To Farmer Chave, young Timothy, now reestablished with Sarah, had come to break the news of his betrothal11. But no parental12 congratulation rewarded the announcement. Mr. Chave knew every man and woman in Postbridge, and was familiar with the fact that the blacksmith’s daughter had long been engaged to his cowman. That his son and heir should favour a labourer’s sweetheart was a galling14 discovery and provoked language of a sort seldom heard even in those plain-speaking times. Finally the father dismissed his son, bade him get out of sight and conquer his calf15-love once and for all or hold himself disinherited. A little later he acted on p. 67his own shrewd judgement and held converse16 with Sarah’s original suitor.
John was milking as the farmer entered his cow-yard, and a flood of sunlight slanted17 over the low byre roofs and made the coats of the cattle shine ripe chestnut18 red.
“Evenin’ to ’e, Aggett. Leave that job an’ come an’ have a tell wi’ me. I wants to speak to ’e.”
“Evenin’, maister. I’ll milk `Prim’ dry, ’cause she do awnly give down to me. Milly can do t’others.”
Farmer Chave waited until the cow “Prim” had yielded her store, then he led the way to an empty cow-stall—dark, cool and scented20 by its inhabitants. Across the threshold fell a bar of light; without, a vast heap of rich ordure sent forth21 delicate sun-tinted vapour; close at hand the cows stood waiting each her turn, and one with greatly distended22 udder lowed to the milkmaid.
“Look you here, Jan Aggett, you’m for marryin’, ban’t ’e? Didn’t you tell me when I took you on as a you was keepin’ company wi’ blacksmith’s purty darter?”
“’Twas so, then.”
“Well, I’m one as likes to see my hands married an’ settled an’ getting childer ’cordin’ to Bible command. What’s your wages this minute?”
“You’m on a wrong tack23, maister. Sarah p. 68Belworthy an’ me be out. Theer’s nought24 betwixt us more.”
Mr. Chave affected25 great indignation at this statement.
“’Struth! Be you that sort?”
John reflected a moment before answering. He suspected his master must know the truth, but could not feel certain, for Mr. Chave’s manner suggested absolute ignorance.
“Us changed our minds—that’s all.”
“You say so! When a girl changes her mind theer’s generally another string to her bow. Either that, or she’s tired of waiting for the fust.”
“It might be ’twas so,” said John, falling into the trap laid for him. “A maid like her can’t be expected in reason to bide26 till such as me can make a home for her. I doan’t blame her.”
“Well, if that’s the trouble, you can go right along to her this night an’ tell her theer’s no cause to keep single after Eastertide. Yeo and his wife do leave my cottage in Longley Bottom come then, an’ instead of raisin’ your wages as I meant to do bimebye, I’ll give ’e the cot rent free. A tidy li’l place tu, I warn ’e, wi’ best part of an acre o’ ground, an’ only half a mile from the village. Now be off with ’e an’ tell the girl.”
Aggett gasped27 and his eyes dimmed a moment before the splendid vision of what might have been. p. 69It took him long to find words and breath to utter them. Then he endeavoured to explain.
“You’m a kind maister, God knows, an’ I’d thank ’e year in an’ year out wi’ the sweat o’ my body for such gudeness. But the thing can’t be, worse luck. Best I tell ’e straight. ’Tis like this: Sally have met another chap—a chap built o’ softer mud than what I be. An’ he’m more to her than me, an’—”
“God A’mighty! An’ you stand theer whining28 wi’ no more spirit than a auld29 woman what’s lost her shoe-string! A chap hath kindiddled the maid from ’e? Another man hath stole her? Is that what you mean?”
John grew fiery30 red, breathed hard and rubbed his chin with a huge fist.
“Ban’t the man I cares a curse for. ’Tis the girl.”
“Rubbishy auld nonsense! ’Tis woman’s play to show ’e the worth of her. They’m built that way an’ think no man can value ’em right unless he sees they’m for other markets so well as his. Do ’e know what that vixen wants ’e to do? Why, she’s awnly waiting for ’e to give t’other chap a damn gude hiding! Then she’ll cuddle round again—like a cat arter fish. I know ’em!”
