wessex tales-第46节

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his　side　and　went　to　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　looking　over　the
hedge　into　the　orchard；　where　the　men　could　be　dimly　seen　bustling
about；　and　apparently　hiding　the　tubs。　　All　was　done　noiselessly；
and　without　a　light；　and　when　it　was　over　they　dispersed　in
different　directions；　those　who　had　taken　their　cargoes　to　the
church　having　already　gone　off　to　their　homes。

Lizzy　returned　to　the　garden…gate；　over　which　Stockdale　was　still
abstractedly　leaning。　　'It　is　all　finished：　　I　am　going　indoors
now；'　she　said　gently。　　'I　will　leave　the　door　ajar　for　you。'

'O　noyou　needn't；'　said　Stockdale；　'I　am　coming　too。'

But　before　either　of　them　had　moved；　the　faint　clatter　of　horses'
hoofs　broke　upon　the　ear；　and　it　seemed　to　come　from　the　point　where
the　track　across　the　down　joined　the　hard　road。

'They　are　just　too　late！'　cried　Lizzy　exultingly。

'Who？'　said　Stockdale。

'Latimer；　the　riding…officer；　and　some　assistant　of　his。　　We　had
better　go　indoors。'

They　entered　the　house；　and　Lizzy　bolted　the　door。　　'Please　don't
get　a　light；　Mr。　Stockdale；'　she　said。

'Of　course　I　will　not；'　said　he。

'I　thought　you　might　be　on　the　side　of　the　king；'　said　Lizzy；　with
faintest　sarcasm。

'I　am；'　said　Stockdale。　　'But；　Lizzy　Newberry；　I　love　you；　and　you
know　it　perfectly　well；　and　you　ought　to　know；　if　you　do　not；　what　I
have　suffered　in　my　conscience　on　your　account　these　last　few　days！'

'I　guess　very　well；'　she　said　hurriedly。　　'Yet　I　don't　see　why。　　Ah；
you　are　better　than　I！'

The　trotting　of　the　horses　seemed　to　have　again　died　away；　and　the
pair　of　listeners　touched　each　other's　fingers　in　the　cold　'Good…
night'　of　those　whom　something　seriously　divided。　　They　were　on　the
landing；　but　before　they　had　taken　three　steps　apart；　the　tramp　of
the　horsemen　suddenly　revived；　almost　close　to　the　house。　　Lizzy
turned　to　the　staircase　window；　opened　the　casement　about　an　inch；
and　put　her　face　close　to　the　aperture。　　'Yes；　one　of　'em　is
Latimer；'　she　whispered。　　'He　always　rides　a　white　horse。　　One　would
think　it　was　the　last　colour　for　a　man　in　that　line。'

Stockdale　looked；　and　saw　the　white　shape　of　the　animal　as　it　passed
by；　but　before　the　riders　had　gone　another　ten　yards；　Latimer　reined
in　his　horse；　and　said　something　to　his　companion　which　neither
Stockdale　nor　Lizzy　could　hear。　　Its　drift　was；　however；　soon　made
evident；　for　the　other　man　stopped　also；　and　sharply　turning　the
horses'　heads　they　cautiously　retraced　their　steps。　　When　they　were
again　opposite　Mrs。　Newberry's　garden；　Latimer　dismounted；　and　the
man　on　the　dark　horse　did　the　same。

Lizzy　and　Stockdale；　intently　listening　and　observing　the
proceedings；　naturally　put　their　heads　as　close　as　possible　to　the
slit　formed　by　the　slightly　opened　casement；　and　thus　it　occurred
that　at　last　their　cheeks　came　positively　into　contact。　　They　went
on　listening；　as　if　they　did　not　know　of　the　singular　incident　which
had　happened　to　their　faces；　and　the　pressure　of　each　to　each　rather
increased　than　lessened　with　the　lapse　of　time。

They　could　hear　the　excisemen　sniffing　the　air　like　hounds　as　they
paced　slowly　along。　　When　they　reached　the　spot　where　the　tub　had
burst；　both　stopped　on　the　instant。

'Ay；　ay；　'tis　quite　strong　here；'　said　the　second　officer。　　'Shall
we　knock　at　the　door？'

'Well；　no；'　said　Latimer。　　'Maybe　this　is　only　a　trick　to　put　us　off
the　scent。　　They　wouldn't　kick　up　this　stink　anywhere　near　their
hiding…place。　　I　have　known　such　things　before。'

'Anyhow；　the　things；　or　some　of　'em；　must　have　been　brought　this
way；'　said　the　other。

'Yes；'　said　Latimer　musingly。　　'Unless　'tis　all　done　to　tole　us　the
wrong　way。　　I　have　a　mind　that　we　go　home　for　to…night　without
saying　a　word；　and　come　the　first　thing　in　the　morning　with　more
hands。　　I　know　they　have　storages　about　here；　but　we　can　do　nothing
by　this　owl's　light。　　We　will　look　round　the　parish　and　see　if
everybody　is　in　bed；　John；　and　if　all　is　quiet；　we　will　do　as　I
say。'

They　went　on；　and　the　two　inside　the　window　could　hear　them　passing
leisurely　through　the　whole　village；　the　street　of　which　curved
round　at　the　bottom　and　entered　the　turnpike　road　at　another
junction。　　This　way　the　excisemen　followed；　and　the　amble　of　their
horses　died　quite　away。

