还乡The Return Of The Native-第77部分

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query　of　more　importance　than　highest　problems　of　the　living。　　There　was　housed　in　his　memory　a　vivid　picture　of　the　face　of　a　little　boy　as　he　entered　the　hovel　where　Clym’s　mother　lay。　　The　round　eyes；　eager　gaze；　the　piping　voice　which　enunciated　the　words；　had　operated　like　stilettos　on　his　brain。　
A　visit　to　the　boy　suggested　itself　as　a　means　of　gleaning　new　particulars；　though　it　might　be　quite　unproductive。　　To　probe　a　child’s　mind　after　the　lapse　of　six　weeks；　not　for　facts　which　the　child　had　seen　and　understood；　but　to　get　at　those　which　were　in　their　nature　beyond　him；　did　not　promise　much；　yet　when　every　obvious　channel　is　blocked　we　grope　towards　the　small　and　obscure。　　There　was　nothing　else　left　to　do；　after　that　he　would　allow　the　enigma　to　drop　into　the　abyss　of　undiscoverable　things。　
It　was　about　daybreak　when　he　had　reached　this　decision；　and　he　at　once　arose。　　He　locked　up　the　house　and　went　out　into　the　green　patch　which　merged　in　heather　further　on。　　In　front　of　the　white　garden…palings　the　path　branched　into　three　like　a　broad　arrow。　　The　road　to　the　right　led　to　the　Quiet　Woman　and　its　neighbourhood；　the　middle　track　led　to　Mistover　Knap；　the　left…hand　track　led　over　the　hill　to　another　part　of　Mistover；　where　the　child　lived。　　On　inclining　into　the　latter　path　Yeobright　felt　a　creeping　chilliness；　familiar　enough　to　most　people；　and　probably　caused　by　the　unsunned　morning　air。　　In　after　days　he　thought　of　it　as　a　thing　of　singular　significance。　
When　Yeobright　reached　the　cottage　of　Susan　Nunsuch；　the　mother　of　the　boy　he　sought；　he　found　that　the　inmates　were　not　yet　astir。　　But　in　upland　hamlets　the　transition　from　a…bed　to　abroad　is　surprisingly　swift　and　easy。　　There　no　dense　partition　of　yawns　and　toilets　divides　humanity　by　night　from　humanity　by　day。　　Yeobright　tapped　at　the　upper　windowsill；　which　he　could　reach　with　his　walking　stick；　and　in　three　or　four　minutes　the　woman　came　down。　
It　was　not　till　this　moment　that　Clym　recollected　her　to　be　the　person　who　had　behaved　so　barbarously　to　Eustacia。　　It　partly　explained　the　insuavity　with　which　the　woman　greeted　him。　　Moreover；　the　boy　had　been　ailing　again；　and　Susan　now；　as　ever　since　the　night　when　he　had　been　pressed　into　Eustacia’s　service　at　the　bonfire；　attributed　his　indispositions　to　Eustacia’s　influence　as　a　witch。　　It　was　one　of　those　sentiments　which　lurk　like　moles　underneath　the　visible　surface　of　manners；　and　may　have　been　kept　alive　by　Eustacia’s　entreaty　to　the　captain；　at　the　time　that　he　had　intended　to　prosecute　Susan　for　the　pricking　in　church；　to　let　the　matter　drop；　which　he　accordingly　had　done。　
Yeobright　overcame　his　repugnance；　for　Susan　had　at　least　borne　his　mother　no　ill…will。　He　asked　kindly　for　the　boy；　but　her　manner　did　not　improve。　
“I　wish　to　see　him；”　continued　Yeobright；　with　some　hesitation；　“to　ask　him　if　he　remembers　anything　more　of　his　walk　with　my　mother　than　what　he　has　previously　told。”
She　regarded　him　in　a　peculiar　and　criticizing　manner。　　To　anybody　but　a　half…blind　man　it　would　have　said；　“You　want　another　of　the　knocks　which　have　already　laid　you　so　low。”
She　called　the　boy　downstairs；　asked　Clym　to　sit　down　on　a　stool；　and　continued；　“Now；　Johnny；　tell　Mr。　Yeobright　anything　you　can　call　to　mind。”
“You　have　not　forgotten　how　you　walked　with　the　poor　lady　on　that　hot　day？”　said　Clym。　
“No；”　said　the　boy。　
“And　what　she　said　to　you？”
The　boy　repeated　the　exact　words　he　had　used　on　entering　the　hut。　　Yeobright　rested　his　elbow　on　the　table　and　shaded　his　face　with　his　hand；　and　the　mother　looked　as　if　she　wondered　how　a　man　could　want　more　of　what　had　stung　him　so　deeply。　
“She　was　going　to　Alderworth　when　you　first　met　her？”
“No；　she　was　ing　away。”
“That　can’t　be。”
“Yes；　she　walked　along　with　me。　　I　was　ing　away；　too。”
“Then　where　did　you　first　see　her？”
“At　your　house。”
“Attend；　and　speak　the　truth！”　said　Clym　sternly。　
“Yes；　sir；　at　your　house　was　where　I　seed　her　first。”
