the trumpet-major-第27节

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sage；　parsley；　mint；　groats；　rice；　milk；　chopped　egg；　and　other
ingredients。　　They　were　afterwards　roasted　before　a　slow　fire；　and
eaten　hot。

The　business　of　chopping　so　many　herbs　for　the　various　stuffings　was
found　to　be　aching　work　for　women；　and　David；　the　miller；　the
grinder；　and　the　grinder's　boy　being　fully　occupied　in　their　proper
branches；　and　Bob　being　very　busy　painting　the　gig　and　touching　up
the　harness；　Loveday　called　in　a　friendly　dragoon　of　John's　regiment
who　was　passing　by；　and　he；　being　a　muscular　man；　willingly　chopped
all　the　afternoon　for　a　quart　of　strong；　judiciously　administered；
and　all　other　victuals　found；　taking　off　his　jacket　and　gloves；
rolling　up　his　shirt…sleeves　and　unfastening　his　collar　in　an
honourable　and　energetic　way。

All　windfalls　and　maggot…cored　codlins　were　excluded　from　the　apple
pies；　and　as　there　was　no　known　dish　large　enough　for　the　purpose；
the　puddings　were　stirred　up　in　the　milking…pail；　and　boiled　in　the
three…legged　bell…metal　crock；　of　great　weight　and　antiquity；　which
every　travelling　tinker　for　the　previous　thirty　years　had　tapped
with　his　stick；　coveted；　made　a　bid　for；　and　often　attempted　to
steal。

In　the　liquor　line　Loveday　laid　in　an　ample　barrel　of　Casterbridge
'strong　beer。'　　　This　renowned　drinknow　almost　as　much　a　thing　of
the　past　as　Falstaff's　favourite　beveragewas　not　only　well
calculated　to　win　the　hearts　of　soldiers　blown　dry　and　dusty　by
residence　in　tents　on　a　hill…top；　but　of　any　wayfarer　whatever　in
that　land。　　It　was　of　the　most　beautiful　colour　that　the　eye　of　an
artist　in　beer　could　desire；　full　in　body；　yet　brisk　as　a　volcano；
piquant；　yet　without　a　twang；　luminous　as　an　autumn　sunset；　free
from　streakiness　of　taste；　but；　finally；　rather　heady。　　The　masses
worshipped　it；　the　minor　gentry　loved　it　more　than　wine；　and　by　the
most　illustrious　county　families　it　was　not　despised。　　Anybody
brought　up　for　being　drunk　and　disorderly　in　the　streets　of　its
natal　borough；　had　only　to　prove　that　he　was　a　stranger　to　the　place
and　its　liquor　to　be　honourably　dismissed　by　the　magistrates；　as　one
overtaken　in　a　fault　that　no　man　could　guard　against　who　entered　the
town　unawares。

In　addition；　Mr。　Loveday　also　tapped　a　hogshead　of　fine　cider　that
he　had　had　mellowing　in　the　house　for　several　months；　having　bought
it　of　an　honest　down…country　man；　who　did　not　colour；　for　any
special　occasion　like　the　present。　　It　had　been　pressed　from　fruit
judiciously　chosen　by　an　old　handHorner　and　Cleeves　apple　for　the
body；　a　few　Tom…Putts　for　colour；　and　just　a　dash　of　Old
Five…corners　for　sparklea　selection　originally　made　to　please　the
palate　of　a　well…known　temperate　earl　who　was　a　regular
cider…drinker；　and　lived　to　be　eighty…eight。

On　the　morning　of　the　Sunday　appointed　for　her　coming　Captain　Bob
Loveday　set　out　to　meet　his　bride。　　He　had　been　all　the　week　engaged
in　painting　the　gig；　assisted　by　his　brother　at　odd　times；　and　it
now　appeared　of　a　gorgeous　yellow；　with　blue　streaks；　and　tassels　at
the　corners；　and　red　wheels　outlined　with　a　darker　shade。　　He　put　in
the　pony　at　half…past　eleven；　Anne　looking　at　him　from　the　door　as
he　packed　himself　into　the　vehicle　and　drove　off。　　There　may　be
young　women　who　look　out　at　young　men　driving　to　meet　their　brides
as　Anne　looked　at　Captain　Bob；　and　yet　are　quite　indifferent　to　the
circumstances；　but　they　are　not　often　met　with。

So　much　dust　had　been　raised　on　the　highway　by　traffic　resulting
from　the　presence　of　the　Court　at　the　town　further　on；　that　brambles
hanging　from　the　fence；　and　giving　a　friendly　scratch　to　the
wanderer's　face；　were　dingy　as　church　cobwebs；　and　the　grass　on　the
margin　had　assumed　a　paper…shaving　hue。　　Bob's　father　had　wished　him
to　take　David；　lest；　from　want　of　recent　experience　at　the　whip；　he
should　meet　with　any　mishap；　but；　picturing　to　himself　the
awkwardness　of　three　in　such　circumstances；　Bob　would　not　hear　of
this；　and　nothing　more　serious　happened　to　his　driving　than　that　the
wheel…marks　formed　two　serpentine　lines　along　the　road　during　the
first　mile　or　two；　before　he　had　got　his　hand　in；　and　that　the　horse
shied　at　a　milestone；　a　piece　of　paper；　a　sleeping　tramp；　and　a
wheelbarrow；　just　to　make　use　of　the　opportunity　of　being　in　bad
hands。

