还乡The Return Of The Native-第72部分

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and　this　was　a　quality　in　events　which　she　hated　as　much　as　the　dreadful。　
To　be　left　to　pass　the　evening　by　herself　was　irksome　to　her　at　any　time；　and　this　evening　it　was　more　irksome　than　usual　by　reason　of　the　excitements　of　the　past　hours。　　The　two　visits　had　stirred　her　into　restlessness。　　She　was　not　wrought　to　any　great　pitch　of　uneasiness　by　the　probability　of　appearing　in　an　ill　light　in　the　discussion　between　Clym　and　his　mother；　but　she　was　wrought　to　vexation；　and　her　slumbering　activities　were　quickened　to　the　extent　of　wishing　that　she　had　opened　the　door。　　She　had　certainly　believed　that　Clym　was　awake；　and　the　excuse　would　be　an　honest　one　as　far　as　it　went；　but　nothing　could　save　her　from　censure　in　refusing　to　answer　at　the　first　knock。　　Yet；　instead　of　blaming　herself　for　the　issue　she　laid　the　fault　upon　the　shoulders　of　some　indistinct；　colossal　Prince　of　the　World；　who　had　framed　her　situation　and　ruled　her　lot。　
At　this　time　of　the　year　it　was　pleasanter　to　walk　by　night　than　by　day；　and　when　Clym　had　been　absent　about　an　hour　she　suddenly　resolved　to　go　out　in　the　direction　of　Blooms…End；　on　the　chance　of　meeting　him　on　his　return。　　When　she　reached　the　garden　gate　she　heard　wheels　approaching；　and　looking　round　beheld　her　grandfather　ing　up　in　his　car。　
“I　can’t　stay　a　minute；　thank　ye；”　he　answered　to　her　greeting。　　“I　am　driving　to　East　Egdon；　but　I　came　round　here　just　to　tell　you　the　news。　　Perhaps　you　have　heard—about　Mr。　Wildeve’s　fortune？”
“No；”　said　Eustacia　blankly。　
“Well；　he　has　e　into　a　fortune　of　eleven　thousand　pounds—uncle　died　in　Canada；　just　after　hearing　that　all　his　family；　whom　he　was　sending　home；　had　gone　to　the　bottom　in　the　Cassiopeia；　so　Wildeve　has　e　into　everything；　without　in　the　least　expecting　it。”
Eustacia　stood　motionless　awhile。　　“How　long　has　he　known　of　this？”　she　asked。　
“Well；　it　was　known　to　him　this　morning　early；　for　I　knew　it　at　ten　o’clock；　when　Charley　came　back。　　Now；　he　is　what　I　call　a　lucky　man。　　What　a　fool　you　were；　Eustacia！”
“In　what　way？”　she　said；　lifting　her　eyes　in　apparent　calmness。　
“Why；　in　not　sticking　to　him　when　you　had　him。”
“Had　him；　indeed！”
“I　did　not　know　there　had　ever　been　anything　between　you　till　lately；　and；　faith；　I　should　have　been　hot　and　strong　against　it　if　I　had　known；　but　since　it　seems　that　there　was　some　sniffing　between　ye；　why　the　deuce　didn’t　you　stick　to　him？”
Eustacia　made　no　reply；　but　she　looked　as　if　she　could　say　as　much　upon　that　subject　as　he　if　she　chose。　
“And　how　is　your　poor　purblind　husband？”　continued　the　old　man。　　“Not　a　bad　fellow　either；　as　far　as　he　goes。”
“He　is　quite　well。”
“It　is　a　good　thing　for　his　cousin　what…d’ye…call…her？　　By　George；　you　ought　to　have　been　in　that　galley；　my　girl！　Now　I　must　drive　on。　　Do　you　want　any　assistance？　　What’s　mine　is　yours；　you　know。”
“Thank　you；　Grandfather；　we　are　not　in　want　at　present；”　she　said　coldly。　　“Clym　cuts　furze；　but　he　does　it　mostly　as　a　useful　pastime；　because　he　can　do　nothing　else。”
“He　is　paid　for　his　pastime；　isn’t　he？　　Three　shillings　a　hundred；　I　heard。”
“Clym　has　money；”　she　said；　colouring；　“but　he　likes　to　earn　a　little。”
“Very　well；　good　night。”　　And　the　captain　drove　on。　
When　her　grandfather　was　gone　Eustacia　went　on　her　way　mechanically；　but　her　thoughts　were　no　longer　concerning　her　mother…in…law　and　Clym。　　Wildeve；　notwithstanding　his　plaints　against　his　fate；　had　been　seized　upon　by　destiny　and　placed　in　the　sunshine　once　more。　　Eleven　thousand　pounds！　From　every　Egdon　point　of　view　he　was　a　rich　man。　　In　Eustacia’s　eyes；　too；　it　was　an　ample　sum—one　sufficient　to　supply　those　wants　of　hers　which　had　been　stigmatized　by　Clym　in　his　more　austere　moods　as　vain　and　luxurious。　　Though　she　was　no　lover　of　money　she　loved　what　money　could　bring；　and　the　new　accessories　she　imagined　around　him　clothed　Wildeve　with　a　great　deal　of　interest。　　She　recollected　now　how　quietly　well…dressed　he　had　been　that　morning—he　had　probably　put　on　his　newest　suit；　regardless　of　damage　by　briars　and　thorns。　　And　then　she　thought　of　his　manner　towards　herself。　
