under the greenwood tree-第19章

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impressively；　and　advancing　a　little　closer　still　to　the　vicar；

〃father　there　is　a　perfect　figure　o'　wonder；　in　the　way　of　being

fond　of　music！〃



The　vicar　drew　back　a　little　further；　the　tranter　suddenly　also

standing　back　a　foot　or　two；　to　throw　open　the　view　of　his　father；

and　pointing　to　him　at　the　same　time。



Old　William　moved　uneasily　in　the　large　chair；　and　with　a　minute

smile　on　the　mere　edge　of　his　lips；　for　good…manners；　said　he　was

indeed　very　fond　of　tunes。



〃Now；　you　see　exactly　how　it　is；〃　Reuben　continued；　appealing　to　Mr。

Maybold's　sense　of　justice　by　looking　sideways　into　his　eyes。　　The

vicar　seemed　to　see　how　it　was　so　well　that　the　gratified　tranter

walked　up　to　him　again　with　even　vehement　eagerness；　so　that　his

waistcoat…buttons　almost　rubbed　against　the　vicar's　as　he　continued：

〃As　to　father；　if　you　or　I；　or　any　man　or　woman　of　the　present

generation；　at　the　time　music　is　a…playing；　was　to　shake　your　fist

in　father's　face；　as　may　be　this　way；　and　say；　〃Don't　you　be

delighted　with　that　music！the　tranter　went　back　to　where　Leaf　was

sitting；　and　held　his　fist　so　close　to　Leaf's　face　that　the　latter

pressed　his　head　back　against　the　wall：　　〃All　right；　Leaf；　my　sonny；

I　won't　hurt　you；　'tis　just　to　show　my　meaning　to　Mr。　Mayble。As　I

was　saying；　if　you　or　I；　or　any　man；　was　to　shake　your　fist　in

father's　face　this　way；　and　say；　〃William；　your　life　or　your　music！〃

he'd　say；　〃My　life！〃　　Now　that's　father's　nature　all　over；　and　you

see；　sir；　it　must　hurt　the　feelings　of　a　man　of　that　kind　for　him

and　his　bass…viol　to　be　done　away　wi'　neck　and　crop。〃



The　tranter　went　back　to　the　vicar's　front　and　again　looked

earnestly　at　his　face。



〃True；　true；　Dewy；〃　Mr。　Maybold　answered；　trying　to　withdraw　his

head　and　shoulders　without　moving　his　feet；　but　finding　this

impracticable；　edging　back　another　inch。　　These　frequent　retreats

had　at　last　jammed　Mr。　Maybold　between　his　easy…chair　and　the　edge

of　the　table。



And　at　the　moment　of　the　announcement　of　the　choir；　Mr。　Maybold　had

just　re…dipped　the　pen　he　was　using；　at　their　entry；　instead　of

wiping　it；　he　had　laid　it　on　the　table　with　the　nib　overhanging。　　At

the　last　retreat　his　coat…tails　came　in　contact　with　the　pen；　and

down　it　rolled；　first　against　the　back　of　the　chair；　thence　turning

a　summersault　into　the　seat；　thence　falling　to　the　floor　with　a

rattle。



The　vicar　stooped　for　his　pen；　and　the　tranter；　wishing　to　show

that；　however　great　their　ecclesiastical　differences；　his　mind　was

not　so　small　as　to　let　this　affect　his　social　feelings；　stooped

also。



〃And　have　you　anything　else　you　want　to　explain　to　me；　Dewy？〃　said

Mr。　Maybold　from　under　the　table。



〃Nothing；　sir。　　And；　Mr。　Mayble；　you　be　not　offended？　　I　hope　you

see　our　desire　is　reason？〃　said　the　tranter　from　under　the　chair。



〃Quite；　quite；　and　I　shouldn't　think　of　refusing　to　listen　to　such　a

reasonable　request；〃　the　vicar　replied。　　Seeing　that　Reuben　had

secured　the　pen；　he　resumed　his　vertical　position；　and　added；　〃You

know；　Dewy；　it　is　often　said　how　difficult　a　matter　it　is　to　act　up

to　our　convictions　and　please　all　parties。　　It　may　be　said　with

equal　truth；　that　it　is　difficult　for　a　man　of　any　appreciativeness

to　have　convictions　at　all。　　Now　in　my　case；　I　see　right　in　you；　and

right　in　Shiner。　　I　see　that　violins　are　good；　and　that　an　organ　is

good；　and　when　we　introduce　the　organ；　it　will　not　be　that　fiddles

were　bad；　but　that　an　organ　was　better。　　That　you'll　clearly

understand；　Dewy？〃



〃I　will；　and　thank　you　very　much　for　such　feelings；　sir。　　Piph…h…h…

h！　　How　the　blood　do　get　into　my　head；　to　be　sure；　whenever　I　quat

down　like　that！〃　said　Reuben；　who　having　also　risen　to　his　feet

stuck　the　pen　vertically　in　the　inkstand　and　almost　through　the

bottom；　that　it　might　not　roll　down　again　under　any　circumstances

whatever。



Now　the　ancient　body　of　minstrels　in　the　passage　felt　their

