the well-beloved--a sketch of a temperament-第1部分

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The　Well…BelovedA　Sketch　of　A　Temperament

by　Thomas　Hardy








PREFACE


The　peninsula　carved　by　Time　out　of　a　single　stone；　whereon　most　of　the
following　scenes　are　laid；　has　been　for　centuries　immemorial　the　home
of　a　curious　and　well…nigh　distinct　people；　cherishing　strange　beliefs
and　singular　customs；　now　for　the　most　part　obsolescent。　　Fancies；　like
certain　soft…wooded　plants　which　cannot　bear　the　silent　inland　frosts；
but　thrive　by　the　sea　in　the　roughest　of　weather；　seem　to　grow　up
naturally　here；　in　particular　amongst　those　natives　who　have　no　active
concern　in　the　labours　of　the　'Isle。'　　Hence　it　is　a　spot　apt　to
generate　a　type　of　personage　like　the　character　imperfectly　sketched　in
these　pagesa　native　of　nativeswhom　some　may　choose　to　call　a
fantast　（if　they　honour　him　with　their　consideration　so　far）；　but　whom
others　may　see　only　as　one　that　gave　objective　continuity　and　a　name　to
a　delicate　dream　which　in　a　vaguer　form　is　more　or　less　common　to　all
men；　and　is　by　no　means　new　to　Platonic　philosophers。

To　those　who　know　the　rocky　coign　of　England　here　depictedoverlooking
the　great　Channel　Highway　with　all　its　suggestiveness；　and　standing　out
so　far　into　mid…sea　that　touches　of　the　Gulf　Stream　soften　the　air　till
Februaryit　is　matter　of　surprise　that　the　place　has　not　been　more
frequently　chosen　as　the　retreat　of　artists　and　poets　in　search　of
inspirationfor　at　least　a　month　or　two　in　the　year；　the　tempestuous
rather　than　the　fine　seasons　by　preference。　　To　be　sure；　one　nook
therein　is　the　retreat；　at　their　country's　expense；　of　other　geniuses
from　a　distance；　but　their　presence　is　hardly　discoverable。　　Yet
perhaps　it　is　as　well　that　the　artistic　visitors　do　not　come；　or　no
more　would　be　heard　of　little　freehold　houses　being　bought　and　sold
there　for　a　couple　of　hundred　poundsbuilt　of　solid　stone；　and　dating
from　the　sixteenth　century　and　earlier；　with　mullions；　copings；　and
corbels　complete。　　These　transactions；　by　the　way；　are　carried　out　and
covenanted；　or　were　till　lately；　in　the　parish　church；　in　the　face　of
the　congregation；　such　being　the　ancient　custom　of　the　Isle。

As　for　the　story　itself；　it　may　be　worth　while　to　remark　that；
differing　from　all　or　most　others　of　the　series　in　that　the　interest
aimed　at　is　of　an　ideal　or　subjective　nature；　and　frankly　imaginative；
verisimilitude　in　the　sequence　of　events　has　been　subordinated　to　the
said　aim。

The　first　publication　of　this　tale　in　an　independent　form　was　in　1897；
but　it　had　appeared　in　the　periodical　press　in　1892；　under　the　title　of
'The　Pursuit　of　the　Well…Beloved。'　　A　few　chapters　of　that　experimental
issue　were　rewritten　for　the　present　and　final　form　of　the　narrative。


T。　H。
August　1912。








CONTENTS

PART　FIRST　　　A　YOUNG　MAN　OF　TWENTY。

I。　　　　　　A　SUPPOSITITIOUS　PRESENTMENT　OF　HER
II。　　　　　THE　INCARNATION　IS　ASSUMED　TO　BE　TRUE
III。　　　　THE　APPOINTMENT
IV。　　　　　A　LONELY　PEDESTRIAN
V。　　　　　　A　CHARGE
VI。　　　　　ON　THE　BRINK
VII。　　　　HER　EARLIER　INCARNATIONS
VIII。　　　'TOO　LIKE　THE　LIGHTNING'
IX。　　　　　FAMILIAR　PHENOMENA　IN　THE　DISTANCE


