lizzie leigh-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



depreciate　her：　　he　told　himself　she　was　not　pretty；　and　then　made

indignant　answer　that　he　liked　her　looks　much　better　than　any　beauty

of　them　all。　　He　wished　he　was　not　so　country…looking；　so　red…faced；

so　broad…shouldered；　while　she　was　like　a　lady；　with　her　smooth；

colourless　complexion；　her　bright　dark　hair；　and　her　spotless　dress。

Pretty　or　not　pretty　she　drew　his　footsteps　towards　her；　he　could　not

resist　the　impulse　that　made　him　wish　to　see　her　once　more；　and　find

out　some　fault　which　should　unloose　his　heart　from　her　unconscious

keeping。　　But　there　she　was；　pure　and　maidenly　as　before。　　He　sat　and

looked；　answering　her　father　at　cross…purposes；　while　she　drew　more

and　more　into　the　shadow　of　the　chimney…corner　out　of　sight。　　Then

the　spirit　that　possessed　him　（it　was　not　he　himself；　sure；　that　did

so　impudent　a　thing！）　made　him　get　up　and　carry　the　candle　to　a

different　place；　under　the　pretence　of　giving　her　more　light　at　her

sewing；　but　in　reality　to　be　able　to　see　her　better。　　She　could　not

stand　this　much　longer；　but　jumped　up　and　said　she　must　put　her

little　niece　to　bed；　and　surely　there　never　was；　before　or　since；　so

troublesome　a　child　of　two　years　old；　for　though　Will　stayed　an　hour

and　a　half　longer；　she　never　came　down　again。　　He　won　the　father's

heart；　though；　by　his　capacity　as　a　listener；　for　some　people　are　not

at　all　particular；　and；　so　that　they　themselves　may　talk　on

undisturbed；　are　not　so　unreasonable　as　to　expect　attention　to　what

they　say。



Will　did　gather　this　much；　however；　from　the　old　man's　talk。　　He　had

once　been　quite　in　a　genteel　line　of　business；　but　had　failed　for

more　money　than　any　greengrocer　he　had　heard　of；　at　least；　any　who

did　not　mix　up　fish　and　game　with　green…grocery　proper。　　This　grand

failure　seemed　to　have　been　the　event　of　his　life；　and　one　on　which

he　dwelt　with　a　strange　kind　of　pride。　　It　appeared　as　if　at　present

he　rested　from　his　past　exertions　（in　the　bankrupt　line）；　and

depended　on　his　daughter；　who　kept　a　small　school　for　very　young

children。　　But　all　these　particulars　Will　only　remembered　and

understood　when　he　had　left　the　house；　at　the　time　he　heard　them；　he

was　thinking　of　Susan。　　After　he　had　made　good　his　footing　at　Mr。

Palmer's；　he　was　not　long；　you　may　be　sure；　without　finding　some

reason　for　returning　again　and　again。　　He　listened　to　her　father；　he

talked　to　the　little　niece；　but　he　looked　at　Susan；　both　while　he

listened　and　while　he　talked。　　Her　father　kept　on　insisting　upon　his

former　gentility；　the　details　of　which　would　have　appeared　very

questionable　to　Will's　mind；　if　the　sweet；　delicate；　modest　Susan　had

not　thrown　an　inexplicable　air　of　refinement　over　all　she　came　near。

She　never　spoke　much；　she　was　generally　diligently　at　work；　but　when

she　moved　it　was　so　noiselessly；　and　when　she　did　speak；　it　was　in　so

low　and　soft　a　voice；　that　silence；　speech；　motion；　and　stillness

alike　seemed　to　remove　her　high　above　Will's　reach　into　some　saintly

and　inaccessible　air　of　gloryhigh　above　his　reach；　even　as　she　knew

him！　　And；　if　she　were　made　acquainted　with　the　dark　secret　behind　of

