wessex tales-第36节

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it　had　been　before　she　took　the　first　fatal　step　of　clandestinely
marrying　him。　　She　did　not　care　to　please　such　people　as　those　with
whom　she　was　thrown　as　a　thriving　farmer's　wife。　　She　allowed　the
pretty　trifles　of　agricultural　domesticity　to　glide　by　her　as　sorry
details；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　children　Darton's　house　would
have　seemed　but　little　brighter　than　it　had　been　before。

This　led　to　occasional　unpleasantness；　until　Darton　sometimes
declared　to　himself　that　such　endeavours　as　his　to　rectify　early
deviations　of　the　heart　by　harking　back　to　the　old　point　mostly
failed　of　success。　　'Perhaps　Johns　was　right；'　he　would　say。　　'I
should　have　gone　on　with　Sally。　　Better　go　with　the　tide　and　make
the　best　of　its　course　than　stem　it　at　the　risk　of　a　capsize。'　　But
he　kept　these　unmelodious　thoughts　to　himself；　and　was　outwardly
considerate　and　kind。

This　somewhat　barren　tract　of　his　life　had　extended　to　less　than　a
year　and　a　half　when　his　ponderings　were　cut　short　by　the　loss　of
the　woman　they　concerned。　　When　she　was　in　her　grave　he　thought
better　of　her　than　when　she　had　been　alive；　the　farm　was　a　worse
place　without　her　than　with　her；　after　all。　　No　woman　short　of
divine　could　have　gone　through　such　an　experience　as　hers　with　her
first　husband　without　becoming　a　little　soured。　　Her　stagnant
sympathies；　her　sometimes　unreasonable　manner；　had　covered　a　heart
frank　and　well　meaning；　and　originally　hopeful　and　warm。　　She　left
him　a　tiny　red　infant　in　white　wrappings。　　To　make　life　as　easy　as
possible　to　this　touching　object　became　at　once　his　care。

As　this　child　learnt　to　walk　and　talk　Darton　learnt　to　see
feasibility　in　a　scheme　which　pleased　him。　　Revolving　the　experiment
which　he　had　hitherto　made　upon　life；　he　fancied　he　had　gained
wisdom　from　his　mistakes　and　caution　from　his　miscarriages。

What　the　scheme　was　needs　no　penetration　to　discover。　　Once　more　he
had　opportunity　to　recast　and　rectify　his　ill…wrought　situations　by
returning　to　Sally　Hall；　who　still　lived　quietly　on　under　her
mother's　roof　at　Hintock。　　Helena　had　been　a　woman　to　lend　pathos
and　refinement　to　a　home；　Sally　was　the　woman　to　brighten　it。　　She
would　not；　as　Helena　did；　despise　the　rural　simplicities　of　a
farmer's　fireside。　　Moreover；　she　had　a　pre…eminent　qualification
for　Darton's　household；　no　other　woman　could　make　so　desirable　a
mother　to　her　brother's　two　children　and　Darton's　one　as　Sally
while　Darton；　now　that　Helena　had　gone；　was　a　more　promising　husband
for　Sally　than　he　had　ever　been　when　liable　to　reminders　from　an
uncured　sentimental　wound。

Darton　was　not　a　man　to　act　rapidly；　and　the　working　out　of　his
reparative　designs　might　have　been　delayed　for　some　time。　　But　there
came　a　winter　evening　precisely　like　the　one　which　had　darkened　over
that　former　ride　to　Hintock；　and　he　asked　himself　why　he　should
postpone　longer；　when　the　very　landscape　called　for　a　repetition　of
that　attempt。

