wessex tales-第37节

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putting　an　end　to　the　silence　of　years；　and　asked　the　dairyman　what
he　was　travelling　that　way　for。

Japheth　showed　the　old　jovial　confidence　in　a　moment。　　'I'm　going　to
see　yourrelationsas　they　always　seem　to　me；'　he　said'Mrs。　Hall
and　Sally。　　Well；　Charles；　the　fact　is　I　find　the　natural
barbarousness　of　man　is　much　increased　by　a　bachelor　life；　and；　as
your　leavings　were　always　good　enough　for　me；　I'm　trying
civilization　here。'　　He　nodded　towards　the　house。

'Not　with　Sallyto　marry　her？'　said　Darton；　feeling　something　like
a　rill　of　ice　water　between　his　shoulders。

'Yes；　by　the　help　of　Providence　and　my　personal　charms。　　And　I　think
I　shall　get　her。　　I　am　this　road　every　weekmy　present　dairy　is
only　four　miles　off；　you　know；　and　I　see　her　through　the　window。
'Tis　rather　odd　that　I　was　going　to　speak　practical　to…night　to　her
for　the　first　time。　　You've　just　called？'

'Yes；　for　a　short　while。　　But　she　didn't　say　a　word　about　you。'

'A　good　sign；　a　good　sign。　　Now　that　decides　me。　　I'll　swing　the
mallet　and　get　her　answer　this　very　night　as　I　planned。'

A　few　more　remarks；　and　Darton；　wishing　his　friend　joy　of　Sally　in　a
slightly　hollow　tone　of　jocularity；　bade　him　good…bye。　　Johns
promised　to　write　particulars；　and　ascended；　and　was　lost　in　the
shade　of　the　house　and　tree。　　A　rectangle　of　light　appeared　when
Johns　was　admitted；　and　all　was　dark　again。

'Happy　Japheth！'　said　Darton。　　'This　then　is　the　explanation！'

He　determined　to　return　home　that　night。　　In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　he
passed　out　of　the　village；　and　the　next　day　went　about　his　swede…
lifting　and　storing　as　if　nothing　had　occurred。

He　waited　and　waited　to　hear　from　Johns　whether　the　wedding…day　was
fixed：　　but　no　letter　came。　　He　learnt　not　a　single　particular　till；
meeting　Johns　one　day　at　a　horse…auction；　Darton　exclaimed　genially…
…rather　more　genially　than　he　felt'When　is　the　joyful　day　to　be？'

To　his　great　surprise　a　reciprocity　of　gladness　was　not　conspicuous
in　Johns。　　'Not　at　all；'　he　said；　in　a　very　subdued　tone。　　''Tis　a
bad　job；　she　won't　have　me。'

Darton　held　his　breath　till　he　said　with　treacherous　solicitude；
'Try　again'tis　coyness。'

'O　no；'　said　Johns　decisively。　　'There's　been　none　of　that。　　We
talked　it　over　dozens　of　times　in　the　most　fair　and　square　way。　　She
tells　me　plainly；　I　don't　suit　her。　　'Twould　be　simply　annoying　her
to　ask　her　again。　　Ah；　Charles；　you　threw　a　prize　away　when　you　let
her　slip　five　years　ago。'

'I　didI　did；'　said　Darton。

He　returned　from　that　auction　with　a　new　set　of　feelings　in　play。
He　had　certainly　made　a　surprising　mistake　in　thinking　Johns　his
successful　rival。　　It　really　seemed　as　if　he　might　hope　for　Sally
after　all。

This　time；　being　rather　pressed　by　business；　Darton　had　recourse　to
pen…and…ink；　and　wrote　her　as　manly　and　straightforward　a　proposal
as　any　woman　could　wish　to　receive。　　The　reply　came　promptly：…


