under the greenwood tree-第26部分

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seemed　satisfactory　enough；　and　after　a　noise　of　feet　kicking

against　cabbages　in　a　blundering　progress　among　them；　the　voice　of

Mr。　Shiner　was　heard　from　the　darkness　in　that　direction。



〃Is　all　quite　safe　again？〃



No　answer　being　returned　to　this　query；　he　apparently　assumed　that

he　might　venture　forth；　and　gradually　drew　near　the　lantern　again。

The　hives　were　now　removed　from　their　position　over　the　holes；　one

being　handed　to　Enoch　to　carry　indoors；　and　one　being　taken　by

Geoffrey　himself。



〃Bring　hither　the　lantern；　Fancy：　　the　spade　can　bide。〃



Geoffrey　and　Enoch　then　went　towards　the　house；　leaving　Shiner　and

Fancy　standing　side　by　side　on　the　garden…plot。



〃Allow　me；〃　said　Shiner；　stooping　for　the　lantern　and　seizing　it　at

the　same　time　with　Fancy。



〃I　can　carry　it；〃　said　Fancy；　religiously　repressing　all　inclination

to　trifle。　　She　had　thoroughly　considered　that　subject　after　the

tearful　explanation　of　the　bird…catching　adventure　to　Dick；　and　had

decided　that　it　would　be　dishonest　in　her；　as　an　engaged　young

woman；　to　trifle　with　men's　eyes　and　hands　any　more。　　Finding　that

Shiner　still　retained　his　hold　of　the　lantern；　she　relinquished　it；

and　he；　having　found　her　retaining　it；　also　let　go。　　The　lantern

fell；　and　was　extinguished。　　Fancy　moved　on。



〃Where　is　the　path？〃　said　Mr。　Shiner。



〃Here；〃　said　Fancy。　　〃Your　eyes　will　get　used　to　the　dark　in　a

minute　or　two。〃



〃Till　that　time　will　ye　lend　me　your　hand？〃　　Fancy　gave　him　the

extreme　tips　of　her　fingers；　and　they　stepped　from　the　plot　into　the

path。



〃You　don't　accept　attentions　very　freely。〃



〃It　depends　upon　who　offers　them。〃



〃A　fellow　like　me；　for　instance。〃　　A　dead　silence。



〃Well；　what　do　you　say；　Missie？〃



〃It　then　depends　upon　how　they　are　offered。〃



〃Not　wildly；　and　yet　not　careless…like；　not　purposely；　and　yet　not

by　chance；　not　too　quick　nor　yet　too　slow。〃



〃How　then？〃　said　Fancy。



〃Coolly　and　practically；〃　he　said。　　〃How　would　that　kind　of　love　be

taken？〃



〃Not　anxiously；　and　yet　not　indifferently；　neither　blushing　nor

pale；　nor　religiously　nor　yet　quite　wickedly。〃



〃Not　at　all。〃



Geoffrey　Day's　storehouse　at　the　back　of　his　dwelling　was　hung　with

bunches　of　dried　horehound；　mint；　and　sage；　brown…paper　bags　of

thyme　and　lavender；　and　long　ropes　of　clean　onions。　　On　shelves　were

spread　large　red　and　yellow　apples；　and　choice　selections　of　early

potatoes　for　seed　next　year；vulgar　crowds　of　commoner　kind　lying

beneath　in　heaps。　　A　few　empty　beehives　were　clustered　around　a　nail

in　one　corner；　under　which　stood　two　or　three　barrels　of　new　cider

of　the　first　crop；　each　bubbling　and　squirting　forth　from　the　yet

open　bunghole。



Fancy　was　now　kneeling　beside　the　two　inverted　hives；　one　of　which

rested　against　her　lap；　for　convenience　in　operating　upon　the

contents。　　She　thrust　her　sleeves　above　her　elbows；　and　inserted　her

small　pink　hand　edgewise　between　each　white　lobe　of　honeycomb；

performing　the　act　so　adroitly　and　gently　as　not　to　unseal　a　single

cell。　　Then　cracking　the　piece　off　at　the　crown　of　the　hive　by　a

slight　backward　and　forward　movement；　she　lifted　each　portion　as　it

was　loosened　into　a　large　blue　platter；　placed　on　a　bench　at　her

