under the greenwood tree-第10章

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and　only　jined　in　now　and　then。〃



〃None　at　all；〃　said　Mr。　Penny。　　〃But　though　I　don't　wish　to　accuse

people　wrongfully；　I'd　say　before　my　lord　judge　that　I　could　hear

every　note　o'　that　last　psalm　come　from　'em　as　much　as　from　us

every　note　as　if　'twas　their　own。〃



〃Know　it！　ah；　I　should　think　I　did　know　it！〃　　Mr。　Spinks　was　heard

to　observe　at　this　moment；　without　reference　to　his　fellow　players

shaking　his　head　at　some　idea　he　seemed　to　see　floating　before　him；

and　smiling　as　if　he　were　attending　a　funeral　at　the　time。　　〃Ah；　do

I　or　don't　I　know　it！〃



No　one　said　〃Know　what？〃　because　all　were　aware　from　experience　that

what　he　knew　would　declare　itself　in　process　of　time。



〃I　could　fancy　last　night　that　we　should　have　some　trouble　wi'　that

young　man；〃　said　the　tranter；　pending　the　continuance　of　Spinks's

speech；　and　looking　towards　the　unconscious　Mr。　Maybold　in　the

pulpit。



〃_I_　fancy；〃　said　old　William；　rather　severely；　〃I　fancy　there's　too

much　whispering　going　on　to　be　of　any　spiritual　use　to　gentle　or

simple。〃　　Then　folding　his　lips　and　concentrating　his　glance　on　the

vicar；　he　implied　that　none　but　the　ignorant　would　speak　again；　and

accordingly　there　was　silence　in　the　gallery；　Mr。　Spinks's　telling

speech　remaining　for　ever　unspoken。



Dick　had　said　nothing；　and　the　tranter　little；　on　this　episode　of

the　morning；　for　Mrs。　Dewy　at　breakfast　expressed　it　as　her

intention　to　invite　the　youthful　leader　of　the　culprits　to　the　small

party　it　was　customary　with　them　to　have　on　Christmas　nighta　piece

of　knowledge　which　had　given　a　particular　brightness　to　Dick's

reflections　since　he　had　received　it。　　And　in　the　tranter's

slightly…cynical　nature；　party　feeling　was　weaker　than　in　the　other

members　of　the　choir；　though　friendliness　and　faithful　partnership

still　sustained　in　him　a　hearty　earnestness　on　their　account。







CHAPTER　VII：　　THE　TRANTER'S　PARTY







During　the　afternoon　unusual　activity　was　seen　to　prevail　about　the

precincts　of　tranter　Dewy's　house。　　The　flagstone　floor　was　swept　of

dust；　and　a　sprinkling　of　the　finest　yellow　sand　from　the　innermost

stratum　of　the　adjoining　sand…pit　lightly　scattered　thereupon。　　Then

were　produced　large　knives　and　forks；　which　had　been　shrouded　in

darkness　and　grease　since　the　last　occasion　of　the　kind；　and　bearing

upon　their　sides；　〃Shear…steel；　warranted；〃　in　such　emphatic　letters

of　assurance；　that　the　warranter's　name　was　not　required　as　further

proof；　and　not　given。　　The　key　was　left　in　the　tap　of　the　cider…

barrel；　instead　of　being　carried　in　a　pocket。　　And　finally　the

tranter　had　to　stand　up　in　the　room　and　let　his　wife　wheel　him　round

like　a　turnstile；　to　see　if　anything　discreditable　was　visible　in

his　appearance。



〃Stand　still　till　I've　been　for　the　scissors；〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy。



