wessex tales-第9节

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'Lost　that　too？'　said　his　entertainer；　with　some　surprise。

'I　am　afraid　so；'　said　the　man　with　some　confusion。　　'Give　it　to　me
in　a　screw　of　paper。'　　Lighting　his　pipe　at　the　candle　with　a
suction　that　drew　the　whole　flame　into　the　bowl；　he　resettled
himself　in　the　corner　and　bent　his　looks　upon　the　faint　steam　from
his　damp　legs；　as　if　he　wished　to　say　no　more。

Meanwhile　the　general　body　of　guests　had　been　taking　little　notice
of　this　visitor　by　reason　of　an　absorbing　discussion　in　which　they
were　engaged　with　the　band　about　a　tune　for　the　next　dance。　　The
matter　being　settled；　they　were　about　to　stand　up　when　an
interruption　came　in　the　shape　of　another　knock　at　the　door。

At　sound　of　the　same　the　man　in　the　chimney…corner　took　up　the　poker
and　began　stirring　the　brands　as　if　doing　it　thoroughly　were　the　one
aim　of　his　existence；　and　a　second　time　the　shepherd　said；　'Walk
in！'　　In　a　moment　another　man　stood　upon　the　straw…woven　door…mat。
He　too　was　a　stranger。

This　individual　was　one　of　a　type　radically　different　from　the
first。　　There　was　more　of　the　commonplace　in　his　manner；　and　a
certain　jovial　cosmopolitanism　sat　upon　his　features。　　He　was
several　years　older　than　the　first　arrival；　his　hair　being　slightly
frosted；　his　eyebrows　bristly；　and　his　whiskers　cut　back　from　his
cheeks。　　His　face　was　rather　full　and　flabby；　and　yet　it　was　not
altogether　a　face　without　power。　　A　few　grog…blossoms　marked　the
neighbourhood　of　his　nose。　　He　flung　back　his　long　drab　greatcoat；
revealing　that　beneath　it　he　wore　a　suit　of　cinder…gray　shade
throughout；　large　heavy　seals；　of　some　metal　or　other　that　would
take　a　polish；　dangling　from　his　fob　as　his　only　personal　ornament。
Shaking　the　water…drops　from　his　low…crowned　glazed　hat；　he　said；　'I
must　ask　for　a　few　minutes'　shelter；　comrades；　or　I　shall　be　wetted
to　my　skin　before　I　get　to　Casterbridge。'

'Make　yourself　at　home；　master；'　said　the　shepherd；　perhaps　a　trifle
less　heartily　than　on　the　first　occasion。　　Not　that　Fennel　had　the
least　tinge　of　niggardliness　in　his　composition；　but　the　room　was
far　from　large；　spare　chairs　were　not　numerous；　and　damp　companions
were　not　altogether　desirable　at　close　quarters　for　the　women　and
girls　in　their　bright…coloured　gowns。

However；　the　second　comer；　after　taking　off　his　greatcoat；　and
hanging　his　hat　on　a　nail　in　one　of　the　ceiling…beams　as　if　he　had
been　specially　invited　to　put　it　there；　advanced　and　sat　down　at　the
table。　　This　had　been　pushed　so　closely　into　the　chimney…corner；　to
give　all　available　room　to　the　dancers；　that　its　inner　edge　grazed
the　elbow　of　the　man　who　had　ensconced　himself　by　the　fire；　and　thus
the　two　strangers　were　brought　into　close　companionship。　　They
nodded　to　each　other　by　way　of　breaking　the　ice　of　unacquaintance；
and　the　first　stranger　handed　his　neighbour　the　family　muga　huge
vessel　of　brown　ware；　having　its　upper　edge　worn　away　like　a
threshold　by　the　rub　of　whole　generations　of　thirsty　lips　that　had
gone　the　way　of　all　flesh；　and　bearing　the　following　inscription
burnt　upon　its　rotund　side　in　yellow　letters


