under the greenwood tree-第3部分

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port…wine　in　the　commonwealth　have　been　in　that　there　cask；　and　you

shall　have　en　for　ten　shillens；　Reub；''a　said；　says　he'he's

worth　twenty；　ay；　five…and…twenty；　if　he's　worth　one；　and　an　iron

hoop　or　two　put　round　en　among　the　wood　ones　will　make　en　worth

thirty　shillens　of　any　man's　money；　if'〃



〃I　think　I　should　have　used　the　eyes　that　Providence　gave　me　to　use

afore　I　paid　any　ten　shillens　for　a　jimcrack　wine…barrel；　a　saint　is

sinner　enough　not　to　be　cheated。　　But　'tis　like　all　your　family　was；

so　easy　to　be　deceived。〃



〃That's　as　true　as　gospel　of　this　member；〃　said　Reuben。



Mrs。　Dewy　began　a　smile　at　the　answer；　then　altering　her　lips　and

refolding　them　so　that　it　was　not　a　smile；　commenced　smoothing

little　Bessy's　hair；　the　tranter　having　meanwhile　suddenly　become

oblivious　to　conversation；　occupying　himself　in　a　deliberate　cutting

and　arrangement　of　some　more　brown　paper　for　the　broaching

operation。



〃Ah；　who　can　believe　sellers！〃　said　old　Michael　Mail　in　a　carefully…

cautious　voice；　by　way　of　tiding…over　this　critical　point　of

affairs。



〃No　one　at　all；〃　said　Joseph　Bowman；　in　the　tone　of　a　man　fully

agreeing　with　everybody。



〃Ay；〃　said　Mail；　in　the　tone　of　a　man　who　did　not　agree　with

everybody　as　a　rule；　though　he　did　now；　〃I　knowed　a'　auctioneering

feller　oncea　very　friendly　feller　'a　was　too。　　And　so　one　hot　day

as　I　was　walking　down　the　front　street　o'　Casterbridge；　jist　below

the　King's　Arms；　I　passed　a'　open　winder　and　see　him　inside；　stuck

upon　his　perch；　a…selling　off。　　I　jist　nodded　to　en　in　a　friendly

way　as　I　passed；　and　went　my　way；　and　thought　no　more　about　it。

Well；　next　day；　as　I　was　oilen　my　boots　by　fuel…house　door；　if　a

letter　didn't　come　wi'　a　bill　charging　me　with　a　featherbed；

bolster；　and　pillers；　that　I　had　bid　for　at　Mr。　Taylor's　sale。　　The

shim…faced　martel　had　knocked　'em　down　to　me　because　I　nodded　to　en

in　my　friendly　way；　and　I　had　to　pay　for　'em　too。　　Now；　I　hold　that

that　was　coming　it　very　close；　Reuben？〃



〃'Twas　close；　there's　no　denying；〃　said　the　general　voice。



〃Too　close；　'twas；〃　said　Reuben；　in　the　rear　of　the　rest。　　〃And　as

to　Sam　Lawsonpoor　heart！　now　he's　dead　and　gone　too！I'll

warrant；　that　if　so　be　I've　spent　one　hour　in　making　hoops　for　that

barrel；　I've　spent　fifty；　first　and　last。　　That's　one　of　my　hoops'

