远离尘嚣-第7章

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　of　a　farm　and　house，and　although　she　respected　and　liked　him，she　did　not　want　to　marry　him　However　she　was　honest　enough　to　feel　that，as　she　had　begun　the　courting　by　sending　him　the　valentine，she　ought　not　to　refuse　him　now。　There　was　only　one　person　whose　opinion　she　trusted　more　than　her　own，and　that　person　was　Gabriel　Oak。　So　the　next　day　she　decided　to　ask　his　advice。　She　found　him　with　Jan　Coggan，sharpening　the　shears　which　would　be　used　to　shear　the　sheep。

‘Jan，go　and　help　Joseph　with　the　horses，’she　ordered。　‘I'll　help　you，Gabriel。　I　want　to　talk　to　you。　’

The　shears　were　sharpened　on　a　stone　which　was　turned　by　a　wheel，which　was　itself　turned　by　a　handle。　Bathsheba　could　not　manage　the　handle，so　she　held　the　shears　while　Gabriel　turned　the　handle。　‘You　aren't　holding　them　right，miss，’he　told　her。　‘Let　me　show　you　how　He　let　go　of　the　handle，and　put　his　large　hands　round　hers，to　hold　the　shears。　‘Like　that，’he　said，continuing　to　hold　her　hands　for　a　peculiarly　long　time。

‘That's　enough，’said　Bathsheba。　‘I　don't　want　my　hands　held！Turn　the　handle！’They　went　on　sharpening　the　shears。　‘Gabriel，what　do　the　men　think　about　me　and　Mr　Bold…wood？’

‘They　say　you'll　marry　him　before　the　end　of　the　year，miss。　’

‘What　a　foolish　thing　to　say！I　want　you　to　contradict　it，Gabriel。　’

‘Well，Bathsheba！’said　Gabriel，staring　at　her　in　surprise。

‘Miss　Everdene，you　mean，’she　said。

‘Well，if　Mr　Boldwood　really　asked　you　to　marry　him，I'm　not　going　to　contradict　that，just　to　please　you。　’

‘I　said　I　wanted　you　just　to　say　it　wasn't　true　that　I　was　going　to　marry　him，’she　said，less　confidently。

‘I　can　say　that，if　you　wish，Miss　Everdene。　I　could　also　give　my　opinion　of　the　way　you've　behaved。　’

He　continued　with　his　work。　Bathsheba　knew　that　he　would　always　give　his　honest　opinion，even　if　she　asked　him　whether　she　should　marry　another　man，and　there　was　nobody　else　she　could　trust。　‘Well，what　is　your　opinion　of　my　behaviour？’she　asked。

‘No　good，respectable　woman　would　behave　like　that，’he　replied。　‘You　should　never　have　sent　him　that　valentine。　’

Bathsheba　blushed　angrily。　‘Luckily　I　don't　care　about　your　opinion！Why　do　you　think　I'm　not　good　or　respectable，I　wonder？Because　I　didn't　agree　to　marry　you，perhaps！’

‘Not　at　all。　’said　Gabriel　quietly。　‘I've　long　ago　stopped　thinking　about　that。　’

‘Or　wishing　it，I　suppose，’she　said，expecting　him　to　protest　that　he　still　loved　her。

‘Or　wishing　It，’repeated　Gabriel　calmly。

Bathsheba　would　not　have　minded　being　spoken　to　angrily　by　Gabriel　for　her　thoughtlessness，if　only　he　had　told　her　he　loved　her。　But　his　cold　words　of　blame　annoyed　her　greatly。

‘I　cannot　allow　any　man　to　accuse　me　of　bad　behaviour！’　she　cried。　‘So　you　will　leave　the　farm　at　the　end　of　the　week！’

‘All　right，I　will，’said　Gabriel　calmly。　‘In　fact　I　would　rather　go　at　once。　’

‘Go　at　once　then！’she　replied　angrily。　‘Don't　let　me　see　your　face　any　more。　’

‘Very　well，Miss　Everdene。　’And　so　be　took　his　shears　and　walked　quietly　away。

It　was　only　twenty－four　hours　after　Gabriel　had　left　the　farm　that　three　men　came　running　to　report　a　disaster　to　Bathsheba。

‘Sixty　of　your　sheep—’said　Joseph　Poorgrass，breathless。　

‘Have　broken　through　throgh　the　gate　said　Billy，also　breathless。

‘And　got　into　a　field　of　young　clover！’said　Laban　Tall。

‘They're　eating　the　clover，and　they're　all　swollen　up！’　

‘They'll　all　die　if　someone　doesn't　do　something！’

‘Oh　you　fools！’cried　Bathsheba。　‘Go　straight　to　the　field　and　get　them　out！’　She　rushed　towards　the　clover　field，followed　by　the　men。　Her　sheep　were　all　lying　down，their　stomachs　badly　swollen。　Joseph，Billy　and　Laban　carried　the　sheep　back　into　their　own　field，where　the　poor　creatures　lay　helplessly　without　moving。

‘Oh，what　can　I　do，what　can　I　do？’cried　Bathsheba。

‘There's　only　one　way　of　saving　them，’said　Laban。

‘Soemeone　must　make　a　hole　in　the　sheep's　side，’explained　Billy，‘with　a　special　tool。　Then　the　air　comes　out，and　the　sheep　will　survive。　’