side。



〃Bother　these　little　mortals！〃　said　Geoffrey；　who　was　holding　the

light　to　her；　and　giving　his　back　an　uneasy　twist。　　〃I　really　think

I　may　as　well　go　indoors　and　take　'em　out；　poor　things！　for　they

won't　let　me　alone。　　There's　two　a　stinging　wi'　all　their　might　now。

I'm　sure　I　wonder　their　strength　can　last　so　long。〃



〃All　right；　friend；　I'll　hold　the　candle　whilst　you　are　gone；〃　said

Mr。　Shiner；　leisurely　taking　the　light；　and　allowing　Geoffrey　to

depart；　which　he　did　with　his　usual　long　paces。



He　could　hardly　have　gone　round　to　the　house…door　when　other

footsteps　were　heard　approaching　the　outbuilding；　the　tip　of　a

finger　appeared　in　the　hole　through　which　the　wood　latch　was　lifted；

and　Dick　Dewy　came　in；　having　been　all　this　time　walking　up　and　down

the　wood；　vainly　waiting　for　Shiner's　departure。



Fancy　looked　up　and　welcomed　him　rather　confusedly。　　Shiner　grasped

the　candlestick　more　firmly；　and；　lest　doing　this　in　silence　should

not　imply　to　Dick　with　sufficient　force　that　he　was　quite　at　home

and　cool；　he　sang　invincibly　…





〃'King　Arthur　he　had　three　sons。'〃





〃Father　here？〃　said　Dick。



〃Indoors；　I　think；〃　said　Fancy；　looking　pleasantly　at　him。



Dick　surveyed　the　scene；　and　did　not　seem　inclined　to　hurry　off　just

at　that　moment。　　Shiner　went　on　singing





〃'The　miller　was　drown'd　in　his　pond；

The　weaver　was　hung　in　his　yarn；

And　the　d…　ran　away　with　the　little　tail…or；

With　the　broadcloth　under　his　arm。'〃





〃That's　a　terrible　crippled　rhyme；　if　that's　your　rhyme！〃　said　Dick；

with　a　grain　of　superciliousness　in　his　tone。



〃It's　no　use　your　complaining　to　me　about　the　rhyme！〃　said　Mr。

Shiner。　　〃You　must　go　to　the　man　that　made　it。〃



Fancy　by　this　time　had　acquired　confidence。



〃Taste　a　bit；　Mr。　Dewy；〃　she　said；　holding　up　to　him　a　small

circular　piece　of　honeycomb　that　had　been　the　last　in　the　row　of

layers；　remaining　still　on　her　knees　and　flinging　back　her　head　to

look　in　his　face；　〃and　then　I'll　taste　a　bit　too。〃



〃And　I；　if　you　please；〃　said　Mr。　Shiner。　　Nevertheless　the　farmer

looked　superior；　as　if　he　could　even　now　hardly　join　the　trifling

from　very　importance　of　station；　and　after　receiving　the　honeycomb

from　Fancy；　he　turned　it　over　in　his　hand　till　the　cells　began　to　be

crushed；　and　the　liquid　honey　ran　down　from　his　fingers　in　a　thin

string。



Suddenly　a　faint　cry　from　Fancy　caused　them　to　gaze　at　her。



〃What's　the　matter；　dear？〃　said　Dick。



〃It　is　nothing；　but　O…o！　a　bee　has　stung　the　inside　of　my　lip！　　He

was　in　one　of　the　cells　I　was　eating！〃



〃We　must　keep　down　the　swelling；　or　it　may　be　serious！〃　said　Shiner；

stepping　up　and　kneeling　beside　her。　　〃Let　me　see　it。〃



〃No；　no！〃



〃Just　let　ME　see　it；〃　said　Dick；　kneeling　on　the　other　side：　　and

after　some　hesitation　she　pressed　down　her　lip　with　one　finger　to

show　the　place。　　〃O；　I　hope　'twill　soon　he　better！　　I　don't　mind　a

sting　in　ordinary　places；　hut　it　is　so　bad　upon　your　lip；〃　she　added

with　tears　in　her　eyes；　and　writhing　a　little　from　the　pain。



Shiner　held　the　light　above　his　head　and　pushed　his　face　close　to

Fancy's；　as　if　the　lip　had　been　shown　exclusively　to　himself；　upon

which　Dick　pushed　closer；　as　if　Shiner　were　not　there　at　all。



〃It　is　swelling；〃　said　Dick　to　her　right　aspect。



