After the collision with the Mayor, Henchard had withdrawn3 behind the ladies' stand; and there he stood, regarding with a stare of abstraction the spot on the lapel of his coat where Farfrae's hand had seized it. He put his own hand there, as if he could hardly realize such an outrage4 from one whom it had once been his wont5 to treat with ardent6 generosity7. While pausing in this half-stupefied state the conversation of Lucetta with the other ladies reached his ears; and he distinctly heard her deny him--deny that he had assisted Donald, that he was anything more than a common journeyman.
He moved on homeward, and met Jopp in the archway to the Bull Stake. "So you've had a snub," said Jopp.
"And what if I have?" answered Henchard sternly.
"Why, I've had one too, so we are both under the same cold shade." He briefly8 related his attempt to win Lucetta's intercession.
Henchard merely heard his story, without taking it deeply in. His own relation to Farfrae and Lucetta overshadowed all kindred ones. He went on saying brokenly to himself, "She has supplicated9 to me in her time; and now her tongue won't own me nor her eyes see me!...And he--how angry he looked. He drove me back as if I were a bull breaking fence....I took it like a lamb, for I saw it could not be settled there. He can rub brine on a green wound!...But he shall pay for it, and she shall be sorry. It must come to a tussle--face to face; and then we'll see how a coxcomb10 can front a man!"
Without further reflection the fallen merchant, bent11 on some wild purpose, ate a hasty dinner and went forth12 to find Farfrae. After being injured by him as a rival, and snubbed by him as a journeyman, the crowning degradation13 had been reserved for this day--that he should be shaken at the collar by him as a vagabond in the face of the whole town.
The crowds had dispersed14. But for the green arches which still stood as they were erected15 Casterbridge life had resumed its ordinary shape. Henchard went down corn Street till he came to Farfrae's house, where he knocked, and left a message that he would be glad to see his employer at the granaries as soon as he conveniently could come there. Having done this he proceeded round to the back and entered the yard.
Nobody was present, for, as he had been aware, the labourers and carters were enjoying a half-holiday on account of the events of the morning--though the carters would have to return for a short time later on, to feed and litter down the horses. He had reached the granary steps and was about to ascend16, when he said to himself aloud, "I'm stronger than he."
Henchard returned to a shed, where he selected a short piece of rope from several pieces that were lying about; hitching17 one end of this to a nail, he took the other in his right hand and turned himself bodily round, while keeping his arm against his side; by this contrivance he pinioned18 the arm effectively. He now went up the ladders to the top floor of the corn-stores.
It was empty except of a few sacks, and at the further end was the door often mentioned, opening under the cathead and chain that hoisted19 the sacks. He fixed20 the door open and looked over the sill. There was a depth of thirty or forty feet to the ground; here was the spot on which he had been standing21 with Farfrae when Elizabeth-Jane had seen him lift his arm, with many misgivings22 as to what the movement portended23.
He retired24 a few steps into the loft25 and waited. From this elevated perch26 his eyes could sweep the roofs round about, the upper parts of the luxurious27 chestnut28 trees, now delicate in leaves of a week's age, and the drooping29 boughs30 of the lines; Farfrae's garden and the green door leading therefrom. In course of time--he could not say how long-that green door opened and Farfrae came through. He was dressed as if for a journey. The low light of the nearing evening caught his head and face when he emerged from the shadow of the wall, warming them to a complexion31 of flamecolour. Henchard watched him with his mouth firmly set the squareness of his jaw32 and the verticality33 of his profile being unduly34 marked.
Farfrae came on with one hand in his pocket, and humming a tune35 in a way which told that the words were most in his mind. They were those of the song he had sung when he arrived years before at the Three Mariners36, a poor young man, adventuring for life and fortune, and scarcely knowing witherward:-
"And here's a hand, my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o' thine."
Nothing moved Henchard like an old melody. He sank back. "No; I can't do it!" he gasped37. "Why does the infernal fool begin that now!"
At length Farfrae was silent, and Henchard looked out of the loft door. "Will ye come up here?" he said.
"Ay, man," said Farfrae. "I couldn't see ye. What's wrang?"
A minute later Henchard heard his feet on the lowest ladder. He heard him land on the first floor, ascend and land on the second, begin the ascent38 to the third. And then his head rose through the trap behind.
"What are you doing up here at this time?" he asked, coming forward. "Why didn't ye take your holiday like the rest of the men?" He spoke39 in a tone which had just severity enough in it to show that he remembered the untoward40 event of the forenoon, and his conviction that Henchard had been drinking.
Henchard said nothing; but going back he closed the stair hatchway, and stamped upon it so that it went tight into its frame; he next turned to the wondering young man, who by this time observed that one of Henchard's arms was bound to his side.
"Now," said Henchard quietly, "we stand face to face--man and man. Your money and your fine wife no longer lift 'ee above me as they did but now, and my poverty does not press me down."
