Old Silas lay in a sort of closet, opening out of the family living-room. The small window that gave it light looked right on to the ‘moor,’ as it was called; and by day the check curtain was drawn14 aside so that he might watch the progress of the labour. Everything about the old man was clean, if coarse; and, with Death, the leveller, so close at hand, it was the labourer who made the first advances, and put out his horny hand to the squire.
‘I thought you’d come, squire. Your father came for to see my father as he lay a-dying.’
‘Come, come, my man!’ said the squire, easily affected16, as he always was. ‘Don’t talk of dying, we shall soon have you out, never fear. They’ve sent you up some soup from the Hall, as I bade ’em, haven’t they?’
‘Ay, ay, I’ve had all as I could want for to eat and to drink. The young squire and Master Roger was here yesterday.’
‘Yes, I know.’
‘But I’m a deal nearer Heaven today, I am. I should like you to look after the covers in the West Spinney, squire; them gorse, you know, where th’ old fox had her hole — her as give ’em so many a run. You’ll mind it, squire, though you was but a lad. I could laugh to think on her tricks yet.’ And, with a weak attempt at a laugh, he got himself into a violent fit of coughing, which alarmed the squire, who thought he would never get his breath again. His daughter-inlaw came in at the sound, and told the squire that he had these coughing-bouts very frequently, and that she thought he would go off in one of them before long. This opinion of hers was spoken simply out before the old man, who now lay gasping19 and exhausted20 upon his pillow. Poor people acknowledge the inevitableness and the approach of death in a much more straightforward21 manner than is customary among more educated folk. The squire was shocked at the hard-heartedness, as he considered it; but the old man himself had received much tender kindness in action from his daughter-inlaw; and what she had just said was no more news to him than the fact that the sun would rise tomorrow. He was more anxious to go on with his story.
‘Them navvies — I call ’em navvies because some on ’em is strangers, though some on ’em is th’ men as was turned off your own works, squire, when there came orders to stop ’em last fall — they’re a-pulling up gorse and brush to light their fire for warming up their messes. It’s a long way off to their homes, and they mostly dine here; and there’ll be nothing of a cover left, if you don’t see after ’em. I thought I should like to tell ye afore I died. Parson’s been here; but I did na tell him. He’s all for the earl’s folk, and he’d not ha’ heeded22. It’s the earl as put him into his church, I reckon, for he said what a fine thing it were for to see so much employment a-given to the poor, and he never said nought23 o’ th’ sort when your works were agait, squire.’
This long speech had been interrupted by many a cough and gasp18 for breath; and having delivered himself of what was on his mind, he turned his face to the wall, and appeared to be going to sleep. Presently he roused himself with a start.
‘I know I flogged him well, I did. But he were after pheasants’ eggs, and I didn’t know he were an orphan24. Lord, forgive me!’
‘He’s thinking on David Morton, the cripple, as used to go about trapping vermin,’ whispered the woman.
‘Why, he died long ago — twenty year, I should think,’ replied the squire.
‘Ay, but when grandfather goes off i’ this way to sleep after a bout15 of talking he seems to be dreaming on old times. He’ll not waken up yet, sir; you’d best sit down if you’d like to stay,’ she continued, as she went into the house-place and dusted a chair with her apron25. ‘He was very particular in bidding me wake him if he were asleep, and you or Mr. Roger was to call. Mr. Roger said he’d be coming again this morning — but he’ll likely sleep an hour or more, if he’s let alone.’
‘I wish I’d said good-by, I should like to have done that.’
‘He drops off so sudden,’ said the woman. ‘But if you’d be better pleased to have said it, squire, I’ll waken him up a bit.’
‘No, no!’ the squire called out as the woman was going to be as good as her word. ‘I’ll come again, perhaps tomorrow. And tell him I was sorry; for I am indeed. And be sure and send to the Hall for anything you want! Mr. Roger is coming, is he? He’ll bring me word how he is, later on. I should like to have bidden him good-by.’
So, giving sixpence to the child who had held his horse, the squire mounted. He sate26 still a moment, looking at the busy work going on before him, and then at his own half-completed drainage. It was a bitter pill. He had objected to borrowing from Government, in the first instance; and then his wife had persuaded him to the step; and after it was once taken, he was as proud as could be of the only concession27 to the spirit of progress he ever made in his life. He had read and studied the subject pretty thoroughly28, if also very slowly, during the time his wife had been influencing him. He was tolerably well up in agriculture, if in nothing else; and at one time he had taken the lead among the neighbouring landowners, when he first began tile-drainage. In those days people used to speak of Squire Hamley’s hobby; and at market ordinaries, or county dinners, they rather dreaded29 setting him off on long repetitions of arguments from the different pamphlets on the subject which he had read. And now the proprietors31 all around him were draining — draining; his interest to Government was running on all the same, though his works were stopped, and his tiles deteriorating32 in value. It was not a soothing33 consideration, and the squire was almost ready to quarrel with his shadow. He wanted a vent34 for his ill-humour; and suddenly remembering the devastation35 on his covers, which he had heard about not a quarter of an hour before, he rode up to the men busy at work on Lord Cumnor’s land. Just before he got up to them he encountered Mr. Preston, also on horseback, come to overlook his labourers. The squire did not know him personally, but from the agent’s manner of speaking, and the deference36 that was evidently paid to him, Mr Hamley saw that he was a responsible person. So he addressed the agent — ‘I beg your pardon, I suppose you are the manager of these works?’
