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CHAPTER VIII
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From that day forward John Aggett exhibited a spectacle of reckless indifference1 to circumstances and a manner of life lightened only by occasional returns to sobriety and self-command.  As to how it fared with Timothy and Sarah he cared not.  Others ceased to speak of the matter in his presence, and thus it happened that he went in ignorance of events for the space of five weeks.  During that period he loafed at the “Green Man” Inn until his money was spent, then returned to dwell with his mother.

Meantime Timothy Chave’s romance was prospering2 ill, despite his rival’s endeavour to make the way easy.  Other obstacles now confronted him, and though Sarah was happy and well content to live in the delight of each hour with her lover, Tim found delay less easily borne and struggled to change Mr. Chave’s attitude toward his desires.  But it proved useless, and the young man chafed3 in vain.  He assured Sarah that his father was merely an obstinate4 elder and would surely be won to reason in good time; but the full significance of her engagement with Timothy, as his father viewed it, she did p. 74not know and never would have heard from Tim’s lips.  There happened, however, an accidental meeting between Sarah and Farmer Chave himself, and this brushed all mystery or doubt from the girl’s mind, opened her eyes to the gravity of Tim’s actions and left her face to face with the truth.

One day Sarah, on foot, with her face set homeward, observed Farmer Chave riding back from Widecombe to Postbridge on a big bay horse.  He saw her, too, eyed her narrowly and slackened speed, while she wished the road might open and swallow her from his sight.  But there was no escape, so she curtseyed and wished Mr. Chave a very good evening.  He returned the salute7 and seeing, as he believed, a possibility of setting all right on the spot by one great master-stroke, attempted the same.

“Ah, my girl, Belworthy’s darter, ban’t ’e?  A peart maid an’ well thought on, I doubt not.  Be you gwaine home-along?”

Sarah’s heart fluttered at this genial9 salutation.  “Ess, maister,” she said.

“Then I’ll lighten your journey.  I haven’t got the double saddle, but you’m awnly a featherweight an’ can ride pillion behind me an’ save your shoes.”

The mode of travel he suggested was common enough in those days, but such a proposal from Tim’s father frightened Sarah not a little.  Her first thought was for herself, her second for her p. 75sweetheart, and she nerved herself to refuse the farmer’s offer.

“I’m sure you’m very kind, sir, but—”

“No ‘buts.’  Here’s a stone will make a splendid upping stock, an’ `Sharky’ can carry the pair of us without knowing his load be increased.  Up you get!  Theer’s plenty of room for my fardels in front o’ the pommel.  Us won’t bate11 our pace for you, I promise.  Now jump!  Whoa, bwoy!  Theer we are.  Just put your arms around my flannel12 waistcoat an’ doan’t be shy.  ’Tis well I met ’e, come to think on’t, for I wanted a matter o’ few words.”

Soon they jogged forward, the big horse taking little account of Sarah’s extra weight.  At length they crossed Riddon Ridge6 and passed Dart8 at a ford13, where Sarah had to hold up her toes out of the reach of the river.  Then, as they rode along the foothills of Bellever, the farmer spoke14 suddenly.

“My life’s been wisht of late days along wi’ taking thought for my son Tim.  You’ve heard tell of un?  You see, ’tis my wish to have un mated wi’ his cousin.  But I’m led to onderstand as theer’s a maiden15 up-long he thinks he likes better; an’ her name’s same as yours, Sarah Belworthy.”

“Oh, Maister Chave, I do love un very dear, I do.”

“So you done to that yellow man, Jan Aggett.”

“’Tweern’t the same.  When Maister Timothy comed, I seed differ’nt.”

p. 76“Doan’t shake an’ tremble.  You’ll never have no reason to fear me.  Tell me how ’twas.  Jan gived ’e up—eh?”

“Ess, he did.”

“Why for?”

“For love of me.”

“Ah!  Now that was a brave fashion deed.  I allus thought a lot of the man, an’ I’m sorry you’ve sent un to the Devil, wheer they tell me he’s bound of late days.”

“He’m a gude man, an’ I wish to God as something could be done to bring him back in the right road.”

“Ess fay!  An’ you’m the one as would have to look the shortest distance to find a way to do it, Sarah.  A gude example that man, for all his foolishness since.  Loved ’e well enough to leave ’e—for your own gude, he did—eh?”

“God bless him for doin’ it.”

“Why doan’t ’e go back to him?”

“I cannot, I cannot now.”

“Well, man’s love be greater than woman’s by the look of it.  What girl would have done same as that man done?  What girl would give up a man for love of him, an’ even leave un for his gude?  Not one as ever I heard tell of.”

