还乡The Return Of The Native-第49部分

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ke　a　great　part　of　the　night　by　the　turmoil　of　spirit　which　such　a　recognition　created。　　If　Mrs。　Yeobright　could　only　have　been　led　to　see　what　a　sound　and　worthy　purpose　this　purpose　of　his　was　and　how　little　it　was　being　affected　by　his　devotions　to　Eustacia；　how　differently　would　she　regard　him！
Thus　as　his　sight　grew　accustomed　to　the　first　blinding　halo　kindled　about　him　by　love　and　beauty；　Yeobright　began　to　perceive　what　a　strait　he　was　in。　　Sometimes　he　wished　that　he　had　never　known　Eustacia；　immediately　to　retract　the　wish　as　brutal。　　Three　antagonistic　growths　had　to　be　kept　alive：　his　mother’s　trust　in　him；　his　plan　for　being　a　teacher；　and　Eustacia’s　happiness。　　His　fervid　nature　could　not　afford　to　relinquish　one　of　these；　though　two　of　the　three　were　as　many　as　he　could　hope　to　preserve。　　Though　his　love　was　as　chaste　as　that　of　Petrarch　for　his　Laura；　it　had　made　fetters　of　what　previously　was　only　a　difficulty。　　A　position　which　was　not　too　simple　when　he　stood　whole…hearted　had　bee　indescribably　plicated　by　the　addition　of　Eustacia。　　Just　when　his　mother　was　beginning　to　tolerate　one　scheme　he　had　introduced　another　still　bitterer　than　the　first；　and　the　bination　was　more　than　she　could　bear。　


