还乡The Return Of The Native-第5部分

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n　understanding　man　if　you　catch　me　serious；　and　I　am　serious　now。　　I　can　tell　‘ee　lots　about　the　married　couple。　　Yes；　this　morning　at　six　o’clock　they　went　up　the　country　to　do　the　job；　and　neither　vell　nor　mark　have　been　seen　of　‘em　since；　though　I　reckon　that　this　afternoon　has　brought　‘em　home　again　man　and　woman—wife；　that　is。　　Isn’t　it　spoke　like　a　man；　Timothy；　and　wasn’t　Mis’ess　Yeobright　wrong　about　me？”
“Yes；　it　will　do。　　I　didn’t　know　the　two　had　walked　together　since　last　fall；　when　her　aunt　forbad　the　banns。　　How　long　has　this　new　set…to　been　in　mangling　then？　　Do　you　know；　Humphrey？”
“Yes；　how　long？”　said　Grandfer　Cantle　smartly；　likewise　turning　to　Humphrey。　　“I　ask　that　question。”
“Ever　since　her　aunt　altered　her　mind；　and　said　she　might　have　the　man　after　all；”　replied　Humphrey；　without　removing　his　eyes　from　the　fire。　　He　was　a　somewhat　solemn　young　fellow；　and　carried　the　hook　and　leather　gloves　of　a　furze…cutter；　his　legs；　by　reason　of　that　occupation；　being　sheathed　in　bulging　leggings　as　stiff　as　the　Philistine’s　greaves　of　brass。　　“That’s　why　they　went　away　to　be　married；　I　count。　　You　see；　after　kicking　up　such　a　nunny…watch　and　forbidding　the　banns　‘twould　have　made　Mis’ess　Yeobright　seem　foolish…like　to　have　a　banging　wedding　in　the　same　parish　all　as　if　she’d　never　gainsaid　it。”
“Exactly—seem　foolish…like；　and　that’s　very　bad　for　the　poor　things　that　be　so；　though　I　only　guess　as　much；　to　be　sure；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle；　still　strenuously　preserving　a　sensible　bearing　and　mien。　
“Ah；　well；　I　was　at　church　that　day；”　said　Fairway；　“which　was　a　very　curious　thing　to　happen。”
“If　‘twasn’t　my　name’s　Simple；”　said　the
Grandfer　emphatically。　　“I　ha’n’t　been　there　to…year；　and　now　the　winter　is　a…ing　on　I　won’t　say　I　shall。”
“I　ha’n’t　been　these　three　years；”　said　Humphrey；
“for　I’m　so　dead　sleepy　of　a　Sunday；　and　‘tis　so　terrible　far　to　get　there；　and　when　you　do　get　there　‘tis　such　a　mortal　poor　chance　that　you’ll　be　chose　for　up　above；　when　so　many　bain’t；　that　I　bide　at　home　and　don’t　go　at　all。”
“I　not　only　happened　to　be　there；”　said　Fairway；　with　a　fresh　collection　of　emphasis；　“but　I　was　sitting　in　the　same　pew　as　Mis’ess　Yeobright。　　And　though　you　may　not　see　it　as　such；　it　fairly　made　my　blood　run　cold　to　hear　her。　　Yes；　it　is　a　curious　thing；　but　it　made　my　blood　run　cold；　for　I　was　close　at　her　elbow。”　The　speaker　looked　round　upon　the　bystanders；　now　drawing　closer　to　hear　him；　with　his　lips　gathered　tighter　than　ever　in　the　rigorousness　of　his　descriptive　moderation。
“’Tis　a　serious　job　to　have　things　happen　to　‘ee　there；”　said　a　woman　behind。　
“’Ye　are　to　declare　it；’　was　the　parson’s　words；”　Fairway　continued。　　“And　then　up　stood　a　woman　at　my　side—a…touching　of　me。　　‘Well；　be　damned　if　there　isn’t　Mis’ess　Yeobright　a…standing　up；’　I　said　to　myself。　　Yes；　neighbours；　though　I　was　in　the　temple　of　prayer　that’s　what　I　said。　　‘Tis　against　my　conscience　to　curse　and　swear　in　pany；　and　I　hope　any　woman　here　will　overlook　it。　　Still　what　I　did　say　I　did　say；　and　‘twould　be　a　lie　if　I　didn’t　own　it。”
“So　‘twould；　neighbour　Fairway。”
“’Be　damned　if　there　isn’t　Mis’ess　Yeobright　a…standing　up；’　I　said；”　the　narrator　repeated；　giving　out　the　bad　word　with　the　same　passionless　severity　of　face　as　before；　which　proved　how　entirely　necessity　and　not　gusto　had　to　do　with　the　iteration。　　“And　the　next　thing　I　heard　was；　‘I　forbid　the　banns；’　from　her。　　‘I’ll　speak　to　you　after　the　service；’　said　the　parson；　in　quite　a　homely　way—yes；　turning　all　at　once　into　a　mon　man　no　holier　than　you　or　I。　Ah；　her　face　was　pale！　Maybe　you　can　call　to　mind　that　monument　in　Weatherbury　church—the　cross…legged　soldier　that　have　had　his　arm　knocked　away　by　the　schoolchildren？　　Well；　he　would　about　have　matched　that　woman’s　face；　when　she　said；　‘I　forbid　the　banns。’”
The　audience　cleared　their　throats　and　tossed　a　few　stalks　into　the　fire；　not　because　these　deeds　were　urgent；　but　to　give　themselves　time　to　weigh　the　moral　of　the　story。　
