远离尘嚣-第10章

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‘Don't　be　so　cruel，Liddy！Say　you　don't　believe　he's　had！’

‘I　don't　know　what　to　say，miss，’said　Liddy，beginning　to　cry。　‘I'll　make　you　angry　whatever　I　say！’

‘Oh，how　weak　I　am！How　I　wish　I'd　never　seen　him！You　see　how　much　I　love　him，Liddy！Don't　tell　anyone　my　secret，Liddy！’

‘I'll　keep　your　secret，miss，’said　Liddy　gently。　

　



　



11

Farmer　Boldwood　becomes　desperate

　

Liddy　was　allowed　a　week's　holiday　to　visit　her　sister，

who　lived　a　few　miles　away。　To　avoid　seeing　Mr　Bold－wood，Bathsheba　herself　arranged　to　visit　Liddy　at　her　sister's　home　for　a　day　or　two。　She　left　her　cleaning…woman，Maryann，in　charge　of　the　house，and　set　out　on　foot　one　evening。

She　had　walked　only　about　two　miles　when　she　saw，coming　towards　her，the　one　man　who　she　did　not　wish　to　see。　His　changed　appearance　showed　her　that　he　had　received　her　letter。

‘Oh，is　it　you，Mr　Boldwood？’she　said，with　a　guilty　blush。

‘You　know　how　I　feel　about　you，’he　said　slowly。　‘A　love　as　strong　as　death。　A　letter　cannot　change　that　feeling。　’

‘Don't　speak　of　it，’she　whispered。

‘Then　I　have　nothing　to　say。　Your　letter　was　excellently　clear。　We　are　not　going　to　marry。　’

Bathsheba　said　confusedly，‘Good　evening，’and　walked　on　a　little　further。　But　Boldwood　could　not　let　her　go。

‘Bathsheba—darling—is　it　really　final？’

‘Indeed　it　is。　’

‘Oh　Bathsheba，have　pity　on　me！I　am　mad　with　love　for　you！Don't　refuse　me　now！You　turned　to　me，and　encour－aged　me，before　I　ever　thought　of　you！’

‘What　you　call　encouragement　was　a　childish　joke。　I'm　deeply　sorry　I　sent　the　valentine。　Must　you　go　on　reminding　me　of　it？’

‘I　love　you　too　much　to　blame　you　for　it！Bathsheba，you　are　the　first　woman　I　have　ever　loved。　How　nearly　you　promised　to　marry　me！What　has　happened　to　your　kindness　towards　me？’

Bathsheba　looked　him　quietly　and　openly　in　the　face　and　said，‘Mr　Boldwood，I　promised　you　nothing。　’

‘How　can　you　be　so　heartless！If　I　had　known　how　awfully　bitter　this　love　would　be，I'd　have　avoided　you，and　been　deaf　to　you！I　tell　you　all　this，but　what　do　you　care！’

Bathsheba's　control　was　breaking。　She　shook　her　head　desperately　as　the　man's　angry　words　rained　down　on　her。

‘Forgive　me，sir！I　can't　love　as　you　can！’

‘That's　not　a　good　reason，Miss　Everdene！You　aren't　the　cold　woman　you're　pretending　to　be！You're　hiding　the　fact　that　you've　a　burning　heart　like　mine。　Your　love　is　given　to　another　man！’

He　knows！she　thought。　He　knows　about　Frank！

‘Why　didn't　Troy　leave　my　darling　alone？he　continued　fiercely。　‘Tell　me　honestly，if　you　hadn't　met　him，would　you　have　accepted　my　proposal？’

She　delayed　her　answer，but　she　was　too　honest　to　stay　silent。　‘Yes，’she　whispered。

‘In　my　absence　he　stole　my　most　valuable　prize　from　me。　Now　I've　lost　my　respect　and　my　good　name，and　everybody　laughs　at　me。　Marry　him，go　on，marry　him！I　would　have　died　for　you，but　you　have　given　yourself　to　a　worthless　man。　Perhaps　he　has　even　kissed　you！Tell　me　he　hasn't！’

She　was　frightened　of　Boldwood's　anger，but　she　answered　bravely，‘He　has。　I'm　not　ashamed　to　speak　the　truth。　’

‘I　would　have　given　a　fortune　to　touch　your　hand，’cried　Boldwood　wildly，‘but　you　have　let　a　man　like　that—kiss　you！One　day　he'll　be　sorry，and　realize　the　pain　he's　caused　me！’

‘Be　kind　to　him，sir，’she　cried　miserably，‘because　I　love　him　so　much！’

Boldwood　was　no　longer　listening　to　her。　‘I'll　punish　him！Sweet　Bathsheba，forgive　me！I've　been　blaming　you，but　it's　his　fault。　He　stole　your　dear　heart　away　with　his　lies。　When　I　find　him，I'll　fight　him！Keep　him　away　from　me，Bathsbeba！’

The　desperate　man　stood　still　for　a　moment，then　turned　and　left　her。　Bathsheba　walked　up　and　down，crying　and　whispering　to　herself，then　threw　herself　down　by　the　road，exhausted。　She　knew　that　Troy　was　away　in　Bath　at　the　moment，but　would　be　returning　to　Weatherbury　very　soon。　If　he　came　to　visit　her，and　Boldwood　saw　him，a　fierce　argu…ment　would　be　the　result，and　Troy　could　be　hurt。　But　per…haps　Gabriel　and　Boldwood　were　right，and　she　should　not　see　him　again？If　she　could　only　see　Troy　now，he　would　help　her　to　decide！She　jumped　to　her　feet，and　hurried　back　along　the　road　to　Weatherbury。