PART　SECOND　　　　A　YOUNG　MAN　OF　FORTY。

I。　　　　　　THE　OLD　PHANTOM　BECOMES　DISTINCT
II。　　　　　SHE　DRAWS　CLOSE　AND　SATISFIES
III。　　　　SHE　BECOMES　AN　INACCESSIBLE　GHOST
IV。　　　　　SHE　THREATENS　TO　RESUME　CORPOREAL　SUBSTANCE
V。　　　　　　THE　RESUMPTION　TAKES　PLACE
VI。　　　　　THE　PAST　SHINES　IN　THE　PRESENT
VII。　　　　THE　NEW　BECOMES　ESTABLISHED
VIII。　　　HIS　OWN　SOUL　CONFRONTS　HIM
IX。　　　　　JUXTAPOSITIONS
X。　　　　　　SHE　FAILS　TO　VANISH　STILL
XI。　　　　　THE　IMAGE　PERSISTS
XII。　　　　A　GRILLE　DESCENDS　BETWEEN
XIII。　　　SHE　IS　ENSHROUDED　FROM　SIGHT


PART　THIRD　　　　A　YOUNG　MAN　OF　SIXTY。

I。　　　　　　SHE　RETURNS　FOR　THE　NEW　SEASON
II。　　　　　MISGIVINGS　ON　THE　RE…EMBODIMENT
III。　　　　THE　RENEWED　IMAGE　BURNS　ITSELF　IN
IV。　　　　　A　DASH　FOR　THE　LAST　INCARNATION
V。　　　　　　ON　THE　VERGE　OF　POSSESSION
VI。　　　　　THE　WELL…BELOVED　ISWHERE？
VII。　　　　AN　OLD　TABERNACLE　IN　A　NEW　ASPECT
VIII。　　　'ALAS　FOR　THIS　GREY　SHADOW；　ONCE　A　MAN！'








PART　FIRST　　　　A　YOUNG　MAN　OF　TWENTY。

　　　　　'Now；　if　Time　knows
　　　　　That　Her；　whose　radiant　brows
　　　　　Weave　them　a　garland　of　my　vows；

　　　　　Her　that　dares　be
　　　　　What　these　lines　wish　to　see：
　　　　　I　seek　no　further；　it　is　She。'
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　R。　CRASHAW。



1。　I。　　A　SUPPOSITITIOUS　PRESENTMENT　OF　HER

A　person　who　differed　from　the　local　wayfarers　was　climbing　the　steep
road　which　leads　through　the　sea…skirted　townlet　definable　as　the
Street　of　Wells；　and　forms　a　pass　into　that　Gibraltar　of　Wessex；　the
singular　peninsula　once　an　island；　and　still　called　such；　that
stretches　out　like　the　head　of　a　bird　into　the　English　Channel。　　It　is
connected　with　the　mainland　by　a　long　thin　neck　of　pebbles　'cast　up　by
rages　of　the　se；'　and　unparalleled　in　its　kind　in　Europe。

The　pedestrian　was　what　he　looked　likea　young　man　from　London　and　the
cities　of　the　Continent。　　Nobody　could　see　at　present　that　his　urbanism
sat　upon　him　only　as　a　garment。　　He　was　just　recollecting　with
something　of　self…reproach　that　a　whole　three　years　and　eight　months
had　flown　since　he　paid　his　last　visit　to　his　father　at　this　lonely
rock　of　his　birthplace；　the　intervening　time　having　been　spent　amid
many　contrasting　societies；　peoples；　manners；　and　scenes。

What　had　seemed　usual　in　the　isle　when　he　lived　there　always　looked
quaint　and　odd　after　his　later　impressions。　　More　than　ever　the　spot
seemed　what　it　was　said　once　to　have　been；　the　ancient　Vindilia　Island；
and　the　Home　of　the　Slingers。　　The　towering　rock；　the　houses　above
houses；　one　man's　doorstep　rising　behind　his　neighbour's　chimney；　the
gardens　hung　up　by　one　edge　to　the　sky；　the　vegetables　growing　on
apparently　almost　vertical　planes；　the　unity　of　the　whole　island　as　a
solid　and　single　block　of　limestone　four　miles　long；　were　no　longer
familiar　and　commonplace　ideas。　　All　now　stood　dazzlingly　unique　and
white　against　the　tinted　sea；　and　the　sun　flashed　on　infinitely
stratified　walls　of　oolite；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　melancholy　ruins
　　　　　　Of　cancelled　cycles；　。　。　。

with　a　distinctiveness　that　called　the　eyes　to　it　as　strongly　as　any
spectacle　he　had　beheld　afar。

After　a　laborious　clamber　he　reached　the　top；　and　walked　along　the
plateau　towards　the　eastern　village。　　The　time　being　about　two　o'clock；
in　the　middle　of　the　summer　season；　the　road　was　glaring　and　dusty；　and
drawing　near　to　his　father's　house　he　sat　down　in　the　sun。

He　stretched　out　his　hand　upon　the　rock　beside　him。　　It　felt　warm。
That　was　the　island's　personal　temperature　when　in　its　afternoon　sleep
as　now。　　He　listened；　and　heard　sounds：　　whirr…whirr；　saw…saw…saw。
Those　were　the　island's　snoresthe　noises　of　the　quarrymen　and　stone…
sawyers。