THERE　IS　NO　FUN
UNTiLL　i　CUM。


The　other　man；　nothing　loth；　raised　the　mug　to　his　lips；　and　drank
on；　and　on；　and　ontill　a　curious　blueness　overspread　the
countenance　of　the　shepherd's　wife；　who　had　regarded　with　no　little
surprise　the　first　stranger's　free　offer　to　the　second　of　what　did
not　belong　to　him　to　dispense。

'I　knew　it！'　said　the　toper　to　the　shepherd　with　much　satisfaction。
'When　I　walked　up　your　garden　before　coming　in；　and　saw　the　hives
all　of　a　row；　I　said　to　myself；　〃Where　there's　bees　there's　honey；
and　where　there's　honey　there's　mead。〃　　But　mead　of　such　a　truly
comfortable　sort　as　this　I　really　didn't　expect　to　meet　in　my　older
days。'　　He　took　yet　another　pull　at　the　mug；　till　it　assumed　an
ominous　elevation。

'Glad　you　enjoy　it！'　said　the　shepherd　warmly。

'It　is　goodish　mead；'　assented　Mrs。　Fennel；　with　an　absence　of
enthusiasm　which　seemed　to　say　that　it　was　possible　to　buy　praise
for　one's　cellar　at　too　heavy　a　price。　　'It　is　trouble　enough　to
makeand　really　I　hardly　think　we　shall　make　any　more。　　For　honey
sells　well；　and　we　ourselves　can　make　shift　with　a　drop　o'　small
mead　and　metheglin　for　common　use　from　the　comb…washings。〃

'O；　but　you'll　never　have　the　heart！'　reproachfully　cried　the
stranger　in　cinder…gray；　after　taking　up　the　mug　a　third　time　and
setting　it　down　empty。　　'I　love　mead；　when　'tis　old　like　this；　as　I
love　to　go　to　church　o'　Sundays；　or　to　relieve　the　needy　any　day　of
the　week。'

'Ha；　ha；　ha！'　said　the　man　in　the　chimney…corner；　who；　in　spite　of
the　taciturnity　induced　by　the　pipe　of　tobacco；　could　not　or　would
not　refrain　from　this　slight　testimony　to　his　comrade's　humour。

Now　the　old　mead　of　those　days；　brewed　of　the　purest　first…year　or
maiden　honey；　four　pounds　to　the　gallonwith　its　due　complement　of
white　of　eggs；　cinnamon；　ginger；　cloves；　mace；　rosemary；　yeast；　and
processes　of　working；　bottling；　and　cellaringtasted　remarkably
strong；　but　it　did　not　taste　so　strong　as　it　actually　was。　　Hence；
presently；　the　stranger　in　cinder…gray　at　the　table；　moved　by　its
creeping　influence；　unbuttoned　his　waistcoat；　threw　himself　back　in
his　chair；　spread　his　legs；　and　made　his　presence　felt　in　various
ways。

'Well；　well；　as　I　say；'　he　resumed；　'I　am　going　to　Casterbridge；　and
to　Casterbridge　I　must　go。　　I　should　have　been　almost　there　by　this
time；　but　the　rain　drove　me　into　your　dwelling；　and　I'm　not　sorry
for　it。'

'You　don't　live　in　Casterbridge？'　said　the　shepherd。

'Not　as　yet；　though　I　shortly　mean　to　move　there。'

'Going　to　set　up　in　trade；　perhaps？'

'No；　no；'　said　the　shepherd's　wife。　　'It　is　easy　to　see　that　the
gentleman　is　rich；　and　don't　want　to　work　at　anything。'

The　cinder…gray　stranger　paused；　as　if　to　consider　whether　he　would
accept　that　definition　of　himself。　　He　presently　rejected　it　by
answering；　'Rich　is　not　quite　the　word　for　me；　dame。　　I　do　work；　and
I　must　work。　　And　even　if　I　only　get　to　Casterbridge　by　midnight　I
must　begin　work　there　at　eight　to…morrow　morning。　　Yes；　het　or　wet；
blow　or　snow；　famine　or　sword；　my　day's　work　to…morrow　must　be
done。'

