under the greenwood tree-第24章

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mathematical　centre　of　his　eyes。



〃Ah；　I'll　warrant　I　shall；〃　said　Dick；　feelingly　too；　and　looking

back　into　her　dark　pupils；　whereupon　they　were　turned　aside。



〃I　meant；〃　she　went　on；　preventing　him　from　speaking　just　as　he　was

going　to　narrate　a　forcible　story　about　his　feelings；　〃I　meant　that

nobody　comes　to　see　if　I　have　returnednot　even　the　vicar。〃



〃If　you　want　to　see　him；　I'll　call　at　the　vicarage　directly　we　have

had　some　tea。〃



〃No；　no！　　Don't　let　him　come　down　here；　whatever　you　do；　whilst　I　am

in　such　a　state　of　disarrangement。　　Parsons　look　so　miserable　and

awkward　when　one's　house　is　in　a　muddle；　walking　about；　and　making

impossible　suggestions　in　quaint　academic　phrases　till　your　flesh

creeps　and　you　wish　them　dead。　　Do　you　take　sugar？〃



Mr。　Maybold　was　at　this　instant　seen　coming　up　the　path。



〃There！　　That's　he　coming！　　How　I　wish　you　were　not　here　Ithat　is；

how　awkwarddear；　dear！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a　quick　ascent　of

blood　to　her　face；　and　irritated　with　Dick　rather　than　the　vicar；　as

it　seemed。



〃Pray　don't　be　alarmed　on　my　account；　Miss　Daygood…afternoon！〃

said　Dick　in　a　huff；　putting　on　his　hat；　and　leaving　the　room

hastily　by　the　back…door。



The　horse　was　caught　and　put　in；　and　on　mounting　the　shafts　to　start

he　saw　through　the　window　the　vicar；　standing　upon　some　books　piled

in　a　chair；　and　driving　a　nail　into　the　wall；　Fancy；　with　a　demure

glance；　holding　the　canary…cage　up　to　him；　as　if　she　had　never　in

her　life　thought　of　anything　but　vicars　and　canaries。







CHAPTER　VIII：　　DICK　MEETS　HIS　FATHER







For　several　minutes　Dick　drove　along　homeward；　with　the　inner　eye　of

reflection　so　anxiously　set　on　his　passages　at　arms　with　Fancy；　that

the　road　and　scenery　were　as　a　thin　mist　over　the　real　pictures　of

his　mind。　　Was　she　a　coquette？　　The　balance　between　the　evidence

that　she　did　love　him　and　that　she　did　not　was　so　nicely　struck；

that　his　opinion　had　no　stability。　　She　had　let　him　put　his　hand

upon　hers；　she　had　allowed　her　gaze　to　drop　plumb　into　the　depths　of

hishis　into　hersthree　or　four　times；　her　manner　had　been　very

free　with　regard　to　the　basin　and　towel；　she　had　appeared　vexed　at

the　mention　of　Shiner。　　On　the　other　hand；　she　had　driven　him　about

the　house　like　a　quiet　dog　or　cat；　said　Shiner　cared　for　her；　and

seemed　anxious　that　Mr。　Maybold　should　do　the　same。



Thinking　thus　as　he　neared　the　handpost　at　Mellstock　Cross；　sitting

on　the　front　board　of　the　spring　carthis　legs　on　the　outside；　and

his　whole　frame　jigging　up　and　down　like　a　candle…flame　to　the　time

of　Smart's　trottingwho　should　he　see　coming　down　the　hill　but　his

father　in　the　light　wagon；　quivering　up　and　down　on　a　smaller　scale

of　shakes；　those　merely　caused　by　the　stones　in　the　road。　　They　were

soon　crossing　each　other's　front。



〃Weh…hey！〃　said　the　tranter　to　Smiler。



〃Weh…hey！〃　said　Dick　to　Smart；　in　an　echo　of　the　same　voice。



〃Th'st　hauled　her　back；　I　suppose？〃　Reuben　inquired　peaceably。



〃Yes；〃　said　Dick；　with　such　a　clinching　period　at　the　end　that　it

seemed　he　was　never　going　to　add　another　word。　　Smiler；　thinking

this　the　close　of　the　conversation；　prepared　to　move　on。



〃Weh…hey！〃　said　the　tranter。　　〃I　tell　thee　what　it　is；　Dick。　　That

there　maid　is　taking　up　thy　thoughts　more　than's　good　for　thee；　my

sonny。　　Thou'rt　never　happy　now　unless　th'rt　making　thyself

miserable　about　her　in　one　way　or　another。〃



〃I　don't　know　about　that；　father；〃　said　Dick　rather　stupidly。



〃But　I　doWey；　Smiler！'Od　rot　the　women；　'tis　nothing　else　wi'