"What does it all mean?" asked Farfrae simply.
"Wait a bit, my lad. You should ha' thought twice before you affronted41 to extremes a man who had nothing to lose. I've stood your rivalry42, which ruined me, and your snubbing, which humbled43 me; but your hustling44, that disgraced me, I won't stand!"
Farfrae warmed a little at this. "Ye'd no business there," he said.
"As much as any one among ye! What, you forward stripling, tell a man of my age he'd no business there!" The anger-vein swelled45 in his forehead as he spoke.
"You insulted Royalty46, Henchard; and 'twas my duty, as the chief magistrate47, to stop you."
"Royalty be damned," said Henchard. "I am as loyal as you, come to that!"
"I am not here to argue. Wait till you cool doon, wait till you cool; and you will see things the same way as I do."
"You may be the one to cool first," said Henchard grimly. "Now this is the case. Here be we, in this four-square loft, to finish out that little wrestle48 you began this morning. There's the door, forty foot above ground. One of us two puts the other out by that door--the master stays inside. If he likes he may go down afterwards and give the alarm that the other has fallen out by accident--or he may tell the truth--that's his business. As the strongest man I've tied one arm to take no advantage of 'ee. D'ye understand? Then here's at 'ee!"
There was no time for Farfrae to do aught but one thing, to close with Henchard, for the latter had come on at once. It was a wrestling match, the object of each being to give his antagonist49 a back fall; and on Henchard's part, unquestionably, that it should be through the door.
At the outset Henchard's hold by his only free hand, the right, was on the left side of Farfrae's collar, which he firmly grappled, the latter holding Henchard by his collar with the contrary hand. With his right he endeavoured to get hold of his antagonist's left arm, which, however, he could not do, so adroitly50 did Henchard keep it in the rear as he gazed upon the lowered eyes of his fair and slim antagonist.
Henchard planted the first toe forward, Farfrae crossing him with his; and thus far the struggle had very much the appearance of the ordinary wrestling of those parts. Several minutes were passed by them in this attitude, the pair rocking and writhing51 like trees in a gale52, both preserving an absolute silence. By this time their breathing could be heard. Then Farfrae tried to get hold of the other side of Henchard's collar, which was resisted by the larger man exerting all his force in a wrenching53 movement, and this part of the struggle ended by his forcing Farfrae down on his knees by sheer pressure of one of his muscular arms. Hampered54 as he was, however, he could not keep him there, and Farfrae finding his feet again the struggle proceeded as before.
By a whirl Henchard brought Donald dangerously near the precipice55; seeing his position the Scotchman for the first time locked himself to his adversary56, and all the efforts of that infuriated Prince of Darkness--as he might have been called from his appearance just now--were inadequate57 to lift or loosen Farfrae for a time. By an extraordinary effort he succeeded at last, though not until they had got far back again from the fatal door. In doing so Henchard contrived58 to turn Farfrae a complete somersault. Had Henchard's other arm been free it would have been all over with Farfrae then. But again he regained59 his feet, wrenching Henchard's arm considerably60, and causing him sharp pain, as could be seen from the twitching61 of his face. He instantly delivered the younger man an annihilating62 turn by the left fore-hip, as it used to be expressed, and following up his advantage thrust him towards the door, never loosening his hold till Farfrae's fair head was hanging over the window-sill, and his arm dangling63 down outside the wall.
"Now," said Henchard between his gasps64, "this is the end of what you began this morning. Your life is in my hands."
"Then take it, take it!" said Farfrae. "Ye've wished to long enough!"
Henchard looked down upon him in silence, and their eyes met. "O Farfrae!--that's not true!" he said bitterly. "God is my witness that no man ever loved another as I did thee at one time....And now--though I came here to kill 'ee, I cannot hurt thee! Go and give me in charge--do what you will--I care nothing for what comes of me!"
He withdrew to the back part of the loft, loosened his arm, and flung himself in a corner upon some sacks, in the abandonment of remorse65. Farfrae regarded him in silence; then went to the hatch and descended66 through it. Henchard would fain have recalled him, but his tongue failed in its task, and the young man's steps died on his ear.
Henchard took his full measure of shame and self-reproach. The scenes of his first acquaintance with Farfrae rushed back upon him--that time when the curious mixture of romance and thrift67 in the young man's composition so commanded his heart that Farfrae could play upon him as on an instrument. So thoroughly68 subdued69 was he that he remained on the sacks in a crouching70 attitude, unusual for a man, and for such a man. Its womanliness sat tragically71 on the figure of so stern a piece of virility72. He heard a conversation below, the opening of the coach-house door, and the putting in of a horse, but took no notice.
Here he stayed till the thin shades thickened to opaque73 obscurity, and the loft-door became an oblong of gray light-the only visible shape around. At length he arose, shook the dust from his clothes wearily, felt his way to the hatch, and gropingly descended the steps till he stood in the yard.