Mr. Preston replied — ‘Certainly. I am that and many other things besides, at your service. I have succeeded Mr. Sheepshanks in the management of my lord’s property. Mr. Hamley of Hamley, I believe?’
The squire bowed stiffly. He did not like his name to be asked or presumed upon in that manner. An equal might conjecture37 who he was, or recognize him, but, till he announced himself, an inferior had no right to do more than address him respectfully as ‘sir.’ That was the squire’s code of etiquette38.
‘I am Mr. Hamley of Hamley. I suppose you are as yet ignorant of the boundary of Lord Cumnor’s land, and so I will inform you that my property begins at the pond yonder — just where you see the rise in the ground.’
‘I am perfectly39 acquainted with that fact, Mr. Hamley,’ said Mr Preston, a little annoyed at the ignorance attributed to him. ‘But may I inquire why my attention is called to it just now?’
The squire was beginning to boil over; but he tried to keep his temper in. The effort was very much to be respected, for it was a great one. There was something in the handsome and well-dressed agent’s tone and manner inexpressibly irritating to the squire, and it was not lessened40 by an involuntary comparison of the capital roadster on which Mr. Preston was mounted with his own ill-groomed and aged41 cob.
‘I have been told that your men out yonder do not respect these boundaries, but are in the habit of plucking up gorse from my covers to light their fires.’
‘It is possible they may!’ said Mr. Preston, lifting his eyebrows42, his manner being more nonchalant than his words. ‘I daresay they think no great harm of it. However, I’ll inquire.’
‘Do you doubt my word, sir?’ said the squire, fretting43 his mare44 till she began to dance about. ‘I tell you I’ve heard it only within this last half-hour.’
‘I don’t mean to doubt your word, Mr. Hamley; it’s the last thing I should think of doing. But you must excuse my saying that the argument which you have twice brought up for the authenticity45 of your statement, “that you have heard it within the last half-hour,” is not quite so forcible as to preclude46 the possibility of a mistake.’
‘I wish you’d only say in plain language that you doubt my word,’ said the squire, clenching47 and slightly raising his horsewhip. ‘I can’t make out what you mean — you use so many words.’
‘Pray don’t lose your temper, sir. I said I should inquire. You have not seen the men pulling up gorse yourself, or you would have named it. I surely may doubt the correctness of your informant until I have made some inquiry48; at any rate, that is the course I shall pursue, and if it gives you offence, I shall be sorry, but I shall do it just the same. When I am convinced that harm has been done to your property, I shall take steps to prevent it for the future, and of course, in my lord’s name, I shall pay you compensation — it may probably amount to half-a-crown.’ He added these last words in a lower tone, as if to himself, with a slight, contemptuous smile on his face.
‘Quiet, mare, quiet,’ said the squire, quite unaware49 that he was the cause of her impatient movements by the way he was perpetually tightening50 her reins51; and also, perhaps, he unconsciously addressed the injunction to himself.
Neither of them saw Roger Hamley, who was just then approaching them with long, steady steps. He had seen his father from the door of old Silas’s cottage, and, as the poor fellow was still asleep, he was coming to speak to his father, and was near enough now to hear the next words.
‘I don’t know who you are, but I’ve known land-agents who were gentlemen, and I’ve known some who were not. You belong to this last set, young man,’ said the squire, ‘that you do. I should like to try my horsewhip on you for your insolence52.’
‘Pray, Mr. Hamley,’ replied Mr. Preston, coolly, ‘curb your temper a little, and reflect. I really feel sorry to see a man of your age in such a passion’— moving a little farther off, however, but really more with a desire to save the irritated man from carrying his threat into execution, out of a dislike to the slander53 and excitement it would cause, than from any personal dread30. Just at this moment Roger Hamley came close up. He was panting a little, and his eyes were very stern and dark; but he spoke17 quietly enough.
‘Mr. Preston, I can hardly understand what you mean by your last words. But, remember, my father is a gentleman of age and position, and not accustomed to receive advice as to the management of his temper from young men like you.’
‘I desired to keep his men off my land,’ said the squire to his son — his wish to stand well in Roger’s opinion restraining his temper a little; but though his words might be a little calmer, there were all other signs of passion present — the discoloured complexion54, the trembling hands, the fiery55 cloud in his eyes. ‘He refused, and doubted my word.’
