还乡The Return Of The Native-第26节

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Eustacia　awoke。　　The　cracking　had　been　that　of　the　window　shutter　downstairs；　which　the　maid…servant　was　opening　to　let　in　the　day；　now　slowly　increasing　to　Nature’s　meagre　allowance　at　this　sickly　time　of　the　year。　　“O　that　I　had　seen　his　face！”　she　said　again。　　“’Twas　meant　for　Mr。　Yeobright！”
When　she　became　cooler　she　perceived　that　many　of　the　phases　of　the　dream　had　naturally　arisen　out　of　the　images　and　fancies　of　the　day　before。　　But　this　detracted　little　from　its　interest；　which　lay　in　the　excellent　fuel　it　provided　for　newly　kindled　fervour。　　She　was　at　the　modulating　point　between　indifference　and　love；　at　the　stage　called　“having　a　fancy　for。”　　It　occurs　once　in　the　history　of　the　most　gigantic　passions；　and　it　is　a　period　when　they　are　in　the　hands　of　the　weakest　will。　
The　perfervid　woman　was　by　this　time　half　in　love　with　a　vision。　　The　fantastic　nature　of　her　passion；　which　lowered　her　as　an　intellect；　raised　her　as　a　soul。　　If　she　had　had　a　little　more　self…control　she　would　have　attenuated　the　emotion　to　nothing　by　sheer　reasoning；　and　so　have　killed　it　off。　　If　she　had　had　a　little　less　pride　she　might　have　gone　and　circumambulated　the　Yeobrights’　premises　at　Blooms…End　at　any　maidenly　sacrifice　until　she　had　seen　him。　　But　Eustacia　did　neither　of　these　things。　　She　acted　as　the　most　exemplary　might　have　acted；　being　so　influenced；　she　took　an　airing　twice　or　thrice　a　day　upon　the　Egdon　hills；　and　kept　her　eyes　employed。　
The　first　occasion　passed；　and　he　did　not　e　that　way。　
She　promenaded　a　second　time；　and　was　again　the　sole　wanderer　there。
The　third　time　there　was　a　dense　fog；　she　looked　around；　but　without　much　hope。　　Even　if　he　had　been　walking　within　twenty　yards　of　her　she　could　not　have　seen　him。　
At　the　fourth　attempt　to　encounter　him　it　began　to　rain　in　torrents；　and　she　turned　back。　
The　fifth　sally　was　in　the　afternoon；　it　was　fine；　and　she　remained　out　long；　walking　to　the　very　top　of　the　valley　in　which　Blooms…End　lay。　　She　saw　the　white　paling　about　half　a　mile　off；　but　he　did　not　appear。　　It　was　almost　with　heart…sickness　that　she　came　home　and　with　a　sense　of　shame　at　her　weakness。　　She　resolved　to　look　for　the　man　from　Paris　no　more。　
But　Providence　is　nothing　if　not　coquettish；　and　no　sooner　had　Eustacia　formed　this　resolve　than　the　opportunity　came　which；　while　sought；　had　been　entirely　withholden。　


4　… Eustacia　Is　Led　on　to　an　Adventure


In　the　evening　of　this　last　day　of　expectation；　which　was　the　twenty…third　of　December；　Eustacia　was　at　home　alone。　　She　had　passed　the　recent　hour　in　lamenting　over　a　rumour　newly　e　to　her　ears—that　Yeobright’s　visit　to　his　mother　was　to　be　of　short　duration；　and　would　end　some　time　the　next　week。　　“Naturally；”　she　said　to　herself。　　A　man　in　the　full　swing　of　his　activities　in　a　gay　city　could　not　afford　to　linger　long　on　Egdon　Heath。　　That　she　would　behold　face　to　face　the　owner　of　the　awakening　voice　within　the　limits　of　such　a　holiday　was　most　unlikely；　unless　she　were　to　haunt　the　environs　of　his　mother’s　house　like　a　robin；　to　do　which　was　difficult　and　unseemly。　