The　tranter　stood　as　still　as　a　sentinel　at　the　challenge。



The　only　repairs　necessary　were　a　trimming　of　one　or　two　whiskers

that　had　extended　beyond　the　general　contour　of　the　mass；　a　like

trimming　of　a　slightly…frayed　edge　visible　on　his　shirt…collar；　and

a　final　tug　at　a　grey　hairto　all　of　which　operations　he　submitted

in　resigned　silence；　except　the　last；　which　produced　a　mild　〃Come；

come；　Ann；〃　by　way　of　expostulation。



〃Really；　Reuben；　'tis　quite　a　disgrace　to　see　such　a　man；〃　said　Mrs。

Dewy；　with　the　severity　justifiable　in　a　long…tried　companion；

giving　him　another　turn　round；　and　picking　several　of　Smiler's　hairs

from　the　shoulder　of　his　coat。　　Reuben's　thoughts　seemed　engaged

elsewhere；　and　he　yawned。　　〃And　the　cellar　of　your　coat　is　a　shame

to　beholdso　plastered　with　dirt；　or　dust；　or　grease；　or　something。

Why；　wherever　could　you　have　got　it？〃



〃'Tis　my　warm　nater　in　summer…time；　I　suppose。　　I　always　did　get　in

such　a　heat　when　I　bustle　about。〃



〃Ay；　the　Dewys　always　were　such　a　coarse…skinned　family。　　There's

your　brother　Bob　just　as　badas　fat　as　a　porpoisewi'　his　how；

mean；　〃How'st　do；　Ann？〃　whenever　he　meets　me。　　I'd　〃How'st　do〃　him

indeed！　　If　the　sun　only　shines　out　a　minute；　there　be　you　all

streaming　in　the　faceI　never　see！〃



〃If　I　be　hot　week…days；　I　must　be　hot　Sundays。〃



〃If　any　of　the　girls　should　turn　after　their　father　'twill　be　a　bad

look…out　for　'em；　poor　things！　　None　of　my　family　were　sich　vulgar

sweaters；　not　one　of　'em。　　But；　Lord…a…mercy；　the　Dewys！　　I　don't

know　how　ever　I　cam'　into　such　a　family！〃



〃Your　woman's　weakness　when　I　asked　ye　to　jine　us。　　That's　how　it

was　I　suppose。〃　　But　the　tranter　appeared　to　have　heard　some　such

words　from　his　wife　before；　and　hence　his　answer　had　not　the　energy

it　might　have　shown　if　the　inquiry　had　possessed　the　charm　of

novelty。



〃You　never　did　hook　so　well　in　a　pair　o'　trousers　as　in　them；〃　she

continued　in　the　same　unimpassioned　voice；　so　that　the　unfriendly

criticism　of　the　Dewy　family　seemed　to　have　been　mere　normal　than

spontaneous。　　〃Such　a　cheap　pair　as　'twas　too。　　As　big　as　any　man

could　wish　to　have；　and　lined　inside；　and　double…lined　in　the　lower

parts；　and　an　extra　piece　of　stiffening　at　the　bottom。　　And　'tis　a

nice　high　cut　that　comes　up　right　under　your　armpits；　and　there's

enough　turned　down　inside　the　seams　to　make　half　a　pair　more；

besides　a　piece　of　cloth　heft　that　will　make　an　honest　waistcoat

all　by　my　contriving　in　buying　the　stuff　at　a　bargain；　and　having　it

made　up　under　my　eye。　　It　only　shows　what　may　be　done　by　taking　a

little　trouble；　and　not　going　straight　to　the　rascally　tailors。〃



The　discourse　was　cut　short　by　the　sudden　appearance　of　Charley　on

the　scene；　with　a　face　and　hands　of　hideous　blackness；　and　a　nose

like　a　guttering　candle。　　Why；　on　that　particularly　cleanly

afternoon；　he　should　have　discovered　that　the　chimney…crook　and

chain　from　which　the　hams　were　suspended　should　have　possessed　more

merits　and　general　interest　as　playthings　than　any　other　articles　in

the　house；　is　a　question　for　nursing　mothers　to　decide。　　However；

the　humour　seemed　to　lie　in　the　result　being；　as　has　been　seen；　that

any　given　player　with　these　articles　was　in　the　long…run　daubed　with

soot。　　The　last　that　was　seen　of　Charley　by　daylight　after　this

piece　of　ingenuity　was　when　in　the　act　of　vanishing　from　his

father's　presence　round　the　corner　of　the　houselooking　back　over

his　shoulder　with　an　expression　of　great　sin　on　his　face；　like　Cain

as　the　Outcast　in　Bible　pictures。





The　guests　had　all　assembled；　and　the　tranter's　party　had　reached

that　degree　of　development　which　accords　with　ten　o'clock　P。M。　in

rural　assemblies。　　At　that　hour　the　sound　of　a　fiddle　in　process　of

tuning　was　heard　from　the　inner　pantry。



〃That's　Dick；〃　said　the　tranter。　　〃That　lad's　crazy　for　a　jig。〃



〃Dick！　　Now　I　cannotreally；　I　cannot　have　any　dancing　at　all　till

Christmas…day　is　out；〃　said　old　William　emphatically。　　〃When　the

clock　ha'　done　striking　twelve；　dance　as　much　as　ye　like。〃



〃Well；　I　must　say　there's　reason　in　that；　William；〃　said　Mrs。　Penny。

〃If　you　do　have　a　party　on　Christmas…night；　'tis　only　fair　and

honourable　to　the　sky…folk　to　have　it　a　sit…still　party。　　Jigging

parties　be　all　very　well　on　the　Devil's　holidays；　but　a　jigging

party　looks　suspicious　now。　　O　yes；　stop　till　the　chock　strikes；

young　folkso　say　I。〃



It　happened　that　some　warm　mead　accidentally　got　into　Mr。　Spinks's

head　about　this　time。



〃Dancing；〃　he　said；　〃is　a　most　strengthening；　livening；　and　courting

movement；　'specially　with　a　little　beverage　added！　　And　dancing　is

good。　　But　why　disturb　what　is　ordained；　Richard　and　Reuben；　and　the

company　zhinerally？　　Why；　I　ask；　as　far　as　that　do　go？〃



〃Then　nothing　till　after　twelve；〃　said　William。



Though　Reuben　and　his　wife　ruled　on　social　points；　religious

questions　were　mostly　disposed　of　by　the　old　man；　whose　firmness　on

this　head　quite　counterbalanced　a　certain　weakness　in　his　handling

of　domestic　matters。　　The　hopes　of　the　younger　members　of　the

household　were