还乡The Return Of The Native-第6部分

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d　there　stood　they　father’s　cross　with　arms　stretched　out　like　a　great　banging　scarecrow。　　What　a　terrible　black　cross　that　was—thy　father’s　very　likeness　in　en！　　To　save　my　soul　I　couldn’t　help　laughing　when　I　zid　en；　though　all　the　time　I　was　as　hot　as　dog…days；　what　with　the　marrying；　and　what　with　the　woman　a…hanging　to　me；　and　what　with　Jack　Changley　and　a　lot　more　chaps　grinning　at　me　through　church　window。　　But　the　next　moment　a　strawmote　would　have　knocked　me　down；　for　I　called　to　mind　that　if　thy　father　and　mother　had　had　high　words　once；　they’d　been　at　it　twenty　times　since　they’d　been　man　and　wife；　and　I　zid　myself　as　the　next　poor　stunpoll　to　get　into　the　same　mess。。。。Ah—well；　what　a　day　‘twas！”
“Wildeve　is　older　than　Tamsin　Yeobright　by　a　good…few　summers。　　A　pretty　maid　too　she　is。　　A　young　woman　with　a　home　must　be　a　fool　to　tear　her　smock　for　a　man　like　that。”
The　speaker；　a　peat…　or　turf…cutter；　who　had　newly　joined　the　group；　carried　across　his　shoulder　the　singular　heart…shaped　spade　of　large　dimensions　used　in　that　species　of　labour；　and　its　well…whetted　edge　gleamed　like　a　silver　bow　in　the　beams　of　the　fire。　
“A　hundred　maidens　would　have　had　him　if　he’d　asked　‘em；”　said　the　wide　woman。
“Didst　ever　know　a　man；　neighbour；　that　no　woman　at　all　would　marry？”　inquired　Humphrey。　
“I　never　did；”　said　the　turf…cutter。
“Nor　I；”　said　another。　
“Nor　I；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle。　
“Well；　now；　I　did　once；”　said　Timothy　Fairway；　adding　more　firmness　to　one　of　his　legs。　　“I　did　know　of　such　a　man。　　But　only　once；　mind。”　　He　gave　his　throat　a　thorough　rake　round；　as　if　it　were　the　duty　of　every　person　not　to　be　mistaken　through　thickness　of　voice。　　“Yes；　I　knew　of　such　a　man；”　he　said。　
“And　what　ghastly　gallicrow　might　the　poor　fellow　have　been　like；　Master　Fairway？”　asked　the　turf…cutter。
“Well；　‘a　was　neither　a　deaf　man；　nor　a　dumb　man；　nor　a　blind　man。　　What　‘a　was　I　don’t　say。”
“Is　he　known　in　these　parts？”　said　Olly　Dowden。　
“Hardly；”　said　Timothy；　“but　I　name　no　name。。。e；　keep　the　fire　up　there；　youngsters。”
“Whatever　is　Christian　Cantle’s　teeth　a…chattering　for？”　said　a　boy　from　amid　the　smoke　and　shades　on　the　other　side　of　the　blaze。　　“Be　ye　a…cold；　Christian？”
A　thin　jibbering　voice　was　heard　to　reply；　“No；　not　at　all。”
“e　forward；　Christian；　and　show　yourself。　　I　didn’t　know　you　were　here；”　said　Fairway；　with　a　humane　look　across　towards　that　quarter。　
Thus　requested；　a　faltering　man；　with　reedy　hair；　no　shoulders；　and　a　great　quantity　of　wrist　and　ankle　beyond　his　clothes；　advanced　a　step　or　two　by　his　own　will；　and　was　pushed　by　the　will　of　others　half　a　dozen　steps　more。　　He　was　Grandfer　Cantle’s　youngest　son。
“What　be　ye　quaking　for；　Christian？”　said　the　turf…cutter　kindly。　
“I’m　the　man。”
“What　man？”
“The　man　no　woman　will　marry。”
“The　deuce　you　be！”　said　Timothy　Fairway；　enlarging　his　gaze　to　cover　Christian’s　whole　surface　and　a　great　deal　more；　Grandfer　Cantle　meanwhile　staring　as　a　hen　stares　at　the　duck　she　has　hatched。　
“Yes；　I　be　he；　and　it　makes　me　afeard；”　said　Christian。　　“D’ye　think　‘twill　hurt　me？　　I　shall　always　say　I　don’t　care；　and　swear　to　it；　though　I　do　care　all　the　while。”
“Well；　be　damned　if　this　isn’t　the　queerest　start　ever　I　know’d；”　said　Mr。　Fairway。　　“I　didn’t　mean　you　at　all。　　There’s　another　in　the　country；　then！　Why　did　ye　reveal　yer　misfortune；　Christian？”
“’Twas　to　be　if　‘twas；　I　suppose。　　I　can’t　help　it；　can　I？”　He　turned　upon　them　his　painfully　circular　eyes；　surrounded　by　concentric　lines　like　targets。　
“No；　that’s　true。　　But　‘tis　a　melancholy　thing；　and　my　blood　ran　cold　when　you　spoke；　for　I　felt　there　were　two　poor　fellows　where　I　had　thought　only　one。　　‘Tis　a　sad　thing　for　ye；　Christian。　　How’st　know　the　women　won’t　hae　thee？”
“I’ve　asked　‘em。”
“Sure　I　should　never　have　thought　you　had　the　face。　　Well；　and　what　did　the　last　one　say　to　ye？　　Nothing　that　can’t　be　got　over；　perhaps；　after　all？”
“’Get　out　of　my　sight；　you　slack…twisted；　slim…looking　maphrotight　fool；’　was　the　woman’s　words　to　me。”