'DEAR　MR。　DARTON；I　am　as　sensible　as　any　woman　can　be　of　the
goodness　that　leads　you　to　make　me　this　offer　a　second　time。　　Better
women　than　I　would　be　proud　of　the　honour；　for　when　I　read　your　nice
long　speeches　on　mangold…wurzel；　and　such　like　topics；　at　the
Casterbridge　Farmers'　Club；　I　do　feel　it　an　honour；　I　assure　you。
But　my　answer　is　just　the　same　as　before。　　I　will　not　try　to　explain
what；　in　truth；　I　cannot　explainmy　reasons；　I　will　simply　say　that
I　must　decline　to　be　married　to　you。　　With　good　wishes　as　in　former
times；　I　am；　your　faithful　friend；

'SALLY　HALL。'


Darton　dropped　the　letter　hopelessly。　　Beyond　the　negative；　there
was　just　a　possibility　of　sarcasm　in　it'nice　long　speeches　on
mangold…wurzel'　had　a　suspicious　sound。　　However；　sarcasm　or　none；
there　was　the　answer；　and　he　had　to　be　content。

He　proceeded　to　seek　relief　in　a　business　which　at　this　time
engrossed　much　of　his　attentionthat　of　clearing　up　a　curious
mistake　just　current　in　the　county；　that　he　had　been　nearly　ruined
by　the　recent　failure　of　a　local　bank。　　A　farmer　named　Darton　had
lost　heavily；　and　the　similarity　of　name　had　probably　led　to　the
error。　　Belief　in　it　was　so　persistent　that　it　demanded　several　days
of　letter…writing　to　set　matters　straight；　and　persuade　the　world
that　he　was　as　solvent　as　ever　he　had　been　in　his　life。　　He　had
hardly　concluded　this　worrying　task　when；　to　his　delight；　another
letter　arrived　in　the　handwriting　of　Sally。

Darton　tore　it　open；　it　was　very　short。


'DEAR　MR。　DARTON；We　have　been　so　alarmed　these　last　few　days　by
the　report　that　you　were　ruined　by　the　stoppage　of　's　Bank；　that；
now　it　is　contradicted　I　hasten；　by　my　mother's　wish；　to　say　how
truly　glad　we　are　to　find　there　is　no　foundation　for　the　report。
After　your　kindness　to　my　poor　brother's　children；　I　can　do　no　less
than　write　at　such　a　moment。　　We　had　a　letter　from　each　of　them　a
few　days　ago。Your　faithful　friend；

'SALLY　HALL。'


'Mercenary　little　woman！'　said　Darton　to　himself　with　a　smile。
'Then　that　was　the　secret　of　her　refusal　this　timeshe　thought　I
was　ruined。'

Now；　such　was　Darton；　that　as　hours　went　on　he　could　not　help
feeling　too　generously　towards　Sally　to　condemn　her　in　this。　　What
did　he　want　in　a　wife？　he　asked　himself。　　Love　and　integrity。　　What
next？　　Worldly　wisdom。　　And　was　there　really　more　than　worldly
wisdom　in　her　refusal　to　go　aboard　a　sinking　ship？　　She　now　knew　it
was　otherwise。　　'Begad；'　he　said；　'I'll　try　her　again。'

The　fact　was　he　had　so　set　his　heart　upon　Sally；　and　Sally　alone；
that　nothing　was　to　be　allowed　to　baulk　him；　and　his　reasoning　was
purely　formal。

Anniversaries　having　been　unpropitious；　he　waited　on　till　a　bright
day　late　in　Maya　day　when　all　animate　nature　was　fancying；　in　its
trusting；　foolish　way；　that　it　was　going　to　bask　out　of　doors　for
evermore。　　As　he　rode　through　Long…Ash　Lane　it　was　scarce
recognizable　as　the　track　of　his　two　winter　journeys。　　No　mistake
could　be　made　now；　even　with　his　eyes　shut。　　The　cuckoo's　note　was
at　its　best；　between　April　tentativeness　and　midsummer　decrepitude；
and　the　reptiles　in　the　sun　behaved　as　winningly　as　kittens　on　a
hearth。　　Though　afternoon；　and　about　the　same　time　as　on　the　last
occasion；　it　was　broad　day　and　sunshine　when　he　entered　Hintock；　and
the　details　of　the　Knap　dairy…house　were　visible　far　up　the　road。
He　saw　Sally　in　the　garden；　and　was　set　vibrating。　　He　had　first
intended　to　go　on　to　the　inn；　but　'No；'　he　said；　'I'll　tie　my　horse
to　the　garden…gate。　　If　all　goes　well　it　can　soon　be　taken　round：
if　not；　I　mount　and　ride　away'

