还乡The Return Of The Native-第7部分

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n’t　seen　the　colour　of　drink　since　nammet…time　today。　　‘Tis　said　that　the　last　brew　at　the　Woman　is　very　pretty　drinking。　　And；　neighbours；　if　we　should　be　a　little　late　in　the　finishing；　why；　tomorrow’s　Sunday；　and　we　can　sleep　it　off？”
“Grandfer　Cantle！　you　take　things　very　careless　for　an　old　man；”　said　the　wide　woman。
“I　take　things　careless；　I　do—too　careless　to　please　the　women！　Klk！　I’ll　sing　the　‘Jovial　Crew；’　or　any　other　song；　when　a　weak　old　man　would　cry　his　eyes　out。　　Jown　it；
I　am　up　for　anything。

“The　king’　look’d　o’…ver　his　left’　shoul…der’；
And　a　grim’　look　look’…ed　hee’；
Earl　Mar’…shal；　he　said’；　but　for’　my　oath’
Or　hang’…ed　thou’　shouldst　bee’。”

“Well；　that’s　what　we’ll　do；”　said　Fairway。　　“We’ll　give　‘em　a　song；　an’　it　please　the　Lord。　　What’s　the　good　of　Thomasin’s　cousin　Clym　a…ing　home　after　the　deed’s　done？　　He　should　have　e　afore；　if　so　be　he　wanted　to　stop　it；　and　marry　her　himself。”
“Perhaps　he’s　ing　to　bide　with　his　mother　a　little　time；　as　she　must　feel　lonely　now　the　maid’s　gone。”
“Now；　‘tis　very　odd；　but　I　never　feel　lonely—no；　not　at　all；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle。　　“I　am　as　brave　in　the　nighttime　as　a’　admiral！”
The　bonfire　was　by　this　time　beginning　to　sink　low；　for　the　fuel　had　not　been　of　that　substantial　sort　which　can　support　a　blaze　long。　　Most　of　the　other　fires　within　the　wide　horizon　were　also　dwindling　weak。　　Attentive　observation　of　their　brightness；　colour；　and　length　of　existence　would　have　revealed　the　quality　of　the　material　burnt；　and　through　that；　to　some　extent　the　natural　produce　of　the　district　in　which　each　bonfire　was　situate。　　The　clear；　kingly　effulgence　that　had　characterized　the　majority　expressed　a　heath　and　furze　country　like　their　own；　which　in　one　direction　extended　an　unlimited　number　of　miles；　the　rapid　flares　and　extinctions　at　other　points　of　the　pass　showed　the　lightest　of　fuel—straw；　beanstalks；　and　the　usual　waste　from　arable　land。　　The　most　enduring　of　all—steady　unaltering　eyes　like　Planets—signified　wood；　such　as　hazel…branches；　thorn…faggots；　and　stout　billets。　　Fires　of　the　last…mentioned　materials　were　rare；　and　though　paratively　small　in　magnitude　beside　the　transient　blazes；　now　began　to　get　the　best　of　them　by　mere　long　continuance。　　The　great　ones　had　perished；　but　these　remained。　　They　occupied　the　remotest　visible　positions—sky…backed　summits　rising　out　of　rich　coppice　and　plantation　districts　to　the　north；　where　the　soil　was　different；　and　heath　foreign　and　strange。　
Save　one；　and　this　was　the　nearest　of　any；　the　moon　of　the　whole　shining　throng。　　It　lay　in　a　direction　precisely　opposite　to　that　of　the　little　window　in　the　vale　below。　　Its　nearness　was　such　that；　notwithstanding　its　actual　smallness；　its　glow　infinitely　transcended　theirs。
This　quiet　eye　had　attracted　attention　from　time　to　time；　and　when　their　own　fire　had　bee　sunken　and　dim　it　attracted　more；　some　even　of　the　wood　fires　more　recently　lighted　had　reached　their　decline；　but　no　change　was　perceptible　here。　
“To　be　sure；　how　near　that　fire　is！”　said　Fairway。　
“Seemingly。　I　can　see　a　fellow　of　some　sort　walking　round　it。
Little　and　good　must　be　said　of　that　fire；　surely。”
“I　can　throw　a　stone　there；”　said　the　boy。
“And　so　can　I！”　said　Grandfer　Cantle。　
“No；　no；　you　can’t；　my　sonnies。　　That　fire　is　not　much　less　than　a　mile　off；　for　all　that　‘a　seems　so　near。”
“’Tis　in　the　heath；　but　no　furze；”　said　the　turf…cutter。
“’Tis　cleft…wood；　that’s　what　‘tis；”　said　Timothy　Fairway。　　“Nothing　would　burn　like　that　except　clean　timber。　　And　‘tis　on　the　knap　afore　the　old　captain’s　house　at　Mistover。　　Such　a　queer　mortal　as　that　man　is！　To　have　a　little　fire　inside　your　own　bank　and　ditch；　that　nobody　else　may　enjoy　it　or　e　anigh　it！　And　what　a　zany　an　old　chap　must　be；　to　light　a　bonfire　when　there’s　no　youngsters　to　please。”
“Cap’n　Vye　has　been　for　a　long　walk　today；　and　is　quite　tired　out；”　said　Grandfer　Cantle；　“so　‘tisn’t　likely　to　be　he。”