“O　I　see　it；　I　see　it；”　she　said。　　“How　much　he　wishes　he　had　me　now；　that　he　might　give　me　all　I　desire！”
In　recalling　the　details　of　his　glances　and　words—at　the　time　scarcely　regarded—it　became　plain　to　her　how　greatly　they　had　been　dictated　by　his　knowledge　of　this　new　event。　　“Had　he　been　a　man　to　bear　a　jilt　ill…will　he　would　have　told　me　of　his　good　fortune　in　crowing　tones；　instead　of　doing　that　he　mentioned　not　a　word；　in　deference　to　my　misfortunes；　and　merely　implied　that　he　loved　me　still；　as　one　superior　to　him。”
Wildeve’s　silence　that　day　on　what　had　happened　to　him　was　just　the　kind　of　behaviour　calculated　to　make　an　impression　on　such　a　woman。　　Those　delicate　touches　of　good　taste　were；　in　fact；　one　of　the　strong　points　in　his　demeanour　towards　the　other　sex。　　The　peculiarity　of　Wildeve　was　that；　while　at　one　time　passionate；　upbraiding；　and　resentful　towards　a　woman；　at　another　he　would　treat　her　with　such　unparalleled　grace　as　to　make　previous　neglect　appear　as　no　discourtesy；　injury　as　no　insult；　interference　as　a　delicate　attention；　and　the　ruin　of　her　honour　as　excess　of　chivalry。　　This　man；　whose　admiration　today　Eustacia　had　disregarded；　whose　good　wishes　she　had　scarcely　taken　the　trouble　to　accept；　whom　she　had　shown　out　of　the　house　by　the　back　door；　was　the　possessor　of　eleven　thousand　pounds—a　man　of　fair　professional　education；　and　one　who　had　served　his　articles　with　a　civil　engineer。　
So　intent　was　Eustacia　upon　Wildeve’s　fortunes　that　she　forgot　how　much　closer　to　her　own　course　were　those　of　Clym；　and　instead　of　walking　on　to　meet　him　at　once　she　sat　down　upon　a　stone。　　She　was　disturbed　in　her　reverie　by　a　voice　behind；　and　turning　her　head　beheld　the　old　lover　and　fortunate　inheritor　of　wealth　immediately　beside　her。
She　remained　sitting；　though　the　fluctuation　in　her　look　might　have　told　any　man　who　knew　her　so　well　as　Wildeve　that　she　was　thinking　of　him。　
“How　did　you　e　here？”　she　said　in　her　clear　low　tone。　
“I　thought　you　were　at　home。”
“I　went　on　to　the　village　after　leaving　your　garden；　and　now　I　have　e　back　again—that’s　all。　　Which　way　are　you　walking；　may　I　ask？”
She　waved　her　hand　in　the　direction　of　Blooms…End。　“I　am　going　to　meet　my　husband。　　I　think　I　may　possibly　have　got　into　trouble　whilst　you　were　with　me　today。”
“How　could　that　be？”
“By　not　letting　in　Mrs。　Yeobright。”
“I　hope　that　visit　of　mine　did　you　no　harm。”
“None。　It　was　not　your　fault；”　she　said　quietly。　
By　this　time　she　had　risen；　and　they　involuntarily　sauntered　on　together；　without　speaking；　for　two　or　three　minutes；　when　Eustacia　broke　silence　by　saying；　“I　assume　I　must　congratulate　you。”
“On　what？　　O　yes；　on　my　eleven　thousand　pounds；　you　mean。　　Well；　since　I　didn’t　get　something　else；　I　must　be　content　with　getting　that。”
“You　seem　very　indifferent　about　it。　　Why　didn’t　you　tell　me　today　when　you　came？”　she　said　in　the　tone　of　a　neglected　person。　　“I　heard　of　it　quite　by　accident。”
“I　did　mean　to　tell　you；”　said　Wildeve。　　“But　I—well；　I　will　speak　frankly—I　did　not　like　to　mention　it　when　I　saw；　Eustacia；　that　your　star　was　not　high。　　The　sight　of　a　man　lying　wearied　out　with　hard　work；　as　your　husband　lay；　made　me　feel　that　to　brag　of　my　own　fortune　to　you　would　be　greatly　out　of　place。　　Yet；　as　you　stood　there　beside　him；　I　could　not　help　feeling　too　that　in　many　respects　he　was　a　richer　man　than　I。”
At　this　Eustacia　said；　with　slumbering　mischievousness；　“What；　would　you　exchange　with　him—your　fortune　for　me？”
“I　certainly　would；”　said　Wildeve。
“As　we　are　imagining　what　is　impossible　and　absurd；　suppose　we　change　the　subject？”
“Very　well；　and　I　will　tell　you　of　my　plans　for　the　future；　if　you　care　to　hear　them。　　I　shall　permanently　invest　nine　thousand　pounds；　keep　one　thousand　as　ready　money；　and　with　the　remaining　thousand　travel　for　a　year　or　so。”
“Travel？　　What　a　bright　idea！　Where　will　you　go　to？”
“From　here　to　Paris；　where　I　shall　pass　the　winter　and　spring。　　Then　I　shall　go　to　Italy；　Greece；　Egypt；　and　Palestine；　before　the　hot　weather