wessex tales-第40节

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Before　he　had　done　thinking　that　no　other　name　from　Abigail　to
Zenobia　would　have　suited　his　young　landlady　so　well；　tap…tap　came
again　upon　the　door；　and　the　minister　started　as　her　face　appeared
yet　another　time；　looking　so　disinterested　that　the　most　ingenious
would　have　refrained　from　asserting　that　she　had　come　to　affect　his
feelings　by　her　seductive　eyes。

'Would　you　like　a　fire　in　your　room；　Mr。　Stockdale；　on　account　of
your　cold？'

The　minister；　being　still　a　little　pricked　in　the　conscience　for
countenancing　her　in　watering　the　spirits；　saw　here　a　way　to　self…
chastisement。　　'No；　I　thank　you；'　he　said　firmly；　'it　is　not
necessary。　　I　have　never　been　used　to　one　in　my　life；　and　it　would
be　giving　way　to　luxury　too　far。'

'Then　I　won't　insist；'　she　said；　and　disconcerted　him　by　vanishing
instantly。

Wondering　if　she　was　vexed　by　his　refusal；　he　wished　that　he　had
chosen　to　have　a　fire；　even　though　it　should　have　scorched　him　out
of　bed　and　endangered　his　self…discipline　for　a　dozen　days。
However；　he　consoled　himself　with　what　was　in　truth　a　rare
consolation　for　a　budding　lover；　that　he　was　under　the　same　roof
with　Lizzy；　her　guest；　in　fact；　to　take　a　poetical　view　of　the　term
lodger；　and　that　he　would　certainly　see　her　on　the　morrow。

The　morrow　came；　and　Stockdale　rose　early；　his　cold　quite　gone。　　He
had　never　in　his　life　so　longed　for　the　breakfast　hour　as　he　did
that　day；　and　punctually　at　eight　o'clock；　after　a　short　walk；　to
reconnoitre　the　premises；　he　re…entered　the　door　of　his　dwelling。
Breakfast　passed；　and　Martha　Sarah　attended；　but　nobody　came
voluntarily　as　on　the　night　before　to　inquire　if　there　were　other
wants　which　he　had　not　mentioned；　and　which　she　would　attempt　to
gratify。　　He　was　disappointed；　and　went　out；　hoping　to　see　her　at
dinner。　　Dinner　time　came；　he　sat　down　to　the　meal；　finished　it；
lingered　on　for　a　whole　hour；　although　two　new　teachers　were　at　that
moment　waiting　at　the　chapel…door　to　speak　to　him　by　appointment。
It　was　useless　to　wait　longer；　and　he　slowly　went　his　way　down　the
lane；　cheered　by　the　thought　that；　after　all；　he　would　see　her　in
the　evening；　and　perhaps　engage　again　in　the　delightful　tub…
broaching　in　the　neighbouring　church　tower；　which　proceeding　he
resolved　to　render　more　moral　by　steadfastly　insisting　that　no　water
should　be　introduced　to　fill　up；　though　the　tub　should　cluck　like
all　the　hens　in　Christendom。　　But　nothing　could　disguise　the　fact
that　it　was　a　queer　business；　and　his　countenance　fell　when　he
thought　how　much　more　his　mind　was　interested　in　that　matter　than　in
his　serious　duties。

However；　compunction　vanished　with　the　decline　of　day。　　Night　came；
and　his　tea　and　supper；　but　no　Lizzy　Newberry；　and　no　sweet
temptations。　　At　last　the　minister　could　bear　it　no　longer；　and　said
to　his　quaint　little　attendant；　'Where　is　Mrs。　Newberry　to…day？'
judiciously　handing　a　penny　as　he　spoke。

'She's　busy；'　said　Martha。

'Anything　serious　happened？'　he　asked；　handing　another　penny；　and
revealing　yet　additional　pennies　in　the　background。

'O　nonothing　at　all！'　said　she；　with　breathless　confidence。
'Nothing　ever　happens　to　her。　　She's　only　biding　upstairs　in　bed
because　'tis　her　way　sometimes。'

Being　a　young　man　of　some　honour；　he　would　not　question　further；　and
assuming　that　Lizzy　must　have　a　bad　headache；　or　other　slight
ailment；　in　spite　of　what　the　girl　had　said；　he　went　to　bed
dissatisfied；　not　even　setting　eyes　on　old　Mrs。　Simpkins。　　'I　said
last　night　that　I　should　see　her　to…morrow；'　he　reflected；　'but　that
was　not　to　be！'

Next　day　he　had　better　fortune；　or　worse；　meeting　her　at　the　foot　of
the　stairs　in　the　morning；　and　being　favoured　by　a　visit　or　two　from
her　during　the　dayonce　for　the　purpose　of　making　kindly　inquiries
about　his　comfort；　as　on　the　first　evening；　and　at　another　time　to
place　a　bunch　of　winter…violets　on　his　table；　with　a　promise　to
renew　them　when　they　drooped。　　On　these　occasions　there　was
something　in　her　smile　which　showed　how　conscious　she　was　of　the
effect　she　produced；　though　it　must　be　said　that　it　was　rather　a
humorous　than　a　designing　consciousness；　and　savoured　more　of　pride
than　of　vanity。