his　sister's　shame；　which　was　kept　ever　present　to　his　mind　by　his

mother's　nightly　search　among　the　outcast　and　forsaken；　would　not

Susan　shrink　away　from　him　with　loathing；　as　if　he　were　tainted　by

the　involuntary　relationship？　　This　was　his　dread；　and　thereupon

followed　a　resolution　that　he　would　withdraw　from　her　sweet　company

before　it　was　too　late。　　So　he　resisted　internal　temptation；　and

stayed　at　home；　and　suffered　and　sighed。　　He　became　angry　with　his

mother　for　her　untiring　patience　in　seeking　for　one　who　he　could　not

help　hoping　was　dead　rather　than　alive。　　He　spoke　sharply　to　her；　and

received　only　such　sad　deprecatory　answers　as　made　him　reproach

himself；　and　still　more　lose　sight　of　peace　of　mind。　　This　struggle

could　not　last　long　without　affecting　his　health；　and　Tom；　his　sole

companion　through　the　long　evenings；　noticed　his　increasing　languor；

his　restless　irritability；　with　perplexed　anxiety；　and　at　last

resolved　to　call　his　mother's　attention　to　his　brother's　haggard；

careworn　looks。　　She　listened　with　a　startled　recollection　of　Will's

claims　upon　her　love。　　She　noticed　his　decreasing　appetite　and　half…

checked　sighs。



〃Will；　lad！　what's　come　o'er　thee？〃　said　she　to　him；　as　he　sat

listlessly　gazing　into　the　fire。



〃There's　nought　the　matter　with　me；〃　said　he；　as　if　annoyed　at　her

remark。



〃Nay；　lad；　but　there　is。〃　　He　did　not　speak　again　to　contradict　her；

indeed；　she　did　not　know　if　he　had　heard　her；　so　unmoved　did　he　look。



〃Wouldst　like　to　go　to　Upclose　Farm？〃　asked　she；　sorrowfully。



〃It's　just　blackberrying　time；〃　said　Tom。



Will　shook　his　head。　　She　looked　at　him　awhile；　as　if　trying　to　read

that　expression　of　despondency；　and　trace　it　back　to　its　source。



〃Will　and　Tom　could　go；〃　said　she；　〃I　must　stay　here　till　I've　found

her；　thou　knowest；〃　continued　she；　dropping　her　voice。



He　turned　quickly　round；　and　with　the　authority　he　at　all　times

exercised　over　Tom；　bade　him　begone　to　bed。



When　Tom　had　left　the　room；　he　prepared　to　speak。







CHAPTER　II。







〃Mother；〃　then　said　Will；　〃why　will　you　keep　on　thinking　she's　alive？

If　she　were　but　dead；　we　need　never　name　her　name　again。　　We've　never

heard　nought　on　her　since　father　wrote　her　that　letter；　we　never　knew

whether　she　got　it　or　not。　　She'd　left　her　place　before　then。　　Many　a

one　dies　in〃



〃Oh；　my　lad！　dunnot　speak　so　to　me；　or　my　heart　will　break　outright；〃

said　his　mother；　with　a　sort　of　cry。　　Then　she　calmed　herself；　for

she　yearned　to　persuade　him　to　her　own　belief。　　〃Thou　never　asked；

and　thou'rt　too　like　thy　father　for　me　to　tell　without　askingbut　it

were　all　to　be　near　Lizzie's　old　place　that　I　settled　down　on　this

side　o'　Manchester；　and　the　very　day　at　after　we　came；　I　went　to　her

old　missus；　and　asked　to　speak　a　word　wi'　her。　　I　had　a　strong　mind

to　cast　it　up　to　her；　that　she　should　ha'　sent　my　poor　lass　away；

without　telling　on　it　to　us　first；　but　she　were　in　black；　and　looked

so　sad　I　could　na'　find　in　my　heart　to　threep　it　up。　　But　I　did　ask

her　a　bit　about　our　Lizzie。　　The　master　would　have　turned　her　away　at

a　day's　warning　（he's　gone　to　t'other　place；　I　hope　he'll　meet　wi'