"He thought highly of me once," he murmured. "Now he'll hate me and despise me for ever!"
He became possessed74 by an overpowering wish to see Farfrae again that night, and by some desperate pleading to attempt the well-nigh impossible task of winning pardon for his late mad attack. But as he walked towards Farfrae's door he recalled the unheeded doings in the yard while he had lain above in a sort of stupor76. Farfrae he remembered had gone to the stable and put the horse into the gig; while doing so Whittle77 had brought him a letter; Farfrae had then said that he would not go towards Budmouth as he had intended--that he was unexpectedly summoned to Weatherbury, and meant to call at Mellstock on his way thither78, that place lying but one or two miles out of his course.
He must have come prepared for a journey when he first arrived in the yard, unsuspecting enmity; and he must have driven off (though in a changed direction) without saying a word to any one on what had occurred between themselves.
It would therefore be useless to call at Farfrae's house till very late.
There was no help for it but to wait till his return, though waiting was almost torture to his restless and self-accusing soul. He walked about the streets and outskirts79 of the town, lingering here and there till he reached the stone bridge of which mention has been made, an accustomed halting-place with him now. Here he spent a long time, the purl of waters through the weirs80 meeting his ear, and the Casterbridge lights glimmering81 at no great distance off.
While leaning thus upon the parapet his listless attention was awakened82 by sounds of an unaccustomed kind from the town quarter. They were a confusion of rhythmical83 noises, to which the streets added yet more confusion by encumbering84 them with echoes. His first incurious thought that the clangour arose from the town band, engaged in an attempt to round off a memorable85 day in a burst of evening harmony, was contradicted by certain peculiarities86 of reverberation87. But inexplicability88 did not rouse him to more than a cursory89 heed75; his sense of degradation was too strong for the admission of foreign ideas; and he leant against the parapet as before.
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1
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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2
intoxicating
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| a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的 | |
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3
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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4
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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5
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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6
ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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7
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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8
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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9
supplicated
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| v.祈求，哀求，恳求( supplicate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
coxcomb
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| n.花花公子 | |
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11
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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12
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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degradation
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| n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变 | |
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14
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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15
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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16
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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17
hitching
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| 搭乘； （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的现在分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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18
pinioned
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| v.抓住[捆住]（双臂）( pinion的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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21
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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22
misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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23
portended
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| v.预示( portend的过去式和过去分词 )；预兆；给…以警告；预告 | |
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24
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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loft
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| n.阁楼，顶楼 | |
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perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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27
luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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28
chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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29
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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30
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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31
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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32
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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33
verticality
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| 垂直性，垂直状态； 垂直度 | |
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unduly
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| adv.过度地，不适当地 | |
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35
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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mariners
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| 海员，水手（mariner的复数形式） | |
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37
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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38
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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39
spoke
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| 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 | |
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40
untoward
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| adj.不利的，不幸的，困难重重的 | |
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41
affronted
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| adj.被侮辱的，被冒犯的v.勇敢地面对( affront的过去式和过去分词 )；相遇 | |
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42
rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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43
humbled
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| adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低 | |
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44
hustling
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| 催促（hustle的现在分词形式） | |
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45
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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46
royalty
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| n.皇家，皇族 | |
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47
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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48
wrestle
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| vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付 | |
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49
antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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50
adroitly
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| adv.熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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51
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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52
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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53
wrenching
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| n.修截苗根，苗木铲根（铲根时苗木不起土或部分起土）v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的现在分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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54
hampered
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| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55
precipice
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| n.悬崖，危急的处境 | |
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56
adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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57
inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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58
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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59
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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60
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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61
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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62
annihilating
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| v.（彻底）消灭( annihilate的现在分词 )；使无效；废止；彻底击溃 | |
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63
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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64
gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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65
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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66
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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67
thrift
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| adj.节约，节俭；n.节俭，节约 | |
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68
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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69
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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70
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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71
tragically
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| adv. 悲剧地，悲惨地 | |
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72
virility
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| n.雄劲，丈夫气 | |
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73
opaque
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| adj.不透光的；不反光的，不传导的；晦涩的 | |
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74
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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76
stupor
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| v.昏迷；不省人事 | |
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77
whittle
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| v.削（木头），削减；n.屠刀 | |
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78
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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79
outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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80
weirs
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| n.堰，鱼梁（指拦截游鱼的枝条篱）( weir的名词复数 ) | |
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81
glimmering
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| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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82
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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83
rhythmical
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
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84
encumbering
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| v.妨碍，阻碍，拖累( encumber的现在分词 ) | |
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85
memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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86
peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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87
reverberation
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| 反响； 回响； 反射； 反射物 | |
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88
inexplicability
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| n.无法说明，费解 | |
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89
cursory
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| adj.粗略的；草率的；匆促的 | |
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