远离尘嚣-第12章

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he　sudden　brightness　Gabriel　could　see　every　tree　around　him，until　the　light　disappeared　just　as　suddenly，leaving　him　in　the　blackest　darkness。　He　knew　his　position　was　dangerous，but　considered　his　life　was　not　valuable　enough　to　worry　about。

Another　flash　of　lightning　allowed　him　to　see　the　figure　of　a　woman　running　towards　the　rick。　Was　it　Bathsheba？

‘Is　that　you，ma'am？’he　called　to　the　darkness。

‘Who's　there？’said　Bathsheba's　voice。

‘It's　Gabriel。　I'm　on　the　rick，thatching。　’

‘Oh　Gabriel！I'm　so　worried　about　the　ricks！Can　we　save　them？The　thunder　woke　me。　I　can't　find　my　husband。　Is　he　there？’

‘No，he　isn't。　He's—asleep　in　the　barn。　’

‘He　promised　me　the　ricks　would　be　covered，and　he　hasn't　done　it！Can　I　help　you？Let　me　help！’

‘You　can　bring　the　straw　up　to　me　in　armfuls，if　you　aren't　afraid　to　climb　the　ladder　in　the　dark，’said　Gabriel。

‘I'll　do　anything　to　help！’she　said。　She　started　to　go　up　and　down　the　ladder，carrying　the　straw。　In　the　brightness　of　the　lightning　Gabriel　saw　their　two　shadows，wildly　enlarged，on　the　hill　in　front　of　him。　Then　came　the　loudest　crash　so　far。

‘How　terrible！’cried　Bathsheba，and　held　on　to　his　arm。　The　lightning　flashed　in　a　wild　dance　of　death，and　thunder　came　from　every　part　of　the　huge　sky。　Bathsheba　and　Gabriel　could　only　stare，and　tremble　at　the　strange　and　dangerous　beauty　of　the　storm。　

As　they　watched，a　tall　tree　in　front　of　them　seemed　to　be　burning　with　a　white　flame。　There　was　a　final，violent　crash　of　thunder，and　in　the　bright　light　they　saw　that　the　tree　had　been　torn　in　half　by　the　lightning。

‘That　was　close　to　us！’said　Gabriel。　‘We'd　better　go　down。　’They　climbed　down　and　stood　together　in　the　darkness，Bathsheba　seeming　to　think　only　of　the　storm，Gabriel　thinking　only　of　her。

At　last　he　said，‘The　storm　appears　to　have　passed，but　the　rain　will　be　coming　soon。　I'll　go　up　and　finish　thatching　the　ricks。　’

‘Gabriel，you　are　kind　to　me！Oh　why　aren't　the　others　here？Don't　tell　me，I　know。　They're　all　drunk　in　the　barn，aren't　they？It　was　my　husband's　fault。　Gabriel，I　want　to　tell　you　something。　’The　soft　flashes　of　the　dying　lightning　showed　her　face，very　white　against　the　black　sky。　‘I　care　about　your　good　opinion　of　me，so　I　want　to　explain　why　I　went　to　Bath　that　night。　It　wasn't　to　marry　Troy，it　was　to　break　off　my　relationship　with　him。　Perhaps　you　wonder　why　I　married　him　then？Well，I　suppose　I　must　tell　you。　It　was　because　he　told　me　he　had　seen　a　woman　more　beautiful　than　me，and　said　that　if　I　wanted　him　as　a　husband，I　must　marry　him　at　once！I　was　wild　with　love　and　jealousy，so　I　married　him！’Gabriel　did　not　reply。

‘I'll　bring　some　more　straw　up　to　you，shall　I？’she　offered。

She　made　several　more　journeys　before　he　noticed　her　tired－ness。　‘I　think　you'd　better　go　indoors　now，’he　said，as　gently　as　a　mother。　‘I'll　finish　the　work　alone。　’

‘If　I'm　useless，I'll　go，’said　Bathsheba。　‘But，oh，if　you　fell…！’

‘You　aren't　useless，but　you're　tired。　You've　done　well。　’

‘And　you've　done　better，’she　said　gratefully。　‘Thank　you　a　thousand　times，Gabriel！Goodnight。　’

She　disappeared　in　the　darkness。　He　went　on　thatching　in　a　kind　of　dream。　She　had　spoken　more　warmly　to　him　tonight　than　she　had　ever　done　when　she　was　unmarried　and　free　to　speak　as　warmly　as　she　liked。

The　wind　changed　and　became　stronger。　At　the　same　time　heavy　rain　started　falling。　As　Gabriel　worked　on　the　top　of　the　ricks，he　suddenly　remembered　that，eight　months　before，he　had　been　fighting　against　fire　in　the　same　place　as　desperately　as　he　was　fighting　against　water　now—and　for　love　of　the　same　woman，who　did　not　love　him。

It　was　not　until　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning　that　Gabriel　climbed　down　from　the　last　rick，exhausted　and　wet　to　the　skin。　He　noticed　figures　coming　out　of　the　barn，walking　slowly　and　painfully　to　their　homes。　They　all　looked　ashamed　except　Troy，who　was　whistling　cheerfully　as　he　entered　the　farmhouse。　None　of　them　thought　of　looking　at　the　ricks。

