under the greenwood tree-第32部分
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〃I never can mind seeing such a whispering as there was；〃 said Mr。
Penny； also loudly； to the room above。 〃And such sorrowful envy on
the maidens' faces； really； I never did see such envy as there was！〃
Fancy's lineaments varied in innumerable little flushes； and her
heart palpitated innumerable little tremors of pleasure。 〃But
perhaps；〃 she said； with assumed indifference； 〃it was only because
no religion was going on just then？〃
〃O； no； nothing to do with that。 'Twas because of your high
standing in the parish。 It was just as if they had one and all
caught Dick kissing and coling ye to death； wasn't it； Mrs。 Dewy？〃
〃Ay； that 'twas。〃
〃How people will talk about one's doings！〃 Fancy exclaimed。
〃Well； if you make songs about yourself； my dear； you can't blame
other people for singing 'em。〃
〃Mercy me！ how shall I go through it？〃 said the young lady again；
but merely to those in the bedroom； with a breathing of a kind
between a sigh and a pant； round shining eyes； and warm face。
〃O； you'll get through it well enough； child；〃 said Mrs。 Dewy
placidly。 〃The edge of the performance is took off at the calling
home； and when once you get up to the chancel end o' the church； you
feel as saucy as you please。 I'm sure I felt as brave as a sodger
all through the deedthough of course I dropped my face and looked
modest； as was becoming to a maid。 Mind you do that； Fancy。〃
〃And I walked into the church as quiet as a lamb； I'm sure；〃
subjoined Mrs。 Penny。 〃There； you see Penny is such a little small
man； But certainly； I was flurried in the inside o' me。 Well；
thinks I； 'tis to be； and here goes！ And do you do the same： say；
''Tis to be； and here goes！'〃
〃Is there such wonderful virtue in ''Tis to be； and here goes！'〃
inquired Fancy。
〃Wonderful！ 'Twill carry a body through it all from wedding to
churching； if you only let it out with spirit enough。〃
〃Very well； then；〃 said Fancy； blushing。 〃'Tis to be； and here
goes！〃
〃That's a girl for a husband！〃 said Mrs。 Dewy。
〃I do hope he'll come in time！〃 continued the bride…elect； inventing
a new cause of affright； now that the other was demolished。
〃'Twould be a thousand pities if he didn't come； now you he so
brave；〃 said Mrs。 Penny。
Grandfather James； having overheard some of these remarks； said
downstairs with mischievous loudness〃I've known some would…be
weddings when the men didn't come。〃
〃They've happened not to come； before now； certainly；〃 said Mr。
Penny； cleaning one of the glasses of his spectacles。
〃O； do hear what they are saying downstairs；〃 whispered Fancy。
〃Hush； hush！〃
She listened。
〃They have； haven't they； Geoffrey？〃 continued grandfather James； as
Geoffrey entered。
〃Have what？〃 said Geoffrey。
〃The men have been known not to come。〃
〃That they have；〃 said the keeper。
〃Ay； I've knowed times when the wedding had to be put off through
his not appearing； being tired of the woman。 And another case I
knowed was when the man was catched in a man…trap crossing Oaker's
Wood； and the three months had run out before he got well； and the
banns had to be published over again。〃
〃How horrible！〃 said Fancy。
〃They only say it on purpose to tease 'ee； my dear；〃 said Mrs。 Dewy。
〃'Tis quite sad to think what wretched shifts poor maids have been
put to；〃 came again from downstairs。 〃Ye should hear Clerk Wilkins；
my brother…law； tell his experiences in marrying couples these last
thirty year： sometimes one thing； sometimes another'tis quite
heart…rendingenough to make your hair stand on end。〃
〃Those things don't happen very often； I know；〃 said Fancy； with
smouldering uneasiness。
〃Well； really 'tis time Dick was here；〃 said the tranter。
〃Don't keep on at me so； grandfather James and Mr。 Dewy； and all you
down there！〃 Fancy broke out； unable to endure any longer。 〃I am
sure I shall die； or do something； if you do！〃
〃Never you hearken to these old chaps； Miss Day！〃 cried Nat
Callcome； the best man； who had just entered； and threw his voice
upward through the chinks of the floor as the others had done。
〃'Tis all right； Dick's coming on like a wild feller； he'll be here
in a minute。 The hive o' bees his mother gie'd en for his new
garden swarmed jist as he was starting； and he said； 〃I can't afford
to lose a stock o' bees； no； that I can't； though I fain would； and
Fancy wouldn't wish it on any account。〃 So he jist stopped to ting
to 'em and shake 'em。〃
〃A genuine wise man；〃 said Geoffrey。
〃To be sure； what a day's work we had yesterday！〃 Mr。 Callcome
continued； lowering his voice as if it were not necessary any longer
to include those in the room above among his audience； and selecting
a remote corner of his best clean handkerchief for wiping his face。
〃To be sure！〃
〃Things so heavy； I suppose；〃 said Geoffrey； as if reading through