'em　nowadays　but　getting　young　men　and　leading　'em　astray。〃



〃Pooh；　father！　you　just　repeat　what　all　the　common　world　says；

that's　all　you　do。〃



〃The　world's　a　very　sensible　feller　on　things　in　jineral；　Dick；　very

sensible　indeed。〃



Dick　looked　into　the　distance　at　a　vast　expanse　of　mortgaged　estate。

〃I　wish　I　was　as　rich　as　a　squire　when　he's　as　poor　as　a　crow；〃　he

murmured；　〃I'd　soon　ask　Fancy　something。〃



〃I　wish　so　too；　wi'　all　my　heart；　sonny；　that　I　do。　　Well；　mind　what

beest　about；　that's　all。〃



Smart　moved　on　a　step　or　two。　　〃Supposing　now；　father；We…hey；

Smart！I　did　think　a　little　about　her；　and　I　had　a　chance；　which　I

ha'n't；　don't　you　think　she's　a　very　good　sort　ofofone？〃



〃Ay；　good；　she's　good　enough。　　When　you've　made　up　your　mind　to

marry；　take　the　first　respectable　body　that　comes　to　handshe's　as

good　as　any　other；　they　be　all　alike　in　the　groundwork；　'tis　only　in

the　flourishes　there's　a　difference。　　She's　good　enough；　but　I　can't

see　what　the　nation　a　young　feller　like　youwi　a　comfortable　house

and　home；　and　father　and　mother　to　take　care　o'　thee；　and　who　sent

'ee　to　a　school　so　good　that　'twas　hardly　fair　to　the　other

childrenshould　want　to　go　hollering　after　a　young　woman　for；　when

she's　quietly　making　a　husband　in　her　pocket；　and　not　troubled　by

chick　nor　chiel；　to　make　a　poverty…stric'　wife　and　family　of　her；

and　neither　hat；　cap；　wig；　nor　waistcoat　to　set　'em　up　with：　　be

drowned　if　I　can　see　it；　and　that's　the　long　and　the　short　o't；　my

sonny。〃



Dick　looked　at　Smart's　ears；　then　up　the　hill；　but　no　reason　was

suggested　by　any　object　that　met　his　gaze。



〃For　about　the　same　reason　that　you　did；　father；　I　suppose。〃



〃Dang　it；　my　sonny；　thou'st　got　me　there！〃　　And　the　tranter　gave

vent　to　a　grim　admiration；　with　the　mien　of　a　man　who　was　too

magnanimous　not　to　appreciate　artistically　a　slight　rap　on　the

knuckles；　even　if　they　were　his　own。



〃Whether　or　no；〃　said　Dick；　〃I　asked　her　a　thing　going　along　the

road。〃



〃Come　to　that；　is　it？　　Turk！　won't　thy　mother　be　in　a　taking！　　Well；

she's　ready；　I　don't　doubt？〃



〃I　didn't　ask　her　anything　about　having　me；　and　if　you'll　let　me

speak；　I'll　tell　'ee　what　I　want　to　know。　　I　just　said；　Did　she　care

about　me？〃



〃Piph…ph…ph！〃



〃And　then　she　said　nothing　for　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　and　then　she

said　she　didn't　know。　　Now；　what　I　want　to　know　is；　what　was　the

meaning　of　that　speech？〃　　The　latter　words　were　spoken　resolutely；

as　if　he　didn't　care　for　the　ridicule　of　all　the　fathers　in

creation。



〃The　meaning　of　that　speech　is；〃　the　tranter　replied　deliberately；

〃that　the　meaning　is　meant　to　be　rather　hid　at　present。　　Well；　Dick；

as　an　honest　father　to　thee；　I　don't　pretend　to　deny　what　you　d'know

well　enough；　that　is；　that　her　father　being　rather　better　in　the

pocket　than　we；　I　should　welcome　her　ready　enough　if　it　must　be

somebody。〃



〃But　what　d'ye　think　she　really　did　mean？〃　said　the　unsatisfied

Dick。



〃I'm　afeard　I　am　not　o'　much　account　in　guessing；　especially　as　I

was　not　there　when　she　said　it；　and　seeing　that　your　mother　was　the

only　'ooman　I　ever　cam'　into　such　close　quarters　as　that　with。〃



〃And　what　did　mother　say　to　you　when　you　asked　her？〃　said　Dick

musingly。



〃I　don't　see　that　that　will　help　'ee。〃



〃The　principle　is　the　same。〃



〃Wellay：　　what　did　she　say？　　Let's　see。　　I　was　oiling　my　working…

day　boots　without　taking　'em　off；　and　wi'　my　head　hanging　down；　when

she　just　brushed　on　by　the　garden　hatch　like　a　flittering　leaf。

〃Ann；〃　I　said；　says　I；　and　then；but；　Dick　I'm　afeard　'twill　be　no

help　to　thee；　for　we　were　such　a　rum　couple；　your　mother　and　I；

leastways　one　half　was；　that　is　myselfand　your　mother's　charms　was

more　in　the　manner　than　the　material。〃



〃Never　mind！　〃Ann；〃　said　you。〃



〃'Ann；'　said　I；　as　I　was　saying　。　。　。　'Ann；'　I　said　to　her　when　I

was　oiling　my　working…day　boots　wi'　my　head　hanging　down；　'Woot　hae

me？'　。　。　。　What　came　next　I　can't　quite　call　up　at　this　distance　o'

time。　　Perhaps　your　mother　would　know；she's　got　a　better　memory

for　her　little　triumphs　than　I。　　However；　the　long　and　the　short　o'

the　story　is　that　we　were　married　somehow；　as　I　found　afterwards。

'Twas　on　White　Tuesday；Mellstock　Club　walked　the　same　day；　every

man　two　and　two；　and　a　fine　day　'twas；hot　as　fire；how　the　sun

did　str