under the greenwood tree-第7章

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corner　of　the　school　chimney；　〃I　don't　quite　stomach　her；　if　this　is

it。　　Your　plain　music　well　done　is　as　worthy　as　your　other　sort　done

bad；　a'　b'lieve；　souls；　so　say　I。〃



〃Four　breaths；　and　then　the　last；〃　said　the　leader　authoritatively。

〃'Rejoice；　ye　Tenants　of　the　Earth；'　number　sixty…four。〃



At　the　close；　waiting　yet　another　minute；　he　said　in　a　clear　loud

voice；　as　he　had　said　in　the　village　at　that　hour　and　season　for　the

previous　forty　years〃A　merry　Christmas　to　ye！〃







CHAPTER　V：　　THE　LISTENERS







When　the　expectant　stillness　consequent　upon　the　exclamation　had

nearly　died　out　of　them　all；　an　increasing　light　made　itself　visible

in　one　of　the　windows　of　the　upper　floor。　　It　came　so　close　to　the

blind　that　the　exact　position　of　the　flame　could　be　perceived　from

the　outside。　　Remaining　steady　for　an　instant；　the　blind　went　upward

from　before　it；　revealing　to　thirty　concentrated　eyes　a　young　girl；

framed　as　a　picture　by　the　window　architrave；　and　unconsciously

illuminating　her　countenance　to　a　vivid　brightness　by　a　candle　she

held　in　her　left　hand；　close　to　her　face；　her　right　hand　being

extended　to　the　side　of　the　window。　　She　was　wrapped　in　a　white　robe

of　some　kind；　whilst　down　her　shoulders　fell　a　twining　profusion　of

marvellously　rich　hair；　in　a　wild　disorder　which　proclaimed　it　to　be

only　during　the　invisible　hours　of　the　night　that　such　a　condition

was　discoverable。　　Her　bright　eyes　were　looking　into　the　grey　world

outside　with　an　uncertain　expression；　oscillating　between　courage

and　shyness；　which；　as　she　recognized　the　semicircular　group　of　dark

forms　gathered　before　her；　transformed　itself　into　pheasant

resolution。



Opening　the　window；　she　said　lightly　and　warmly〃Thank　you；

singers；　thank　you！〃



Together　went　the　window　quickly　and　quietly；　and　the　blind　started

downward　on　its　return　to　its　place。　　Her　fair　forehead　and　eyes

vanished；　her　little　mouth；　her　neck　and　shoulders；　all　of　her。

Then　the　spot　of　candlelight　shone　nebulously　as　before；　then　it

moved　away。



〃How　pretty！〃　exclaimed　Dick　Dewy。



〃If　she'd　been　rale　wexwork　she　couldn't　ha'　been　comelier；〃　said

Michael　Mail。



〃As　near　a　thing　to　a　spiritual　vision　as　ever　I　wish　to　see！〃　said

tranter　Dewy。



〃O；　sich　I　never；　never　see！〃　said　Leaf　fervently。



All　the　rest；　after　clearing　their　threats　and　adjusting　their　hats；

agreed　that　such　a　sight　was　worth　singing　for。



〃Now　to　Farmer　Shiner's；　and　then　replenish　our　insides；　father？〃

said　the　tranter。



〃Wi'　all　my　heart；〃　said　old　William；　shouldering　his　bass…viol。



Farmer　Shiner's　was　a　queer　lump　of　a　house；　standing　at　the　corner

of　a　lane　that　ran　into　the　principal　thoroughfare。　　The　upper

windows　were　much　wider　than　they　were　high；　and　this　feature；

together　with　a　broad　bay…window　where　the　door　might　have　been

expected；　gave　it　by　day　the　aspect　of　a　human　countenance　turned

askance；　and　wearing　a　sly　and　wicked　leer。　　To…night　nothing　was

visible　but　the　outline　of　the　roof　upon　the　sky。



The　front　of　this　building　was　reached；　and　the　preliminaries

arranged　as　usual。



〃Four　breaths；　and　number　thirty…two；　'Behold　the　Morning　Star；'〃

said　old　William。



They　had　reached　the　end　of　the　second　verse；　and　the　fiddlers　were

doing　the　up　bow…stroke　previously　to　pouring　forth　the　opening

chord　of　the　third　verse；　when；　without　a　light　appearing　or　any

signal　being　given；　a　roaring　voice　exclaimed　…



〃Shut　up；　woll　'ee！　　Don't　make　your　blaring　row　here！　　A　feller　wi'