The　customary　expedient　of　provincial　girls　and　men　in　such　circumstances　is　churchgoing。　　In　an　ordinary　village　or　country　town　one　can　safely　calculate　that；　either　on　Christmas　day　or　the　Sunday　contiguous；　any　native　home　for　the　holidays；　who　has　not　through　age　or　ennui　lost　the　appetite　for　seeing　and　being　seen；　will　turn　up　in　some　pew　or　other；　shining　with　hope；　self…consciousness；　and　new　clothes。　　Thus　the　congregation　on　Christmas　morning　is　mostly　a　Tussaud　collection　of　celebrities　who　have　been　born　in　the　neighbourhood。　　Hither　the　mistress；　left　neglected　at　home　all　the　year；　can　steal　and　observe　the　development　of　the　returned　lover　who　has　forgotten　her；　and　think　as　she　watches　him　over　her　prayer　book　that　he　may　throb　with　a　renewed　fidelity　when　novelties　have　lost　their　charm。　　And　hither　a　paratively　recent　settler　like　Eustacia　may　betake　herself　to　scrutinize　the　person　of　a　native　son　who　left　home　before　her　advent　upon　the　scene；　and　consider　if　the　friendship　of　his　parents　be　worth　cultivating　during　his　next　absence　in　order　to　secure　a　knowledge　of　him　on　his　next　return。　
But　these　tender　schemes　were　not　feasible　among　the　scattered　inhabitants　of　Egdon　Heath。　　In　name　they　were　parishioners；　but　virtually　they　belonged　to　no　parish　at　all。　　People　who　came　to　these　few　isolated　houses　to　keep　Christmas　with　their　friends　remained　in　their　friends’　chimney…corners　drinking　mead　and　other　forting　liquors　till　they　left　again　for　good　and　all。　　Rain；　snow；　ice；　mud　everywhere　around；　they　did　not　care　to　trudge　two　or　three　miles　to　sit　wet…footed　and　splashed　to　the　nape　of　their　necks　among　those　who；　though　in　some　measure　neighbours；　lived　close　to　the　church；　and　entered　it　clean　and　dry。　　Eustacia　knew　it　was　ten　to　one　that　Clym　Yeobright　would　go　to　no　church　at　all　during　his　few　days　of　leave；　and　that　it　would　be　a　waste　of　labour　for　her　to　go　driving　the　pony　and　gig　over　a　bad　road　in　hope　to　see　him　there。
It　was　dusk；　and　she　was　sitting　by　the　fire　in　the　dining…room　or　hall；　which　they　occupied　at　this　time　of　the　year　in　preference　to　the　parlour；　because　of　its　large　hearth；　constructed　for　turf…fires；　a　fuel　the　captain　was　partial　to　in　the　winter　season。　　The　only　visible　articles　in　the　room　were　those　on　the　window…sill；　which　showed　their　shapes　against　the　low　sky；　the　middle　article　being　the　old　hourglass；　and　the　other　two　a　pair　of　ancient　British　urns　which　had　been　dug　from　a　barrow　near；　and　were　used　as　flowerpots　for　two　razor…leaved　cactuses。　　Somebody　knocked　at　the　door。　　The　servant　was　out；　so　was　her　grandfather。　　The　person；　after　waiting　a　minute；　came　in　and　tapped　at　the　door　of　the　room。
“Who’s　there？”　said　Eustacia。　
“Please；　Cap’n　Vye；　will　you　let　us“
Eustacia　arose　and　went　to　the　door。　　“I　cannot　allow　you　to　e　in　so　boldly。　　You　should　have　waited。”
“The　cap’n　said　I　might　e　in　without　any　fuss；”　was　answered　in　a　lad’s　pleasant　voice。　
“Oh；　did　he？”　said　Eustacia　more　gently。　　“What　do　you　want；　Charley？”
