under the greenwood tree-第13章

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from　each　to　each；　which　had　apparently　no　relation　whatever　to　the

conversation　of　their　guests；　but　much　to　their　sustenance。　　A

conclusion　of　some　kind　having　at　length　been　drawn；　the　palpable

confederacy　of　man　and　wife　was　once　more　obliterated；　the　tranter

marching　off　into　the　pantry；　humming　a　tune　that　he　couldn't　quite

recollect；　and　then　breaking　into　the　words　of　a　song　of　which　he

could　remember　about　one　line　and　a　quarter。　　Mrs。　Dewy　spoke　a　few

words　about　preparations　for　a　bit　of　supper。



That　elder　portion　of　the　company　which　loved　eating　and　drinking

put　on　a　look　to　signify　that　till　this　moment　they　had　quite

forgotten　that　it　was　customary　to　expect　suppers　on　these

occasions；　going　even　further　than　this　politeness　of　feature；　and

starting　irrelevant　subjects；　the　exceeding　flatness　and　forced　tone

of　which　rather　betrayed　their　object。　　The　younger　members　said

they　were　quite　hungry；　and　that　supper　would　be　delightful　though

it　was　so　late。



Good　luck　attended　Dick's　love…passes　during　the　meal。　　He　sat　next

Fancy；　and　had　the　thrilling　pleasure　of　using　permanently　a　glass

which　had　been　taken　by　Fancy　in　mistake；　of　letting　the　outer　edge

of　the　sole　of　his　boot　touch　the　lower　verge　of　her　skirt；　and　to

add　to　these　delights　the　cat；　which　had　lain　unobserved　in　her　hap

for　several　minutes；　crept　across　into　his　own；　touching　him　with

fur　that　had　touched　her　hand　a　moment　before。　　There　were；　besides；

some　little　pleasures　in　the　shape　of　helping　her　to　vegetable　she

didn't　want；　and　when　it　had　nearly　alighted　on　her　plate　taking　it

across　for　his　own　use；　on　the　plea　of　waste　not；　want　not。　　He

also；　from　time　to　time；　sipped　sweet　sly　glances　at　her　profile；

noticing　the　set　of　her　head；　the　curve　of　her　throat；　and　other

artistic　properties　of　the　lively　goddess；　who　the　while　kept　up　a

rather　free；　not　to　say　too　free；　conversation　with　Mr。　Shiner

sitting　opposite；　which；　after　some　uneasy　criticism；　and　much

shifting　of　argument　backwards　and　forwards　in　Dick's　mind；　he

decided　not　to　consider　of　alarming　significance。



〃A　new　music　greets　our　ears　now；〃　said　Miss　Fancy；　alluding；　with

the　sharpness　that　her　position　as　village　sharpener　demanded；　to

the　contrast　between　the　rattle　of　knives　and　forks　and　the　late

notes　of　the　fiddlers。



〃Ay；　and　I　don't　know　but　what　'tis　sweeter　in　tone　when　you　get

above　forty；〃　said　the　tranter；　〃except；　in　faith；　as　regards　father

there。　　Never　such　a　mortal　man　as　he　for　tunes。　　They　do　move　his

soul；　don't　'em；　father？〃



The　eldest　Dewy　smiled　across　from　his　distant　chair　an　assent　to

Reuben's　remark。



〃Spaking　of　being　moved　in　soul；〃　said　Mr。　Penny；　〃I　shall　never

forget　the　first　time　I　heard　the　〃Dead　March。〃　　'Twas　at　poor

Corp'l　Nineman's　funeral　at　Casterbridge。　　It　fairly　made　my　hair

creep　and　fidget　about　like　a　vlock　of　sheepah；　it　did；　souls！

And　when　they　had　done；　and　the　last　trump　had　sounded；　and　the　guns

was　fired　over　the　dead　hero's　grave；　a'　icy…cold　drop　o'　moist

sweat　hung　upon　my　forehead；　and　another　upon　my　jawbone。　　Ah；　'tis

a　very　solemn　thing！〃



〃Well；　as　to　father　in　the　corner　there；〃　the　tranter　said；　pointing

to　old　William；　who　was　in　the　act　of　filling　his　mouth；　〃he'd

starve　to　death　for　music's　sake　now；　as　much　as　when　he　was　a　boy…

chap　of　fifteen。〃



〃Truly；　now；〃　said　Michael　Mail；　clearing　the　corner　of　his　throat

in　the　manner　of　a　man　who　meant　to　be　convincing；　'there's　a

friendly　tie　of　some　sort　between　music　and　eating。〃　　He　lifted　the

cup　to　his　mouth；　and　drank　himself　gradually　backwards　from　a

perpendicular　position　to　a　slanting　one；　during　which　time　his

looks　performed　a　circuit　from　the　wall　opposite　him　to　the　ceiling

overhead。　　Then　clearing　the　other　corner　of　his　throat：　　'Once　I

was　a…setting　in　the　little　kitchen　of　the　Dree　Mariners　at

Casterbridge；　having　a　bit　of　dinner；　and　a　brass　band　struck　up　in

the　street。　　Such　a　beautiful　band　as　that　were！　　I　was　setting

eating　fried　liver　and　lights；　I　well　can　mindah；　I　was！　and　to

save　my　life；　I　couldn't　help　chawing　to　the　tune。　　Band　played　six…

eight　time；　six…eight　chaws　I；　willynilly。　　Band　plays　common；

common　time　went　my　teeth　among　the　liver　and　lights　as　true　as　a

hair。　　Beautiful　'twere！　　Ah；　I　shall　never　forget　that　there　band！〃



〃That's　as　tuneful　a　thing　as　ever　I　heard　of；〃　said　grandfather

James；　with　the　absent　gaze　which　accompanies　profound　criticism。



〃I　don't　like　Michael's　tuneful　stories　then；〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy。