That　night　Maryann，the　only　person　sleeping　in　Bathsheba's　house，was　woken　by　strange　noises　in　the　field　where　the　horses　were　kept。　She　looked　out　of　her　bedroom　window　just　in　time　to　see　a　dark　figure　leading　Bathsheba's　horse　and　cart　out　of　the　field。　She　ran　to　Jan　Coggan's　house　for　help。　Jan　and　Gabriel　immediately　rode　after　the　thief。　After　riding　for　some　time　in　the　dark，they　finally　caught　up　with　the　cart　at　a　toll…gate。

‘Keep　the　gate　closed！’shouted　Gabriel　to　the　gatekeeper。

‘That　man's　stolen　the　horse　and　cart！’

‘What　man　？’asked　the　gatekeeper，puzzled。

Gabriel　looked　closely　at　the　driver　of　the　cart，and　saw　a　woman—Bathsheba。　She　turned　her　face　away　from　the　light　when　she　heard　his　voice，but　Jan　Coggan　had　also　recognized　her。　She　was　quick　to　hide　her　surprise　but　not　her　annoyance。

‘Well，Gabriel，’she　asked　coldly，‘where　are　you　going？’

‘We　thought　someone　had　stolen　the　horse　and　cart。　’

‘How　foolish　of　you！Some　important　business　made　me　change　my　plans。　I'm　on　my　way　to　Bath。　I　may　visit　Liddy　at　her　sister's　later。　I　arrived　home　during　the　night，so　I　didn't　wake　Maryann　up。　I　Just　took　the　horse　and　cart　myself。　Thank　you　for　taking　all　this　trouble，but　it　wasn't　necessary。

The　gatekeeper　opened　the　gate　and　she　passed　through。　Coggan　and　Gabriel　turned　their　horses　and　rode　slowly　home。

Gabriel　said，‘I　think　we'll　keep　this　strange　trip　of　hers　to　Bath　a　secret，Jan，’and　Jan　agreed。

So　at　first　the　people　of　Weatherbury　had　no　idea　where　she　had　gone。　She　stayed　away　for　two　weeks，and　there　were　reports　that　she　had　been　seen　in　Bath　with　Sergeant　Troy。　Gabriel　knew　in　his　heart　that　this　must　be　true。　He　worked　as　hard　as　ever　on　her　farm，but　all　the　time　there　was　a　deep　ache　inside　him。　

　



　



12

Bathsheba　makes　her　choice

　

On　the　same　day　that　Bathsheba　arrived　home，　Mr　Boldwood　went　to　apologize　to　her　for　speaking　so　violently　the　last　time　he　had　seen　her。　He　knew　nothing　of　her　trip　to　Bath，and　supposed　she　had　only　been　to　visit　Liddy。　But　at　her　door　he　was　told　he　could　not　see　her，and　he　realized　she　had　not　forgiven　him。

On　his　way　home　through　Weatherbury　he　saw　the　coach　from　Bath。　It　stopped　at　the　usual　place，and　a　soldier　in　a　red　and　gold　uniform　jumped　down。　Sergeant　Troy　picked　up　his　bag　and　was　about　to　take　the　road　to　Bathsheba's　house，when　Boldwood　stepped　forward。

‘Sergeant　Troy？I　am　William　Boldwood。　’

‘Indeed？’said　Troy，showing　little　interest。

‘I　want　to　speak　to　you—about　two　women。　’

Troy　saw　the　heavy　stick　Boldwood　was　holding，and　real－ized　how　determined　he　was。　He　decided　it　was　worth　being　polite。

‘I'll　listen　with　pleasure，but　do　speak　quietly。　’

‘Well　then，I've　heard　about　your　relationship　with　Fanny　Robin，and　I　think　you　ought　to　marry　her。　’

‘I　suppose　I　ought。　Indeed，I　want　to，but　I　cannot。　’

‘Why　can't　you？’

Troy　was　going　to　reply　immediately，but　he　stopped　him－self。　‘I　am　too　poor，’he　said，looking　quickly　at　Boldwood　to　see　if　the　farmer　believed　him。　Boldwood　did　not　notice　the　look。

‘I　don't　want　to　talk　about　right　or　wrong，I　just　want　to　discuss　business　with　you。　I　was　engaged　to　Miss　Everdene，when　you　came　and—’

‘Not　engaged，’said　Troy。

‘More　or　less　engaged，’insisted　Boldwood。　‘If　you　hadn't　come，she　would　certainly　have　accepted　my　proposal　by　now。　Well，her　position　in　society　is　so　much　higher　than　yours　that　you　can't　hope　to　marry　her。　So　all　I　ask　is　that　you　don't　bother　her　any　more，and　marry　Fanny。　’

‘Why　should　I？’asked　Troy　carelessly。

‘I'll　pay　you。　If　you　leave　Weatherbury　today，I'll　give　you　fifty　pounds　Fanny　will　have　fifty　pounds　for　wedding　clothes，and　I'll　give　her　five　hundred　pounds　the　day　she　marries　you。　’Boldwood's　manner　showed　that　he　was　a　little　ash