Mr. Preston turned to Roger, as if appealing from Philip drunk to Philip sober, and spoke in a tone of cool explanation, which, though not insolent56 in words, was excessively irritating in manner. ‘Your father has misunderstood me — perhaps it is no wonder,’ trying to convey, by a look of intelligence at the son, his opinion that the father was in no state to hear reason. ‘I never refused to do what was just and right. I only required further evidence as to the past wrong-doing; your father took offence at this’— and then he shrugged57 his shoulders, and lifted his eyebrows in a manner he had formerly58 learnt in France.
‘At any rate, sir! I can scarcely reconcile the manner and words to my father, which I heard you use when I first came up, with the deference you ought to have shown to a man of his age and position. As to the fact of the trespass59 —’
‘They are pulling up all the gorse, Roger — there’ll be no cover whatever for game soon,’ put in the squire. Roger bowed to his father, but took up his speech at the point it was at before the interruption.
‘I will inquire into it myself at a cooler moment; and if I find that such trespass or damage has been committed, of course I shall expect that you will see it put a stop to. Come, father! I am going to see old Silas — perhaps you don’t know that he is very ill.’ So he endeavoured to wile60 the squire away to prevent further words. He was not entirely61 successful.
Mr. Preston was enraged62 by Roger’s calm and dignified manner, and threw after them this parting shaft63, in the shape of a loud soliloquy —
‘Position, indeed! What are we to think of the position of a man who begins works like these without counting the cost, and comes to a stand-still, and has to turn off his labourers just at the beginning of winter, leaving —’
They were too far off to hear the rest. The squire was on the point of turning back before this, but Roger took hold of the reins of the old mare, and led her over some of the boggy64 ground, as if to guide her into sure footing, but, in reality, because he was determined65 to prevent the renewal66 of the quarrel. It was well that the cob knew him, and was, indeed, old enough to prefer quietness to dancing; for Mr. Hamley plucked hard at the reins, and at last broke out with an oath — ‘Damn it, Roger! I’m not a child; I won’t be treated as such. Leave go, I say!’
Roger let go; they were not on firm ground, and he did not wish any watchers to think that he was exercising any constraint67 over his father; and this quiet obedience68 to his impatient commands did more to soothe69 the squire than anything else could have effected just then.
‘I know I turned them off — what could I do? I’d no more money for their weekly wages; it’s a loss to me, as you know. He doesn’t know, no one knows, but I think your mother would, how it cut me to turn ’em off just before winter set in. I lay awake many a night thinking of it, and I gave them what I had — I did, indeed. I hadn’t got money to pay ’em, but I had three barren cows fattened70, and gave every scrap71 of meat to the men, and I let ’em go into the woods and gather what was fallen, and I winked72 at their breaking off old branches, and now to have it cast up against me by that cur — that servant. But I’ll go on with the works, by — I will, if only to spite him. I’ll show him who I am. My position, indeed! A Hamley of Hamley takes a higher position than his master. I’ll go on with the works, see if I don’t! I’m paying between one and two hundred a year interest on Government money. I’ll raise some more if I go to the Jews; Osborne has shown me the way, and Osborne shall pay for it — he shall. I’ll not put up with insults. You shouldn’t have stopped me, Roger! I wish to heaven I’d horsewhipped the fellow!
He was lashing73 himself again into an impotent rage, painful to a son to witness; but just then the little grandchild of old Silas, who had held the squire’s horse during his visit to the sick man, came running up, breathless —
‘Please, sir, please, squire, mammy has ‘sent me; grandfather has wakened up sudden, and mammy says he’s dying, and would you please come; she says he’d take it as a kind compliment, she’s sure.’
So they went to the cottage, the squire speaking never a word, but suddenly feeling as if lifted out of a whirlwind and set down in a still and awful place.
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1
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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furrows
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| n.犁沟( furrow的名词复数 )；（脸上的）皱纹v.犁田，开沟( furrow的第三人称单数 ) | |
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abortive
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| adj.不成功的，发育不全的 | |
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tenant
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| n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用 | |
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feudal
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| adj.封建的，封地的，领地的 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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earthenware
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| n.土器，陶器 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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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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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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heeded
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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sate
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| v.使充分满足 | |
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concession
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| n.让步，妥协；特许(权) | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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proprietors
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| n.所有人，业主( proprietor的名词复数 ) | |
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deteriorating
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| 恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 ) | |
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soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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devastation
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| n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤 | |
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deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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fretting
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| n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的 | |
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mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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45
authenticity
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| n.真实性 | |
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46
preclude
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| vt.阻止，排除，防止；妨碍 | |
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clenching
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的现在分词 ) | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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tightening
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| 上紧，固定，紧密 | |
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reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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52
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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slander
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| n./v.诽谤，污蔑 | |
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54
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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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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insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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57
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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trespass
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| n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地 | |
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wile
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| v.诡计，引诱；n.欺骗，欺诈 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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boggy
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| adj.沼泽多的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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renewal
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| adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来 | |
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constraint
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| n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物 | |
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68
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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69
soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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70
fattened
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| v.喂肥( fatten的过去式和过去分词 )；养肥（牲畜）；使（钱）增多；使（公司）升值 | |
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71
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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72
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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73
lashing
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| n.鞭打；痛斥；大量；许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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