还乡The Return Of The Native-第97部分

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They　walked　towards　Blooms…End　together。　　When　they　reached　the　front　it　was　dark；　and　the　shutters　were　closed；　so　that　nothing　of　the　interior　could　be　seen。
“e　round　this　way；”　said　Clym。　　“My　entrance　is　at　the　back　for　the　present。”
The　two　went　round　and　ascended　the　crooked　stair　in　darkness　till　Clym’s　sitting…room　on　the　upper　floor　was　reached；　where　he　lit　a　candle；　Charley　entering　gently　behind。　　Yeobright　searched　his　desk；　and　taking　out　a　sheet　of　tissue…paper　unfolded　from　it　two　or　three　undulating　locks　of　raven　hair；　which　fell　over　the　paper　like　black　streams。　　From　these　he　selected　one；　wrapped　it　up；　and　gave　it　to　the　lad；　whose　eyes　had　filled　with　tears。　　He　kissed　the　packet；　put　it　in　his　pocket；　and　said　in　a　voice　of　emotion；　“O；　Mr。　Clym；　how　good　you　are　to　me！”
“I　will　go　a　little　way　with　you；”　said　Clym。　　And　amid　the　noise　of　merriment　from　below　they　descended。　　Their　path　to　the　front　led　them　close　to　a　little　side　window；　whence　the　rays　of　candles　streamed　across　the　shrubs。　　The　window；　being　screened　from　general　observation　by　the　bushes；　had　been　left　unblinded；　so　that　a　person　in　this　private　nook　could　see　all　that　was　going　on　within　the　room　which　contained　the　wedding　guests；　except　in　so　far　as　vision　was　hindered　by　the　green　antiquity　of　the　panes。　
“Charley；　what　are　they　doing？”　said　Clym。　　“My　sight　is　weaker　again　tonight；　and　the　glass　of　this　window　is　not　good。”
Charley　wiped　his　own　eyes；　which　were　rather　blurred　with　moisture；　and　stepped　closer　to　the　casement。　　“Mr。　Venn　is　asking　Christian　Cantle　to　sing；”　he　replied；　“and　Christian　is　moving　about　in　his　chair　as　if　he　were　much　frightened　at　the　question；　and　his　father　has　struck　up　a　stave　instead　of　him。”
“Yes；　I　can　hear　the　old　man’s　voice；”　said　Clym。　　“So　there’s　to　be　no　dancing；　I　suppose。　　And　is　Thomasin　in　the　room？　　I　see　something　moving　in　front　of　the　candles　that　resembles　her　shape；　I　think。”
“Yes。　She　do　seem　happy。　　She　is　red　in　the　face；　and　laughing　at　something　Fairway　has　said　to　her。　　O　my！”
“What　noise　was　that？”　said　Clym。　
“Mr。　Venn　is　so　tall　that　he　knocked　his　head　against　the　beam　in　gieing　a　skip　as　he　passed　under。　　Mrs。　Venn　has　run　up　quite　frightened　and　now　she’s　put　her　hand　to　his　head　to　feel　if　there’s　a　lump。　　And　now　they　be　all　laughing　again　as　if　nothing　had　happened。”
“Do　any　of　them　seem　to　care　about　my　not　being　there？”
Clym　asked。　
“No；　not　a　bit　in　the　world。　　Now　they　are　all　holding　up　their　glasses　and　drinking　somebody’s　health。”
“I　wonder　if　it　is　mine？”
“No；　‘tis　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Venn’s；　because　he　is　making　a　hearty　sort　of　speech。　　There—now　Mrs。　Venn　has　got　up；　and　is　going　away　to　put　on　her　things；　I　think。”
“Well；　they　haven’t　concerned　themselves　about　me；　and　it　is　quite　right　they　should　not。　　It　is　all　as　it　should　be；　and　Thomasin　at　least　is　happy。　　We　will　not　stay　any　longer　now；　as　they　will　soon　be　ing　out　to　go　home。”
He　acpanied　the　lad　into　the　heath　on　his　way　home；　and；　returning　alone　to　the　house　a　quarter　of　an　hour　later；　found　Venn　and　Thomasin　ready　to　start；　all　the　guests　having　departed　in　his　absence。　　The　wedded　pair　took　their　seats　in　the　four…wheeled　dogcart　which　Venn’s　head　milker　and　handy　man　had　driven　from　Stickleford　to　fetch　them　in；　little　Eustacia　and　the　nurse　were　packed　securely　upon　the　open　flap　behind；　and　the　milker；　on　an　ancient　overstepping　pony；　whose　shoes　clashed　like　cymbals　at　every　tread；　rode　in　the　rear；　in　the　manner　of　a　body…servant　of　the　last　century。　
“Now　we　leave　you　in　absolute　possession　of　your　own　house　again；”　said　Thomasin　as　she　bent　down　to　wish　her　cousin　good　night。　　“It　will　be　rather　lonely　for　you；　Clym；　after　the　hubbub　we　have　been　making。”
“O；　that’s　no　inconvenience；”　said　Clym；　smiling　rather　sadly。　　And　then　the　party　drove　off　and　vanished　in　the　night　shades；　and　Yeobright　entered　the　house。　　The　ticking　of　the　clock　was　the　only　sound　that　greeted　him；　for　not　a　soul　remained；　Christian；　who　acted　as　cook；　valet；　and　gardener　to　Clym；　sleeping　at　his　father’s　house。　　Yeobright　sat　down　in　one　of　the　vacant　chairs；　and　remained　in　thought　a　long　time。　　His　mother’s　old　chair　was　opposite；　it　had　been　sat　in　that　evening　by　those　who　had　scarcely　remembered　that　it　ever　was　hers。　　But　to　Clym　she　was　almost　a　presence　there；　now　as　always。　　Whatever　she　was　in　other　people’s　memories；　in　his　she　was　the　sublime　saint　whose　radiance　even　his　tenderness　for　Eustacia　could　not　obscure。　　But　his　heart　was　heavy；　that　Mother　had　NOT　crowned　him　in　the　day　of　his　espousals　and　in　the　day　of　the　gladness　of　his　heart。　　And　events　had　borne　out　the　accuracy　of　her　judgment；　and　proved　the　devotedness　of　her　care。　　He　should　have　heeded　her　for　Eustacia’s　sake　even　more　than　for　his　own。　　“It　was　all　my　fault；”　he　whispered。　　“O；　my　mother；　my　mother！　would　to　God　that　I　could　live　my　life　again；　and　endure　for　you　what　you　endured　for　me！”

