Arrived at the entrance to a long flat lane, which had taken the spirit out of many a pedestrian in times when, with the majority, to travel meant to walk, he saw before him the trim figure of a young woman in pattens, journeying with that steadfast5 concentration which means purpose and not pleasure. He was soon near enough to see that she was Marty South. Click, click, click went the pattens; and she did not turn her head.
She had, however, become aware before this that the driver of the approaching gig was Giles. She had shrunk from being overtaken by him thus; but as it was inevitable6, she had braced7 herself up for his inspection8 by closing her lips so as to make her mouth quite unemotional, and by throwing an additional firmness into her tread.
“Why do you wear pattens, Marty? The turnpike is clean enough, although the lanes are muddy.”
“They save my boots.”
“But twelve miles in pattens —’twill twist your feet off. Come, get up and ride with me.”
She hesitated, removed her pattens, knocked the gravel9 out of them against the wheel, and mounted in front of the nodding specimen10 apple-tree. She had so arranged her bonnet11 with a full border and trimmings that her lack of long hair did not much injure her appearance; though Giles, of course, saw that it was gone, and may have guessed her motive12 in parting with it, such sales, though infrequent, being not unheard of in that locality.
But nature’s adornment13 was still hard by — in fact, within two feet of him, though he did not know it. In Marty’s basket was a brown paper packet, and in the packet the chestnut14 locks, which, by reason of the barber’s request for secrecy15, she had not ventured to intrust to other hands.
Giles asked, with some hesitation16, how her father was getting on.
He was better, she said; he would be able to work in a day or two; he would be quite well but for his craze about the tree falling on him.
“You know why I don’t ask for him so often as I might, I suppose?” said Winterborne. “Or don’t you know?”
“I think I do.”
“Because of the houses?”
She nodded.
“Yes. I am afraid it may seem that my anxiety is about those houses, which I should lose by his death, more than about him. Marty, I do feel anxious about the houses, since half my income depends upon them; but I do likewise care for him; and it almost seems wrong that houses should be leased for lives, so as to lead to such mixed feelings.”
“After father’s death they will be Mrs. Charmond’s?”
“They’ll be hers.”
“They are going to keep company with my hair,” she thought.
Thus talking, they reached the town. By no pressure would she ride up the street with him. “That’s the right of another woman,” she said, with playful malice17, as she put on her pattens. “I wonder what you are thinking of! Thank you for the lift in that handsome gig. Good-by.”
He blushed a little, shook his head at her, and drove on ahead into the streets — the churches, the abbey, and other buildings on this clear bright morning having the liny distinctness of architectural drawings, as if the original dream and vision of the conceiving master-mason, some mediaeval Vilars or other unknown to fame, were for a few minutes flashed down through the centuries to an unappreciative age. Giles saw their eloquent18 look on this day of transparency, but could not construe19 it. He turned into the inn-yard.
Marty, following the same track, marched promptly20 to the hair-dresser’s, Mr. Percombe’s. Percombe was the chief of his trade in Sherton Abbas. He had the patronage21 of such county offshoots as had been obliged to seek the shelter of small houses in that ancient town, of the local clergy22, and so on, for some of whom he had made wigs23, while others among them had compensated24 for neglecting him in their lifetime by patronizing him when they were dead, and letting him shave their corpses25. On the strength of all this he had taken down his pole, and called himself “Perruquier to the aristocracy.”
Nevertheless, this sort of support did not quite fill his children’s mouths, and they had to be filled. So, behind his house there was a little yard, reached by a passage from the back street, and in that yard was a pole, and under the pole a shop of quite another description than the ornamental26 one in the front street. Here on Saturday nights from seven till ten he took an almost innumerable succession of twopences from the farm laborers27 who flocked thither28 in crowds from the country. And thus he lived.
Marty, of course, went to the front shop, and handed her packet to him silently. “Thank you,” said the barber, quite joyfully29. “I hardly expected it after what you said last night.”
She turned aside, while a tear welled up and stood in each eye at this reminder30.
“Nothing of what I told you,” he whispered, there being others in the shop. “But I can trust you, I see.”
She had now reached the end of this distressing31 business, and went listlessly along the street to attend to other errands. These occupied her till four o’clock, at which time she recrossed the market-place. It was impossible to avoid rediscovering Winterborne every time she passed that way, for standing32, as he always did at this season of the year, with his specimen apple-tree in the midst, the boughs33 rose above the heads of the crowd, and brought a delightful34 suggestion of orchards35 among the crowded buildings there. When her eye fell upon him for the last time he was standing somewhat apart, holding the tree like an ensign, and looking on the ground instead of pushing his produce as he ought to have been doing. He was, in fact, not a very successful seller either of his trees or of his cider, his habit of speaking his mind, when he spoke36 at all, militating against this branch of his business.