touching　it　with　his　elbow'that's　one　of　mine；　and　that；　and　that；

and　all　these。〃



〃Ah；　Sam　was　a　man；〃　said　Mr。　Penny；　contemplatively。



〃Sam　was！〃　said　Bowman。



〃Especially　for　a　drap　o'　drink；〃　said　the　tranter。



〃Good；　but　not　religiousgood；〃　suggested　Mr。　Penny。



The　tranter　nodded。　　Having　at　last　made　the　tap　and　hole　quite

ready；　〃Now　then；　Suze；　bring　a　mug；〃　he　said。　　〃Here's　luck　to　us；

my　sonnies！〃



The　tap　went　in；　and　the　cider　immediately　squirted　out　in　a

horizontal　shower　over　Reuben's　hands；　knees；　and　leggings；　and　into

the　eyes　and　neck　of　Charley；　who；　having　temporarily　put　off　his

grief　under　pressure　of　more　interesting　proceedings；　was　squatting

down　and　blinking　near　his　father。



〃There　'tis　again！〃　said　Mrs。　Dewy。



〃Devil　take　the　hole；　the　cask；　and　Sam　Lawson　too；　that　good　cider

should　be　wasted　like　this！〃　exclaimed　the　tranter。　　〃Your　thumb！

Lend　me　your　thumb；　Michael！　　Ram　it　in　here；　Michael！　　I　must　get　a

bigger　tap；　my　sonnies。〃



〃Idd　it　cold　inthide　te　hole？〃　inquired　Charley　of　Michael；　as　he

continued　in　a　stooping　posture　with　his　thumb　in　the　cork…hole。



〃What　wonderful　odds　and　ends　that　chiel　has　in　his　head　to　be

sure！〃　Mrs。　Dewy　admiringly　exclaimed　from　the　distance。　　〃I　lay　a

wager　that　he　thinks　more　about　how　'tis　inside　that　barrel　than　in

all　the　other　parts　of　the　world　put　together。〃



All　persons　present　put　on　a　speaking　countenance　of　admiration　for

the　cleverness　alluded　to；　in　the　midst　of　which　Reuben　returned。

The　operation　was　then　satisfactorily　performed；　when　Michael　arose

and　stretched　his　head　to　the　extremest　fraction　of　height　that　his

body　would　allow　of；　to　re…straighten　his　back　and　shoulders

thrusting　out　his　arms　and　twisting　his　features　to　a　mass　of

wrinkles　to　emphasize　the　relief　aquired。　　A　quart　or　two　of　the

beverage　was　then　brought　to　table；　at　which　all　the　new　arrivals

reseated　themselves　with　wide…spread　knees；　their　eyes　meditatively

seeking　out　any　speck　or　knot　in　the　board　upon　which　the　gaze　might

precipitate　itself。



〃Whatever　is　father　a…biding　out　in　fuel…house　so　long　for？〃　said

the　tranter。　　〃Never　such　a　man　as　father　for　two　thingscleaving

up　old　dead　apple…tree　wood　and　playing　the　bass…viol。　　'A'd　pass

his　life　between　the　two；　that　'a　would。〃　　He　stepped　to　the　door

and　opened　it。



〃Father！〃



〃Ay！〃　rang　thinly　from　round　the　corner。



〃Here's　the　barrel　tapped；　and　we　all　a…waiting！〃



A　series　of　dull　thuds；　that　had　been　heard　without　for　some　time

past；　now　ceased；　and　after　the　light　of　a　lantern　had　passed　the

window　and　made　wheeling　rays　upon　the　ceiling　inside　the　eldest　of

the　Dewy　family　appeared。







CHAPTER　III：　　THE　ASSEMBLED　QUIRE







William　Dewyotherwise　grandfather　Williamwas　now　about　seventy；

yet　an　ardent　vitality　still　preserved　a　warm　and　roughened　bloom

upon　his　face；　which　reminded　gardeners　of　the　sunny　side　of　a　ripe

ribstone…pippin；　though　a　narrow　strip　of　forehead；　that　was

protected　from　the　weather　by　lying　above　the　line　of　his　hat…brim；

seemed　to　belong　to　some　town　man；　so　gentlemanly　was　its　whiteness。

His　was　a　humorous　and　kindly　nature；　not　unmixed　with　a　frequent

melancholy；　and　he　had　a　firm　religious　faith。　　But　to　his

neighbours　he　had　no　character　in　particular。　　If　they　saw　him　pass

by　their　windows　when　they　had　been　bottling　off　old　mead；　or　when

they　had　just　been　called　long…headed　men　who　might　do　anything　in

the　world　if　they　chose；　they　thought　concerning　him；　〃Ah；　there's

that　good…hearted　manopen　as　a　child！〃　　If　they　saw　him　just　after

losing　a　shilling　or　half…a…crown；　or　accidentally　letting　fall　a

piece　of　crockery；　they　thought；　〃There's　that　poor　weak…minded　man