〃It　isn't　swelling；〃　said　Shiner　to　her　left　aspect。



〃Is　it　dangerous　on　the　lip？〃　cried　Fancy。　　〃I　know　it　is　dangerous

on　the　tongue。〃



〃O　no；　not　dangerous！〃　answered　Dick。



〃Rather　dangerous；〃　had　answered　Shiner　simultaneously。



〃I　must　try　to　bear　it！〃　said　Fancy；　turning　again　to　the　hives。



〃Hartshorn…and…oil　is　a　good　thing　to　put　to　it；　Miss　Day；〃　said

Shiner　with　great　concern。



〃Sweet…oil…and…hartshorn　I've　found　to　be　a　good　thing　to　cure

stings；　Miss　Day；〃　said　Dick　with　greater　concern。



〃We　have　some　mixed　indoors；　would　you　kindly　run　and　get　it　for

me？〃　she　said。



Now；　whether　by　inadvertence；　or　whether　by　mischievous　intention；

the　individuality　of　the　YOU　was　so　carelessly　denoted　that　both

Dick　and　Shiner　sprang　to　their　feet　like　twin　acrobats；　and　marched

abreast　to　the　door；　both　seized　the　latch　and　lifted　it；　and

continued　marching　on；　shoulder　to　shoulder；　in　the　same　manner　to

the　dwelling…house。　　Not　only　so；　but　entering　the　room；　they

marched　as　before　straight　up　to　Mrs。　Day's　chair；　letting　the　door

in　the　oak　partition　slam　so　forcibly；　that　the　rows　of　pewter　on

the　dresser　rang　like　a　bell。



〃Mrs。　Day；　Fancy　has　stung　her　lip；　and　wants　you　to　give　me　the

hartshorn；　please；〃　said　Mr。　Shiner；　very　close　to　Mrs。　Day's　face。



〃O；　Mrs。　Day；　Fancy　has　asked　me　to　bring　out　the　hartshorn；　please；

because　she　has　stung　her　lip！〃　said　Dick；　a　little　closer　to　Mrs。

Day's　face。



〃Well；　men　alive！　that's　no　reason　why　you　should　eat　me；　I

suppose！〃　said　Mrs。　Day；　drawing　back。



She　searched　in　the　corner…cupboard；　produced　the　bottle；　and　began

to　dust　the　cork；　the　rim；　and　every　other　part　very　carefully；

Dick's　hand　and　Shiner's　hand　waiting　side　by　side。



〃Which　is　head　man？〃　said　Mrs。　Day。　　〃Now；　don't　come　mumbudgeting

so　close　again。　　Which　is　head　man？〃



Neither　spoke；　and　the　bottle　was　inclined　towards　Shiner。　　Shiner；

as　a　high…class　man；　would　not　look　in　the　least　triumphant；　and

turned　to　go　off　with　it　as　Geoffrey　came　downstairs　after　the

search　in　his　linen　for　concealed　bees。



〃Othat　you；　Master　Dewy？〃



Dick　assured　the　keeper　that　it　was；　and　the　young　man　then

determined　upon　a　bold　stroke　for　the　attainment　of　his　end；

forgetting　that　the　worst　of　bold　strokes　is　the　disastrous

consequences　they　involve　if　they　fail。



〃I've　come　on　purpose　to　speak　to　you　very　particular；　Mr。　Day；〃　he

said；　with　a　crushing　emphasis　intended　for　the　ears　of　Mr。　Shiner；

who　was　vanishing　round　the　door…post　at　that　moment。



〃Well；　I've　been　forced　to　go　upstairs　and　unrind　myself；　and　shake

some　bees　out　o'　me〃　said　Geoffrey；　walking　slowly　towards　the　open

door；　and　standing　on　the　threshold。　　〃The　young　rascals　got　into　my

shirt　and　wouldn't　be　quiet　nohow。〃



Dick　followed　him　to　the　door。



〃I've　come　to　speak　a　word　to　you；〃　he　repeated；　looking　out　at　the

pale　mist　creeping　up　from　the　gloom　of　the　valley。　　〃You　may

perhaps　guess　what　it　is　about。〃



The　keeper　lowered　his　hands　into　the　depths　of　his　pockets；　twirled

his　eyes；　balanced　himself　on　his　toes；　looked　as　perpendicularly

downward　as　if　his　glance　were　a　plumb…line；　then　horizontally；

collecting　together　the　cracks　that　lay　about　his　face　till　they

were　all　in　the　ne