Clym　started　up；　and　Susan　smiled　in　an　expectant　way　which　did　not　embellish　her　face；　it　seemed　to　mean；　“Something　sinister　is　ing！”
“What　did　she　do　at　my　house？”
“She　went　and　sat　under　the　trees　at　the　Devil’s　Bellows。”
“Good　God！　this　is　all　news　to　me！”
“You　never　told　me　this　before？”　said　Susan。
“No；　Mother；　because　I　didn’t　like　to　tell　‘ee　I　had　been　so　far。　　I　was　picking　blackhearts；　and　went　further　than　I　meant。”
“What　did　she　do　then？”　said　Yeobright。　
“Looked　at　a　man　who　came　up　and　went　into　your　house。”
“That　was　myself—a　furze…cutter；　with　brambles　in　his　hand。”
“No；　‘twas　not　you。　　‘Twas　a　gentleman。　　You　had　gone　in　afore。”
“Who　was　he？”
“I　don’t　know。”
“Now　tell　me　what　happened　next。”
“The　poor　lady　went　and　knocked　at　your　door；　and　the　lady　with　black　hair　looked　out　of　the　side　window　at　her。”
The　boy’s　mother　turned　to　Clym　and　said；　“This　is　something　you　didn’t　expect？”
Yeobright　took　no　more　notice　of　her　than　if　he　had　been　of　stone。　　“Go　on；　go　on；”　he　said　hoarsely　to　the　boy。　
“And　when　she　saw　the　young　lady　look　out　of　the　window　the　old　lady　knocked　again；　and　when　nobody　came　she　took　up　the　furze…hook　and　looked　at　it；　and　put　it　down　again；　and　then　she　looked　at　the　faggot…bonds；　and　then　she　went　away；　and　walked　across　to　me；　and　blowed　her　breath　very　hard；　like　this。　　We　walked　on　together；　she　and　I；　and　I　talked　to　her　and　she　talked　to　me　a　bit；　but　not　much；　because　she　couldn’t　blow　her　breath。”
“O！”　murmured　Clym；　in　a　low　tone；　and　bowed　his　head。
“Let’s　have　more；”　he　said。　
“She　couldn’t　talk　much；　and　she　couldn’t　walk；　and　her　face　was；　O　so　queer！”
“How　was　her　face？”
“Like　yours　is　now。”
The　woman　looked　at　Yeobright；　and　beheld　him　colourless；　in　a　cold　sweat。　　“Isn’t　there　meaning　in　it？”　she　said　stealthily。　　“What　do　you　think　of　her　now？”
“Silence！”　said　Clym　fiercely。　　And；　turning　to　the　boy；　“And　then　you　left　her　to　die？”
“No；”　said　the　woman；　quickly　and　angrily。　　“He　did　not　leave　her　to　die！　She　sent　him　away。　　Whoever　says　he　forsook　her　says　what’s　not　true。”
“Trouble　no　more　about　that；”　answered　Clym；　with　a　quivering　mouth。　　“What　he　did　is　a　trifle　in　parison　with　what　he　saw。　　Door　kept　shut；　did　you　say？　　Kept　shut；　she　looking　out　of　window？　　Good　heart　of　God！what　does　it　mean？”
The　child　shrank　away　from　the　gaze　of　his　questioner。　
“He　said　so；”　answered　the　mother；　“and　Johnny’s　a　God…fearing　boy　and　tells　no　lies。”
“’Cast　off　by　my　son！’　No；　by　my　best　life；　dear　mother；　it　is　not　so！　But　by　your　son’s；　your　son’s—May　all　murderesses　get　the　torment　they　deserve！”
With　these　words　Yeobright　went　forth　from　the　little　dwelling。　　The　pupils　of　his　eyes；　fixed　steadfastly　on　blankness；　were　vaguely　lit　with　an　icy　shine；　his　mouth　had　passed　into　the　phase　more　or　less　imaginatively　rendered　in　studies　of　Oedipus。　　The　strangest　deeds　were　possible　to　his　mood。　　But　they　were　not　possible　to　his　situation。　　Instead　of　there　being　before　him　the　pale　face　of　Eustacia；　and　a　masculine　shape　unknown；　there　was　only　the　imperturbable　countenance　of　the　heath；　which；　having　defied　the　cataclysmal　onsets　of　centuries；　reduced　to　insignificance　by　its　seamed　and　antique　features　the　wildest　turmoil　of　a　single　man。　


3　… Eustacia　Dresses　Herself　on　a　Black　Morning



A　consciousness　of　a　vast　impassivity　in　all　which　lay　around　him　took　possession　even　of　Yeobright　in　his　wild　walk　towards　Alderworth。　　He　had　once　before　felt　in　his　own　person　this　overpowering　of　the　fervid　by　the　inanimate；　but　then　it　had　tended　to　enervate　a　passion　far　sweeter　than　that　which　at　present　pervaded　him。　　It　was　once　when　he　stood　parting　from　Eustacia　in　the　moist　still　levels　beyond　the　hills。　
But　dismissing　all　this　he　went　onward　home；　and　came　to　the　front　of　his　house。　　The　blinds　of　Eustacia’s　bedroom　were　still　closely　drawn；　for　she　was　no　early　riser。　　All　the　life　visible　was　in　the　shape　of　a　solitary　thrush　cracking　a　small　snail　upon　the　door…stone　for　his　breakfast；　and　his　tapping　seemed　a　loud　noise　in　the　general　silence　which　prevailed；　but　on　going　to　the　door　Clym　found　i