Dewy　again！　　Ah；　he's　never　done　much　in　the　world　either！〃　　If　he

passed　when　fortune　neither　smiled　nor　frowned　on　them；　they　merely

thought　him　old　William　Dewy。



〃Ah；　so'shere　you　be！Ah；　Michael　and　Joseph　and　Johnand　you

too；　Leaf！　a　merry　Christmas　all！　　We　shall　have　a　rare　log…wood

fire　directly；　Reub；　to　reckon　by　the　toughness　of　the　job　I　had　in

cleaving　'em。〃　　As　he　spoke　he　threw　down　an　armful　of　logs　which

fell　in　the　chimney…corner　with　a　rumble；　and　looked　at　them　with

something　of　the　admiring　enmity　he　would　have　bestowed　on　living

people　who　had　been　very　obstinate　in　holding　their　own。　　〃Come　in；

grandfather　James。〃



Old　James　（grandfather　on　the　maternal　side）　had　simply　called　as　a

visitor。　　He　lived　in　a　cottage　by　himself；　and　many　people

considered　him　a　miser；　some；　rather　slovenly　in　his　habits。　　He　now

came　forward　from　behind　grandfather　William；　and　his　stooping

figure　formed　a　well…illuminated　picture　as　he　passed　towards　the

fire…place。　　Being　by　trade　a　mason；　he　wore　a　long　linen　apron

reaching　almost　to　his　toes；　corduroy　breeches　and　gaiters；　which；

together　with　his　boots；　graduated　in　tints　of　whitish…brown　by

constant　friction　against　lime　and　stone。　　He　also　wore　a　very　stiff

fustian　coat；　having　folds　at　the　elbows　and　shoulders　as　unvarying

in　their　arrangement　as　those　in　a　pair　of　bellows：　　the　ridges　and

the　projecting　parts　of　the　coat　collectively　exhibiting　a　shade

different　from　that　of　the　hollows；　which　were　lined　with　small

ditch…like　accumulations　of　stone　and　mortar…dust。　　The　extremely

large　side…pockets；　sheltered　beneath　wide　flaps；　bulged　out

convexly　whether　empty　or　full；　and　as　he　was　often　engaged　to　work

at　buildings　far　awayhis　breakfasts　and　dinners　being　eaten　in　a

strange　chimney…corner；　by　a　garden　wall；　on　a　heap　of　stones；　or

walking　along　the　roadhe　carried　in　these　pockets　a　small　tin

canister　of　butter；　a　small　canister　of　sugar；　a　small　canister　of

tea；　a　paper　of　salt；　and　a　paper　of　pepper；　the　bread；　cheese；　and

meat；　forming　the　substance　of　his　meals；　hanging　up　behind　him　in

his　basket　among　the　hammers　and　chisels。　　If　a　passer…by　looked

hard　at　him　when　he　was　drawing　forth　any　of　these；　〃My　buttery；〃　he

said；　with　a　pinched　smile。



〃Better　try　over　number　seventy…eight　before　we　start；　I　suppose？〃

said　William；　pointing　to　a　heap　of　old　Christmas…carol　books　on　a

side　table。



〃Wi'　all　my　heart；〃　said　the　choir　generally。



〃Number　seventy…eight　was　always　a　teaseralways。　　I　can　mind　him

ever　since　I　was　growing　up　a　hard　boy…chap。〃



〃But　he's　a　good　tune；　and　worth　a　mint　o'　practice；〃　said　Michael。



〃He　is；　though　I've　been　mad　enough　wi'　that　tune　at　times　to　seize

en　and　tear　en　all　to　linnit。　　Ay；　he's　a　splendid　carrelthere's

no　denying　that。〃



〃The　first　line　is　well　enough；〃　said　Mr。　Spinks；　〃but　when　you　come

to　'O；　thou　man；'　you　make　a　mess　o't。〃



〃We'll　have　another　go　into　en；　and　see　what　we　can　make　of　the

martel。　　Half…an…hour's　hammering　at　en　will　conquer　the　toughness

of　en；　I'll　warn　it。〃



〃'Od　rabbit　it　all！〃　said　Mr。　Penny；　interrupting　with　a　flash　of

his　spectacles；　and　at　the　same　time　clawing　at　something　in　the

depths　of　a　large　side…pocket。　　〃If　so　be　I　hadn't　been　as　scatter…

brained　and　thirtingill　as　a　chiel；　I　should　have　called　at　the

schoolhouse　wi'　a　boot　as　I　cam　up　along。　　Whatever　is　coming　to　me

I　really　can't　estimate　at　all！〃



〃The　brain　has　its　weaknesses；〃　murmured　Mr。　Spinks；　waving　his　head

ominously。　　Mr。　Spinks　was　considered　to　be　a　scholar；　having　once

kept　a　night…school；　and　always　spoke　up　to　that　level。



〃Well；　I　must　call　with　en　the　first　thing　tomorrow。　　And　I'll　empt

my　pocket　o'　this　last　too；　if　you　don't　mind；　Mrs。　Dewy。〃　　He　d