“I’m　sure　when　I　heard　they’d　been　forbid　I　felt　as　glad　as　if　anybody　had　gied　me　sixpence；”　said　an　earnest　voice—that　of　Olly　Dowden；　a　woman　who　lived　by　making　heath　brooms；　or　besoms。　　Her　nature　was　to　be　civil　to　enemies　as　well　as　to　friends；　and　grateful　to　all　the　world　for　letting　her　remain　alive。　
“And　now　the　maid　have　married　him　just　the　same；”　said　Humphrey。
“After　that　Mis’ess　Yeobright　came　round　and　was　quite　agreeable；”　Fairway　resumed；　with　an　unheeding　air；　to　show　that　his　words　were　no　appendage　to　Humphrey’s；　but　the　result　of　independent　reflection。　
“Supposing　they　were　ashamed；　I　don’t　see　why　they　shouldn’t　have　done　it　here…right；”　said　a　wide…spread　woman　whose　stays　creaked　like　shoes　whenever　she　stooped　or　turned。　　“’Tis　well　to　call　the　neighbours　together　and　to　hae　a　good　racket　once　now　and　then；　and　it　may　as　well　be　when　there’s　a　wedding　as　at　tide…times。　I　don’t　care　for　close　ways。”
“Ah；　now；　you’d　hardly　believe　it；　but　I　don’t　care　for　gay　weddings；”　said　Timothy　Fairway；　his　eyes　again　travelling　round。　　“I　hardly　blame　Thomasin　Yeobright　and　neighbour　Wildeve　for　doing　it　quiet；　if　I　must　own　it。　　A　wedding　at　home　means　five　and　six…handed　reels　by　the　hour；　and　they　do　a　man’s　legs　no　good　when　he’s　over　forty。”
“True。　Once　at　the　woman’s　house　you　can　hardly　say　nay　to　being　one　in　a　jig；　knowing　all　the　time　that　you　be　expected　to　make　yourself　worth　your　victuals。”
“You　be　bound　to　dance　at　Christmas　because　‘tis　the　time　o’　year；　you　must　dance　at　weddings　because　‘tis　the　time　o’　life。　　At　christenings　folk　will　even　smuggle　in　a　reel　or　two；　if　‘tis　no　further　on　than　the　first　or　second　chiel。　　And　this　is　not　naming　the　songs　you’ve　got　to　sing。。。。For　my　part　I　like　a　good　hearty　funeral　as　well　as　anything。　　You’ve　as　splendid　victuals　and　drink　as　at　other　parties；　and　even　better。　　And　it　don’t　wear　your　legs　to　stumps　in　talking　over　a　poor　fellow’s　ways　as　it　do　to　stand　up　in　hornpipes。”
“Nine　folks　out　of　ten　would　own　‘twas　going　too　far　to　dance　then；　I　suppose？”　suggested　Grandfer　Cantle。　
“’Tis　the　only　sort　of　party　a　staid　man　can　feel　safe　at　after　the　mug　have　been　round　a　few　times。”
“Well；　I　can’t　understand　a　quiet　ladylike　little　body　like　Tamsin　Yeobright　caring　to　be　married　in　such　a　mean　way；”　said　Susan　Nunsuch；　the　wide　woman；　who　preferred　the　original　subject。　　“’Tis　worse　than　the　poorest　do。　　And　I　shouldn’t　have　cared　about　the　man；　though　some　may　say　he’s　good…looking。”
“To　give　him　his　due　he’s　a　clever；　learned　fellow　in　his　way—a’most　as　clever　as　Clym　Yeobright　used　to　be。　　He　was　brought　up　to　better　things　than　keeping　the　Quiet　Woman。　　An　engineer—that’s　what　the　man　was；　as　we　know；　but　he　threw　away　his　chance；　and　so　‘a　took　a　public　house　to　live。　　His　learning　was　no　use　to　him　at　all。”
“Very　often　the　case；”　said　Olly；　the　besom…maker。　“And　yet　how　people　do　strive　after　it　and　get　it！　The　class　of　folk　that　couldn’t　use　to　make　a　round　O　to　save　their　bones　from　the　pit　can　write　their　names　now　without　a　sputter　of　the　pen；　oftentimes　without　a　single　blot—what　do　I　say？why；　almost　without　a　desk　to　lean　their　stomachs　and　elbows　upon。”
“True—‘tis　amazing　what　a　polish　the　world　have　been　brought　to；”　said　Humphrey。　
“Why；　afore　I　went　a　soldier　in　the　Bang…up　Locals　（as　we　was　called）；　in　the　year　four；”　chimed　in　Grandfer　Cantle　brightly；　“I　didn’t　know　no　more　what　the　world　was　like　than　the　monest　man　among　ye。　　And　now；　jown　it　all；　I　won’t　say　what　I　bain’t　fit　for；　hey？”
“Couldst　sign　the　book；　no　doubt；”　said　Fairway；　“if　wast　young　enough　to　join　hands　with　a　woman　again；　like　Wildeve　and　Mis’ess　Tamsin；　which　is　more　than　Humph　there　could　do；　for　he　follows　his　father　in　learning。　　Ah；　Humph；　well　I　can　mind　when　I　was　married　how　I　zid　thy　father’s　mark　staring　me　in　the　face　as　I　went　to　put　down　my　name。　　He　and　your　mother　were　the　couple　married　just　afore　we　were　and　there　stood　they　father’s　cross　with　arms　stretched　out　like　a　great　banging　scarecrow。　　What　a　t