While she regarded him he suddenly lifted his eyes in a direction away from Marty, his face simultaneously37 kindling38 with recognition and surprise. She followed his gaze, and saw walking across to him a flexible young creature in whom she perceived the features of her she had known as Miss Grace Melbury, but now looking glorified39 and refined above her former level. Winterborne, being fixed40 to the spot by his apple-tree, could not advance to meet her; he held out his spare hand with his hat in it, and with some embarrassment41 beheld42 her coming on tiptoe through the mud to the middle of the square where he stood.
Miss Melbury’s arrival so early was, as Marty could see, unexpected by Giles, which accounted for his not being ready to receive her. Indeed, her father had named five o’clock as her probable time, for which reason that hour had been looming43 out all the day in his forward perspective, like an important edifice44 on a plain. Now here she was come, he knew not how, and his arranged welcome stultified45.
His face became gloomy at her necessity for stepping into the road, and more still at the little look of embarrassment which appeared on hers at having to perform the meeting with him under an apple-tree ten feet high in the middle of the market-place. Having had occasion to take off the new gloves she had bought to come home in, she held out to him a hand graduating from pink at the tips of the fingers to white at the palm; and the reception formed a scene, with the tree over their heads, which was not by any means an ordinary one in Sherton Abbas streets.
Nevertheless, the greeting on her looks and lips was of a restrained type, which perhaps was not unnatural46. For true it was that Giles Winterborne, well-attired and well-mannered as he was for a yeoman, looked rough beside her. It had sometimes dimly occurred to him, in his ruminating47 silence at Little Hintock, that external phenomena48 — such as the lowness or height or color of a hat, the fold of a coat, the make of a boot, or the chance attitude or occupation of a limb at the instant of view — may have a great influence upon feminine opinion of a man’s worth — so frequently founded on non-essentials; but a certain causticity49 of mental tone towards himself and the world in general had prevented today, as always, any enthusiastic action on the strength of that reflection; and her momentary50 instinct of reserve at first sight of him was the penalty he paid for his laxness.
He gave away the tree to a by-stander, as soon as he could find one who would accept the cumbersome51 gift, and the twain moved on towards the inn at which he had put up. Marty made as if to step forward for the pleasure of being recognized by Miss Melbury; but abruptly52 checking herself, she glided53 behind a carrier’s van, saying, dryly, “No; I baint wanted there,” and critically regarded Winterborne’s companion.
It would have been very difficult to describe Grace Melbury with precision, either now or at any time. Nay54, from the highest point of view, to precisely55 describe a human being, the focus of a universe — how impossible! But, apart from transcendentalism, there never probably lived a person who was in herself more completely a reductio ad absurdum of attempts to appraise56 a woman, even externally, by items of face and figure. Speaking generally, it may be said that she was sometimes beautiful, at other times not beautiful, according to the state of her health and spirits.
In simple corporeal57 presentment she was of a fair and clear complexion58, rather pale than pink, slim in build and elastic59 in movement. Her look expressed a tendency to wait for others’ thoughts before uttering her own; possibly also to wait for others’ deeds before her own doing. In her small, delicate mouth, which had perhaps hardly settled down to its matured curves, there was a gentleness that might hinder sufficient self-assertion for her own good. She had well-formed eyebrows60 which, had her portrait been painted, would probably have been done in Prout’s or Vandyke brown.
There was nothing remarkable61 in her dress just now, beyond a natural fitness and a style that was recent for the streets of Sherton. But, indeed, had it been the reverse, and quite striking, it would have meant just as little. For there can be hardly anything less connected with a woman’s personality than drapery which she has neither designed, manufactured, cut, sewed, or even seen, except by a glance of approval when told that such and such a shape and color must be had because it has been decided62 by others as imperative63 at that particular time.
What people, therefore, saw of her in a cursory64 view was very little; in truth, mainly something that was not she. The woman herself was a shadowy, conjectural65 creature who had little to do with the outlines presented to Sherton eyes; a shape in the gloom, whose true description could only be approximated by putting together a movement now and a glance then, in that patient and long-continued attentiveness66 which nothing but watchful67 loving-kindness ever troubles to give.
There was a little delay in their setting out from the town, and Marty South took advantage of it to hasten forward, with the view of escaping them on the way, lest they should feel compelled to spoil their tete-a-tete by asking her to ride. She walked fast, and one-third of the journey was done, and the evening rapidly darkening, before she perceived any sign of them behind her. Then, while ascending68 a hill, she dimly saw their vehicle drawing near the lowest part of the incline, their heads slightly bent69 towards each other; drawn70 together, no doubt, by their souls, as the heads of a pair of horses well in hand are drawn in by the rein71. She walked still faster.
But between these and herself there was a carriage, apparently72 a brougham, coming in the same direction, with lighted lamps. When it overtook her — which was not soon, on account of her pace — the scene was much darker, and the lights glared in her eyes sufficiently73 to hide the details of the equipage.