On　his　way　back　to　Coggan's　house，Gabriel　met　Boldwood。

‘How　are　you，sir？’asked　Gabriel。

150　

‘Yes，it's　a　wet　day。　Oh，I'm　very　well，thank　you。　’

‘You　look　a　little　different，sir。　’

‘No，you're　wrong，Oak。　I'm　just　the　same。　Nothing　hurts　me。　But　you　look　tired。　’

‘I've　been　working　all　night　to　get　our　ricks　covered。　Never　worked　so　hard　in　my　life！Yours　are　safe　of　course，sir？’

‘Oh　yes。　’Boldwood　added　after　a　silence，‘What　did　you　ask？’

‘Your　ricks　are　all　covered？’

‘No，none　of　them。　I　forgot　to　tell　the　men　to　thatch　them。　I　expect　most　of　my　wheat　will　be　destroyed　in　this　rain。　’

‘Forgot，’repeated　Gabriel　to　himself。　It　was　difficult　to　believe　that　the　most　careful　farmer　in　the　area　would　lose　all　his　harvest　because　of　a　moment's　forgetfulness。　This　would　never　have　happened　before　Boldwood　fell　in　love　with　Bathsheba。

Boldwood　clearly　wanted　to　talk，although　it　was　still　raining　heavily。　‘Oak，you　knew　I　wanted　to　get　married。　’

‘I　thought　my　mistress　was　going　to　marry　you，’said　Gabriel　sympathetically。　‘However，nothing　that　we　expect　ever　happens。　’

He　spoke　with　the　calmness　of　a　man　used　to　disaster。

‘Perhaps　the　villagers　laugh　at　me，’said　Boldwood　with　a　pretended　lightness。

‘Oh　no，I　don't　think　so。　’

‘But　the　truth　is　that　we　were　never　engaged，so　she　never　broke　off　the　engagement，you　see。　’But　Boldwood　could　not　remain　calm。　‘Oh　Gabriel，’he　said　wildly，‘I'm　weak　and　foolish，and　I　feel　it's　better　to　die　than　to　live！’After　a　silence，he　continued　more　normally。　‘I've　accepted　the　fact　of　her　refusal　now。　I'm　sorry，of　course，but　no　woman　has　ever　controlled　my　life。　Well，good　morning。　’

　



　


14

Bathsheba　discovers　the　truth

　

Summer　turned　into　autumn　and　one　Saturday　evening　in　October　Bathsheba　and　her　husband　were　riding　home　from　Casterbridge　market。

‘Yes，if　it　hadn't　rained　so　hard，I'd　have　won　two　hundred　pounds　easily，my　love，’Troy　was　saying。　‘The　horse　I　put　my　money　on　fell　over　in　the　mud，you　see。　Such　bad　luck！’

‘But　Frank，’said　Bathsheba　miserably，‘do　you　realize　you've　lost　more　than　a　hundred　pounds　in　a　month　with　this　awful　horse…racing？It's　foolish　of　you　to　spend　my　money　like　that！You'll　promise　not　to　go　to　the　next　race，on　Monday，won't　you？’

‘It　doesn't　matter　whether　I　go　or　not。　I've　already　put　money　on　an　excellent　horse　in　the　Monday　race。　Don't　cry，Bathsheba！If　I'd　known　you　were　so　cautious，I'd　never　have—’

He　did　not　finish　what　he　was　saying。　Just　then　they　noticed　a　woman　walking　towards　them。　Although　it　was　almost　dark，they　could　see　that　she　was　poorly　dressed。

‘Please，sir，do　you　know　what　time　the　Casterbridge　workhouse　closes？’she　asked　in　a　voice　of　extreme　sadness。

Troy　jumped　in　surprise，but　kept　his　face　turned　away　from　her　before　replying，‘I　don't　know。　’

When　the　woman　hear　him　speak，and　looked　up　to　his　face，her　expression　showed　both　pain　and　happiness。　She　gave　a　cry，and　fell　to　the　ground，unconscious。

‘Oh　poor　thing！’cried　Bathsheba。　‘I'll　help　her！’

‘No，stay　on　your　horse，and　take　mine！’ordered　Troy，jumping　down。　‘Take　the　horses　to　the　top　of　the　hill。　’

Bathsheba　obeyed，and　moved　away。　Troy　lifted　up　the　woman。

‘I　thought　you　were　far　away，or　dead！’he　told　her，in　a　strangely　gentle　voice。　‘Why　didn't　you　write　to　me，Fanny？’

‘I　was　afraid　to。　’

‘Have　you　any　money？No？Here's　all　I　have，it's　not　much。　I　can't　ask　my　wife　for　any　more　at　the　moment。　’The　woman　said　nothing。　’Listen，’continued　Troy，‘I'll　have　to　leave　you　now。　You're　going　to　the　Casterbridge　workhouse？Well，stay　there　for　tonight　and　tomorrow　anyway，but　I'll　find　somewhere　better　for　you。　I'll　meet　you　on　Monday　morning　at　ten　o'clock　on　the　bridge　just　outside　town。　I'll　bring　you　all　the　money　I　can。　Goodbye！’

At　the　top　of　the　hill　Bathsheba　turned　and　saw　the　woman　walking　slowly　on　towards　Casterbridge。　Troy　soon　caught　up　with　his　wife。　He　looked　very　upset。

‘Who　is　that　woman？Bathsheba　looked　clos