wessex tales-第45节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　neighbourhood；　quiet　and　inoffensive　persons；　who　simply　engaged
to　carry　the　cargo　for　Lizzy　and　her　cousin　Owlett；　as　they　would
have　engaged　in　any　other　labour　for　which　they　were　fairly　well
paid。

At　a　word　from　her　they　closed　in　together。　　'You　had　better　take　it
now；'　she　said　to　them；　and　handed　to　each　a　packet。　　It　contained
six　shillings；　their　remuneration　for　the　night's　undertaking；　which
was　paid　beforehand　without　reference　to　success　or　failure；　but；
besides　this；　they　had　the　privilege　of　selling　as　agents　when　the
run　was　successfully　made。　　As　soon　as　it　was　done；　she　said　to
them；　'The　place　is　the　old　one　near　Lulstead　Cove；'　the　men　till
that　moment　not　having　been　told　whither　they　were　bound；　for
obvious　reasons。　　'Owlett　will　meet　you　there；'　added　Lizzy。　　'I
shall　follow　behind；　to　see　that　we　are　not　watched。'

The　carriers　went　on；　and　Stockdale　and　Mrs。　Newberry　followed　at　a
distance　of　a　stone's　throw。　　'What　do　these　men　do　by　day？'　he
said。

'Twelve　or　fourteen　of　them　are　labouring　men。　　Some　are
brickmakers；　some　carpenters；　some　shoe…makers；　some　thatchers。
They　are　all　known　to　me　very　well。　　Nine　of　'em　are　of　your　own
congregation。'

'I　can't　help　that；'　said　Stockdale。

'O；　I　know　you　can't。　　I　only　told　you。　　The　others　are　more　church…
inclined；　because　they　supply　the　pa'son　with　all　the　spirits　he
requires；　and　they　don't　wish　to　show　unfriendliness　to　a　customer。'

'How　do　you　choose　'em？'　said　Stockdale。

'We　choose　'em　for　their　closeness；　and　because　they　are　strong　and
surefooted；　and　able　to　carry　a　heavy　load　a　long　way　without　being
tired。'

Stockdale　sighed　as　she　enumerated　each　particular；　for　it　proved
how　far　involved　in　the　business　a　woman　must　be　who　was　so　well
acquainted　with　its　conditions　and　needs。　　And　yet　he　felt　more
tenderly　towards　her　at　this　moment　than　he　had　felt　all　the
foregoing　day。　　Perhaps　it　was　that　her　experienced　manner　and　hold
indifference　stirred　his　admiration　in　spite　of　himself。

'Take　my　arm；　Lizzy；'　he　murmured。

'I　don't　want　it；'　she　said。　　'Besides；　we　may　never　be　to　each
other　again　what　we　once　have　been。'

'That　depends　upon　you；'　said　he；　and　they　went　on　again　as　before。

The　hired　carriers　paced　along　over　Chaldon　Down　with　as　little
hesitation　as　if　it　had　been　day；　avoiding　the　cart…way；　and　leaving
the　village　of　East　Chaldon　on　the　left；　so　as　to　reach　the　crest　of
the　hill　at　a　lonely　trackless　place　not　far　from　the　ancient
earthwork　called　Round　Pound。　　An　hour's　brisk　walking　brought　them
within　sound　of　the　sea；　not　many　hundred　yards　from　Lulstead　Cove。
Here　they　paused；　and　Lizzy　and　Stockdale　came　up　with　them；　when
they　went　on　together　to　the　verge　of　the　cliff。　　One　of　the　men　now
produced　an　iron　bar；　which　he　drove　firmly　into　the　soil　a　yard
from　the　edge；　and　attached　to　it　a　rope　that　he　had　uncoiled　from
his　body。　　They　all　began　to　descend；　partly　stepping；　partly
sliding　down　the　incline；　as　the　rope　slipped　through　their　hands。