5　… Sharp　Words　Are　Spoken；　and　a　Crisis　Ensues


When　Yeobright　was　not　with　Eustacia　he　was　sitting　slavishly　over　his　books；　when　he　was　not　reading　he　was　meeting　her。　　These　meetings　were　carried　on　with　the　greatest　secrecy。　
One　afternoon　his　mother　came　home　from　a　morning　visit　to　Thomasin。　　He　could　see　from　a　disturbance　in　the　lines　of　her　face　that　something　had　happened。　
“I　have　been　told　an　inprehensible　thing；”　she　said　mournfully。　　“The　captain　has　let　out　at　the　Woman　that　you　and　Eustacia　Vye　are　engaged　to　be　married。”
“We　are；”　said　Yeobright。　　“But　it　may　not　be　yet　for　a　very　long　time。”
“I　should　hardly　think　it　WOULD　be　yet　for　a　very　long　time！　You　will　take　her　to　Paris；　I　suppose？”　She　spoke　with　weary　hopelessness。　
“I　am　not　going　back　to　Paris。”
“What　will　you　do　with　a　wife；　then？”
“Keep　a　school　in　Budmouth；　as　I　have　told　you。”
“That’s　incredible！　The　place　is　overrun　with　schoolmasters。　　You　have　no　special　qualifications。　　What　possible　chance　is　there　for　such　as　you？”
“There　is　no　chance　of　getting　rich。　　But　with　my　system　of　education；　which　is　as　new　as　it　is　true；　I　shall　do　a　great　deal　of　good　to　my　fellow…creatures。”
“Dreams；　dreams！　If　there　had　been　any　system　left　to　be　invented　they　would　have　found　it　out　at　the　universities　long　before　this　time。”
“Never；　Mother。　　They　cannot　find　it　out；　because　their　teachers　don’t　e　in　contact　with　the　class　which　demands　such　a　system—that　is；　those　who　have　had　no　preliminary　training。　　My　plan　is　one　for　instilling　high　knowledge　into　empty　minds　without　first　cramming　them　with　what　has　to　be　uncrammed　again　before　true　study　begins。”
“I　might　have　believed　you　if　you　had　kept　yourself　free
from　entanglements；　but　this　woman—if　she　had　been
a　good　girl　it　would　have　been　bad　enough；　but　being“
“She　is　a　good　girl。”
“So　you　think。　　A　Corfu　bandmaster’s　daughter！　What　has　her　life　been？　　Her　surname　even　is　not　her　true　one。”
“She　is　Captain　Vye’s　granddaughter；　and　her　father　merely　took　her　mother’s　name。　　And　she　is　a　lady　by　instinct。”
“They　call　him　‘captain；’　but　anybody　is　captain。”
“He　was　in　the　Royal　Navy！”
“No　doubt　he　has　been　to　sea　in　some　tub　or　other。　　Why　doesn’t　he　look　after　her？　　No　lady　would　rove　about　the　heath　at　all　hours　of　the　day　and　night　as　she　does。　　But　that’s　not　all　of　it。　　There　was　something　queer　between　her　and　Thomasin’s　husband　at　one　time—I　am　as　sure　of　it　as　that　I　stand　here。”
“Eustacia　has　told　me。　　He　did　pay　her　a　little　attention　a　year　ago；　but　there’s　no　harm　in　that。　　I　like　her　all　the　better。”
“Clym；”　said　his　mother　with　firmness；　“I　have　no　proofs　against　her；　unfortunately。　　But　if　she　makes　you　a　good　wife；　there　has　never　been　a　bad　one。”
“Believe　me；　you　are　almost　exasperating；”　said　Yeobright　vehemently。　　“And　this　very　day　I　had　intended　to　arrange　a　meeting　between　you。　　But　you　give　me　no　peace；　you　try　to　thwart　my　wishes　in　everything。”
“I　hate　the　thought　of　any　son　of　mine　marrying　badly！　I　wish　I　had　never　lived　to　see　this；　it　is　too　much　for　me—it　is　more　than　I　dreamt！”　She　turned　to　the　window。　　Her　breath　was　ing　quickly；　and　her　lips　were　pale；　parted；　and　trembling。　
“Mother；”　said　Clym；　“whatever　you　do；　you　will　always　be　dear　to　me—that　you　know。　　But　one　thing　I　have　a　right　to　say；　which　is；　that　at　my　age　I　am　old　enough　to　know　what　is　best　for　me。”
Mrs。　Yeobright　remained　for　some　time　silent　and　shaken；　as　if　she　could　say　no　more。　　Then　she　replied；　“Best？　　Is　it　best　for　you　to　injure　your　prospects　for　such　a　voluptuous；　idle　woman　as　that？　　Don’t　you　see　that　by　the　very　fact　of　your　choosing　her　you　prove　that　you　do　not　know　what　is　best　for　you？　　You　give　up　your　whole　thought—you　set　your　whole　soul—to　please　a　woman。”
“I　do。　　And　that　woman　is　you。”
“How　can　you　treat　me　so　flippantly！”　said　his　mother；　turning　again　to　him　with　a　tearful　look。　
“You　are　unnatural；　Clym；　and　I　did　not　expect　it。”
“Very　likely；”　said　he　cheerlessly。　　“You　did　not　know　the　measure　you　were　going　to　mete　me；　and　therefore　did　not　know　the　measure　that　would　be　returned　to　you　again。”
“You　answer　me；　you　think　only　of　her。　　You　stick　to　her　in　all　things。”
“That　proves　her　to　be　worthy。　　I　have　never　yet　supported　what　is　bad。　　And　I　do　not　care　only　for　her。　　I　care　for　you　and　for　myself；　and　for　anything　that　is　good。　　When　a　woman　once　dislikes　another　she　is　merciless！”
“O　Clym！　please　don’t　go　setting　down　as　my　fault　what　is　your　obstinate　wrongheadedness。　　If　you　wished　to　connect　yourself　with　an　unworthy　person　why　did　you　e　home　here　to　do　it？　　Why　didn’t　you　do　it　in　Paris？it　is　more　the　fashion　there。　　You　have　e　only　to　distress　me；　a　lonely　woman；　and　shorten　my　days！　I　wish　that　you　would　bestow　your　presence　where　you　bestow　your　love！”
Clym　said　huskily；　“You　are　my　mother。　　I　will　say　no　more—beyond　this；　that　I　beg　your　pardon　for　having　thought　this　my　home。　　I　will　no　longer　inflict　myself　upon　you；
I’ll　go。”　　And　he　went　out　with　tears　in　his　eyes。　
It　was　a　sunny　afternoon　at　the　beginning　of　summer；　and　the　moist　hollows　of　the　heath　had　passed　from　their　brown　to　their　green　stage。　　Yeobright　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　basin　which　extended　down　from　Mistover　and　Rainbarrow。
By　this　time　he　was　calm；　and　he　looked　over　the　landscape。　　In　the　minor　valleys；　between　the　hillocks　which　diversified　the　contour　of　the　vale；　the　fresh　young　ferns　were　luxuriantly　growing　up；　ultimately　to　reach　a　height　of　five　or　six　feet。　　He　descended　a　little　way；　flung　himself　down　in　a　spot　where　a　path　emerged　from　one　of　the　small　hollows；　and　waited。　　Hither　it　was　that　he　had　promised　Eustacia　to　bring　his　mother　this　afternoon；　that　they　might　meet　and　be　friends。　　His　attempt　had　utterly　failed。　
He　was　in　a　nest　of　vivid　green。　　The　ferny　vegetation　round　him；　though　so　abundant；　was　quite　uniform—it　was　a　grove　of　machine…made　foliage；　a　world　of　green　triangles　with　saw…edges；　and　not　a　single　flower。　　The　air　was　warm　with　a　vaporous　warmth；　and　the　stillness　was　unbroken。　　Lizards；　grasshoppers；　and　ants　were　the　only　living　things　to　be　beheld。　　The　scene　seemed　to　belong　to　the　ancient　world　of　the　carboniferous　period；　when　the　forms　of　plants　were　few；　and　of　the　fern　kind；　when　there　was　neither　bud　nor　blossom；　nothing　but　a　monotonous　extent　of　leafage；　amid　which　no　bird　sang。　
When　he　had　reclined　for　some　considerable　time；　gloomily　pondering；　he　discerned　above　the　ferns　a　drawn　bonnet　of　white　silk　approaching　from　the　left；　and　Yeobright　knew　directly　that　it　covered　the　head　of　her　he　loved。　　His　heart　awoke　from　its　apathy　to　a　warm　excitement；　and；　jumping　to　his　feet；　he　said　aloud；　“I　knew　she　was　sure　to　e。”
She　vanished　in　a　hollow　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　her　whole　form　unfolded　itself　from　the　brake。　
“Only　you　here？”　she　exclaimed；　with　a　disappointed　air；　whose　hollowness