〃They　are　quite　coarse　to　a　person　o'　decent　taste。〃



Old　Michael's　mouth　twitched　here　and　there；　as　if　he　wanted　to

smile　but　didn't　know　where　to　begin；　which　gradually　settled　to　an

expression　that　it　was　not　displeasing　for　a　nice　woman　like　the

tranter's　wife　to　correct　him。



〃Well；　now；〃　said　Reuben；　with　decisive　earnestness；　〃that　sort　o'

coarse　touch　that's　so　upsetting　to　Ann's　feelings　is　to　my　mind　a

recommendation；　for　it　do　always　prove　a　story　to　be　true。　　And　for

the　same　reason；　I　like　a　story　with　a　bad　moral。　　My　sonnies；　all

true　stories　have　a　coarse　touch　or　a　bad　moral；　depend　upon't。　　If

the　story…tellers　could　ha'　got　decency　and　good　morals　from　true

stories；　who'd　ha'　troubled　to　invent　parables？〃　　Saying　this　the

tranter　arose　to　fetch　a　new　stock　of　cider；　ale；　mead；　and　home…

made　wines。



Mrs。　Dewy　sighed；　and　appended　a　remark　（ostensibly　behind　her

husband's　back；　though　that　the　words　should　reach　his　ears

distinctly　was　understood　by　both）：　　〃Such　a　man　as　Dewy　is！　　Nobody

do　know　the　trouble　I　have　to　keep　that　man　barely　respectable。　　And

did　you　ever　hear　toojust　now　at　supper…timetalking　about

〃taties〃　with　Michael　in　such　a　work…folk　way。　　Well；　'tis　what　I

was　never　brought　up　to！　　With　our　family　'twas　never　less　than

〃taters；〃　and　very　often　〃pertatoes〃　outright；　mother　was　so

particular　and　nice　with　us　girls　there　was　no　family　in　the　parish

that　kept　them　selves　up　more　than　we。〃



The　hour　of　parting　came。　　Fancy　could　not　remain　for　the　night；

because　she　had　engaged　a　woman　to　wait　up　for　her。　　She　disappeared

temporarily　from　the　flagging　party　of　dancers；　and　then　came

downstairs　wrapped　up　and　looking　altogether　a　different　person　from

whom　she　had　been　hitherto；　in　fact　（to　Dick's　sadness　and

disappointment）；　a　woman　somewhat　reserved　and　of　a　phlegmatic

temperamentnothing　left　in　her　of　the　romping　girl　that　she　had

seemed　but　a　short　quarter…hour　before；　who　had　not　minded　the

weight　of　Dick's　hand　upon　her　waist；　nor　shirked　the　purlieus　of

the　mistletoe。



〃What　a　difference！〃　thought　the　young　manhoary　cynic　pro　tem。

〃What　a　miserable　deceiving　difference　between　the　manners　of　a

maid's　life　at　dancing　times　and　at　others！　　Look　at　this　lovely

Fancy！　　Through　the　whole　past　evening　touchable；　squeezeableeven

kissable！　　For　whole　half…hours　I　held　her　so　chose　to　me　that　not　a

sheet　of　paper　could　have　been　shipped　between　us；　and　I　could　feel

her　heart　only　just　outside　my　own；　her　life　beating　on　so　close　to

mine；　that　I　was　aware　of　every　breath　in　it。　　A　flit　is　made

upstairsa　hat　and　a　cloak　put　onand　I　no　more　dare　to　touch　her

than〃　　Thought　failed　him；　and　he　returned　to　realities。



But　this　was　an　endurable　misery　in　comparison　with　what　followed。

Mr。　Shiner　and　his　watch…chain；　taking　the　intrusive　advantage　that

ardent　bachelors　who　are　going　homeward　along　the　same　road　as　a

pretty　young　woman　always　do　take　of　that　circumstance；　came　forward

to　assure　Fancywith　a　total　disregard　of　Dick's　emotions；　and　in

tones　which　were　certainly　not　frigidthat　he　（Shiner）　was　not　the

man　to　go　to　bed　before　seeing　his　Lady　Fair　safe　within　her　own

doornot　he；　nobody　should　say　he　was　that；and　that　he　would　not

leave　her　side　an　inch　till　the　thing　was　donedrown　him　if　he

would。　　The　proposal　was　assented　to　by　Miss　Day；　in　Dick's

foreboding