“Many an’ many would for that matter.  What’s a sacrifice if your love be big enough?”

p. 77“Be yours?  That’s the question I’d ax ’e.”

Sarah’s heart sank low; Mr. Chave felt her shiver and the hands clasped over his thick waistcoat tremble.  Looking down, he saw her fingers peeping out of woollen mittens16; and upon one, sacred to the ring, a small gold hoop17 appeared with a coral bead18 set therein.

Sarah did not answer the last pointed19 question, and Farmer Chave continued:—

“I know you’ve promised to be wife to my son some day, an’ I know he’ve taken partickler gude care to hide from you my view of the question.  But you must hear it, for your awn sake as well as his an’ mine.  I’ve nothin’ against you, Sarah, nothin’, an’ less than nothin’, for I like you well an’ wish to see you so gude as you’m purty an’ so happy as you’m gude; but I know my son for a lad of light purposes an’ weak will an’ wrong ambitions.  Ban’t enough iron in un; an’ the maid I’m set on for un have got a plenty backbone20 to make up for his lack.  Her he’s to wed5 in fulness o’ time, if I’ve any voice left in affairs; an’ if he doan’t, ’tis gude-bye to Bellever for him, an’ gude-bye to more’n that.  So theer he stands, Sarah, an’ you’d best to hear what it means.  Maybe you thought you was makin’ choice between a labourin’ man an’ a gentleman, between a pauper21 an’ a young chap wi’ his pockets full o’ money.  But ban’t so, I assure ’e.  ’Tis the gentleman’ll be the p. 78pauper if he marries you; but John Aggett—why, I offered un my cottage in Longley Bottom free o’ rent from the day as your banns was axed in marriage wi’ un to Widecombe Church!  That’s the man as gived ’e up for love of ’e.  An’ ban’t you so strong as him?”

“Tu gude he was—tu gude for the likes o’ me.”

“Well, as to t’other, though he’s my son, blamed if I think he’s gude enough.  But that’s neither here nor theer.  The question ban’t what sort of love he’s got for you; but what sort you’ve got for him.  Do ’e follow my meanin’?  I doan’t storm or rave10, you see—tu wise for that.  I only bid you think serious whether your feeling for Timothy’s the sort to ruin him, or to save him from ruin.  ’Tis a hard choice for ’e, but we’m all faaced wi’ ugly puzzles ’pon the crossways o’ life.  Now you know my ’pinions, you’ll do what’s right, or you’m not the girl I think ’e.”

“I must give un up for all time?”

“Best not put it that way.  Doan’t drag my rascal22 of a bwoy in the argeyment.  Say to yourself, ‘I must mate him as I promised to mate—him that’s wastin’ his life an’ gwaine all wrong for love o’ me.’  ’Tis plain duty, woman, looked at right.  Not that I’d rob ’e of the pleasure of knowin’ you’d done a gert deed if you gived Tim up; but t’other’s the man as you’ve got to think of; an’, if you do p. 79this gude thing, ’tis just similar as he done for you.  Wi’ Jan Aggett be your happiness wrapped up, if you could see it.  An’ Jan’s much more like to go well in marriage harness than my son be, or I doan’t know carater.”

“I’ll try, I’ll try.  It’s more than I’ve heart or strength for, but I’ll try, Maister Chave.  I’ll try to do right by both of them.”

“Who could say fairer?  An’ here’s the lane to blacksmith’s, so I’ll drop ’e.  An’ give your faither my respects an’ tell un I want un to-morrow to the farm.”

After Sarah had dismounted the farmer spoke again.

“Take to heart what I’ve said to ’e, an’ remember that to please me won’t be a bad action from a worldly side.  Go back to Jan Aggett, Sarah Belworthy; that’s my advice to you, an’ angels from heaven couldn’t give ’e no better, ’cause theer ban’t room for two ’pinions.  Now let me hear what metal you’m made of, an’ that afore the week be out.  So gude night.”

The man trotted23 off with knees stiff and elbows at right angles to his body; the girl entered her home; and that night, tossing and turning wearily, thrice she decided24 to give up her lover and thrice determined25 to take no definite step until she had again seen and spoken with Timothy.  But her heart told her that such a course was of all the p. 80weakest.  Presently she assured herself that many plans might be pursued and that wide choice of action lay before her.  Then John Aggett chiefly occupied her thoughts.  To go back to him now appeared absolutely impossible.  He had given her up, at a cost even she but dimly guessed, and to return into his troubled life again struck her as a deed beyond measure difficult and dangerous.

Long she reflected miserably26 on the sorrow of her lot; then, in the small hours of morning and upon the threshold of sleep, Sarah determined to let another judge of her right course of conduct and dictate27 it to her.