more　mercy　there　than　he　showed　our　LizzieI　do）；　and　when　the

missus　asked　her　should　she　write　to　us；　she　says　Lizzie　shook　her

head；　and　when　she　speered　at　her　again；　the　poor　lass　went　down　on

her　knees；　and　begged　her　not；　for　she　said　it　would　break　my　heart

（as　it　has　done；　WillGod　knows　it　has）；〃　said　the　poor　mother；

choking　with　her　struggle　to　keep　down　her　hard　overmastering　grief；

〃and　her　father　would　curse　herOh；　God；　teach　me　to　be　patient。〃

She　could　not　speak　for　a　few　minutes〃and　the　lass　threatened；　and

said　she'd　go　drown　herself　in　the　canal；　if　the　missus　wrote　home

and　so　…



〃Well！　　I'd　got　a　trace　of　my　childthe　missus　thought　she'd　gone　to

th'　workhouse　to　be　nursed；　and　there　I　wentand　there；　sure　enough；

she　had　beenand　they'd　turned　her　out　as　she　were　strong；　and　told

her　she　were　young　enough　to　workbut　whatten　kind　o'　work　would　be

open　to　her；　lad；　and　her　baby　to　keep？〃



Will　listened　to　his　mother's　tale　with　deep　sympathy；　not　unmixed

with　the　old　bitter　shame。　　But　the　opening　of　her　heart　had　unlocked

his；　and　after　awhile　he　spoke　…



〃Mother！　　I　think　I'd　e'en　better　go　home。　　Tom　can　stay　wi'　thee。　　I

know　I　should　stay　too；　but　I　cannot　stay　in　peace　so　nearher

without　craving　to　see　herSusan　Palmer；　I　mean。〃



〃Has　the　old　Mr。　Palmer　thou　telled　me　on　a　daughter？〃　asked　Mrs。

Leigh。



〃Ay；　he　has。　　And　I　love　her　above　a　bit。　　And　it's　because　I　love

her　I　want　to　leave　Manchester。　　That's　all。〃



Mrs。　Leigh　tried　to　understand　this　speech　for　some　time；　but　found

it　difficult　of　interpretation。



〃Why　shouldst　thou　not　tell　her　thou　lov'st　her？　　Thou'rt　a　likely

lad；　and　sure　o'　work。　　Thou'lt　have　Upclose　at　my　death；　and　as　for

that；　I　could　let　thee　have　it　now；　and　keep　mysel'　by　doing　a　bit　of

charring。　　It　seems　to　me　a　very　backwards　sort　o'　way　of　winning　her

to　think　of　leaving　Manchester。〃



〃Oh；　mother；　she's　so　gentle　and　so　goodshe's　downright　holy。

She's　never　known　a　touch　of　sin；　and　can　I　ask　her　to　marry　me；

knowing　what　we　do　about　Lizzie；　and　fearing　worse？　　I　doubt　if　one

like　her　could　ever　care　for　me；　but　if　she　knew　about　my　sister；　it

would　put　a　gulf　between　us；　and　she'd　shudder　up　at　the　thought　of

crossing　it。　　You　don't　know　how　good　she　is；　mother！〃



〃Will；　Will！　if　she's　so　good　as　thou　say'st；　she'll　have　pity　on

such　as　my　Lizzie。　　If　she　has　no　pity　for　such；　she's　a　cruel

Pharisee；　and　thou'rt　best　without　her。〃



But　he　only　shook　his　head；　and　sighed；　and　for　the　time　the

conversation　dropped。



But　a　new　idea　sprang　up　in　Mrs。　Leigh's　head。　　She　thought　that　she

would　go　and　see　Susan　Palmer；　and　speak　up　for　Will；　and　tell　her

the　truth　about　Lizzie；　and　according　to　her　pity　for　the　poor

sinner；　would　she　be　worthy　or　unworthy　of　him。　　She　resolved　to　go

the　very　next　afternoon；　but　without　telling　any　one　of　her　plan。

Accordingly　she　looked　out　the　Sunday　clothes　she　had　never　before

had　the　heart　to　unpack　since　she　came　to　Manchester；　but　which　she

now　desired　to　appear　in；　in　order　to　do　credit　to　Will。　　She　put　on

her　old…fashioned　black　mode　bonnet；　trimmed　with　real　lace；　her

scarlet　cloth　cloak；　which　she　had　had　ever　since　she　was　married；

and；　always　spotlessly　clean；　she　set　forth　on　her　unauthorised

embassy。　　She　knew　the　Palmers　lived　in　Crown　Street；　though　where

she　had　heard　it　she　could　not　tell；　and　modestly　asking　her　way；　she

arrived　in　the　street　about　a　quarter　to　four　o'clock。　　She　stopped

to　enquire　the　exact　number；　and　the　woman　whom　she　addressed　told

her　that　Susan　Palmer's　school　wou