Opposite　to　the　spot　on　which　he　sat　was　a　roomy　cottage　or　homestead。
Like　the　island　it　was　all　of　stone；　not　only　in　walls　but　in　window…
frames；　roof；　chimneys；　fence；　stile；　pigsty　and　stable；　almost　door。

He　remembered　who　had　used　to　live　thereand　probably　lived　there　now…
…the　Caro　family；　the　'roan…mare'　Caros；　as　they　were　called　to
distinguish　them　from　other　branches　of　the　same　pedigree；　there　being
but　half…a…dozen　Christian　and　surnames　in　the　whole　island。　　He
crossed　the　road　and　looked　in　at　the　open　doorway。　　Yes；　there　they
were　still。

Mrs。　Caro；　who　had　seen　him　from　the　window；　met　him　in　the　entry；　and
an　old…fashioned　greeting　took　place　between　them。　　A　moment　after　a
door　leading　from　the　back　rooms　was　thrown　open；　and　a　young　girl
about　seventeen　or　eighteen　came　bounding　in。

'Why；　'TIS　dear　Joce！'　she　burst　out　joyfully。　　And　running　up　to　the
young　man；　she　kissed　him。

The　demonstration　was　sweet　enough　from　the　owner　of　such　an
affectionate　pair　of　bright　hazel　eyes　and　brown　tresses　of　hair。　　But
it　was　so　sudden；　so　unexpected　by　a　man　fresh　from　towns；　that　he
winced　for　a　moment　quite　involuntarily；　and　there　was　some　constraint
in　the　manner　in　which　he　returned　her　kiss；　and　said；　'My　pretty
little　Avice；　how　do　you　do　after　so　long？'

For　a　few　seconds　her　impulsive　innocence　hardly　noticed　his　start　of
surprise；　but　Mrs。　Caro；　the　girl's　mother；　had　observed　it　instantly。
With　a　pained　flush　she　turned　to　her　daughter。

'Avicemy　dear　Avice！　　Whywhat　are　you　doing？　　Don't　you　know　that
you've　grown　up　to　be　a　woman　since　JocelynMr。　Pierstonwas　last
down　here？　　Of　course　you　mustn't　do　now　as　you　used　to　do　three　or
four　years　ago！'

The　awkwardness　which　had　arisen　was　hardly　removed　by　Pierston's
assurance　that　he　quite　expected　her　to　keep　up　the　practice　of　her
childhood；　followed　by　several　minutes　of　conversation　on　general
subjects。　　He　was　vexed　from　his　soul　that　his　unaware　movement　should
so　have　betrayed　him。　　At　his　leaving　he　repeated　that　if　Avice
regarded　him　otherwise　than　as　she　used　to　do　he　would　never　forgive
her；　but　though　they　parted　good　friends　her　regret　at　the　incident　was
visible　in　her　face。　　Jocelyn　passed　out　into　the　road　and　onward　to
his　father's　house　hard　by。　　The　mother　and　daughter　were　left　alone。

'I　was　quite　amazed　at　'ee；　my　child！'　exclaimed　the　elder。　　'A　young
man　from　London　and　foreign　cities；　used　now　to　the　strictest　company
manners；　and　ladies　who　almost　think　it　vulgar　to　smile　broad！　　How
could　ye　do　it；　Avice？'

'II　didn't　think　about　how　I　was　altered！'　said　the　conscience…
stricken　girl。　　'I　used　to　kiss　him；　and　he　used　to　kiss　me　before　he
went　away。'

'But　that　was　years　ago；　my　dear！'

'O　yes；　and　for　the　moment　I　forgot！　　He　seemed　just　the　same　to　me　as
he　used　to　be。'

'Well；　it　can't　be　helped　now。　　You　must　be　careful　in　the　future。
He's　got　lots　of　young　women；　I'll　warrant；　and　has　few　thoughts　left
for　you。　　He's　what　they　call　a　sculptor；　and　he　means　to　be　a　great
genius　in　that　line　some　day；　they　do　say。'

'Well；　I've　done　it；　and　it　can't　be　mended！'　moaned　the　girl。

Meanwhile　Jocelyn　Pierston；　the　sculptor　of　budding　fame；　had　gone
onward　to　the　house　of　his　father；　an　inartistic　man　of　trade　and
commerce　merely；　from　whom；　nevertheless；　Jocelyn　condescended　to
accept　a　yearly　allowance　pending　the　famous　days　to　come。　　But　the
elder；　having　received　no　warning　of