'What　will　you　do？'　said　Stockdale；　withdrawing　from　his　position。

She　knew　that　he　alluded　to　the　coming　search　by　the　officers；　to
divert　her　attention　from　their　own　tender　incident　by　the　casement；
which　he　wished　to　be　passed　over　as　a　thing　rather　dreamt　of　than
done。　　'O；　nothing；'　she　replied；　with　as　much　coolness　as　she　could
command　under　her　disappointment　at　his　manner。　　'We　often　have　such
storms　as　this。　　You　would　not　be　frightened　if　you　knew　what　fools
they　are。　　Fancy　riding　o'　horseback　through　the　place：　　of　course
they　will　hear　and　see　nobody　while　they　make　that　noise；　but　they
are　always　afraid　to　get　off；　in　case　some　of　our　fellows　should
burst　out　upon　'em；　and　tie　them　up　to　the　gate…post；　as　they　have
done　before　now。　　Good…night；　Mr。　Stockdale。'

She　closed　the　window　and　went　to　her　room；　where　a　tear　fell　from
her　eyes；　and　that　not　because　of　the　alertness　of　the　riding…
officers。



CHAPTER　VITHE　GREAT　SEARCH　AT　NETHER…MOYNTON



Stockdale　was　so　excited　by　the　events　of　the　evening；　and　the
dilemma　that　he　was　placed　in　between　conscience　and　love；　that　he
did　not　sleep；　or　even　doze；　but　remained　as　broadly　awake　as　at
noonday。　　As　soon　as　the　grey　light　began　to　touch　ever　so　faintly
the　whiter　objects　in　his　bedroom　he　arose；　dressed　himself；　and
went　downstairs　into　the　road。

The　village　was　already　astir。　　Several　of　the　carriers　had　heard
the　well…known　tramp　of　Latimer's　horse　while　they　were　undressing
in　the　dark　that　night；　and　had　already　communicated　with　each　other
and　Owlett　on　the　subject。　　The　only　doubt　seemed　to　be　about　the
safety　of　those　tubs　which　had　been　left　under　the　church　gallery…
stairs；　and　after　a　short　discussion　at　the　corner　of　the　mill；　it
was　agreed　that　these　should　be　removed　before　it　got　lighter；　and
hidden　in　the　middle　of　a　double　hedge　bordering　the　adjoining
field。　　However；　before　anything　could　be　carried　into　effect；　the
footsteps　of　many　men　were　heard　coming　down　the　lane　from　the
highway。

'Damn　it；　here　they　be；'　said　Owlett；　who；　having　already　drawn　the
hatch　and　started　his　mill　for　the　day；　stood　stolidly　at　the　mill…
door　covered　with　flour；　as　if　the　interest　of　his　whole　soul　was
bound　up　in　the　shaking　walls　around　him。

The　two　or　three　with　whom　he　had　been　talking　dispersed　to　their
usual　work；　and　when　the　excise　officers；　and　the　formidable　body　of
men　they　had　hired；　reached　the　village　cross；　between　the　mill　and
Mrs。　Newberry's　house；　the　village　wore　the　natural　aspect　of　a
place　beginning　its　morning　labours。

'Now；'　said　Latimer　to　his　associates；　who　numbered　thirteen　men　in
all；　'what　I　know　is　that　the　things　are　somewhere　in　this　here
place。　　We　have　got　the　day　before　us；　and　'tis　hard　if　we　can't
light　upon　'em　and　get　'em　to　Budmouth　Custom…house　before　night。
First　we　will　try　the　fuel…houses；　and　then　we'll　work　our　way　into
the　chimmers；　and　then　to　the　ricks　and　stables；　and　so　creep　round。
You　have　nothing　but　your　noses　to　guide　ye；　mind；　so　use　'em　to…day
if　you　never　did　in　your　lives　before。'

Then　the　search　began。　　Owlett；　during　the　early　part；　watched　from
his　mill…window；　Lizzy　from　the　door　of　her　house；　with　the　greatest
self…possession。　　A　farmer　down　below；　who　also　had　a　share　in　the
run；　rode　about　with　one　eye　on　his　fields　and　the　other　on　Latimer
and　his　myrmidons；　prepared　to　put　them　off　the　scent　if　he　should
be　asked　a　question。　　Stockdale；　who　was　no　smuggler　at　all；　felt
more　anxiety　than　the　worst　of　them；　and　went　about　his　studies　with
a　heavy　heart；　coming　frequently　to　the　door　to　ask　Lizzy　some
question　or　other　on　the　consequences　to　her　of　the　tubs　being
found。

'The　consequences；'　she　said　quietly；　'are　simply　that　I　shall　lose
'em。　　As　I　have　none　in　the　house　or　garden；　they　can't　touch　me
personally。'

'But　you　have　some　in　the　orchard？'

'Owlett　rents　that　of　me；　and　he　lends　it　to　others。　　So　it　will　be
hard　to　say　who　put　any　tubs　there　if　they　should　be　found。'

There　was　never　such　a　tremendous　sniffing　known　as　that　which　took
place　in　Nether…Moynton　parish　and　its　vicinity　this　day。　　All　was
done　methodically；　and　mostly　on　hands　and　knees。　　At　different
hours　of　the　day　they　had　different　plans。　　From　daybreak　to
breakfast…time　the　officers　used　their　sense　of　smell　in　a　direct
and　straightforward　manner　only；　pausing　nowhere　but　at　such　places
as　the　tubs　might　be　supposed　to　be　secreted　in　at　that　very　moment；
pending　their　removal　on　the　following　night。　　Among　the　places
tested　and　examined　were

Hollow　trees　　　　　　　　Cupboards　　　　　　　　　Culverts
Potato…graves　　　　　　　Clock…cases　　　　　　　Hedgerows
Fuel…houses　　　　　　　　　Chimney…flues　　　　　Faggot…ricks
Bedrooms　　　　　　　　　　　　Rainwater…butts　　　Haystacks
Apple…lofts　　　　　　　　　Pigsties　　　　　　　　　　Coppers　and　ovens。

After　breakfast　they　recommenced　with　renewed　vigour；　taking　a　new
line；　that　is　to　s