He　entered　Casterbridge　between　twelve　and　one；　and；　putting　up　at
the　Old　Greyhound；　walked　on　to　the　Bow。　　Here；　rather　dusty　on　the
ledges　of　his　clothes；　he　stood　and　waited　while　the　people　in　their
best　summer　dresses　poured　out　of　the　three　churches　round　him。
When　they　had　all　gone；　and　a　smell　of　cinders　and　gravy　had　spread
down　the　ancient　high…street；　and　the　pie…dishes　from　adjacent
bakehouses　had　all　travelled　past；　he　saw　the　mail　coach　rise　above
the　arch　of　Grey's　Bridge；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　distant；　surmounted
by　swaying　knobs；　which　proved　to　be　the　heads　of　the　outside
travellers。

'That's　the　way　for　a　man's　bride　to　come　to　him；'　said　Robert　to
himself　with　a　feeling　of　poetry；　and　as　the　horn　sounded　and　the
horses　clattered　up　the　street　he　walked　down　to　the　inn。　　The　knot
of　hostlers　and　inn…servants　had　gathered；　the　horses　were　dragged
from　the　vehicle；　and　the　passengers　for　Casterbridge　began　to
descend。　　Captain　Bob　eyed　them　over；　looked　inside；　looked　outside
again；　to　his　disappointment　Matilda　was　not　there；　nor　her　boxes；
nor　anything　that　was　hers。　　Neither　coachman　nor　guard　had　seen　or
heard　of　such　a　person　at　Melchester；　and　Bob　walked　slowly　away。

Depressed　by　forebodings　to　an　extent　which　took　away　nearly　a　third
of　his　appetite；　he　sat　down　in　the　parlour　of　the　Old　Greyhound　to
a　slice　from　the　family　joint　of　the　landlord。　　This　gentleman；　who
dined　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　partly　because　it　was　August；　and　partly
from　a　sense　that　they　would　not　be　so　fit　for　public　view　further
on　in　the　week；　suggested　that　Bob　should　wait　till　three　or　four
that　afternoon；　when　the　road…waggon　would　arrive；　as　the　lost　lady
might　have　preferred　that　mode　of　conveyance；　and　when　Bob　appeared
rather　hurt　at　the　suggestion；　the　landlord's　wife　assured　him；　as　a
woman　who　knew　good　life；　that　many　genteel　persons　travelled　in
that　way　during　the　present　high　price　of　provisions。　　Loveday；　who
knew　little　of　travelling　by　land；　readily　accepted　her　assurance
and　resolved　to　wait。

Wandering　up　and　down　the　pavement；　or　leaning　against　some　hot　wall
between　the　waggon…office　and　the　corner　of　the　street　above；　he
passed　the　time　away。　　It　was　a　still；　sunny；　drowsy　afternoon；　and
scarcely　a　soul　was　visible　in　the　length　and　breadth　of　the　street。
The　office　was　not　far　from　All　Saints'　Church；　and　the
church…windows　being　open；　he　could　hear　the　afternoon　service　from
where　he　lingered　as　distinctly　as　if　he　had　been　one　of　the
congregation。　　Thus　he　was　mentally　conducted　through　the　Psalms；
through　the　first　and　second　lessons；　through　the　burst　of　fiddles
and　clarionets　which　announced　the　evening…hymn；　and　well　into　the
sermon；　before　any　signs　of　the　waggon　could　be　seen　upon　the　London
road。

The　afternoon　sermons　at　this　church　being　of　a　dry　and　metaphysical
nature　at　that　date；　it　was　by　a　special　providence　that　the
waggon…office　was　placed　near　the　ancient　fabric；　so　that　whenever
the　Sunday　waggon　was　late；　which　it　always　was　in　hot　weather；　in
cold　weather；　in　wet　weather；　and　in　weather　of　almost　every　other
sort；　the　rattle；　dismounting；　and　swearing　outside　completely
drowned　the　parson's　voice　within；　and　sustained　the　flagging
interest　of　the　congregation　at　precisely　the　right　moment。　　No
sooner　did　the　charity　children　begin　to　writhe　on　their　benches；
and　adult　snores　grow　audible；　than　the　waggon　arrived。

Captain　Loveday　felt　a　kind　of　sinking　in　his　poetry　at　the
possibility　of　her　for　whom　they　had　made　such　preparations　being　in
the　slow；　unwieldy　vehicle　which　crunched　its　way　towards　him；　but
he　would　not　give　in　to　the　weakness。　　Neither　would　he　walk　down
the　street　to　meet　the　waggon；　lest　she　should　not　be　there。　　At
last　the　broad　wheels　drew　up　against　the　kerb；　the　waggoner　with
his　white　smock…frock；　and　whip　as　long　as　a　fishing…line；　descended
from　the　pony　on　which　he　rode　alongside；　and　the　six　broad…chested
horses　backed　from　their　collars　and　shook　themselves。　　In　another
moment　something　showed　forth；　and　he　knew　that　Matilda　was　there。

Bob　felt　three　cheers　rise　within　him　as　she　stepped　down；　but　it
being　Sunday　he　did　not　utter　them。　　In　dress；　Miss　Johnson　passed
his　expectationsa　green　and　white　gown；　with　long；　tight　sleeves；
a　green　silk　handkerchief　round　her　neck　and　crossed　in　front；　a
green　parasol；　and　green　gloves。　　It　was　strange　enough　to　see　this
verdant　caterpillar　turn　out　of　a　road…waggon；　and　gracefully　shake
herself　free　from　the　bits　of　straw　and　fluff　which　would　usually

gather　on　the　raiment　of　the　grandest　travellers　by　that　vehicle。

'But；　my　dear　Matilda；'　said　Bob；　when　he　had　kissed　her　three　times
with　much　publicitythe　practical　step　he　had　determined　on　seeming
to　demand　that　these　things　should　no　longer　be　done　in　a　corner
'my　dear　Matilda；　why　didn't　you　come　by　the　coach；　having　the　money
for't　and