The Moor was on the eastern edge of the parish, five miles from Rye. Heaving suddenly swart out of the green water-meadows by Socknersh, it piled itself towards the sunrise, dipping to Leasan House. It was hummocked and tussocked with coarse grass—here and there a spread of heather, growing, like all southern heather, almost arboreally. In places the naked soil gaped6 in sores made by coney-warrens or uprooted7 bushes. Stones and roots, sharn, shards8, and lumps of marl, mixed themselves into the wealden clay, which oozed9 in red streaks10 of potential fruitfulness through their sterility11.
The crest12 of Boarzell was marked by a group of firs, very gaunt and wind-bitten, rising out of a mass of gorse, as the plumes13 of some savage15 chief might nod mangily above his fillet. When the gorse was in bloom,[Pg 2] one caught the flare16 of it from the Kentish hills, or away westward17 from Brightling and Dallington. This day in the October of 1835, the flowerets were either nipped or scattered18, or hidden by the cloths the gipsies had spread to dry on the bushes.
The gipsies always camped on the flanks of the Fair, which they looked on with greater detachment than the gaujos who crowded into its heart, either selling or buying, doing or being done. Just within the semicircle of their earth-coloured tents were the caravans19 of the showmen, gaudily20 painted, with seedy horses at tether, very different from the Romany gris. Then came the booths, stalls piled with sweets in an interesting state of preservation21, trays of neck and shoulder ribbons, tinsel cords, tin lockets with glass stones, all fairings, to be bought out of the hard-won wages of husbandry in love. Then there was the panorama22, creaking and torn in places, but still giving a realistic picture of the crowning of King William; there was the merry-go-round, trundled noisily by two sweating cart-horses; there was the cocoa-nut shy, and the fighting booth, in the doorway23 of which half-breed Buck24 Washington loved to stand and display his hairy chest between the folds of his dressing-gown; and there was the shooting-gallery, where one could pot at the cardboard effigies25 of one's hates, Lord Brougham who had robbed the poor working man of his parish relief, or Boney, still a blood-curdler to those who had seen the building of the Martello towers.
To-day business was bad. Here and there a ploughboy pulled up his slop and fumbled26 for pennies in his corduroys, but for the most part the stalls were deserted27, even in certain cases by their holders28. This was not because the Fair was empty. On the contrary, it was much more crowded than usual; but the crowd clotted29 into groups, all discussing the same thing—the Inclosure.
It was some months since Sir John Bardon, Squire30 of the Manor31 of Flightshot, had taken advantage of the Inclosure Act and man?uvred a bill for the inclosure of Boarzell. Since then there had been visits of commissioners32, roamings of surveyors, deliveries of schedules, strange talk of turbary and estovers, fire-bote and house-bote. The neighbourhood was troubled, perplexed33. Then perplexity condensed into indignation when all that Inclosure stood for became known—no more pasturage for the cow or goat which meant all the difference between wheaten and oaten bread, no more wood-gleanings for fire or wind-beaten roof, no more of the tussocky grass for fodder34, or of gorse to toughen palings against escaping fowls35.
Then, when Fair-time came, people began to mutter "no more Fair." It was as hard to imagine Boarzell without the Fair as without its plume14 of firs. The Squire gave out his intention of tolerating the Fair, as long as it did not straggle from the crest. But this failed to soothe36 the indignant and sore, for it was humbling37 to have the Fair as a matter of toleration. Also at that time there was talk of fences. All the Moor had been mapped out, the claims considered, the road repaired, and now nothing more was to be done except to put up the fences which would definitely seal Boarzell as Flightshot's own.
There was naturally a party who championed Manor rights—Sir John Bardon was a good landlord, and would have been better had his budget cramped38 him less. Now he would sell Boarzell in building plots, and his tenants39 would reap the benefit. He had not inclosed the land for himself. More houses would mean more trade for shops and farms, Peasmarsh might flower into a country town....
But the majority was anti-Bardon. There were grumblings about allotments, especially from copyholders. The commissioners had been off-hand in their treatment of claims, ignoring everyone except freeholders, of whom there were only two.
"They say as how Realf's not done badly fur himself at Grandturzel," said old Vennal of Burntbarns; "forty acres they gave him, and all bush and timber rights."
"And what about Odiam?" asked Ticehurst of Hole. "I haven't seen Backfield these three weeks, but there's a tale going r?ound as how the commissioners have bin40 tedious sharp, and done him out of everything he hoped to get—surelye!"
"And him freehold!"
"Sixty acres."
"How did they do it?"
