under the greenwood tree-第7部分

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school…window　going　on　in　his　brain　every　moment　of　the　time。



In　the　morning；　do　what　he　wouldgo　upstairs；　downstairs；　out　of

doors；　speak　of　the　wind　and　weather；　or　what　nothe　could　not

refrain　from　an　unceasing　renewal；　in　imagination；　of　that

interesting　enactment。　　Tilted　on　the　edge　of　one　foot　he　stood

beside　the　fireplace；　watching　his　mother　grilling　rashers；　but

there　was　nothing　in　grilling；　he　thought；　unless　the　Vision

grilled。　　The　limp　rasher　hung　down　between　the　bars　of　the　gridiron

like　a　cat　in　a　child's　arms；　but　there　was　nothing　in　similes；

unless　She　uttered　them。　　He　looked　at　the　daylight　shadows　of　a

yellow　hue；　dancing　with　the　firelight　shadows　in　blue　on　the

whitewashed　chimney　corner；　but　there　was　nothing　in　shadows。

〃Perhaps　the　new　young　womschMiss　Fancy　Day　will　sing　in　church

with　us　this　morning；〃　he　said。



The　tranter　looked　a　long　time　before　he　replied；　〃I　fancy　she　will；

and　yet　I　fancy　she　won't。〃



Dick　implied　that　such　a　remark　was　rather　to　be　tolerated　than

admired；　though　deliberateness　in　speech　was　known　to　have；　as　a

rule；　more　to　do　with　the　machinery　of　the　tranter's　throat　than

with　the　matter　enunciated。



They　made　preparations　for　going　to　church　as　usual；　Dick　with

extreme　alacrity；　though　he　would　not　definitely　consider　why　he　was

so　religious。　　His　wonderful　nicety　in　brushing　and　cleaning　his

best　light　boots　had　features　which　elevated　it　to　the　rank　of　an

art。　　Every　particle　and　speck　of　last　week's　mud　was　scraped　and

brushed　from　toe　and　heel；　new　blacking　from　the　packet　was

carefully　mixed　and　made　use　of；　regardless　of　expense。　　A　coat　was

laid　on　and　polished；　then　another　coat　for　increased　blackness；　and

lastly　a　third；　to　give　the　perfect　and　mirror…like　jet　which　the

hoped…for　rencounter　demanded。



It　being　Christmas…day；　the　tranter　prepared　himself　with　Sunday

particularity。　　Loud　sousing　and　snorting　noises　were　heard　to

proceed　from　a　tub　in　the　back　quarters　of　the　dwelling；　proclaiming

that　he　was　there　performing　his　great　Sunday　wash；　lasting　half…an…

hour；　to　which　his　washings　on　working…day　mornings　were　mere

flashes　in　the　pan。　　Vanishing　into　the　outhouse　with　a　large　brown

towel；　and　the　above…named　bubblings　and　snortings　being　carried　on

for　about　twenty　minutes；　the　tranter　would　appear　round　the　edge　of

the　door；　smelling　like　a　summer　fog；　and　looking　as　if　he　had　just

narrowly　escaped　a　watery　grave　with　the　loss　of　much　of　his

clothes；　having　since　been　weeping　bitterly　till　his　eyes　were　red；

a　crystal　drop　of　water　hanging　ornamentally　at　the　bottom　of　each

ear；　one　at　the　tip　of　his　nose；　and　others　in　the　form　of　spangles

about　his　hair。



After　a　great　deal　of　crunching　upon　the　sanded　stone　floor　by　the

feet　of　father；　son；　and　grandson　as　they　moved　to　and　fro　in　these

preparations；　the　bass…viol　and　fiddles　were　taken　from　their　nook；

and　the　strings　examined　and　screwed　a　little　above　concert…pitch；

that　they　might　keep　their　tone　when　the　service　began；　to　obviate

the　awkward　contingency　of　having　to　retune　them　at　the　back　of　the

gallery　during　a　cough；　sneeze；　or　amenan　inconvenience　which　had

been　known　to　arise　in　damp　wintry　weather。



