under the greenwood tree-第6部分
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vanished； her little mouth； her neck and shoulders； all of her。
Then the spot of candlelight shone nebulously as before； then it
moved away。
〃How pretty！〃 exclaimed Dick Dewy。
〃If she'd been rale wexwork she couldn't ha' been comelier；〃 said
Michael Mail。
〃As near a thing to a spiritual vision as ever I wish to see！〃 said
tranter Dewy。
〃O； sich I never； never see！〃 said Leaf fervently。
All the rest； after clearing their threats and adjusting their hats；
agreed that such a sight was worth singing for。
〃Now to Farmer Shiner's； and then replenish our insides； father？〃
said the tranter。
〃Wi' all my heart；〃 said old William； shouldering his bass…viol。
Farmer Shiner's was a queer lump of a house； standing at the corner
of a lane that ran into the principal thoroughfare。 The upper
windows were much wider than they were high； and this feature；
together with a broad bay…window where the door might have been
expected； gave it by day the aspect of a human countenance turned
askance； and wearing a sly and wicked leer。 To…night nothing was
visible but the outline of the roof upon the sky。
The front of this building was reached； and the preliminaries
arranged as usual。
〃Four breaths； and number thirty…two； 'Behold the Morning Star；'〃
said old William。
They had reached the end of the second verse； and the fiddlers were
doing the up bow…stroke previously to pouring forth the opening
chord of the third verse； when； without a light appearing or any
signal being given； a roaring voice exclaimed …
〃Shut up； woll 'ee！ Don't make your blaring row here！ A feller wi'
a headache enough to split his skull likes a quiet night！〃
Slam went the window。
〃Hullo； that's a' ugly blow for we！〃 said the tranter； in a keenly
appreciative voice； and turning to his companions。
〃Finish the carrel； all who be friends of harmony！〃 commanded old
William； and they continued to the end。
〃Four breaths； and number nineteen！〃 said William firmly。 〃Give it
him well； the quire can't be insulted in this manner！〃
A light now flashed into existence； the window opened； and the
farmer stood revealed as one in a terrific passion。
〃Drown en！drown en！〃 the tranter cried； fiddling frantically。
〃Play fortissimy； and drown his spaking！〃
〃Fortissimy！〃 said Michael Mail； and the music and singing waxed so
loud that it was impossible to know what Mr。 Shiner had said； was
saying； or was about to say； but wildly flinging his arms and body
about in the forms of capital Xs and Ys； he appeared to utter enough
invectives to consign the whole parish to perdition。
〃Very onseemlyvery！〃 said old William； as they retired。 〃Never
such a dreadful scene in the whole round o' my carrel practice
never！ And he a churchwarden！〃
〃Only a drap o' drink got into his head；〃 said the tranter。 〃Man's
well enough when he's in his religious frame。 He's in his worldly
frame now。 Must ask en to our bit of a party to…morrow night； I
suppose； and so put en in humour again。 We bear no mortal man ill…
will。〃
They now crossed Mellstock Bridge； and went along an embowered path
beside the Froom towards the church and vicarage； meeting Voss with
the hot mead and bread…and…cheese as they were approaching the
churchyard。 This determined them to eat and drink before proceeding
further； and they entered the church and ascended to the gallery。
The lanterns were opened； and the whole body sat round against the
walls on benches and whatever else was available； and made a hearty
meal。 In the pauses of conversation there could be heard through
the floor overhead a little world of undertones and creaks from the
halting clockwork； which never spread further than the tower they
were born in； and raised in the more meditative minds a fancy that
here hay the direct pathway of Time。
Having done eating and drinking； they again tuned the instruments；
and once more the party emerged into the night air。
〃Where's Dick？〃 said old Dewy。
Every man hooked round upon every other man； as if Dick might have
been transmuted into one or the other； and then they said they
didn't know。
〃Well now； that's what I call very nasty of Master Dicky； that I
do；〃 said Michael Mail。
〃He've clinked off home…along； depend upon't；〃 another suggested；
though not quite believing that he had。
〃Dick！〃 exclaimed the tranter； and his voice rolled sonorously forth
among the yews。
He suspended his muscles rigid as stone whilst listening for an
answer； and finding he listened in vain； turned to the assemblage。
〃The treble man too！ Now if he'd been a tenor or counter chap； we
might ha' contrived the rest o't without en； you see。 But for a
quire to lose the treble； why； my sonnies； you may so well lose your
。 。 。 〃 The tranter paused； unable to mention an image vast enough
for the occasion。