"Oh, it's just a tale that's going r?ound—says they found some lawyer's mess in his title-deed. His father never thought of common rights when he bought the land, and it seems as how they must be written down just lik anything else.... But there's young Ben Backfield talking to Coalbran. He'll tell us, I reckon."
They went over to a man and a lad, standing41 together by the gingerbread stall.
"We was wondering wot yer f?ather had got out o' them commissioners, Ben," said Ticehurst.
Reuben Backfield scowled42. His thick black brows scowled easily, but the expression of his face was open and cheerful, would have been kindly43 even, were it not for a certain ruthlessness of the lips. There was more character in his face than is usual with a boy of fifteen—otherwise he looked younger than his age, for though tall and well-knit, his limbs had all the graceful44 immaturity45 and supple46 clumsiness one sees in the limbs of calves47 and foals.
"F?ather ?un't got naun—haven't you heard? He made his claim, and then they asked to see the title-deeds, and it turned out as how he hadn't got no common rights at all—leastways so the lawyers said."
"But he used to send the cows on, didn't he?"
"Yes—now and ag?un—didn't know it wurn't right. Seems it 'ud have been better if he'd sent 'em oftener; there's no understanding that lawyer rubbidge. Now he mayn't t?ake so much as a blade of grass."
"Realf of Grandturzel has got his bit all safe."
Reuben spat48.
"Yes—they couldn't pick any holes in his claim, or they would have, I reckon. The Squire 'ud like every rood of Boarzell, though the Lard knows wot he'll do wud it now he's got it."
"Your f?ather must be in lamentable49 heart about all this, surelye."
The boy shrugged50 and frowned.
"He d?an't care much. F?ather, he likes to be comfortable, and this Inclosure w?an't make much difference to that. 'T?un't as if we wanted the pasture badly, and F?ather he d?an't care about land."
He dragged the last word a little slowly, and there was the faintest hint of a catch in his voice.
"And your mother, and Harry51?"
"They d?an't care, nuther—it's only me."
"Lard, boy!—and why should you care if they d?an't?"
Reuben did not speak, but a dull red crept over the swarthiness of his cheeks, and he turned away.
He walked slowly, his hands in his pockets, to where the gable of the booth jutted52 between him and his questioners. From here he could see the slope of Boarzell, rolling slowly down to some red roofs and poplars. These roofs and poplars were Odiam, the farm which his grandfather had bought, which his father had tilled and fattened53 ... and now it was humbled54, robbed of its rights—and his father still went whistling to the barn, because, though fifty acres had been withheld55 from him by a quibble, he still had a bright fire, with a pretty wife and healthy boys beside it.
Reuben's lip curled. He could not help despising his father for this ambitionless content.
"We're no worser off than we wur before," Joseph Backfield had said a day or two ago to his complaining boy—"we've our own meadows for the cows—'t?un't as if we were poor people."
"But, f?ather, think wot we might have had—forty acres inclosed for us, like they have at Grandturzel."
"'Might have—might have'—that d?an't trouble me. It's wot I've got I think about. And then, say we had it—wot 'ud you m?ake out o' Boarzell?—nasty mess o' marl and shards, no good to anyone as long as thistles ?un't fashionable eating."
"I cud m?ake something out of Boarzell."
At this his father burst into a huge fit of laughter, and Reuben walked away.
But he knew he could do it. That morning he churned the soil with his heel, and knew he could conquer it.... He could plant those thistle-grounds with wheat.... Coward! his father was a coward if he shrank from fighting Boarzell. The land could be tamed just as young bulls could be tamed. By craft, by strength, by toughness man could fight the nature of a waste as well as of a beast. Give him Boarzell, and he would have his spade in its red back, just as he would have his ring in a bull's nose....
But it was all hopeless. Most likely in future all that would remain free to him of Boarzell would be this Fair ground, crowded once a year. The rest would be built over—fat shop-keepers would grow fatter—oh, durn it!
He dashed his hand over his eyes, and then swung round, turning back towards the groups, lest he should become weak in solitude56. Somehow the character of the crowd had changed while he had been away. Angry murmurs57 surged through it like waves, curses beat against one another, a rumour58 blew like foam59 from mouth to mouth.
"They're putting up the fences—workmen from Tonbridge—fences down by Socknersh."
"Drat 'em! durn 'em!"
"And why shudn't there be fences? What good did this old rubbidge-pl?ace5 ever do anyone? Scarce a mouthful fur a goat. Now it'll be built on, and there'll be money fur everybody."
"Money fur Bardon."