It occurred to Marty that she might take hold behind this carriage and so keep along with it, to save herself the mortification74 of being overtaken and picked up for pity’s sake by the coming pair. Accordingly, as the carriage drew abreast75 of her in climbing the long ascent76, she walked close to the wheels, the rays of the nearest lamp penetrating77 her very pores. She had only just dropped behind when the carriage stopped, and to her surprise the coachman asked her, over his shoulder, if she would ride. What made the question more surprising was that it came in obedience78 to an order from the interior of the vehicle.
Marty gladly assented79, for she was weary, very weary, after working all night and keeping afoot all day. She mounted beside the coachman, wondering why this good-fortune had happened to her. He was rather a great man in aspect, and she did not like to inquire of him for some time.
At last she said, “Who has been so kind as to ask me to ride?”
“Mrs. Charmond,” replied her statuesque companion.
Marty was stirred at the name, so closely connected with her last night’s experiences. “Is this her carriage?” she whispered.
“Yes; she’s inside.”
Marty reflected, and perceived that Mrs. Charmond must have recognized her plodding80 up the hill under the blaze of the lamp; recognized, probably, her stubbly poll (since she had kept away her face), and thought that those stubbles were the result of her own desire.
Marty South was not so very far wrong. Inside the carriage a pair of bright eyes looked from a ripely handsome face, and though behind those bright eyes was a mind of unfathomed mysteries, beneath them there beat a heart capable of quick extempore warmth — a heart which could, indeed, be passionately81 and imprudently warm on certain occasions. At present, after recognizing the girl, she had acted on a mere82 impulse, possibly feeling gratified at the denuded83 appearance which signified the success of her agent in obtaining what she had required.
“’Tis wonderful that she should ask ye,” observed the magisterial84 coachman, presently. “I have never known her do it before, for as a rule she takes no interest in the village folk at all.”
Marty said no more, but occasionally turned her head to see if she could get a glimpse of the Olympian creature who as the coachman had truly observed, hardly ever descended85 from her clouds into the Tempe of the parishioners. But she could discern nothing of the lady. She also looked for Miss Melbury and Winterborne. The nose of their horse sometimes came quite near the back of Mrs. Charmond’s carriage. But they never attempted to pass it till the latter conveyance86 turned towards the park gate, when they sped by. Here the carriage drew up that the gate might be opened, and in the momentary silence Marty heard a gentle oral sound, soft as a breeze.
“What’s that?” she whispered.
“Mis’ess yawning.”
“Why should she yawn?”
“Oh, because she’s been used to such wonderfully good life, and finds it dull here. She’ll soon be off again on account of it.”
“So rich and so powerful, and yet to yawn!” the girl murmured. “Then things don’t fay with she any more than with we!”
Marty now alighted; the lamp again shone upon her, and as the carriage rolled on, a soft voice said to her from the interior, “Good-night.”
“Good-night, ma’am,” said Marty. But she had not been able to see the woman who began so greatly to interest her — the second person of her own sex who had operated strongly on her mind that day.
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1
elation
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| n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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7
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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8
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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adornment
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| n.装饰；装饰品 | |
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chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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15
secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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17
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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18
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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construe
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| v.翻译，解释 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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21
patronage
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| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
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clergy
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| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
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wigs
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| n.假发，法官帽( wig的名词复数 ) | |
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24
compensated
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| 补偿，报酬( compensate的过去式和过去分词 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款） | |
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corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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ornamental
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| adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物 | |
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laborers
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| n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工 | |
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28
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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reminder
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| n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示 | |
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distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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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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boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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orchards
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| （通常指围起来的）果园( orchard的名词复数 ) | |
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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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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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kindling
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| n. 点火, 可燃物 动词kindle的现在分词形式 | |
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glorified
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| 美其名的，变荣耀的 | |
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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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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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42
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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43
looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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44
edifice
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| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
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45
stultified
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| v.使成为徒劳，使变得无用( stultify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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47
ruminating
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| v.沉思( ruminate的现在分词 )；反复考虑；反刍；倒嚼 | |
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48
phenomena
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| n.现象 | |
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49
causticity
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| n.尖刻，苛性度，刻薄 | |
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50
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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51
cumbersome
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| adj.笨重的，不便携带的 | |
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52
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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53
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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54
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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55
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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56
appraise
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| v.估价，评价，鉴定 | |
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57
corporeal
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| adj.肉体的，身体的；物质的 | |
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58
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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elastic
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| n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的 | |
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60
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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61
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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64
cursory
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| adj.粗略的；草率的；匆促的 | |
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conjectural
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| adj.推测的 | |
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66
attentiveness
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| [医]注意 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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70
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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72
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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74
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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75
abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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76
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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77
penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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78
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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79
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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80
plodding
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| a.proceeding in a slow or dull way | |
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81
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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82
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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83
denuded
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| adj.[医]变光的，裸露的v.使赤裸( denude的过去式和过去分词 )；剥光覆盖物 | |
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84
magisterial
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| adj.威风的，有权威的；adv.威严地 | |
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85
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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86
conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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