〃Your head at once；〃 suggested Mr。 Penny。
The tranter moved a pace； as if it were puerile of people to
complete sentences when there were more pressing things to be done。
〃Was ever heard such a thing as a young man leaving his work half
done and turning tail like this！〃
〃Never；〃 replied Bowman； in a tone signifying that he was the last
man in the world to wish to withhold the formal finish required of
him。
〃I hope no fatal tragedy has overtook the had！〃 said his
grandfather。
〃O no；〃 replied tranter Dewy placidly。 〃Wonder where he's put that
there fiddle of his。 Why that fiddle cost thirty shillings； and
good words besides。 Somewhere in the damp； without doubt； that
instrument will be unglued and spoilt in ten minutesten！ ay； two。〃
〃What in the name o' righteousness can have happened？〃 said old
William； more uneasily。 〃Perhaps he's drownded！〃
〃Leaving their lanterns and instruments in the belfry they retraced
their steps along the waterside track。 〃A strapping lad like Dick
d'know better than let anything happen onawares；〃 Reuben remarked。
〃There's sure to be some poor little scram reason for't staring us
in the face all the while。〃 He lowered his voice to a mysterious
tone： 'Neighbours； have ye noticed any sign of a scornful woman in
his head； or suchlike？〃
〃Not a glimmer of such a body。 He's as clear as water yet。〃
〃And Dicky said he should never marry；〃 cried Jimmy； 〃but live at
home always along wi' mother and we！〃
〃Ay； ay； my sonny； every had has said that in his time。〃
They had now again reached the precincts of Mr。 Shiner's； but
hearing nobody in that direction； one or two went across to the
schoolhouse。 A light was still burning in the bedroom； and though
the blind was down； the window had been slightly opened； as if to
admit the distant notes of the carollers to the ears of the occupant
of the room。
Opposite the window； leaning motionless against a beech tree； was
the lost man； his arms folded； his head thrown back； his eyes fixed
upon the illuminated lattice。
〃Why； Dick； is that thee？ What b'st doing here？〃
Dick's body instantly flew into a more rational attitude； and his
head was seen to turn east and west in the gloom； as if endeavouring
to discern some proper answer to that question； and at last he said
in rather feeble accents〃Nothing； father。〃
〃Th'st take long enough time about it then； upon my body；〃 said the
tranter； as they all turned anew towards the vicarage。
〃I thought you hadn't done having snap in the gallery；〃 said Dick。
〃Why； we've been traypsing and rambling about； looking everywhere；
and thinking you'd done fifty deathly things； and here have you been
at nothing at all！〃
〃The stupidness lies in that point of it being nothing at all；〃
murmured Mr。 Spinks。
The vicarage front was their next field of operation； and Mr。
Maybold； the lately…arrived incumbent； duly received his share of
the night's harmonies。 It was hoped that by reason of his
profession he would have been led to open the window； and an extra
carol in quick time was added to draw him forth。 But Mr。 Maybold
made no stir。
〃A bad sign！〃 said old William； shaking his head。
However； at that same instant a musical voice was heard exclaiming
from inner depths of bedclothes〃Thanks； villagers！〃
〃What did he say？〃 asked Bowman； who was rather dull of hearing。
Bowman's voice； being therefore loud； had been heard by the vicar
within。
〃I said； 'Thanks； villagers！'〃 cried the vicar again。
〃Oh； we didn't hear 'ee the first time！〃 cried Bowman。
〃Now don't for heaven's sake spoil the young man's temper by
answering like that！〃 said the tranter。
〃You won't do that； my friends！〃 the vicar shouted。
〃Well to be sure； what ears！〃 said Mr。 Penny in a whisper。 〃Beats
any horse or dog in the parish； and depend upon't； that's a sign
he's a proper clever chap。〃
〃We shall see that in time；〃 said the tranter。
Old William； in his gratitude for such thanks from a comparatively
new inhabitant； was anxious to play all the tunes over again； but
renounced his desire on being reminded by Reuben that it would be
best to leave well alone。
〃Now putting two and two together；〃 the tranter continued； as they
went their way over the hill； and across to the last remaining
houses； 〃that is； in the form of that young female vision we zeed
just now； and this young tenor…voiced parson； my belief is she'll
wind en round her finger； and twist the pore young feller about like
the figure of 8that she will so； my sonnies。〃
CHAPTER VI： CHRISTMAS MORNING
The choir at last reached their beds； and slept like the rest of the
parish。 Dick's slumbers； through the three or four hours remaining
for rest； were disturbed and slight； an exhaustive variation upon
the incidents that had passed that night in connection with the
school…window going on in his brain every moment of the time。