"Money fur us all. The Squire ?un't no Tory grabber."
"Then wot dud he t?ake our land fur?"
"Wot wur the use of it?—save fur such as wanted a quiet pl?ace fur their wenching."
"Put up yer fists!"
The fight came, the battering60 of each other by two men, seemingly because of a private insult, really because they were representatives of two hostile groups, panting to be at each other's throats. They fought without science, staggering up and down, swinging arms like windmills, grabbing tufts of hair. At last old Buck Washington the bruiser could stand it no longer, and with a couple of clouts61 flung them apart, to bump on the ground and sit goggling62 stupidly at each other through trickles63 of blood.
That gave the crowd its freedom—hitherto the conflict had been squeezed into two representatives, leaving some hundred men merely limp spectators; but with the collapse64 of his proxy65, each man felt the rage in him boil up.
"Come, my lads, we'll pull down their hemmed66 fences!"
"Down wud the fences! down wud Bardon!"
"Stand by the Squire, men—we'll all gain by it."
"Shut the Common to wenchers!"
But the Anti-Inclosure party was the strongest—it swept along the others as it roared down to Socknersh, brandishing67 sticks and stones and bottles that had all[Pg 8] appeared suddenly out of nowhere, shouting and stumbling and rolling and thumping68.... Reuben was carried with it, conscious of very little save the smell of unwashed bodies and the bursting rage in his heart.
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收听单词发音
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1
moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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crumpling
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| 压皱，弄皱( crumple的现在分词 )； 变皱 | |
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3
blurred
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| v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离 | |
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wavy
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| adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的 | |
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ace
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| n.A牌；发球得分；佼佼者；adj.杰出的 | |
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gaped
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| v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的过去式和过去分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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7
uprooted
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| v.把（某物）连根拔起( uproot的过去式和过去分词 )；根除；赶走；把…赶出家园 | |
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shards
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| n.（玻璃、金属或其他硬物的）尖利的碎片( shard的名词复数 ) | |
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9
oozed
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| v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的过去式和过去分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出 | |
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10
streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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11
sterility
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| n.不生育，不结果，贫瘠，消毒，无菌 | |
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12
crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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13
plumes
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| 羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物 | |
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14
plume
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| n.羽毛；v.整理羽毛，骚首弄姿，用羽毛装饰 | |
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15
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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16
flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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17
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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18
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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19
caravans
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| （可供居住的）拖车（通常由机动车拖行）( caravan的名词复数 )； 篷车； （穿过沙漠地带的）旅行队（如商队） | |
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20
gaudily
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| adv.俗丽地 | |
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21
preservation
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| n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持 | |
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22
panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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23
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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24
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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25
effigies
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| n.（人的）雕像，模拟像，肖像( effigy的名词复数 ) | |
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26
fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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27
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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28
holders
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| 支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物 | |
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29
clotted
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| adj.凝结的v.凝固( clot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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31
manor
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| n.庄园，领地 | |
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32
commissioners
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| n.专员( commissioner的名词复数 )；长官；委员；政府部门的长官 | |
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33
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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34
fodder
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| n.草料；炮灰 | |
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35
fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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36
soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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37
humbling
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| adj.令人羞辱的v.使谦恭( humble的现在分词 )；轻松打败（尤指强大的对手）；低声下气 | |
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38
cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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39
tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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40
bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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41
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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42
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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44
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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45
immaturity
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| n.不成熟；未充分成长；未成熟；粗糙 | |
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46
supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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47
calves
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| n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解 | |
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48
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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49
lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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50
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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51
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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52
jutted
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| v.（使）突出( jut的过去式和过去分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出 | |
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53
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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54
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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55
withheld
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| withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
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56
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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57
murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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58
rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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59
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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60
battering
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| n.用坏，损坏v.连续猛击( batter的现在分词 ) | |
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61
clouts
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| n.猛打( clout的名词复数 )；敲打；（尤指政治上的）影响；（用手或硬物的）击v.（尤指用手）猛击，重打( clout的第三人称单数 ) | |
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62
goggling
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| v.睁大眼睛瞪视， （惊讶的）转动眼珠( goggle的现在分词 ) | |
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63
trickles
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| n.细流( trickle的名词复数 )；稀稀疏疏缓慢来往的东西v.滴( trickle的第三人称单数 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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64
collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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65
proxy
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| n.代理权，代表权；（对代理人的）委托书；代理人 | |
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66
hemmed
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| 缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围 | |
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67
brandishing
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| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
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68
thumping
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| adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持 | |
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