“’Twas the white witch, Gammer Gurney, as foretold28 Tim would marry me that terrible night,” she thought.  “Then ’tis for she to say what I should do an’ what I shouldn’t do.  If ’tis ordained29 by higher things than men-folk as I’m to have Tim, what’s the use o’ weeping ’cause Farmer Chave wishes differ’nt?”

There was a sort of comfort in this philosophy; but her grey eyes closed upon a wet pillow as she slept, to wake with sudden starts and twitches30 from visions in great aisles31 of gloom, from dim knowledge of horrors hidden behind storm-clouds, from the murmur32 of remote callings and threatenings and cries of woe33, from all-embracing dread34 begotten35 of a heavy heart, and an outlook wholly dreary36 and desolate37.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 indifference k8DxO     
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎
参考例句:
  • I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
  • He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
2 prospering b1bc062044f12a5281fbe25a1132df04     
成功,兴旺( prosper的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Our country is thriving and prospering day by day. 祖国日益繁荣昌盛。
  • His business is prospering. 他生意兴隆。
3 chafed f9adc83cf3cbb1d83206e36eae090f1f     
v.擦热(尤指皮肤)( chafe的过去式 );擦痛;发怒;惹怒
参考例句:
  • Her wrists chafed where the rope had been. 她的手腕上绳子勒过的地方都磨红了。
  • She chafed her cold hands. 她揉搓冰冷的双手使之暖和。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
4 obstinate m0dy6     
adj.顽固的,倔强的,不易屈服的,较难治愈的
参考例句:
  • She's too obstinate to let anyone help her.她太倔强了,不会让任何人帮她的。
  • The trader was obstinate in the negotiation.这个商人在谈判中拗强固执。
5 wed MgFwc     
v.娶,嫁,与…结婚
参考例句:
  • The couple eventually wed after three year engagement.这对夫妇在订婚三年后终于结婚了。
  • The prince was very determined to wed one of the king's daughters.王子下定决心要娶国王的其中一位女儿。
6 ridge KDvyh     
n.山脊;鼻梁;分水岭
参考例句:
  • We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
  • The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。
7 salute rYzx4     
vi.行礼,致意,问候,放礼炮;vt.向…致意,迎接,赞扬;n.招呼,敬礼,礼炮
参考例句:
  • Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
  • The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。
8 dart oydxK     
v.猛冲,投掷;n.飞镖,猛冲
参考例句:
  • The child made a sudden dart across the road.那小孩突然冲过马路。
  • Markov died after being struck by a poison dart.马尔科夫身中毒镖而亡。
9 genial egaxm     
adj.亲切的,和蔼的,愉快的,脾气好的
参考例句:
  • Orlando is a genial man.奥兰多是一位和蔼可亲的人。
  • He was a warm-hearted friend and genial host.他是个热心的朋友,也是友善待客的主人。
10 rave MA8z9     
vi.胡言乱语;热衷谈论;n.热情赞扬
参考例句:
  • The drunkard began to rave again.这酒鬼又开始胡言乱语了。
  • Now I understand why readers rave about this book.我现明白读者为何对这本书赞不绝口了。
11 bate uQxyy     
v.压制;减弱;n.(制革用的)软化剂
参考例句:
  • The cruel landlord would bate him no rent.那个狠心的地主不肯给他减租。
  • I was unable to bate my enthusiasm.我无法抑制自己的热切的心情。
12 flannel S7dyQ     
n.法兰绒;法兰绒衣服
参考例句:
  • She always wears a grey flannel trousers.她总是穿一条灰色法兰绒长裤。
  • She was looking luscious in a flannel shirt.她穿着法兰绒裙子,看上去楚楚动人。
13 Ford KiIxx     
n.浅滩,水浅可涉处;v.涉水,涉过
参考例句:
  • They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上,所以我们只能涉水过河。
  • If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪,必须极度小心。
14 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
15 maiden yRpz7     
n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的
参考例句:
  • The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
  • The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。
16 mittens 258752c6b0652a69c52ceed3c65dbf00     
不分指手套
参考例句:
  • Cotton mittens will prevent the baby from scratching his own face. 棉的连指手套使婴儿不会抓伤自己的脸。
  • I'd fisted my hands inside their mittens to keep the fingers warm. 我在手套中握拳头来保暖手指。
17 hoop wcFx9     
n.(篮球)篮圈,篮
参考例句:
  • The child was rolling a hoop.那个孩子在滚铁环。
  • The wooden tub is fitted with the iron hoop.木盆都用铁箍箍紧。
18 bead hdbyl     
n.念珠;(pl.)珠子项链;水珠
参考例句:
  • She accidentally swallowed a glass bead.她不小心吞下了一颗玻璃珠。