He　told　his　man　to　saddle　the　mare；　booted　and　spurred　himself　with
a　younger　horseman's　nicety；　kissed　the　two　youngest　children；　and
rode　off。　　To　make　the　journey　a　complete　parallel　to　the　first；　he
would　fain　have　had　his　old　acquaintance　Japheth　Johns　with　him。
But　Johns；　alas！　was　missing。　　His　removal　to　the　other　side　of　the
county　had　left　unrepaired　the　breach　which　had　arisen　between　him
and　Darton；　and　though　Darton　had　forgiven　him　a　hundred　times；　as
Johns　had　probably　forgiven　Darton；　the　effort　of　reunion　in　present
circumstances　was　one　not　likely　to　be　made。

He　screwed　himself　up　to　as　cheerful　a　pitch　as　he　could　without　his
former　crony；　and　became　content　with　his　own　thoughts　as　he　rode；
instead　of　the　words　of　a　companion。　　The　sun　went　down；　the　boughs
appeared　scratched　in　like　an　etching　against　the　sky；　old　crooked
men　with　faggots　at　their　backs　said　'Good…night；　sir；'　and　Darton
replied　'Good…night'　right　heartily。

By　the　time　he　reached　the　forking　roads　it　was　getting　as　dark　as
it　had　been　on　the　occasion　when　Johns　climbed　the　directing…post。
Darton　made　no　mistake　this　time。　　'Nor　shall　I　be　able　to　mistake；
thank　Heaven；　when　I　arrive；'　he　murmured。　　It　gave　him　peculiar
satisfaction　to　think　that　the　proposed　marriage；　like　his　first；
was　of　the　nature　of　setting　in　order　things　long　awry；　and　not　a
momentary　freak　of　fancy。

Nothing　hindered　the　smoothness　of　his　journey；　which　seemed　not
half　its　former　length。　　Though　dark；　it　was　only　between　five　and
six　o'clock　when　the　bulky　chimneys　of　Mrs。　Hall's　residence
appeared　in　view　behind　the　sycamore…tree。　　On　second　thoughts　he
retreated　and　put　up　at　the　ale…house　as　in　former　time；　and　when　he
had　plumed　himself　before　the　inn　mirror；　called　for　something　to
drink；　and　smoothed　out　the　incipient　wrinkles　of　care；　he　walked　on
to　the　Knap　with　a　quick　step。



CHAPTER　V



That　evening　Sally　was　making　'pinners'　for　the　milkers；　who　were
now　increased　by　two；　for　her　mother　and　herself　no　longer　joined　in
milking　the　cows　themselves。　　But　upon　the　whole　there　was　little
change　in　the　household　economy；　and　not　much　in　its　appearance；
beyond　such　minor　particulars　as　that　the　crack　over　the　window；
which　had　been　a　hundred　years　coming；　was　a　trifle　wider；　that　the
beams　were　a　shade　blacker；　that　the　influence　of　modernism　had
supplanted　the　open　chimney　corner　by　a　grate；　that　Rebekah；　who　had
worn　a　cap　when　she　had　plenty　of　hair；　had　left　it　off　now　she　had
scarce　any；　because　it　was　reported　that　caps　were　not　fashionable；
and　that　Sally's　face　had　naturally　assumed　a　more　womanly　and
experienced　cast。

Mrs。　Hall　was　actually　lifting　coals　with　the　tongs；　as　she　had　used
to　do。

'Five　years　ago　this　very　night；　if　I　am　not　mistaken'　she　said；
laying　on　an　ember。

'Not　this　very　nightthough　'twas　one　night　this　week；'　said　the
correct　Sally。

'Well；　'tis　near　enough。　　Five　years　ago　Mr。　Darton　came　to　marry
you；　and　my　poor　boy　Phil　came　home　to　die。'　　She　sighed。　　'Ah；
Sally；'　she　presently　said；　'if　you　had　managed　well　Mr。　Darton
would　have　had　you；　Helena　or　none。'

