还乡The Return Of The Native-第50部分

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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　was　proved　by　her　rising　redness　and　her　half…guilty　low　laugh。　　“Where　is　Mrs。　Yeobright？”
“She　has　not　e；”　he　replied　in　a　subdued　tone。　
“I　wish　I　had　known　that　you　would　be　here　alone；”　she　said　seriously；　“and　that　we　were　going　to　have　such　an　idle；　pleasant　time　as　this。　　Pleasure　not　known　beforehand　is　half　wasted；　to　anticipate　it　is　to　double　it。　　I　have　not　thought　once　today　of　having　you　all　to　myself　this　afternoon；　and　the　actual　moment　of　a　thing　is　so　soon　gone。”
“It　is　indeed。”
“Poor　Clym！”　she　continued；　looking　tenderly　into　his　face。　
“You　are　sad。　　Something　has　happened　at　your　home。　
Never　mind　what　is—let　us　only　look　at　what　seems。”
“But；　darling；　what　shall　we　do？”　said　he。　
“Still　go　on　as　we　do　now—just　live　on　from　meeting　to　meeting；　never　minding　about　another　day。　　You；　I　know；　are　always　thinking　of　that—I　can　see　you　are。　　But　you　must　not—will　you；　dear　Clym？”
“You　are　just　like　all　women。　　They　are　ever　content　to　build　their　lives　on　any　incidental　position　that　offers　itself；　whilst　men　would　fain　make　a　globe　to　suit　them。　　Listen　to　this；　Eustacia。　　There　is　a　subject　I　have　determined　to　put　off　no　longer。　　Your　sentiment　on　the　wisdom　of　Carpe　diem　does　not　impress　me　today。　　Our　present　mode　of　life　must　shortly　be　brought　to　an　end。”
“It　is　your　mother！”
“It　is。　　I　love　you　none　the　less　in　telling　you；　it　is　only　right　you　should　know。”
“I　have　feared　my　bliss；”　she　said；　with　the　merest　motion　of　her　lips。　　“It　has　been　too　intense　and　consuming。”
“There　is　hope　yet。　　There　are　forty　years　of　work　in　me　yet；　and　why　should　you　despair？　　I　am　only　at　an　awkward　turning。　　I　wish　people　wouldn’t　be　so　ready　to　think　that　there　is　no　progress　without　uniformity。”
“Ah—your　mind　runs　off　to　the　philosophical　side　of　it。　　Well；　these　sad　and　hopeless　obstacles　are　wele　in　one　sense；　for　they　enable　us　to　look　with　indifference　upon　the　cruel　satires　that　Fate　loves　to　indulge　in。　　I　have　heard　of　people；　who；　upon　ing　suddenly　into　happiness；　have　died　from　anxiety　lest　they　should　not　live　to　enjoy　it。　　I　felt　myself　in　that　whimsical　state　of　uneasiness　lately；　but　I　shall　be　spared　it　now。　　Let　us　walk　on。”
Clym　took　the　hand　which　was　already　bared　for　him—it　was　a　favourite　way　with　them　to　walk　bare　hand　in　bare　hand—and　led　her　through　the　ferns。　　They　formed　a　very　ely　picture　of　love　at　full　flush；　as　they　walked　along　the　valley　that　late　afternoon；　the　sun　sloping　down　on　their　right；　and　throwing　their　thin　spectral　shadows；　tall　as　poplar　trees；　far　out　across　the　furze　and　fern。　　Eustacia　went　with　her　head　thrown　back　fancifully；　a　certain　glad　and　voluptuous　air　of　triumph　pervading　her　eyes　at　having　won　by　her　own　unaided　self　a　man　who　was　her　perfect　plement　in　attainment；　appearance；　and　age。　　On　the　young　man’s　part；　the　paleness　of　face　which　he　had　brought　with　him　from　Paris；　and　the　incipient　marks　of　time　and　thought；　were　less　perceptible　than　when　he　returned；　the　healthful　and　energetic　sturdiness　which　was　his　by　nature　having　partially　recovered　its　original　proportions。　　They　wandered　onward　till　they　reached　the　nether　margin　of　the　heath；　where　it　became　marshy　and　merged　in　moorland。　
“I　must　part　from　you　here；　Clym；”　said　Eustacia。　
They　stood　still　and　prepared　to　bid　each　other　farewell。　
Everything　before　them　was　on　a　perfect　level。　　The　sun；　resting　on　the　horizon　line；　streamed　across　the　ground　from　between　copper…coloured　and　lilac　clouds；　stretched　out　in　flats　beneath　a　sky　of　pale　soft　green。　　All　dark　objects　on　the　earth　that　lay　towards　the　sun　were　overspread　by　a　purple　haze；　against　which　groups　of　wailing　gnats　shone　out；　rising　upwards　and　dancing　about　like　sparks　of　fire。　
“O！　this　leaving　you　is　too　hard　to　bear！”　exclaimed　Eustacia　in　a　sudden　whisper　of　anguish。　　“Your　mother　will　influence　you　too　much；　I　shall　not　be　judged　fairly；　it　will　get　afloat　that　I　am　not　a　good　girl；　and　the　witch　story　will　be　added　to　make　me　blacker！”
“They　cannot。　　Nobody　dares　to　speak　disrespectfully　of　you　or　of　me。”
“Oh　how　I　wish　I　was　sure　of　never　losing　you—that　you　could　not　be　able　to　desert　me　anyhow！”
Clym　stood　silent　a　moment。　　His　feelings　were　high；　the　moment　was　passionate；　and　he　cut　the　knot。　
“You　shall　be　sure　of　me；　darling；”　he　said；　folding　her　in　his　arms。　　“We　will　be　married　at　once。”
“O　Clym！”
“Do　you　agree　to　it？”
“If—if　we　can。”
“We　certainly　can；　both　being　of　full　age。　　And　I　have　not　followed　my　occupation　all　these　years　without　having　accumulated　money；　and　if　you　will　agree　to　live　in　a　tiny　cottage　somewhere　on　the　heath；　until　I　take　a　house　in　Budmouth　for　the　school；　we　can　do　it　at　a　very　little　expense。”
“How　long　shall　we　have　to　live　in　the　tiny　cottage；　Clym？”
“About　six　months。　　At　the　end　of　that　time　I　shall　have　finished　my　reading—yes；　we　will　do　it；　and　this　heart…aching　will　be　over。　　We　shall；　of　course；　live　in　absolute　seclusion；　and　our　married　life　will　only　begin　to　outward　view　when　we　take　the　house　in　Budmouth；　where　I　have　already　addressed　a　letter　on　the　matter。　　Would　your　grandfather　allow　you？”
“I　think　he　would—on　the　understanding　that　it　should　not　last　longer　than　six　months。”
“I　will　guarantee　that；　if　no　misfortune　happens。”
“If　no　misfortune　happens；”　she　repeated　slowly。　
“Which　is　not　likely。　　Dearest；　fix　the　exact　day。”
And　then　they　consulted　on　the　question；　and　the　day　was　chosen。　　It　was　to　be　a　fortnight　from　that　time。
This　was　the　end　of　their　talk；　and　Eustacia　left　him。　
Clym　watched　her　as　she　retired　towards　the　sun。　　The　luminous　rays　wrapped　her　up　with　her　increasing　distance；　and　the　rustle　of　her　dress　over　the　sprouting　sedge　and　grass　died　away。　　As　he　watched；　the　dead　flat　of　the　scenery　overpowered　him；　though　he　was　fully　alive　to　the　beauty　of　that　untarnished　early　summer　green　which　was　worn　for　the　nonce　by　the　poorest　blade。　　There　was　something　in　its　oppressive　horizontality　which　too　much　reminded　him　of　the　arena　of　life；　it　gave　him　a　sense　of　bare　equality　with；　and　no　superiority　to；　a　single　living　thing　under　the　sun。　
Eustacia　was　now　no　longer　the　goddess　but　the　woman　to　him；　a　being　to　fight　for；　support；　help；　be　maligned　for。　　Now　that　he　had　reached　a　cooler　moment　he　would　have　preferred　a　less　hasty　marriage；　but　the　card　was　laid；　and　he　determined　to　abide　by　the　game。　　Whether　Eustacia　was　to　add　one　other　to　the　list　of　those　who　love　too　hotly　to　love　long　and　well；　the　forthing　event　was　certainly　a　ready　way　of　proving。　