The　tall　shade　of　the　horseman　darkened　the　room　in　which　Mrs。　Hall
sat；　and　made　her　start；　for　he　had　ridden　by　a　side　path　to　the　top
of　the　slope；　where　riders　seldom　came。　　In　a　few　seconds　he　was　in
the　garden　with　Sally。

Fiveay；　three　minutesdid　the　business　at　the　back　of　that　row　of
bees。　　Though　spring　had　come；　and　heavenly　blue　consecrated　the
scene；　Darton　succeeded　not。　　'NO；'　said　Sally　firmly。　　'I　will
never；　never　marry　you；　Mr。　Darton。　　I　would　have　done　it　once；　but
now　I　never　can。'

'But！'implored　Mr。　Darton。　　And　with　a　burst　of　real　eloquence　he
went　on　to　declare　all　sorts　of　things　that　he　would　do　for　her。　　He
would　drive　her　to　see　her　mother　every　weektake　her　to　London
settle　so　much　money　upon　herHeaven　knows　what　he　did　not　promise；
suggest；　and　tempt　her　with。　　But　it　availed　nothing。　　She
interposed　with　a　stout　negative；　which　closed　the　course　of　his
argument　like　an　iron　gate　across　a　highway。　　Darton　paused。

'Then；'　said　he　simply；　'you　hadn't　heard　of　my　supposed　failure
when　you　declined　last　time？'

'I　had　not；'　she　said。　　'But　if　I　had　'twould　have　been　all　the
same。'

'And　'tis　not　because　of　any　soreness　from　my　slighting　you　years
ago？'

'No。　　That　soreness　is　long　past。'

'Ahthen　you　despise　me；　Sally？'

'No；'　she　slowly　answered。　　'I　don't　altogether　despise　you。　　I
don't　think　you　quite　such　a　hero　as　I　once　didthat's　all。　　The
truth　is；　I　am　happy　enough　as　I　am；　and　I　don't　mean　to　marry　at
all。　　Now；　may　_I_　ask　a　favour；　sir？'　　She　spoke　with　an　ineffable
charm；　which；　whenever　he　thought　of　it；　made　him　curse　his　loss　of
her　as　long　as　he　lived。

'To　any　extent。'

'Please　do　not　put　this　question　to　me　any　more。　　Friends　as　long　as
you　like；　but　lovers　and　married　never。'

'I　never　will；'　said　Darton。　　'Not　if　I　live　a　hundred　years。'

And　he　never　did。　　That　he　had　worn　out　his　welcome　in　her　heart　was
only　too　plain。

When　his　step…children　had　grown　up；　and　were　placed　out　in　life；
all　communication　between　Darton　and　the　Hall　family　ceased。　　It　was
only　by　chance　that；　years　after；　he　learnt　that　Sally；
notwithstanding　the　solicitations　her　attractions　drew　down　upon
her；　had　refused　several　offers　of　marriage；　and　steadily　adhered　to
her　purpose　of　leading　a　single　life

May　1884。




THE　DISTRACTED　PREACHER




CHAPTER　IHOW　HIS　COLD　WAS　CURED



Something　delayed　the　arrival　of　the　Wesleyan　minister；　and　a　young
man　came　temporarily　in　his　stead。　　It　was　on　the　thirteenth　of
January　183…　that　Mr。　Stockdale；　the　young　man　in　question；　made　his
humble　entry　into　the　village；　unknown；　and　almost　unseen。　　But　when
those　of　the　inhabitant