The　three　left　the　door　and　paced　down　Mellstock…lane　and　across　the

ewe…lease；　bearing　under　their　arms　the　instruments　in　faded　green…

baize　bags；　and　old　brown　music…books　in　their　hands；　Dick

continually　finding　himself　in　advance　of　the　other　two；　and　the

tranter　moving　on　with　toes　turned　outwards　to　an　enormous　angle。



At　the　foot　of　an　incline　the　church　became　visible　through　the

north　gate；　or　'church　hatch；'　as　it　was　called　here。　　Seven　agile

figures　in　a　clump　were　observable　beyond；　which　proved　to　be　the

choristers　waiting；　sitting　on　an　altar…tomb　to　pass　the　time；　and

letting　their　heels　dangle　against　it。　　The　musicians　being　now　in

sight；　the　youthful　party　scampered　off　and　rattled　up　the　old

wooden　stairs　of　the　gallery　like　a　regiment　of　cavalry；　the　other

boys　of　the　parish　waiting　outside　and　observing　birds；　cats；　and

other　creatures　till　the　vicar　entered；　when　they　suddenly　subsided

into　sober　church…goers；　and　passed　down　the　aisle　with　echoing

heels。



The　gallery　of　Mellstock　Church　had　a　status　and　sentiment　of　its

own。　　A　stranger　there　was　regarded　with　a　feeling　altogether

differing　from　that　of　the　congregation　below　towards　him。　　Banished

from　the　nave　as　an　intruder　whom　no　originality　could　make

interesting；　he　was　received　above　as　a　curiosity　that　no　unfitness

could　render　dull。　　The　gallery；　too；　looked　down　upon　and　knew　the

habits　of　the　nave　to　its　remotest　peculiarity；　and　had　an　extensive

stock　of　exclusive　information　about　it；　whilst　the　nave　knew

nothing　of　the　gallery　folk；　as　gallery　folk；　beyond　their　loud…

sounding　minims　and　chest　notes。　　Such　topics　as　that　the　clerk　was

always　chewing　tobacco　except　at　the　moment　of　crying　amen；　that　he

had　a　dust…hole　in　his　pew；　that　during　the　sermon　certain　young

daughters　of　the　village　had　left　off　caring　to　read　anything　so

mild　as　the　marriage　service　for　some　years；　and　now　regularly

studied　the　one　which　chronologically　follows　it；　that　a　pair　of

lovers　touched　fingers　through　a　knot…hole　between　their　pews　in　the

manner　ordained　by　their　great　exemplars；　Pyramus　and　Thisbe；　that

Mrs。　Ledlow；　the　farmer's　wife；　counted　her　money　and　reckoned　her

week's　marketing　expenses　during　the　first　lessonall　news　to　those

belowwere　stale　subjects　here。



Old　William　sat　in　the　centre　of　the　front　row；　his　violoncello

between　his　knees　and　two　singers　on　each　hand。　　Behind　him；　on　the

left；　came　the　treble　singers　and　Dick；　and　on　the　right　the　tranter

and　the　tenors。　　Farther　back　was　old　Mail　with　the　altos　and

supernumeraries。



But　before　they　had　taken　their　places；　and　whilst　they　were

standing　in　a　circle　at　the　back　of　the　gallery　practising　a　psalm

or　two；　Dick　cast　his　eyes　over　his　grandfather's　shoulder；　and　saw

the　vision　of　the　past　night　enter　the　porch…door　as　methodically　as

if　she　had　never　been　a　vision　at　all。　　A　new　atmosphere　seemed

suddenly　to　be　puffed　into　the　ancient　edifice　by　her　movement；

which　made　Dick's　body　and　soul　tingle　with　novel　sensations。

Directed　by　Shiner；　the　churchwarden；　she　proceeded　to　the　small

aisle　on　the　north　side　of　the　chancel；　a　spot　now　allotted　to　a

throng　of　Sunday…school　girls；　and　distinctly　visible　from　the

gallery…front　by　looking　under　the　curve　of　the　furthermost　arch　on

that　side。



