poor miss finch-第3节

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began　to　look　about　for　signs　of　the　village。

Behind　me；　rolled　back　the　long　undulations　of　the　hills；　with　the
cloud…shadows　moving　over　the　solitudes　that　we　had　left。　Before　me；　at　a
break　in　the　purple　distance；　I　saw　the　soft　white　line　of　the　sea。
Beneath　me；　at　my　feet；　opened　the　deepest　valley　I　had　noticed　yetwith
one　first　sign　of　the　presence　of　Man　scored　hideously　on　the　face　of
Nature；　in　the　shape　of　a　square　brown　patch　of　cleared　and　ploughed　land
on　the　grassy　slope。　I　asked　if　we　were　getting　near　the　village　now。
Finch's　boy　winked；　and　answered；　〃Yes；　we　be。〃

Astonishing　Finch's　boy！　Ask　him　what　questions　I　might；　the　resources　of
his　vocabulary　remained　invariably　the　same。　Still　this　youthful　Oracle
answered　always　in　three　monosyllabic　words！

We　plunged　into　the　valley。

Arrived　at　the　bottom；　I　discovered　another　sign　of　Man。　Behold　the　first
road　I　had　seen　yeta　rough　wagon…road　ploughed　deep　in　the　chalky　soil！
We　crossed　this；　and　turned　a　corner　of　a　hill。　More　signs　of　human　life。
Two　small　boys　started　up　out　of　a　ditchapparently　posted　as　scouts　to
give　notice　of　our　approach。　They　yelled；　and　set　off　running　before　us；
by　some　short　cut；　known　only　to　themselves。　We　turned　again；　round
another　winding　of　the　valley；　and　crossed　a　brook。　I　considered　it　my
duty　to　make　myself　acquainted　with　the　local　names。　What　was　the　brook
called？　It　was　called　〃The　Cockshoot〃！　And　the　great　hill；　here；　on　my
right？　It　was　called　〃The　Overblow〃！　Five　minutes　more；　and　we　saw　our
first　houselonely　and　littlebuilt　of　mortar　and　flint　from　the　hills。
A　name　to　this　also？　Certainly。　Name　of　〃Browndown。〃　Another　ten　minutes
of　walking；　involving　us　more　and　more　deeply　in　the　mysterious　green
windings　of　the　valleyand　the　great　event　of　the　day　happened　at　last。
Finch's　boy　pointed　before　him　with　his　whip；　and　said　（even　at　this
supreme　moment；　still　in　three　monosyllabic　words）：

〃Here　we　be！〃

So　this　is　Dimchurch！　I　shake　out　the　chalk…dust　from　the　skirts　of　my
dress。　I　long　（quite　vainly）　for　the　least　bit　of　looking…glass　to　see
myself　in。　Here　is　the　population　（to　the　number　of　at　least　five　or
six）；　gathered　together；　informed　by　the　scoutsand　it　is　my　woman's
business　to　produce　the　best　impression　of　myself　that　I　can。　We　advance
along　the　little　road。　I　smile　upon　the　population。　The　population　stares
at　me　in　return。　On　one　side；　I　remark　three　or　four　cottages；　and　a　bit
of　open　ground；　also　an　inn　named　〃The　Cross…Hands；〃　and　a　bit　more　of
open　ground；　also　a　tiny；　tiny　butcher's　shop；　with　sanguinary　insides　of
sheep　on　one　blue　pie…dish　in　the　window；　and　no　other　meat　than　that；
and　nothing　to　see　beyond；　but　again　the　open　ground；　and　again　the
hills；　indicating　the　end　of　the　village　this　side。　On　the　other　side
there　appears；　for　some　distance；　nothing　but　a　long　flint　wall　guarding
the　outhouses　of　a　farm。　Beyond　this；　comes　another　little　group　of
cottages；　with　the　seal　of　civilization　set　on　them；　in　the　form　of　a
post…office。　The　post…office　deals　in　general　commoditiesin　boots　and
bacon；　biscuits　and　flannel；　crinoline　petticoats　and　religious　tracts。
Farther　on；　behold　another　flint　wall；　a　garden；　and　a　private
dwelling…house；　proclaiming　itself　as　the　rectory。　Farther　yet；　on　rising
ground；　a　little　desolate　church；　with　a　tiny　white　circular　steeple；
topped　by　an　extinguisher　in　red　tiles。　Beyond　this；　the　hills　and　the
heavens　once　more。　And　there　is　Dimchurch！