“Please　will　your　grandfather　lend　us　his　fuelhouse　to　try　over　our　parts　in；　tonight　at　seven　o’clock？”
“What；　are　you　one　of　the　Egdon　mummers　for　this　year？”
“Yes；　miss。　　The　cap’n　used　to　let　the　old　mummers　practise　here。”
“I　know　it。　　Yes；　you　may　use　the　fuelhouse　if　you　like；”　said　Eustacia　languidly。　
The　choice　of　Captain　Vye’s　fuelhouse　as　the　scene　of　rehearsal　was　dictated　by　the　fact　that　his　dwelling　was　nearly　in　the　centre　of　the　heath。　　The　fuelhouse　was　as　roomy　as　a　barn；　and　was　a　most　desirable　place　for　such　a　purpose。　　The　lads　who　formed　the　pany　of　players　lived　at　different　scattered　points　around；　and　by　meeting　in　this　spot　the　distances　to　be　traversed　by　all　the　ers　would　be　about　equally　proportioned。　
For　mummers　and　mumming　Eustacia　had　the　greatest　contempt。　　The　mummers　themselves　were　not　afflicted　with　any　such　feeling　for　their　art；　though　at　the　same　time　they　were　not　enthusiastic。　　A　traditional　pastime　is　to　be　distinguished　from　a　mere　revival　in　no　more　striking　feature　than　in　this；　that　while　in　the　revival　all　is　excitement　and　fervour；　the　survival　is　carried　on　with　a　stolidity　and　absence　of　stir　which　sets　one　wondering　why　a　thing　that　is　done　so　perfunctorily　should　be　kept　up　at　all。　　Like　Balaam　and　other　unwilling　prophets；　the　agents　seem　moved　by　an　inner　pulsion　to　say　and　do　their　allotted　parts　whether　they　will　or　no。　　This　unweeting　manner　of　performance　is　the　true　ring　by　which；　in　this　refurbishing　age；　a　fossilized　survival　may　be　known　from　a　spurious　reproduction。
The　piece　was　the　well…known　play　of　Saint　George；　and　all　who　were　behind　the　scenes　assisted　in　the　preparations；　including　the　women　of　each　household。　　Without　the　co…operation　of　sisters　and　sweethearts　the　dresses　were　likely　to　be　a　failure；　but　on　the　other　hand；　this　class　of　assistance　was　not　without　its　drawbacks。　　The　girls　could　never　be　brought　to　respect　tradition　in　designing　and　decorating　the　armour；　they　insisted　on　attaching　loops　and　bows　of　silk　and　velvet　in　any　situation　pleasing　to　their　taste。　　Gorget；　gusset；　basinet；　cuirass；　gauntlet；　sleeve；　all　alike　in　the　view　of　these　feminine　eyes　were　practicable　spaces　whereon　to　sew　scraps　of　fluttering　colour。
It　might　be　that　Joe；　who　fought　on　the　side　of　Christendom；　had　a　sweetheart；　and　that　Jim；　who　fought　on　the　side　of　the　Moslem；　had　one　likewise。　　During　the　making　of　the　costumes　it　would　e　to　the　knowledge　of　Joe’s　sweetheart　that　Jim’s　was　putting　brilliant　silk　scallops　at　the　bottom　of　her　lover’s　surcoat；　in　addition　to　the　ribbons　of　the　visor；　the　bars　of　which；　being　invariably　formed　of　coloured　strips　about　half　an　inch　wide　hanging　before　the　face；　were　mostly　of　that　material。　　Joe’s　sweetheart　straight…way　placed　brilliant　silk　on　the　scallops　of　the　hem　in　question；　and；　going　a　little　further；　added　ribbon　tufts　to　the　shoulder　pieces。　　Jim’s；　not　to　be　outdone；　would　affix　bows　and　rosettes　everywhere。　
The　result　was　that　in　the　end　the　Valiant　Soldier；　of　the　Christian　army；　was　distinguished　by　no