As　for　Stockdale；　he　clearly　perceived　that　he　possessed　unlimited
capacity　for　backsliding；　and　wished　that　tutelary　saints　were　not
denied　to　Dissenters。　　He　set　a　watch　upon　his　tongue　and　eyes　for
the　space　of　one　hour　and　a　half；　after　which　he　found　it　was
useless　to　struggle　further；　and　gave　himself　up　to　the　situation。
'The　other　minister　will　be　here　in　a　month；'　he　said　to　himself
when　sitting　over　the　fire。　　'Then　I　shall　be　off；　and　she　will
distract　my　mind　no　more！　。　。　。　And　then；　shall　I　go　on　living　by
myself　for　ever？　　No；　when　my　two　years　of　probation　are　finished；　I
shall　have　a　furnished　house　to　live　in；　with　a　varnished　door　and　a
brass　knocker；　and　I'll　march　straight　back　to　her；　and　ask　her
flat；　as　soon　as　the　last　plate　is　on　the　dresser！

Thus　a　titillating　fortnight　was　passed　by　young　Stockdale；　during
which　time　things　proceeded　much　as　such　matters　have　done　ever
since　the　beginning　of　history。　　He　saw　the　object　of　attachment
several　times　one　day；　did　not　see　her　at　all　the　next；　met　her　when
he　least　expected　to　do　so；　missed　her　when　hints　and　signs　as　to
where　she　should　be　at　a　given　hour　almost　amounted　to　an
appointment。　　This　mild　coquetry　was　perhaps　fair　enough　under　the
circumstances　of　their　being　so　closely　lodged；　and　Stockdale　put　up
with　it　as　philosophically　as　he　was　able。　　Being　in　her　own　house；
she　could；　after　vexing　him　or　disappointing　him　of　her　presence；
easily　win　him　back　by　suddenly　surrounding　him　with　those　little
attentions　which　her　position　as　his　landlady　put　it　in　her　power　to
bestow。　　When　he　had　waited　indoors　half　the　day　to　see　her；　and　on
finding　that　she　would　not　be　seen；　had　gone　off　in　a　huff　to　the
dreariest　and　dampest　walk　he　could　discover；　she　would　restore
equilibrium　in　the　evening　with　'Mr。　Stockdale；　I　have　fancied　you
must　feel　draught　o'　nights　from　your　bedroom　window；　and　so　I　have
been　putting　up　thicker　curtains　this　afternoon　while　you　were　out；'
or；　'I　noticed　that　you　sneezed　twice　again　this　morning；　Mr。
Stockdale。　　Depend　upon　it　that　cold　is　hanging　about　you　yet；　I　am
sure　it　isI　have　thought　of　it　continually；　and　you　must　let　me
make　a　posset　for　you。'

Sometimes　in　coming　home　he　found　his　sitting…room　rearranged；
chairs　placed　where　the　table　had　stood；　and　the　table　ornamented
with　the　few　fresh　flowers　and　leaves　that　could　be　obtained　at　this
season；　so　as　to　add　a　novelty　to　the　room。　　At　times　she　would　be
standing　on　a　chair　outside　the　house；　trying　to　nail　up　a　branch　of
the　monthly　rose　which　the　winter　wind　had　blown　down；　and　of　course
he　stepped　forward　to　assist　her；　when　their　hands　got　mixed　in
passing　the　shreds　and　nails。　　Thus　they　became　friends　again　after
a　disagreement。　　She　would　utter　on　these　occasions　some　pretty　and
deprecatory　remark　on　the　necessity　of　her　troubling　him　anew；　and
he　would　straightway　say　that　he　would　do　a　hundred　times　as　much
for　her　if　she　should　so　require。



CHAPTER　IIHOW　HE　SAW　TWO　OTHER　MEN



Matters　being　in　this　advancing　state；　Stockdale　was　rather
surprised　one　cloudy　evening；　while　sitting　in　his　room；　at　hearing
her　speak　in　low　tones　of　expostulation　to　some　one　at　the　door。　　It
was　nearly　dark；　but　the　shutters　were　not　yet　closed；　nor　the
candles　lighted；　and　Stockdale　was　tempted　to　stretch　his　head
towards　the　window。　　He　saw　outside　the　door　a　young　man　in　clothes
of　a　whitish　colour；　and　upon　reflection　judged　their　wearer　to　be
the　well…built　and　rather　handsome　miller　who　lived　below。　　The
miller's　voice　was　alternately　low　and　firm；　and　sometimes　it
reached　the　level　of　positive　entreaty；　but　what　the　words　were
Stockdale　could　in　no　way　hear。

Before　the　colloquy　had　ended；　the　minister's　attention　was
attracted　by　a　second　incident。　　Opposite　Lizzy's　home　grew　a　clump
of　laurels；　forming　a　thick　and　permanent　shade。　　One　of　the　laurel
boughs　now　quivered　against　the　light　background　of　sky；　and　in　a
moment　the　head　of　a　man　peered　out；　and　remained　still。　　He　seemed
to　be　also　much　interested　in　the　conversation　at　the　door；　and　was
plainly　lingering　there　to　watch　and　listen。　　Had　Stockdale　stood　in
any　other　relation　to　Lizzy　than　that　of　a　lover；　he　might　have　gone
out　and　investigated　the　meaning　of　this：　　but　being　as　yet　but　an
unprivileged　ally；　he　did　nothing　more　than　stand　up　and　show
himself　against　the　firelight；　whereupon　the　listener　disappeared；
and　Lizzy　and　the　miller　spoke　in　lower　tones。

Stockdale　was　made　so　uneasy　by　the　circumstance；　that　as　soon　as
the　miller　was　gone；　he　said；　'Mrs。　Newberry；　are　you　aware　that　you
were　watched　just　now；　and　your　conversation　heard？'

'When？'　she　said。

'When　you　were　talking　to　that　miller。　　A　man　was　looking　from　the
laurel…tree　as　jealously　as　if　he　could　have　eaten　you。'

She　showed　more　concern　than　the　trifling　event　seemed　to　demand；
and　he　added；　'Perhaps　you　were　talking　of　things　you　did　not　wish
to　be　overheard？'

'I　was　talking　only　on　busi