On　the　Sunday　after　this　wedding　an　unusual　sight　was　to　be　seen　on　Rainbarrow。　　From　a　distance　there　simply　appeared　to　be　a　motionless　figure　standing　on　the　top　of　the　tumulus；　just　as　Eustacia　had　stood　on　that　lonely　summit　some　two　years　and　a　half　before。　　But　now　it　was　fine　warm　weather；　with　only　a　summer　breeze　blowing；　and　early　afternoon　instead　of　dull　twilight。　　Those　who　ascended　to　the　immediate　neighbourhood　of　the　Barrow　perceived　that　the　erect　form　in　the　centre；　piercing　the　sky；　was　not　really　alone。　　Round　him　upon　the　slopes　of　the　Barrow　a　number　of　heathmen　and　women　were　reclining　or　sitting　at　their　ease。　　They　listened　to　the　words　of　the　man　in　their　midst；　who　was　preaching；　while　they　abstractedly　pulled　heather；　stripped　ferns；　or　tossed　pebbles　down　the　slope。　　This　was　the　first　of　a　series　of　moral　lectures　or　Sermons　on　the　Mount；　which　were　to　be　delivered　from　the　same　place　every　Sunday　afternoon　as　long　as　the　fine　weather　lasted。　
The　manding　elevation　of　Rainbarrow　had　been　chosen　for　two　reasons：　first；　that　it　occupied　a　central　position　among　the　remote　cottages　around；　secondly；　that　the　preacher　thereon　could　be　seen　from　all　adjacent　points　as　soon　as　he　arrived　at　his　post；　the　view　of　him　being　thus　a　convenient　signal　to　those　stragglers　who　wished　to　draw　near。　　The　speaker　was　bareheaded；　and　the　breeze　at　each　waft　gently　lifted　and　lowered　his　hair；　somewhat　too　thin　for　a　man　of　his　years；　these　still　numbering　less　than　thirty…three。　　He　wore　a　shade　over　his　eyes；　and　his　face　was　pensive　and　lined；　but；　though　these　bodily　features　were　marked　with　decay　there　was　no　defect　in　the　tones　of　his　voice；　which　were　rich；　musical；　and　stirring。　　He　stated　that　his　discourses　to　people　were　to　be　sometimes　secular；　and　sometimes　religious；　but　never　dogmatic；　and　that　his　texts　would　be　taken　from　all　kinds　of　books。　　This　afternoon　the　words　were　as　follows：
“’And　the　king　rose　up　to　meet　her；　and　bowed　himself　unto　her；　and　sat　down　on　his　throne；　and　caused　a　seat　to　be　set　for　the　king’s　mother；　and　she　sat　on　his　right　hand。　　Then　she　said；　I　desire　one　small　petition　of　thee；
I　pray　thee　say　me　not　nay。　　And　the　king　said　unto　her；　Ask；　on；　my　mother：　for　I　will　not　say　thee　nay。’”

Yeobright　had；　in　fact；　found　his　vocation　in　the　career　of　an　itinerant　open…air　preacher　and　lecturer　on　morally　unimpeachable　subjects；　and　from　this　day　he　laboured　incessantly　in　that　office；　speaking　not　only　in　simple　language　on　Rainbarrow　and　in　the　hamlets　round；　but　in　a　more　cultivated　strain　elsewhere—from　the　steps　and　porticoes　of　town　halls；　from　market…crosses；　from　conduits；　on　esplanades　and　on　wharves；　from　the　parapets　of　bridges；　in　barns　and　outhouses；　and　all　other　such　places　in　the　neighbouring　Wessex　towns　and　villages。　　He　left　alone　creeds　and　systems　of　philosophy；　finding　enough　and　more　than　enough　to　occupy　his　tongue　in　the　opinions　and　actions　mon　to　all　good　men。　　Some　believed　him；　and　some　believed　not；　some　said　that　his　words　were　monplace；　others　plained　of　his　want　of　theological　doctrine；　while　others　again　remarked　that　it　was　well　enough　for　a　man　to　take　to　preachi