‘Can　you　do　it？Can　I　do　it？’she　asked　wildly。　　‘No，ma'am　If　it　isn't　done　very　carefully，the　sheep　will　die　Most　shepherds　can't　even　do　it。　’　‘Only　one　man　in　the　area　can　do　it，’said　Joseph。

‘Who　is　he？Let's　get　him！’said　his　mistress。

‘It's　Gabriel　Oak。　Ah，he's　a　clever　man！’replied　Joseph。　　‘That's　right，he　certainly　is，’agreed　the　other　two。　　‘How　dare　you　say　his　name　to　me！’she　said　angrily。

‘What　about　Farmer　Boldwood？Perhaps　he　can　do　it？’

‘No，ma‘am，’answered　Laban。　‘When　his　sheep　ate　some　clover　the　other　day，and　were　swollen　just　like　these，he　sent　for　Cabriel　at　once，and　Gabriel　saved　their　lives。　’

‘I　don't　care！Don't　just　stand　there！Go　and　find　someone！’cried　Bathsheba。　The　men　ran　off，without　any　clear　idea　where　they　were　going，and　Bathsheba　was　left　alone　with　her　dying　sheep。　‘Never　will　I　send　for　him，never！’she　promised　herself。

One　of　the　sheep　jumped　high　in　the　air，fell　heavily　and　did　not　move。　It　was　dead。　Bathsheba　knew　she　must　swallow　her　pride，and　called　to　Laban，who　was　waiting　at　the　gate。

‘Take　a　horse，and　go　and　find　Gabriel，’she　ordered。　‘Give　him　a　message　from　me，that　he　must　return　at　once。　’

Bathsheba　and　her　men　waited　miserably　in　the　field。　Several　more　sheep　jumped　wildly　into　the　air，their　stomachs　horribly　swollen　and　their　muscles　stiff，then　died。　At　last　a　rider　could　be　seen　across　the　fields。　But　it　was　not　Gabriel，it　was　Laban。

‘He　says　he　won't　come　unless　you　ask　him　politely，’Laban　reported　to　Bathsheba。

‘What！’said　the　young　woman，opening　her　eyes　wide。　Joseph　Poorgrass　hid　behind　a　tree　in　case　she　became　violent。　‘How　dare　he　answer　me　like　that！’Another　sheep　fell　dead。　The　men　looked　very　serious，and　did　not　offer　their　opinion。　Bathsheba's　eyes　filled　with　tears，and　she　did　not　try　to　hide　her　anger　and　her　injured　pride。

‘Don't　cry　about　it，miss，’suggested　Billy　sympathetically。

‘Why　not　ask　Gabriel　in　a　gentler　way？I'm　sure　he'll　come　then。　’　‘Oh，he's　cruel　to　me！’said　Bathsheba，drying　her　eyes。　‘But　I'll　beg　him，yes，I'll　have　to！’She　wrote　a　few　words　quickly　on　a　piece　of　paper，and　at　the　last　moment　added　at　the　bottom：

Gabriel，do　not　desert　me！

She　blushed　a　little　as　she　wrote　this，and　gave　the　letter　to　Laban，who　rode　off　again　to　find　Gabriel。

When　Gabriel　arrived，Bathsheba　knew　from　his　expression　which　words　in　her　note　had　made　him　come。　He　went　straight　to　work　on　the　swollen　sheep，and　managed　to　save　almost　all　of　them　When　he　had　finished，Bathsheba　came　to　speak　to　him。

‘Gabriel，will　you　stay　on　with　me？’she　asked，smiling。

‘I　will，’said　Gabriel。　And　she　smiled　at　him　again。

A　few　days　later　the　sheep－shearing　began。　The　sheep　were　shorn　every　year　at　the　beginning　of　June，and　their　wool　was　sold。　The　shearing　was　always　done　in　the　great　barn，which　had　stood　on　the　farm　for　four　centuries。　Today　the　sunshine　poured　in　on　the　shearers。　Bathsheba　was　watching　them　care－　fully　to　make　sure　that　the　sheep　were　not　injured，and　that　all　the　wool　was　cut　off　Gabriel　was　the　most　experienced　shearer。　He　loved　being　watched　by　Bathsheba，and　felt　warm　with　pride　when　she　congratulated　him　on　his　speed。

But　he　was　not　happy　for　long　Farmer　Boldwood　arrived　at　the　door　of　the　barn，and　spoke　to　Bathsheba。　They　stepped　outside　into　the　bright　sunlight　to　carry　on　their　conversation。　Gabriel　could　not　hear　what　they　were　saying，but　noticed　that　Bathsheba　was　blushing。　He　continued　shearing，feeling　sud－　denly　very　sad。　Bathsheba　went　back　to　the　house，and　returned　a　short　while　later　in　her　new　green　riding　dress。　She　and　Boldwood　were　obviously　going　for　a　ride　together。　As　Gabriel's　concentration　was　broken　for　a　moment，his　shears　cut　the　sheep's　skin。　Bathsheba，at　the　door　of　the　barn，noticed　the　animal　jump，and　saw　the　blood。

‘Oh　Gabriel！’she　said。　‘Be　more　careful！’Gabriel　knew　she　was　aware　that　she　herself　had　indirectly　caused　the　poor　sheep's　wound。　But　he　bravely　hid　h