'You　will　not　go　to　the　bottom；　Lizzy？'　said　Stockdale　anxiously。

'No。　　I　stay　here　to　watch；'　she　said。　　'Owlett　is　down　there。'

The　men　remained　quite　silent　when　they　reached　the　shore；　and　the
next　thing　audible　to　the　two　at　the　top　was　the　dip　of　heavy　oars；
and　the　dashing　of　waves　against　a　boat's　bow。　　In　a　moment　the　keel
gently　touched　the　shingle；　and　Stockdale　heard　the　footsteps　of　the
thirty…six　carriers　running　forwards　over　the　pebbles　towards　the
point　of　landing。

There　was　a　sousing　in　the　water　as　of　a　brood　of　ducks　plunging　in；
showing　that　the　men　had　not　been　particular　about　keeping　their
legs；　or　even　their　waists；　dry　from　the　brine：　　but　it　was
impossible　to　see　what　they　were　doing；　and　in　a　few　minutes　the
shingle　was　trampled　again。　　The　iron　bar　sustaining　the　rope；　on
which　Stockdale's　hand　rested；　began　to　swerve　a　little；　and　the
carriers　one　by　one　appeared　climbing　up　the　sloping　cliff；　dripping
audibly　as　they　came；　and　sustaining　themselves　by　the　guide…rope。
Each　man　on　reaching　the　top　was　seen　to　be　carrying　a　pair　of　tubs；
one　on　his　back　and　one　on　his　chest；　the　two　being　slung　together
by　cords　passing　round　the　chine　hoops；　and　resting　on　the　carrier's
shoulders。　　Some　of　the　stronger　men　carried　three　by　putting　an
extra　one　on　the　top　behind；　but　the　customary　load　was　a　pair；
these　being　quite　weighty　enough　to　give　their　bearer　the　sensation
of　having　chest　and　backbone　in　contact　after　a　walk　of　four　or　five
miles。

'Where　is　Owlett？'　said　Lizzy　to　one　of　them。

'He　will　not　come　up　this　way；'　said　the　carrier。　　'He's　to　bide　on
shore　till　we　be　safe　off。'　　Then；　without　waiting　for　the　rest；　the
foremost　men　plunged　across　the　down；　and；　when　the　last　had
ascended；　Lizzy　pulled　up　the　rope；　wound　it　round　her　arm；　wriggled
the　bar　from　the　sod；　and　turned　to　follow　the　carriers。

'You　are　very　anxious　about　Owlett's　safety；'　said　the　minister。

'Was　there　ever　such　a　man！'　said　Lizzy。　　'Why；　isn't　he　my　cousin？'

'Yes。　　Well；　it　is　a　bad　night's　work；'　said　Stockdale　heavily。
'But　I'll　carry　the　bar　and　rope　for　you。'

'Thank　God；　the　tubs　have　got　so　far　all　right；'　said　she。

Stockdale　shook　his　head；　and；　taking　the　bar；　walked　by　her　side
towards　the　downs；　and　the　moan　of　the　sea　was　heard　no　more。

'Is　this　what　you　meant　the　other　day　when　you　spoke　of　having
business　with　Owlett？'　the　young　man　asked。

'This　is　it；'　she　replied。　　'I　never　see　him　on　any　other　matter。'

'A　partnership　of　that　kind　with　a　young　man　is　very　odd。'

'It　was　begun　by　my　father　and　his；　who　were　brother…laws。'

Her　companion　could　not　blind　himself　to　the　fact　that　where　tastes
and　pursuits　were　so　akin　as　Lizzy's　and　Owlett's；　and　where　risks
were　shared；　as　with　them；　in　every　undertaking；　there　would　be　a
peculiar　appropriateness　in　her　answering　Owlett's　standing　question
on　matrimony　in　the　affirmative。　　This　did　not　soothe　Stockdale；　its
tendency　being　rather　to　stimulate　in　him　an　effort　to　make　the　pair
as　inappropriate　as　possible；　and　win　her　away　from　this　nocturnal
crew　to　correctness　of　conduct　and　a　minister's　parlour　in　some　far…
removed　inland　county。