a　headache　enough　to　split　his　skull　likes　a　quiet　night！〃



Slam　went　the　window。



〃Hullo；　that's　a'　ugly　blow　for　we！〃　said　the　tranter；　in　a　keenly

appreciative　voice；　and　turning　to　his　companions。



〃Finish　the　carrel；　all　who　be　friends　of　harmony！〃　commanded　old

William；　and　they　continued　to　the　end。



〃Four　breaths；　and　number　nineteen！〃　said　William　firmly。　　〃Give　it

him　well；　the　quire　can't　be　insulted　in　this　manner！〃



A　light　now　flashed　into　existence；　the　window　opened；　and　the

farmer　stood　revealed　as　one　in　a　terrific　passion。



〃Drown　en！drown　en！〃　the　tranter　cried；　fiddling　frantically。

〃Play　fortissimy；　and　drown　his　spaking！〃



〃Fortissimy！〃　said　Michael　Mail；　and　the　music　and　singing　waxed　so

loud　that　it　was　impossible　to　know　what　Mr。　Shiner　had　said；　was

saying；　or　was　about　to　say；　but　wildly　flinging　his　arms　and　body

about　in　the　forms　of　capital　Xs　and　Ys；　he　appeared　to　utter　enough

invectives　to　consign　the　whole　parish　to　perdition。



〃Very　onseemlyvery！〃　said　old　William；　as　they　retired。　　〃Never

such　a　dreadful　scene　in　the　whole　round　o'　my　carrel　practice

never！　　And　he　a　churchwarden！〃



〃Only　a　drap　o'　drink　got　into　his　head；〃　said　the　tranter。　　〃Man's

well　enough　when　he's　in　his　religious　frame。　　He's　in　his　worldly

frame　now。　　Must　ask　en　to　our　bit　of　a　party　to…morrow　night；　I

suppose；　and　so　put　en　in　humour　again。　　We　bear　no　mortal　man　ill…

will。〃



They　now　crossed　Mellstock　Bridge；　and　went　along　an　embowered　path

beside　the　Froom　towards　the　church　and　vicarage；　meeting　Voss　with

the　hot　mead　and　bread…and…cheese　as　they　were　approaching　the

churchyard。　　This　determined　them　to　eat　and　drink　before　proceeding

further；　and　they　entered　the　church　and　ascended　to　the　gallery。

The　lanterns　were　opened；　and　the　whole　body　sat　round　against　the

walls　on　benches　and　whatever　else　was　available；　and　made　a　hearty

meal。　　In　the　pauses　of　conversation　there　could　be　heard　through

the　floor　overhead　a　little　world　of　undertones　and　creaks　from　the

halting　clockwork；　which　never　spread　further　than　the　tower　they

were　born　in；　and　raised　in　the　more　meditative　minds　a　fancy　that

here　hay　the　direct　pathway　of　Time。



Having　done　eating　and　drinking；　they　again　tuned　the　instruments；

and　once　more　the　party　emerged　into　the　night　air。



〃Where's　Dick？〃　said　old　Dewy。



Every　man　hooked　round　upon　every　other　man；　as　if　Dick　might　have

been　transmuted　into　one　or　the　other；　and　then　they　said　they

didn't　know。



〃Well　now；　that's　what　I　call　very　nasty　of　Master　Dicky；　that　I

do；〃　said　Michael　Mail。



〃He've　clinked　off　home…along；　depend　upon't；〃　another　suggested；

though　not　quite　believing　that　he　had。



〃Dick！〃　exclaimed　the　tranter；　and　his　voice　rolled　sonorously　forth

among　the　yews。



He　suspended　his　muscles　rigid　as　stone　whilst　listening　for　an

answer；　and　finding　he　listened　in　vain；　turned　to　the　assemblage。



〃The　treble　man　too！　　Now　if　he'd　been　a　tenor　or　counter　chap；　we

might　ha'　contrived　the　rest　o't　without　en；　you　see。　　But　for　a

quire　to　lose　the　treble；　why；　my　sonnies；　you　may　so　well　lose　your

。　。　。　〃　　The　tranter　paused；　unable　to　mention　an　image　vast　enough

for　the　occasion。



〃Your　head　at　once；〃　suggested　Mr。　Penny。



The　tranter　moved　a　pace；　as　if　it　were　puerile　of　people　to

complete　sentences　when　there　were　more　pressing　things　to　be　done。



〃Was　ever　heard　such　a　thing　as　a　young　man　leaving　his　work　half

done　and　turning　tail　like　this！〃



〃Never；〃　replied　Bowman；　in　a　tone　signifying　that　he　was　the　last

man　in　the　world　to　wish　to　withhold　the　formal　finish　required　of

him。



〃I　hope　no　fatal　tragedy　has　overtook　the　had！〃　said　his

grandfather。



〃O　no；〃　replied　tranter　Dewy　placidly。　　〃Wonder　where　he's　put　that

there　fiddle　of　his。　　Why　that　fiddle　cost　thirty　shillings；　and

good　words　besides。　　Somewhere　in　the　damp；　without　doubt；　that

instrument　will　be　unglued　and　spoilt　in　ten　minutesten！　ay；　two。〃



〃What　in　the　name　o'　righteousness　can　have　happened？〃　said　old

William；　more　uneasily。　　〃Perhaps　he's　drownded！〃



〃Leaving　their　lanterns　and　instruments　in　the　belfry　they　retraced

their　steps　along　the　waterside　track。　　〃A　strapping　lad　like　Dick

d'know　better　than　let　anything　happen　onawares；〃　Reuben　remarked。

〃There's　sure　to　be　so