As　for　the　inhabitantswhat　am　I　to　say？　I　suppose　I　must　tell　the
truth。

I　remarked　one　born　gentleman　among　the　inhabitants；　and　he　was　a
sheep…dog。　He　alone　did　the　honors　of　the　place。　He　had　a　stump　of　a
tail；　which　he　wagged　at　me　with　extreme　difficulty；　and　a　good　honest
white　and　black　face　which　he　poked　companionably　into　my　hand。　〃Welcome；
Madame　Pratolungo；　to　Dimchurch；　and　excuse　these　male　and　female
laborers　who　stand　and　stare　at　you。　The　good　God　who　makes　us　all　has
made　them　too；　but　has　not　succeeded　so　well　as　with　you　and　me。〃　I
happen　to　be　one　of　the　few　people　who　can　read　dogs'　language　as　written
in　dogs'　faces。　I　correctly　report　the　language　of　the　gentleman
sheep…dog　on　this　occasion。

We　opened　the　gate　of　the　rectory；　and　passed　in。　So　my　Land…Voyage　over
the　South　Down　Hills　came　prosperously　to　its　end。

CHAPTER　THE　THIRD

Poor　Miss　Finch

THE　rectory　resembled；　in　one　respect；　this　narrative　that　I　am　now
writing。　It　was　in　Two　Parts。　Part　the　First；　in　front；　composed　of　the
everlasting　flint　and　mortar　of　the　neighborhood；　failed　to　interest　me。
Part　the　Second；　running　back　at　a　right　angle；　asserted　itself　as
ancient。　It　had　been；　in　its　time；　as　I　afterwards　heard；　a　convent　of
nuns。　Here　were　snug　little　Gothic　windows；　and　dark　ivy…covered　walls　of
venerable　stone：　repaired　in　places；　at　some　past　period；　with　quaint　red
bricks。　I　had　hoped　that　I　should　enter　the　house　by　this　side　of　it。　But
no。　The　boyafter　appearing　to　be　at　a　loss　what　to　do　with　meled　the
way　to　a　door　on　the　modern　side　of　the　building；　and　rang　the　bell。

A　slovenly　young　maid…servant　admitted　me　to　the　house。

Possibly；　this　person　was　new　to　the　duty　of　receiving　visitors。
Possibly；　she　was　bewildered　by　a　sudden　invasion　of　children　in　dirty
frocks；　darting　out　on　us　in　the　hall；　and　then　darting　away　again　into
invisible　back　regions；　screeching　at　the　sight　of　a　stranger。　At　any
rate；　she　too　appeared　to　be　at　a　loss　what　to　do　with　me。　After　staring
hard　at　my　foreign　face；　she　suddenly　opened　a　door　in　the　wall　of　the
passage；　and　admitted　me　into　a　small　room。　Two　more　children　in　dirty
frocks　darted；　screaming；　out　of　the　asylum　thus　offered　to　me。　I
mentioned　my　name；　as　soon　as　I　could　make　myself　heard。　The　maid
appeared　to　be　terrified　at　the　length　of　it。　I　gave　her　my　card。　The
maid　took　it　between　a　dirty　finger　and　thumblooked　at　it　as　if　it　was
some　extraordinary　natural　curiosityturned　it　round；　exhibiting　correct
black　impressions　in　various　parts　of　it　of　her　finger　and　thumbgave　up
understanding　it　in　despair；　and　left　the　room。　She　was　stopped　outside
（as　I　gathered　from　the　sounds）　by　a　returning　invasion　of　children　in
the　hall。　There　was　whispering；　there　was　giggling；　there　was；　every　now
and　then；　a　loud　thump　on　the　door。　Prompted　by　the　children；　as　I
supposepushed　in　by　them；　certainlythe　maid　suddenly　reappeared　with
a　jerk；　〃Oh；　if　you　please；　come　this　way；〃　she　said。　The　invasion　of
children　retreated　again　up　the　stairsone　of　them　in　possession　of　my
card；　and　waving　it　in　triumph　on　the　first　landing。　We　penetrated　to　the
other　end　of　the　passage。　Again；　a　door　was　opened。　Unannounced；　I
entered　another；　and　a　larger　room。　What　did　I　see？