Before　this　moment　the　church　had　seemed　comparatively　emptynow　it

was　thronged；　and　as　Miss　Fancy　rose　from　her　knees　and　looked

around　her　for　a　permanent　place　in　which　to　deposit　herself

finally　choosing　the　remotest　cornerDick　began　to　breathe　more

freely　the　warm　new　air　she　had　brought　with　her；　to　feel　rushings

of　blood；　and　to　have　impressions　that　there　was　a　tie　between　her

and　himself　visible　to　all　the　congregation。



Ever　afterwards　the　young　man　could　recollect　individually　each　part

of　the　service　of　that　bright　Christmas　morning；　and　the　trifling

occurrences　which　took　place　as　its　minutes　slowly　drew　along；　the

duties　of　that　day　dividing　themselves　by　a　complete　line　from　the

services　of　other　times。　　The　tunes　they　that　morning　essayed

remained　with　him　for　years；　apart　from　all　others；　also　the　text；

also　the　appearance　of　the　layer　of　dust　upon　the　capitals　of　the

piers；　that　the　holly…bough　in　the　chancel　archway　was　hung　a　little

out　of　the　centreall　the　ideas；　in　short；　that　creep　into　the　mind

when　reason　is　only　exercising　its　lowest　activity　through　the　eye。



By　chance　or　by　fate；　another　young　man　who　attended　Mellstock

Church　on　that　Christmas　morning　had　towards　the　end　of　the　service

the　same　instinctive　perception　of　an　interesting　presence；　in　the

shape　of　the　same　bright　maiden；　though　his　emotion　reached　a　far

less　developed　stage。　　And　there　was　this　difference；　too；　that　the

person　in　question　was　surprised　at　his　condition；　and　sedulously

endeavoured　to　reduce　himself　to　his　normal　state　of　mind。　　He　was

the　young　vicar；　Mr。　Maybold。



The　music　on　Christmas　mornings　was　frequently　below　the　standard　of

church…performances　at　other　times。　　The　boys　were　sleepy　from　the

heavy　exertions　of　the　night；　the　men　were　slightly　wearied；　and

now；　in　addition　to　these　constant　reasons；　there　was　a　dampness　in

the　atmosphere　that　still　further　aggravated　the　evil。　　Their

strings；　from　the　recent　long　exposure　to　the　night　air；　rose　whole

semitones；　and　snapped　with　a　loud　twang　at　the　most　silent　moment；

which　necessitated　more　retiring　than　ever　to　the　back　of　the

gallery；　and　made　the　gallery　throats　quite　husky　with　the　quantity

of　coughing　and　hemming　required　for　tuning　in。　　The　vicar　looked

cross。



When　the　singing　was　in　progress　there　was　suddenly　discovered　to　be

a　strong　and　shrill　reinforcement　from　some　point；　ultimately　found

to　be　the　school…girls'　aisle。　　At　every　attempt　it　grew　bolder　and

more　distinct。　　At　the　third　time　of　singing；　these　intrusive

feminine　voices　were　as　mighty　as　those　of　the　regular　singers；　in

fact；　the　flood　of　sound　from　this　quarter　assumed　such　an

individuality；　that　it　had　a　time；　a　key；　almost　a　tune　of　its　own；

surging　upwards　when　the　gallery　plunged　downwards；　and　the　reverse。



Now　this　had　never　happened　before　within　the　memory　of　man。　　The

girls；　like　the　rest　of　the　congregation；　had　always　been　humble　and

respectful　followers　of　the　gallery；　singing　at　sixes　and　sevens　if

without　gallery　leaders；　never　interfering　with　the　ordinances　of

these　practised　artistshaving　no　will；　union；　power；　or　proclivity

except　it　was　given　them　from　the　established　choir　enthroned　above

them。



A　good　deal　of　desperation　became　noticeable　in　the　gallery　throats

and　strings；　which　continued　throughout　the　m