'Poor　man！　　Then；　in　spite　o'　seeming；　you　be　worse　off　than　we？'
replied　the　shepherd's　wife。

''Tis　the　nature　of　my　trade；　men　and　maidens。　　'Tis　the　nature　of
my　trade　more　than　my　poverty　。　。　。　But　really　and　truly　I　must　up
and　off；　or　I　shan't　get　a　lodging　in　the　town。'　　However；　the
speaker　did　not　move；　and　directly　added；　'There's　time　for　one　more
draught　of　friendship　before　I　go；　and　I'd　perform　it　at　once　if　the
mug　were　not　dry。'

'Here's　a　mug　o'　small；'　said　Mrs。　Fennel。　　'Small；　we　call　it；
though　to　be　sure　'tis　only　the　first　wash　o'　the　combs。'

'No；'　said　the　stranger　disdainfully。　　'I　won't　spoil　your　first
kindness　by　partaking　o'　your　second。'

'Certainly　not；'　broke　in　Fennel。　　'We　don't　increase　and　multiply
every　day；　and　I'll　fill　the　mug　again。'　　He　went　away　to　the　dark
place　under　the　stairs　where　the　barrel　stood。　　The　shepherdess
followed　him。

'Why　should　you　do　this？'　she　said　reproachfully；　as　soon　as　they
were　alone。　　'He's　emptied　it　once；　though　it　held　enough　for　ten
people；　and　now　he's　not　contented　wi'　the　small；　but　must　needs
call　for　more　o'　the　strong！　　And　a　stranger　unbeknown　to　any　of　us。
For　my　part；　I　don't　like　the　look　o'　the　man　at　all。'

'But　he's　in　the　house；　my　honey；　and　'tis　a　wet　night；　and　a
christening。　　Daze　it；　what's　a　cup　of　mead　more　or　less？　　There'll
be　plenty　more　next　bee…burning。'

'Very　wellthis　time；　then；'　she　answered；　looking　wistfully　at　the
barrel。　　'But　what　is　the　man's　calling；　and　where　is　he　one　of；
that　he　should　come　in　and　join　us　like　this？'

'I　don't　know。　　I'll　ask　him　again。'

The　catastrophe　of　having　the　mug　drained　dry　at　one　pull　by　the
stranger　in　cinder…gray　was　effectually　guarded　against　this　time　by
Mrs。　Fennel。　　She　poured　out　his　allowance　in　a　small　cup；　keeping
the　large　one　at　a　discreet　distance　from　him。　　When　he　had　tossed
off　his　portion　the　shepherd　renewed　his　inquiry　about　the
stranger's　occupation。

The　latter　did　not　immediately　reply；　and　the　man　in　the　chimney…
corner；　with　sudden　demonstrativeness；　said；　'Anybody　may　know　my
tradeI'm　a　wheelwright。'

'A　very　good　trade　for　these　parts；'　said　the　shepherd。

'And　anybody　may　know　mineif　they've　the　sense　to　find　it　out；'
said　the　stranger　in　cinder…gray。

'You　may　generally　tell　what　a　man　is　by　his　claws；'　observed　the
hedge…carpenter；　looking　at　his　own　hands。　　'My　fingers　be　as　full
of　thorns　as　an　old　pin…cushion　is　of　pins。'

The　hands　of　the　man　in　the　chimney…corner　instinctively　sought　the
shade；　and　he　gazed　into　the　fire　as　he　resumed　his　pipe。　　The　man
at　the　table　took　up　the　hedge…carpenter's　remark；　and　added
smartly；　'True；　but　the　oddity　of　my　trade　is　that；　instead　of
setting　a　mark　upon　me；　it　sets　a　mark　upon　my　customers。'

No　observation　being　offered　by　anybody　in　elucidation　of　this
enigma；　the　shepherd's　wife　once　more　called　for　a　song。　　The　same
obstacles　presented　themselves　as　at　the　former　timeone　had　no
voice；　ano