Fortune　had　favored　me　at　last。　My　lucky　star　had　led　me　to　the　mistress
of　the　house。

I　made　my　best　curtsey；　and　found　myself　confronting　a　large；
light…haired；　languid；　lymphatic　ladywho　had　evidently　been　amusing
herself　by　walking　up　and　down　the　room；　at　the　moment　when　I　appeared。
If　there　can　be　such　a　thing　as　a　_damp　woman_this　was　one。　There　was　a
humid　shine　on　her　colorless　white　face；　and　an　overflow　of　water　in　her
pale　blue　eyes。　Her　hair　was　not　dressed；　and　her　lace　cap　was　all　on　one
side。　The　upper　part　of　her　was　clothed　in　a　loose　jacket　of　blue　merino；
the　lower　part　was　robed　in　a　dimity　dressing　gown　of　doubtful　white。　In
one　hand；　she　held　a　dirty　dogs'…eared　book；　which　I　at　once　detected　to
be　a　Circulating　Library　novel。　Her　other　hand　supported　a　baby　enveloped
in　flannel；　sucking　at　her　breast。　Such　was　my　first　experience　of
Reverend　Finch's　Wifedestined　to　be　also　the　experience　of　all
aftertime。　Never　completely　dressed；　never　completely　dry；　always　with　a
baby　in　one　hand　and　a　novel　in　the　othersuch　was　Finch's　wife。

〃Oh！　Madame　Pratolungo？　Yes。　I　hope　somebody　has　told　Miss　Finch　you　are
here。　She　has　her　own　establishment；　and　manages　everything　herself。　Have
you　had　a　pleasant　journey？〃　（These　words　were　spoken　vacantly；　as　if　her
mind　was　occupied　with　something　else。　My　first　impression　of　her
suggested　that　she　was　a　weak；　good…natured　woman；　and　that　she　must　have
originally　occupied　a　station　in　the　humbler　ranks　of　life。）

〃Thank　you；　Mrs。　Finch；〃　I　said。　〃I　have　enjoyed　most　heartily　my　journey
among　your　beautiful　hills。〃

〃Oh！　you　like　the　hills？　Excuse　my　dress。　I　was　half　an　hour　late　this
morning。　When　you　lose　half　an　hour　in　this　house；　you　never　can　pick　it
up　again；　try　how　you　may。〃　（I　soon　discovered　that　Mrs。　Finch　was　always
losing　half　an　hour　out　of　her　day；　and　that　she　never；　by　any　chance；
succeeded　in　ending　it　again；　as　she　had　just　told　me。）

〃I　understand；　madam。　The　cares　of　a　numerous　family〃

〃Ah！　that's　just　where　it　is。〃　（This　was　a　favorite　phrase　with　Mrs。
Finch）。　〃There's　Finch；　he　gets　up　in　the　morning　and　goes　and　works　in
the　garden。　Then　there's　the　washing　of　the　children；　and　the　dreadful
waste　that　goes　on　in　the　kitchen。　And　Finch；　he　comes　in　without　any
notice；　and　wants　his　breakfast。　And　of　course　I　can't　leave　the　baby。
And　half　an　hour　does　slip　away　so　easily；　that　how　to　overtake　it　again；