given　to　him　immediately　on　his
arrival。

There　was　no　sign　from　the　inn　that　this　desired　event　had　occurred；
either　on　the　next　day　or　the　day　following。　　On　both　nights　she　had
been　restless；　and　had　scarcely　slept　half…an…hour。

On　the　Saturday；　putting　off　all　diffidence；　Lucy　went　herself　to
the　Black…Bull；　and　questioned　the　staff　closely。

Mr。　Barnet　had　cursorily　remarked　when　leaving　that　he　might　return
on　the　Thursday　or　Friday；　but　they　were　directed　not　to　reserve　a
room　for　him　unless　he　should　write。

He　had　left　no　address。

Lucy　sorrowfully　took　back　her　note　went　home；　and　resolved　to　wait。

She　did　waityears　and　yearsbut　Barnet　never　reappeared。

April　1880。




INTERLOPERS　AT　THE　KNAP




CHAPTER　I



The　north　road　from　Casterbridge　is　tedious　and　lonely；　especially
in　winter…time。　　Along　a　part　of　its　course　it　connects　with　Long…
Ash　Lane；　a　monotonous　track　without　a　village　or　hamlet　for　many
miles；　and　with　very　seldom　a　turning。　　Unapprized　wayfarers　who　are
too　old；　or　too　young；　or　in　other　respects　too　weak　for　the
distance　to　be　traversed；　but　who；　nevertheless；　have　to　walk　it；
say；　as　they　look　wistfully　ahead；　'Once　at　the　top　of　that　hill；
and　I　must　surely　see　the　end　of　Long…Ash　Lane！'　　But　they　reach　the
hilltop；　and　Long…Ash　Lane　stretches　in　front　as　mercilessly　as
before。

Some　few　years　ago　a　certain　farmer　was　riding　through　this　lane　in
the　gloom　of　a　winter　evening。　　The　farmer's　friend；　a　dairyman；　was
riding　beside　him。　　A　few　paces　in　the　rear　rode　the　farmer's　man。
All　three　were　well　horsed　on　strong；　round…barrelled　cobs；　and　to
be　well　horsed　was　to　be　in　better　spirits　about　Long…Ash　Lane　than
poor　pedestrians　could　attain　to　during　its　passage。

But　the　farmer　did　not　talk　much　to　hi