  • She has a beautiful glass bead and a bracelet in the box.盒子里有一颗美丽的玻璃珠和手镯。
19 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
20 backbone ty0z9B     
n.脊骨,脊柱,骨干;刚毅,骨气
参考例句:
  • The Chinese people have backbone.中国人民有骨气。
  • The backbone is an articulate structure.脊椎骨是一种关节相连的结构。
21 pauper iLwxF     
n.贫民,被救济者,穷人
参考例句:
  • You lived like a pauper when you had plenty of money.你有大把钱的时候,也活得像个乞丐。
  • If you work conscientiously you'll only die a pauper.你按部就班地干,做到老也是穷死。
22 rascal mAIzd     
n.流氓;不诚实的人
参考例句:
  • If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做,我就认为他是个恶棍。
  • The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。
23 trotted 6df8e0ef20c10ef975433b4a0456e6e1     
小跑,急走( trot的过去分词 ); 匆匆忙忙地走
参考例句:
  • She trotted her pony around the field. 她骑着小马绕场慢跑。
  • Anne trotted obediently beside her mother. 安妮听话地跟在妈妈身边走。
24 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
25 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的;有决心的
参考例句:
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
26 miserably zDtxL     
adv.痛苦地;悲惨地;糟糕地;极度地
参考例句:
  • The little girl was wailing miserably. 那小女孩难过得号啕大哭。
  • It was drizzling, and miserably cold and damp. 外面下着毛毛细雨,天气又冷又湿,令人难受。 来自《简明英汉词典》
27 dictate fvGxN     
v.口授;(使)听写;指令,指示,命令
参考例句:
  • It took him a long time to dictate this letter.口述这封信花了他很长时间。
  • What right have you to dictate to others?你有什么资格向别人发号施令?
28 foretold 99663a6d5a4a4828ce8c220c8fe5dccc     
v.预言,预示( foretell的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She foretold that the man would die soon. 她预言那人快要死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Must lose one joy, by his life's star foretold. 这样注定:他,为了信守一个盟誓/就非得拿牺牲一个喜悦作代价。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
29 ordained 629f6c8a1f6bf34be2caf3a3959a61f1     
v.任命(某人)为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 );授予(某人)圣职;(上帝、法律等)命令;判定
参考例句:
  • He was ordained in 1984. 他在一九八四年被任命为牧师。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He was ordained priest. 他被任命为牧师。 来自辞典例句
30 twitches ad4956b2a0ba10cf1e516f73f42f7fc3     
n.(使)抽动, (使)颤动, (使)抽搐( twitch的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • No response, just a flutter of flanks and a few ear twitches. 没反应,只有胁腹和耳朵动了几下。 来自互联网
  • BCEF(50,100 mg·kg~-1 ) could distinctly increase the head-twitch number in the 5-HTP induced head-twitches test. BCEF50、100mg·kg-1可明显增加5羟色胺酸诱导甩头小鼠的甩头次数。 来自互联网
31 aisles aisles     
n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊
参考例句:
  • Aisles were added to the original Saxon building in the Norman period. 在诺曼时期,原来的萨克森风格的建筑物都增添了走廊。
  • They walked about the Abbey aisles, and presently sat down. 他们走到大教堂的走廊附近,并且很快就坐了下来。
32 murmur EjtyD     
n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言
参考例句:
  • They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
  • There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。
33 woe OfGyu     
n.悲哀,苦痛,不幸,困难;int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌
参考例句:
  • Our two peoples are brothers sharing weal and woe.我们两国人民是患难与共的兄弟。
  • A man is well or woe as he thinks himself so.自认祸是祸,自认福是福。
34 dread Ekpz8     
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧
参考例句:
  • We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
  • Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。
35 begotten 14f350cdadcbfea3cd2672740b09f7f6     
v.为…之生父( beget的过去分词 );产生,引起
参考例句:
  • The fact that he had begotten a child made him vain. 想起自己也生过孩子,他得意了。 来自辞典例句
  • In due course she bore the son begotten on her by Thyestes. 过了一定的时候,她生下了堤厄斯式斯使她怀上的儿子。 来自辞典例句
36 dreary sk1z6     
adj.令人沮丧的,沉闷的,单调乏味的
参考例句:
  • They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
  • She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。
37 desolate vmizO     
adj.荒凉的,荒芜的;孤独的,凄凉的;v.使荒芜,使孤寂
参考例句:
  • The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
  • We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后,我们都觉得万分孤寂。


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