“Not　encouraging；　I　own；”　said　Fairway。　　“’Get　out　of　my　sight；　you　slack…twisted；　slim…looking　maphrotight　fool；’　is　rather　a　hard　way　of　saying　No。　But　even　that　might　be　overe　by　time　and　patience；　so　as　to　let　a　few　grey　hairs　show　themselves　in　the　hussy’s　head。　　How　old　be　you；　Christian？”
“Thirty…one　last　tatie…digging；　Mister　Fairway。”
“Not　a　boy—not　a　boy。　　Still　there’s　hope　yet。”
“That’s　my　age　by　baptism；　because　that’s　put　down　in　the　great　book　of　the　Judgment　that　they　keep　in　church　vestry；　but　Mother　told　me　I　was　born　some　time　afore　I　was　christened。”
“Ah！”
“But　she　couldn’t　tell　when；　to　save　her　life；　except　that　there　was　no　moon。”
“No　moon—that’s　bad。　　Hey；　neighbours；　that’s　bad　for　him！”
“Yes；　‘tis　bad；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle；　shaking　his　head。　
“Mother　know’d　‘twas　no　moon；　for　she　asked　another　woman　that　had　an　almanac；　as　she　did　whenever　a　boy　was　born　to　her；　because　of　the　saying；　‘No　moon；　no　man；’　which　made　her　afeard　every　man…child　she　had。　　Do　ye　really　think　it　serious；　Mister　Fairway；　that　there　was　no　moon？”
“Yes。　‘No　moon；　no　man。’　‘Tis　one　of　the　truest　sayings　ever　spit　out。　　The　boy　never　es　to　anything　that’s　born　at　new　moon。　　A　bad　job　for　thee；　Christian；　that　you　should　have　showed　your　nose　then　of　all　days　in　the　month。”
“I　suppose　the　moon　was　terrible　full　when　you　were　born？”　said　Christian；　with　a　look　of　hopeless　admiration　at　Fairway。
“Well；　‘a　was　not　new；”　Mr。　Fairway　replied；　with　a　disinterested　gaze。　
“I’d　sooner　go　without　drink　at　Lammas…tide　than　be　a　man　of　no　moon；”　continued　Christian；　in　the　same　shattered　recitative。　　“’Tis　said　I　be　only　the　rames　of　a　man；　and　no　good　for　my　race　at　all；　and　I　suppose　that’s　the　cause　o’t。”
“Ay；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle；　somewhat　subdued　in　spirit；
“and　yet　his　mother　cried　for　scores　of　hours　when　‘a　was　a　boy；　for　fear　he　should　outgrow　hisself　and　go　for　a　soldier。”
“Well；　there’s　many　just　as　bad　as　he。”　　said　Fairway。　
“Wethers　must　live　their　time　as　well　as　other　sheep；　poor　soul。”
“So　perhaps　I　shall　rub　on？　　Ought　I　to　be　afeared　o’　nights；　Master　Fairway？”
“You’ll　have　to　lie　alone　all　your　life；　and　‘tis　not　to　married　couples　but　to　single　sleepers　that　a　ghost　shows　himself　when　‘a　do　e。　　One　has　been　seen　lately；　too。　　A　very　strange　one。”
“No—don’t　talk　about　it　if　‘tis　agreeable　of　ye　not　to！
‘Twill　make　my　skin　crawl　when　I　think　of　it　in　bed　alone。　　But　you　will—ah；　you　will；　I　know；　Timothy；　and　I　shall　dream　all　night　o’t！　A　very　strange　one？　　What　sort　of　a　spirit　did　ye　mean　when　ye　said；　a　very　strange　one；　Timothy？no；　no—don’t　tell　me。”
“I　don’t　half　believe　in　spirits　myself。　　But　I　think　it　ghostly　enough—what　I　was　told。　　‘Twas　a　little　boy　that　zid　it。”
“What　was　it　like？no；　don’t—“
“A　red　one。　　Yes；　most　ghosts　be　white；　but　this　is　as　if　it　had　been　dipped　in　blood。”
Christian　drew　a　deep　breath　without　letting　it　expand　his　body；　and　Humphrey　said；　“Where　has　it　been　seen？”
“Not　exactly　here；　but　in　this　same　heth。　　But　‘tisn’t　a　thing　to　talk　about。　　What　do　ye　say；”　continued　Fairway　in　brisker　tones；　and　turning　upon　them　as　if　the　idea　had　not　been　Grandfer　Cantle’s—“what　do　you　say　to　giving　the　new　man　and　wife　a　bit　of　a　song　tonight　afore　we　go　to　bed—being　their　wedding…day？　　When　folks　are　just　married　‘tis　as　well　to　look　glad　o’t；　since　looking　sorry　won’t　unjoin　‘em。　I　am　no　drinker；　as　we　know；　but　when　the　womenfolk　and　youngsters　have　gone　home　we　can　drop　down　across　to　the　Quiet　Woman；　and　strike　up　a　ballet　in　front　of　the　married　folks’　door。　　‘Twill　please　the　young　wife；　and　that’s　what　I　should　like　to　do；　for　many’s　the　skinful　I’ve　had　at　her　hands　when　she　lived　with　her　aunt　at　Blooms…End。”
“Hey？　　And　so　we　will！”　said　Grandfer　Cantle；　turning　so　briskly　that　his　copper　seals　swung　extravagantly。　　“I’m　as　dry　as　a　kex　with　biding　up　here　in　the　wind；　and　I　haven’t　seen　the　colour　of　drink　since　nammet…time　today。　　‘Tis　said　that　the　last　brew　at　the　Woman　i