the canterbury pilgrims-第3节

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little　circle　on　the　surface　of　the　water。　She　now　looked　up；

disclosing　features　still　comely；　but　which　had　acquired　an

expression　of　fretfulness；　in　the　same　long　course　of　evil

fortune　that　had　thrown　a　sullen　gloom　over　the　temper　of　the

unprosperous　yeoman。



〃I　am　his　wife；〃　said　she；　a　shade　of　irritability　just

perceptible　in　the　sadness　of　her　tone。　〃These　poor　little

things；　asleep　on　the　ground；　are　two　of　our　children。　We　had　two

more；　but　God　has　provided　better　for　them　than　we　could；　by

taking　them　to　Himself。〃



〃And　what　would　thee　advise　Josiah　and　me　to　do？〃　asked　Miriam；

this　being　the　first　question　which　she　had　put　to　either　of　the

strangers。



〃　'Tis　a　thing　almost　against　nature　for　a　woman　to　try　to　part

true　lovers；〃　answered　the　yeoman's　wife；　after　a　pause；　〃but

I'll　speak　as　truly　to　you　as　if　these　were　my　dying　words。

Though　my　husband　told　you　some　of　our　troubles；　he　didn't

mention　the　greatest；　and　that　which　makes　all　the　rest　so　hard

to　bear。　If　you　and　your　sweetheart　marry；　you'll　be　kind　and

pleasant　to　each　other　for　a　year　or　two；　and　while　that's　the

case；　you　never　will　repent；　but；　by　and　by；　he'll　grow　gloomy；

rough；　and　hard　to　please；　and　you'll　be　peevish；　and　full　of

little　angry　fits；　and　apt　to　be　complaining　by　the　fireside；

when　he　comes　to　rest　himself　from　his　troubles　out　of　doors；　so

your　love　will　wear　away　by　little　and　little；　and　leave　you

miserable　at　last。　It　has　been　so　with　us；　and　yet　my　husband　and

I　were　true　lovers　once；　if　ever　two　young　folks　were　。〃



As　she　ceased；　the　yeoman　and　his　wife　exchanged　a　glance；　in

which　there　was　more　and　warmer　affection　than　they　had　supposed

to　have　escaped　the　frost　of　a　wintry　fate；　in　either　of　their

breasts。　At　that　moment；　when　they　stood　on　the　utmost　verge　of

married　life；　one　word　fitly　spoken；　or　perhaps　one　peculiar

look；　had　they　had　mutual　confidence　enough　to　reciprocate　it；

might　have　renewed　all　their　old　feelings；　and　sent　them　back；

resolved　to　sustain　each　other　amid　the　struggles　of　the　world。

But　the　crisis　passed　and　never　came　again。　Just　then；　also；　the

children；　roused　by　their　mother's　voice；　looked　up；　and　added

their　wailing　accents　to　the　testimony　borne　by　all　the

Canterbury　pilgrims　against　the　world　from　which　they　fled。



〃We　are　tired　and　hungry！〃　cried　they。　〃Is　it　far　to　the　Shaker

village？〃



The　Shaker　youth　and　maiden　looked　mournfully　into　each　other's

eyes。　They　had　but　stepped　across　the　threshold　of　their　homes；

when　lo！　the　dark　array　of　cares　and　sorrows　that　rose　up　to　warn

them　back。　The　varied　narratives　of　the　strangers　had　arranged

themselves　into　a　parable；　they　seemed　not　merely　instances　of

woful　fate　that　had　befallen　others；　but　shadowy　omens　of

disappointed　hope　and　unavailing　toil；　domestic　grief　and

estranged　affection；　that　would　cloud　the　onward　path　of　these

poor　fugitives。　But　after　one　instant's　hesitation；　they　opened

their　arms；　and　sealed　their　resolve　with　as　pure　and　fond　an

embrace　as　ever　youthful　love　had　hallowed。



〃We　will　not　go　back；〃　said　they。　〃The　world　never　can　be　dark　to

us；　for　we　will　always　love　one　another。〃



Then　the　Canterbury　pilgrims　went　up　the　hill；　while　the　poet

chanted　a　drear　and　desperate　stanza　of　the　Farewell　to　his　Harp；

fitting　music　for　that　melancholy　band。　They　sought　a　home　where

all　former　ties　of　nature　or　society　would　be　sundered；　and　all

old　distinctions　levelled；　and　a　cold　and　passionless　security　be

substituted　for　mortal　hope　and　fear；　as　in　that　other　refuge　of

the　world's　weary　outcasts；　the　grave。　The　lovers　drank　at　the

Shaker　spring；　and　then；　with　chastened　hopes；　but　more　confiding

affections；　went　on　to　mingle　in　an　untried　life。