'Don't　be　sentimental　about　that；　mother；'　begged　Sally。　　'I　didn't
care　to　manage　well　in　such　a　case。　　Though　I　liked　him；　I　wasn't　so
anxious。　　I　would　never　have　married　the　man　in　the　midst　of　such　a
hitch　as　that　was；'　she　added　with　decision；　'and　I　don't　think　I
would　if　he　were　to　ask　me　now。'

'I　am　not　sure　about　that；　unless　you　have　another　in　your　eye。'

'I　wouldn't；　and　I'll　tell　you　why。　　I　could　hardly　marry　him　for
love　at　this　time　o'　day。　　And　as　we've　quite　enough　to　live　on　if
we　give　up　the　dairy　to…morrow；　I　should　have　no　need　to　marry　for
any　meaner　reason　。　。　。　I　am　quite　happy　enough　as　I　am；　and　there's
an　end　of　it。'

Now　it　was　not　long　after　this　dialogue　that　there　came　a　mild　rap
at　the　door；　and　in　a　moment　there　entered　Rebekah；　looking　as
though　a　ghost　had　arrived。　　The　fact　was　that　that　accomplished
skimmer　and　churner　（now　a　resident　in　the　house）　had　overheard　the
desultory　observations　between　mother　and　daughter；　and　on　opening
the　door　to　Mr。　Darton　thought　the　coincidence　must　have　a　grisly
meaning　in　it。　　Mrs。　Hall　welcomed　the　farmer　with　warm　surprise；　as
did　Sally；　and　for　a　moment　they　rather　wanted　words。

'Can　you　push　up　the　chimney…crook　for　me；　Mr　Darton？　the　notches
hitch；'　said　the　matron。　　He　did　it；　and　the　homely　little　act
bridged　over　the　awkward　consciousness　that　he　had　been　a　stranger
for　four　years。

Mrs。　Hall　soon　saw　what　he　had　come　for；　and　left　the　principals
together　while　she　went　to　prepare　him　a　late　tea；　smiling　at
Sally's　recent　hasty　assertions　of　indifference；　when　she　saw　how
civil　Sally　was。　　When　tea　was　ready　she　joined　them。　　She　fancied
that　Darton　did　not　look　so　confident　as　when　he　had　arrived；　but
Sally　was　quite　light…hearted；　and　the　meal　passed　pleasantly。

About　seven　he　took　his　leave　of　them。　　Mrs。　Hall　went　as　far　as　the
door　to　light　him　down　the　slope。　　On　the　doorstep　he　said　frankly
'I　came　to　ask　your　daughter　to　marry　me；　chose　the　night　and
everything；　with　an　eye　to　a　favourable　answer。　　But　she　won't。'

'Then　she's　a　very　ungrateful　girl！'　emphatically　said　Mrs。　Hall。

Darton　paused　to　shape　his　sentence；　and　asked；　'II　suppose
there's　nobody　else　more　favoured？'

'I　can't　say　that　there　is；　or　that　there　isn't；'　answered　Mrs。
Hall。　　'She's　private　in　some　things。　　I'm　on　your　side；　however；
Mr。　Darton；　and　I'll　talk　to　her。'

'Thank　'ee；　thank　'ee！'　said　the　farmer　in　a　gayer　accent；　and　with
this　assurance　the　not　very　satisfactory　visit　came　to　an　end。
Darton　descended　the　roots　of　the　sycamore；　the　light　was　withdrawn；
and　the　door　closed。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　slope　he　nearly　ran
against　a　man　about　to　ascend。

'Can　a　jack…o'…lent　believe　his　few　senses　on　such　a　dark　night；　or
can't　he？'　exclaimed　one　whose　utterance　Darton　recognized　in　a
moment；　despite　its　unexpectedness。　　'I　dare　not　swear　he　can；
though　I　fain　would！'　　The　speaker　was　Johns。

Darton　said　he　was　glad　of　this　opportunity；　bad　as　it　was；　of
putting　an　end　to　the　silence　of　years；　and　asked　the　dairyman　what
he　was　travelling　that　way　for。

J