6　… Yeobright　Goes；　and　the　Breach　Is　plete


All　that　evening　smart　sounds　denoting　an　active　packing　up　came　from　Yeobright’s　room　to　the　ears　of　his　mother　downstairs。　
Next　morning　he　departed　from　the　house　and　again　proceeded　across　the　heath。　　A　long　day’s　march　was　before　him；　his　object　being　to　secure　a　dwelling　to　which　he　might　take　Eustacia　when　she　became　his　wife。　　Such　a　house；　small；　secluded；　and　with　its　windows　boarded　up；　he　had　casually　observed　a　month　earlier；　about　two　miles　beyond　the　village　of　East　Egdon；　and　six　miles　distant　altogether；　and　thither　he　directed　his　steps　today。　
The　weather　was　far　different　from　that　of　the　evening　before。　　The　yellow　and　vapoury　sunset　which　had　wrapped　up　Eustacia　from　his　parting　gaze　had　presaged　change。　　It　was　one　of　those　not　infrequent　days　of　an　English　June　which　are　as　wet　and　boisterous　as　November。　　The　cold　clouds　hastened　on　in　a　body；　as　if　painted　on　a　moving　slide。　　Vapours　from　other　continents　arrived　upon　the　wind；　which　curled　and　parted　round　him　as　he　walked　on。　
At　length　Clym　reached　the　margin　of　a　fir　and　beech　plantation　that　had　been　enclosed　from　heath　land　in　the　year　of　his　birth。　　Here　the　trees；　laden　heavily　with　their　new　and　humid　leaves；　were　now　suffering　more　damage　than　during　the　highest　winds　of　winter；　when　the　boughs　are　especially　disencumbered　to　do　battle　with　the　storm。　　The　wet　young　beeches