They　had　been　walking　near　enough　to　the　file　of　carriers　for
Stockdale　to　perceive　that；　when　they　got　into　the　road　to　the
village；　they　split　up　into　two　companies　of　unequal　size；　each　of
which　made　off　in　a　direction　of　its　own。　　One　company；　the　smaller
of　the　two；　went　towards　the　church；　and　by　the　time　that　Lizzy　and
Stockdale　reached　their　own　house　these　men　had　scaled　the
churchyard　wall；　and　were　proceeding　noiselessly　over　the　grass
within。

'I　see　that　Owlett　has　arranged　for　one　batch　to　be　put　in　the
church　again；'　observed　Lizzy。　　'Do　you　remember　my　taking　you　there
the　first　night　you　came？'

'Yes；　of　course；'　said　Stockdale。　　'No　wonder　you　had　permission　to
broach　the　tubsthey　were　his；　I　suppose？'

'No；　they　were　notthey　were　mine；　I　had　permission　from　myself。
The　day　after　that　they　went　several　miles　inland　in　a　waggon…load
of　manure；　and　sold　very　well。'

At　this　moment　the　group　of　men　who　had　made　off　to　the　left　some
time　before　began　leaping　one　by　one　from　the　hedge　opposite　Lizzy's
house；　and　the　first　man；　who　had　no　tubs　upon　his　shoulders；　came
forward。

'Mrs。　Newberry；　isn't　it？'　he　said　hastily。

'Yes；　Jim；'　said　she。　　'What's　the　matter？'

'I　find　that　we　can't　put　any　in　Badger's　Clump　to…night；　Lizzy；'
said　Owlett。　　'The　place　is　watched。　　We　must　sling　the　apple…tree
in　the　orchet　if　there's　time。　　We　can't　put　any　more　under　the
church　lumber　than　I　have　sent　on　there；　and　my　mixen　hev　already
more　in　en　than　is　safe。'

'Very　well；'　she　said。　　'Be　quick　about　itthat's　all。　　What　can　I
do？'

'Nothing　at　all；　please。　　Ah；　it　is　the　minister！you　two　that
can't　do　anything　had　better　get　indoors　and　not　be　zeed。'

While　Owlett　thus　conversed；　in　a　tone　so　full　of　contraband　anxiety
and　so　free　from　lover's　jealousy；　the　men　who　followed　him　had　been
descending　one　by　one　from　the　hedge；　and　it　unfortunately　happened
that　when　the　hindmost　took　his　leap；　the　cord　slipped　which
sustained　his　tubs：　　the　result　was　that　both　the　kegs　fell　into　the
road；　one　of　them　being　stove　in　by　the　blow。

''Od　drown　it　all！'　said　Owlett；　rushing　back。

'It　is　worth　a　good　deal；　I　suppose？'　said　Stockdale。

'O　noabout　two　guineas　and　half　to　us　now；'　said　Lizzy　excitedly。
'It　isn't　thatit　is　the　smell！　　It　is　so　blazing　strong　before　it
has　been　lowered　by　water；　that　it　smells　dreadfully　when　spilt　in
the　road　like　that！　　I　do　hope　Latimer　won't　pass　by　till　it　is　gone
off。'

Owlett　and　one　or　two　others　picked　up　the　burst　tub　and　began　to
scrape　and　trample　over　the　spot；　to　disperse　the　liquor　as　much　as
possible；　and　then　they　all　entered　the　gate　of　Owlett's　orchard；
which　adjoined　Lizzy's　garden　on　the　right。　　Stockdale　did　not　care
to　follow　them；　for　several　on　recognizing　him　had　looked
wonderingly　at　his　presence；　though　they　said　nothing。　　Lizzy　left
his　side　and　went　to　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　looking　over　the
hedge　into　the　orchard；　where　the　men　could