curiosity　surging　higher　and　higher　as　the　minutes　passed。　　Dick；

not　having　much　affection　for　this　errand；　soon　grew　tired；　and　went

away　in　the　direction　of　the　school。　　Yet　their　sense　of　propriety

would　probably　have　restrained　them　from　any　attempt　to　discover

what　was　going　on　in　the　study　had　not　the　vicar's　pen　fallen　to　the

floor。　　The　conviction　that　the　movement　of　chairs；　etc。；

necessitated　by　the　search；　could　only　have　been　caused　by　the

catastrophe　of　a　bloody　fight　beginning；　overpowered　all　other

considerations；　and　they　advanced　to　the　door；　which　had　only　just

fallen　to。　　Thus；　when　Mr。　Maybold　raised　his　eyes　after　the

stooping　he　beheld　glaring　through　the　door　Mr。　Penny　in　full…length

portraiture；　Mail's　face　and　shoulders　above　Mr。　Penny's　head；

Spinks's　forehead　and　eyes　over　Mail's　crown；　and　a　fractional　part

of　Bowman's　countenance　under　Spinks's　armcrescent　shaped　portions

of　other　heads　and　faces　being　visible　behind　thesethe　whole　dozen

and　odd　eyes　bristling　with　eager　inquiry。



Mr。　Penny；　as　is　the　case　with　excitable　boot…makers　and　men；　seeing

the　vicar　look　at　him　and　hearing　no　word　spoken；　thought　it

incumbent　upon　himself　to　say　something　of　any　kind。　　Nothing

suggested　itself　till　he　had　looked　for　about　half　a　minute　at　the

vicar。



〃You'll　excuse　my　naming　of　it；　sir；〃　he　said；　regarding　with　much

commiseration　the　mere　surface　of　the　vicar's　face；　〃but　perhaps　you

don't　know　that　your　chin　have　bust　out　a…bleeding　where　you　cut

yourself　a…shaving　this　morning；　sir。〃



〃Now；　that　was　the　stooping；　depend　upon't；〃　the　tranter　suggested；

also　looking　with　much　interest　at　the　vicar's　chin。　　〃Blood　always

will　bust　out　again　if　you　hang　down　the　member　that's　been

bleeding。〃



Old　William　raised　his　eyes　and　watched　the　vicar's　bleeding　chin

likewise；　and　Leaf　advanced　two　or　three　paces　from　the　bookcase；

absorbed　in　the　contemplation　of　the　same　phenomenon；　with　parted

lips　and　delighted　eyes。



〃Dear　me；　dear　me！〃　said　Mr。　Maybold　hastily；　looking　very　red；　and

brushing　his　chin　with　his　hand；　then　taking　out　his　handkerchief

and　wiping　the　place。



〃That's　it；　sir；　all　right　again　now；　'a　b'lievea　mere　nothing；〃

said　Mr。　Penny。　　〃A　little　bit　of　fur　off　your　hat　will　stop　it　in　a

minute　if　it　should　bust　out　again。〃



〃I'll　let　'ee　have　a　bit　off　mine；〃　said　Reuben；　to　show　his　good

feeling；　〃my　hat　isn't　so　new　as　yours；　sir；　and　'twon't　hurt　mine　a

bit。〃



〃No；　no；　thank　you；　thank　you；〃　Mr。　Maybold　again　nervously　replied。



〃'Twas　rather　a　deep　cut　seemingly？〃　said　Reuben；　feeling　these　to

be　the　kindest　and　best　remarks　he　could　make。



〃O；　no；　not　particularly。〃



〃Well；　sir；　your　hand　will　shake　sometimes　a…shaving；　and　just　when

it　comes　into　your　head　that　you　may　cut　yourself；　there's　the

blood。〃



〃I　have　been　revolving　in　my　mind　that　question　of　the　time　at　which

we　make　the　change；〃　said　Mr。　Maybold；　〃and　I　know　you'll　meet　me

half…way。　　I　think　Christmas…day　as　much　too　late　for　me　as　the

present　time　is　too　early　for　you。　　I　suggest　Michaelmas　or

thereabout　as　a　convenient　time　for　both　parties；　for　I　think　your

objection　to　a　Sunday　which　has　no　name　is　not　one　of　any　real

weight。〃



〃Very　good；　sir。　　I　suppose　mortal　men　mustn't　expect　their　own　way

entirely；　and　I　express　in　all　our　names　that　we'll　make　shift　and

be　satisfied　with　what　you　say。〃　　The　tranter　touched　the　brim　of

his　imaginary　hat　again；　and　all　the　choir　did　the　same。　　〃About

Michaelmas；　then；　as　far　as　you　are　concerned；　sir；　and　then　we　make

room　for　the　next　generation。〃



〃About　Michaelmas；〃　said　the　vicar。







CHAPTER　V：　　RETURNING　HOME　WARD







〃'A　took　it　very　well；　then？〃　said　Mail；　as　they　all　walked　up　the

hill。



〃He　behaved　like　a　man；　'a　did　so；〃　said　the　tranter。　　〃And　I'm　glad

we've　let　en　know　our　minds。　　And　though；　beyond　that；　we　ha'n't　got

much　by　going；　'twas　worth　while。　　He　won't　forget　it。　　Yes；　he　took