John’s jaw31 dropped before this sensational32 advice. Now he was more than ever convinced that his master knew nothing of the truth. It appeared to him p. 70the most fantastic irony33 that a father should thus in ignorance condemn34 his son to such a sentence. Then Aggett put a question that shewed quickening of perception.
“If ’twas your own flesh an’ blood, what would ’e say?”
“Same as I be sayin’ now. Burned if I’d blame any man for sticking to his own.”
“It be your son,” declared John, shortly.
“I know it,” answered the other. “That’s why I’m here. You’m not the fule you look, Jan, an’ you know so well as I can tell ’e this match ban’t seemly nohow. I ban’t agwaine to have it—not if the Lard Bishop35 axed me. An’ I tell you plain an’ plump—me being your master—that you must stop it. The girl’s your girl, an’ you must keep her to her bargain. An’ you won’t repent36 it neither. Marry her out of hand an’ look to me for the rest. An’ if a word’s said, send him as sez it to me. I’ll soon shut their mouths.”
“Ban’t the folks—’tis her. She do love your son wi’ all her heart an’ soul—an’ he loves her—onless he’s a liar13.”
“Drivel! What does he know about love—a moon-blind calf like him? I won’t have it, I tell ’e. He’s gone his awn way to long! Spoiled by his fule of a mother from the church-vamp[70] onward37 till he’ve p. 71come to this bit of folly38. It’s not to be—dost hear what I say?”
“I hear. Go your ways, maister, an’ prevent it if you can. I’ll not meddle39 or make in the matter. Sally Belworthy have chosen, an’ ban’t me as can force her to change her mind.”
“More fule her. An’ between the pair of ’e, she’ll find herself in the dirt. ’Tis in a nutshell. Will ’e take the cottage an’ make her marry you? I lay you could if you was masterful.”
“Never—ban’t a fair thing to ax a man.”
“Best hear me through ’fore you sez it. If you’m against me in this, you can go to hell for all I care. If you won’t help me to keep my son from disgracing me an’ mine, you’m no true man, an’ I doan’t want ’e any more to Bellever Farm. ’Tis a wife an’ a home rent free ’pon wan19 side, an’ the sack on the other. So you’d best to make choice.”
“I’ll go Saturday.”
“Of all the ninnyhammers ever I saw! You gert yellow-headed cake, can’t you see you’m spoilin’ your awn life? Or was it that t’other side offered ’e better terms? If that’s so, you won’t get ’em, because Tim Chave’ll be a pauper40 man the day he marries wi’out my leave.”
The farmer stormed awhile longer, but presently he stamped off and Aggett returned to his mother. Then, as he had angered Mr. Chave, so did his own p. 72parent enrage41 him. She protested at his folly, and implored42 him to carry out his master’s wish while opportunity remained to do so. He was strong against it until the old woman went on her knees to him and wept. Then he lost his temper and cursed the whole earth and all thereon for a cruel tangle43 that passed the understanding of man to unravel44.
Later in the evening he revisited the village and before ten o’clock returned intoxicated45 to his home.
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1
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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3
illuminates
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| v.使明亮( illuminate的第三人称单数 )；照亮；装饰；说明 | |
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4
relinquishment
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| n.放弃；撤回；停止 | |
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5
attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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6
incentive
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| n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机 | |
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7
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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8
abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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9
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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10
salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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11
betrothal
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| n. 婚约, 订婚 | |
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12
parental
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| adj.父母的；父的；母的 | |
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13
liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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14
galling
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| adj.难堪的,使烦恼的,使焦躁的 | |
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15
calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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16
converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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17
slanted
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| 有偏见的； 倾斜的 | |
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18
chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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19
wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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20
scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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21
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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distended
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| v.（使）膨胀，肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
tack
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| n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝 | |
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24
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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25
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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26
bide
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| v.忍耐；等候；住 | |
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27
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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28
whining
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| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
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29
auld
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| adj.老的，旧的 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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31
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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32
sensational
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| adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的 | |
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33
irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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34
condemn
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| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
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35
bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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36
repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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38
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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39
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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40
pauper
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| n.贫民，被救济者，穷人 | |
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41
enrage
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| v.触怒，激怒 | |
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42
implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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44
unravel
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| v.弄清楚（秘密）；拆开，解开，松开 | |
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45
intoxicated
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| 喝醉的，极其兴奋的 | |
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