the chimney…window from the far end of the vista。
〃Ay；〃 said Nat； looking round the room at points from which
furniture had been removed。 〃And so awkward to carry； too。 'Twas
ath'art and across Dick's garden； in and out Dick's door； up and
down Dick's stairs； round and round Dick's chammers till legs were
worn to stumps： and Dick is so particular； too。 And the stores of
victuals and drink that lad has laid in： why； 'tis enough for
Noah's ark！ I'm sure I never wish to see a choicer half…dozen of
hams than he's got there in his chimley； and the cider I tasted was
a very pretty drop； indeed；none could desire a prettier cider。〃
〃They be for the love and the stalled ox both； Ah； the greedy
martels！〃 said grandfather James。
〃Well； may…be they be。 Surely；〃 says I； 〃that couple between 'em
have heaped up so much furniture and victuals； that anybody would
think they were going to take hold the big end of married life
first； and begin wi' a grown…up family。 Ah； what a bath of heat we
two chaps were in； to be sure； a…getting that furniture in order！〃
〃I do so wish the room below was ceiled；〃 said Fancy； as the
dressing went on； 〃we can hear all they say and do down there。〃
〃Hark！ Who's that？〃 exclaimed a small pupil…teacher； who also
assisted this morning； to her great delight。 She ran half…way down
the stairs； and peeped round the banister。 〃O； you should； you
should； you should！〃 she exclaimed； scrambling up to the room again。
〃What？〃 said Fancy。
〃See the bridesmaids！ They've just a come！ 'Tis wonderful； really！
'tis wonderful how muslin can be brought to it。 There； they don't
look a bit like themselves； but like some very rich sisters o'
theirs that nobody knew they had！〃
〃Make 'em come up to me； make 'em come up！〃 cried Fancy
ecstatically； and the four damsels appointed； namely； Miss Susan
Dewy； Miss Bessie Dewy； Miss Vashti Sniff； and Miss Mercy Onmey；
surged upstairs； and floated along the passage。
〃I wish Dick would come！〃 was again the burden of Fancy。
The same instant a small twig and flower from the creeper outside
the door flew in at the open window； and a masculine voice said；
〃Ready； Fancy dearest？〃
〃There he is； he is！〃 cried Fancy； tittering spasmodically； and
breathing as it were for the first time that morning。
The bridesmaids crowded to the window and turned their heads in the
direction pointed out； at which motion eight earrings all swung as
one： not looking at Dick because they particularly wanted to see
him； but with an important sense of their duty as obedient ministers
of the will of that apotheosised beingthe Bride。
〃He looks very taking！〃 said Miss Vashti Sniff； a young lady who
blushed cream…colour and wore yellow bonnet ribbons。
Dick was advancing to the door in a painfully new coat of shining
cloth； primrose…coloured waistcoat； hat of the same painful style of
newness； and with an extra quantity of whiskers shaved off his face；
and hair cut to an unwonted shortness in honour of the occasion。
〃Now； I'll run down；〃 said Fancy； looking at herself over her
shoulder in the glass； and flitting off。
〃O Dick！〃 she exclaimed； 〃I am so glad you are come！ I knew you
would； of course； but I thought； Oh if you shouldn't！〃
〃Not come； Fancy！ Het or wet； blow or snow； here come I to…day！
Why； what's possessing your little soul？ You never used to mind
such things a bit。〃
〃Ah； Mr。 Dick； I hadn't hoisted my colours and committed myself
then！〃 said Fancy。
〃'Tis a pity I can't marry the whole five of ye！〃 said Dick；
surveying them all round。
〃Heh…heh…heh！〃 laughed the four bridesmaids； and Fancy privately
touched Dick and smoothed him down behind his shoulder； as if to
assure herself that he was there in flesh and blood as her own
property。
〃Well； whoever would have thought such a thing？〃 said Dick； taking
off his hat； sinking into a chair； and turning to the elder members
of the company。
The latter arranged their eyes and lips to signify that in their
opinion nobody could have thought such a thing； whatever it was。
〃That my bees should ha' swarmed just then； of all times and
seasons！〃 continued Dick； throwing a comprehensive glance like a net
over the whole auditory。 〃And 'tis a fine swarm； too： I haven't
seen such a fine swarm for these ten years。〃
〃A' excellent sign；〃 said Mrs。 Penny； from the depths of experience。
〃A' excellent sign。〃
〃I am glad everything seems so right；〃 said Fancy with a breath of
relief。
〃And so am I；〃 said the four bridesmaids with much sympathy。
〃Well； bees can't be put off；〃 observed the inharmonious grandfather
James。 〃Marrying a woman is a thing you can do at any moment； but a
swarm o' bees won't come for the asking。〃
Dick fanned himself with his hat。 〃I can't think；〃 he said
thoughtfully； 〃whatever 'twas I did to offend Mr。 Maybold； a man I
like so much too。 He rather took to me when he c