“And　he　would　hardly　afford　good　fuel　like　that；”　said　the　wide　woman。　
“Then　it　must　be　his　granddaughter；”　said　Fairway。　
“Not　that　a　body　of　her　age　can　want　a　fire　much。”
“She　is　very　strange　in　her　ways；　living　up　there　by　herself；　and　such　things　please　her；”　said　Susan。
“She’s　a　well…favoured　maid　enough；”　said　Humphrey　the　furze…cutter；　“especially　when　she’s　got　one　of　her　dandy　gowns　on。”
“That’s　true；”　said　Fairway。　　“Well；　let　her　bonfire　burn　an’t　will。　　Ours　is　well…nigh　out　by　the　look　o’t。”
“How　dark　‘tis　now　the　fire’s　gone　down！”　said　Christian　Cantle；　looking　behind　him　with　his　hare　eyes。　　“Don’t　ye　think　we’d　better　get　home…along；　neighbours？　　The　heth　isn’t　haunted；　I　know；　but　we’d　better　get　home。。。。Ah；　what　was　that？”
“Only　the　wind；”　said　the　turf…cutter。
“I　don’t　think　Fifth…of…Novembers　ought　to　be　kept　up　by　night　except　in　towns。　　It　should　be　by　day　in　outstep；　ill…accounted　places　like　this！”
“Nonsense；　Christian。　　Lift　up　your　spirits　like　a　man！　Susy；　dear；　you　and　I　will　have　a　jig—hey；　my　honey？before　‘tis　quite　too　dark　to　see　how　well…favoured　you　be　still；　though　so　many　summers　have　passed　since　your　husband；　a　son　of　a　witch；　snapped　you　up　from　me。”
This　was　addressed　to　Susan　Nunsuch；　and　the　next　circumstance　of　which　the　beholders　were　conscious　was　a　vision　of　the　matron’s　broad　form　whisking　off　towards　the　space　whereon　the　fire　had　been　kindled。　　She　was　lifted　bodily　by　Mr。　Fairway’s　arm；　which　had　been　flung　round　her　waist　before　she　had　bee　aware　of　his　intention。　　The　site　of　the　fire　was　now　merely　a　circle　of　ashes　flecked　with　red　embers　and　sparks；　the　furze　having　burnt　pletely　away。　　Once　within　the　circle　he　whirled　her　round　and　round　in　a　dance。　　She　was　a　woman　noisily　constructed；　in　addition　to　her　enclosing　framework　of　whalebone　and　lath；　she　wore　pattens　summer　and　winter；　in　wet　weather　and　in　dry；　to　preserve　her　boots　from　wear；　and　when　Fairway　began　to　jump　about　with　her；　the　clicking　of　the　pattens；　the　creaking　of　the　stays；　and　her　screams　of　surprise；　formed　a　very　audible　concert。
“I’ll　crack　thy　numskull　for　thee；　you　mandy　chap！”　said　Mrs。　Nunsuch；　as　she　helplessly　danced　round　with　him；　her　feet　playing　like　drumsticks　among　the　sparks。　　“My　ankles　were　all　in　a　fever　before；　from　walking　through　that　prickly　furze；　and　now　you　must　make　‘em　worse　with　these　vlankers！”
The　vagary　of　Timothy　Fairway　was　infectious。　　The　turf…cutter　seized　old　Olly　Dowden；　and；　somewhat　more　gently；　poussetted　with　her　likewise。　　The　young　men　were　not　slow　to　imitate　the　example　of　their　elders；　and　seized　the　maids；
Grandfer　Cantle　and　his　stick　jigged　in　the　form　of　a　three…legged　object　among　the　rest；　and　in　half　a　minute　all　that　could　be　seen　on　Rainbarrow　was　a　whirling　of　dark　shapes　amid　a　boiling　confusion　of　sparks；　which　leapt　around　the　dancers　as　high　as　their　waists。　　The　chief　noises　were　women’s　shrill　cries；　men’s　laughter；　Susan’s　stays　and　pattens；　Olly　Dowden’s　“heu…heu…heu！”　and　the　strumming　of　the　wind　upon　the　furze…bushes；　which　formed　a　kind　of　tune　to　the　demoniac　measure　they　trod。　　Christian　alone　stood　aloof；　uneasily　rocking　himself　as　he　murmured；　“They　ought　not　to　do　it—how　the　vlankers　do　fly！　‘tis　tempting　the　Wicked　one；　‘tis。”
“What　was　that？”　said　one　of　the　lads；　stopping。　
“Ah—where？”　said　Christian；　hastily　closing　up　to　the　rest。　
The　dancers　all　lessened　their　speed。　
“’Twas　behind　you；　Christian；　that　I　heard　it—down　here。”
“Yes—‘tis　behind　me！”　Christian　said。　　“Matthew；　Mark；
Luke；　and　John；　bless　the　bed　that　I　lie　on；　four　angels　guard—“
“Hold　your　tongue。　　What　is　it？”　said　Fairway。　
“Hoi…i…i…i！”　cried　a　voice　from　the　darkness。　
“Halloo…o…o…o！”　said　Fairway。　
“Is　there　any　cart　track　up　across　here　to　Mis’ess　Yeobright’s；　of　Blooms…End？”　came　to　them　in　the　same　voice；　as　a　long；　slim　indistinct　figure　approached　the　barrow。　
“Ought　we　not　to　run　home　as　hard　as　we　can；　neighbours；　as　‘tis　getting　late？”　said　Christian。　　“Not　run　away　from　one　another；　you　know；　run　close　together；　I　mean。”　“Scrape　up　a　few　stray　locks　of　f