还乡The Return Of The Native-第41节

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e　it　is　not　uncustomary　to　mit　suicide　at　this　stage；　in　England　we　do　much　better；　or　much　worse；　as　the　case　may　be。　
The　love　between　the　young　man　and　his　mother　was　strangely　invisible　now。　　Of　love　it　may　be　said；　the　less　earthly　the　less　demonstrative。　　In　its　absolutely　indestructible　form　it　reaches　a　profundity　in　which　all　exhibition　of　itself　is　painful。　　It　was　so　with　these。　　Had　conversations　between　them　been　overheard；　people　would　have　said；　“How　cold　they　are　to　each　other！”
His　theory　and　his　wishes　about　devoting　his　future　to　teaching　had　made　an　impression　on　Mrs。　Yeobright。　　Indeed；　how　could　it　be　otherwise　when　he　was　a　part　of　her—when　their　discourses　were　as　if　carried　on　between　the　right　and　the　left　hands　of　the　same　body？　　He　had　despaired　of　reaching　her　by　argument；　and　it　was　almost　as　a　discovery　to　him　that　he　could　reach　her　by　a　magnetism　which　was　as　superior　to　words　as　words　are　to　yells。　
Strangely　enough　he　began　to　feel　now　that　it　would　not　be　so　hard　to　persuade　her　who　was　his　best　friend　that　parative　poverty　was　essentially　the　higher　course　for　him；　as　to　reconcile　to　his　feelings　the　act　of　persuading　her。　　From　every　provident　point　of　view　his　mother　was　so　undoubtedly　right；　that　he　was　not　without　a　sickness　of　heart　in　finding　he　could　shake　her。　
She　had　a　singular　insight　into　life；　considering　that　she　had　never　mixed　with　it。　　There　are　instances　of　persons　who；　without　clear　ideas　of　the　things　they　criticize　have　yet　had　clear　ideas　of　the　relations　of　those　things。　　Blacklock；　a　poet　blind　from　his　birth；　could　describe　visual　objects　with　accuracy；　Professor　Sanderson；　who　was　also　blind；　gave　excellent　lectures　on　colour；　and　taught　others　the　theory　of　ideas　which　they　had　and　he　had　not。　　In　the　social　sphere　these　gifted　ones　are　mostly　women；　they　can　watch　a　world　which　they　never　saw；　and　estimate　forces　of　which　they　have　only　heard。　　We　call　it　intuition。　
What　was　the　great　world　to　Mrs。　Yeobright？　　A　multitude　whose　tendencies　could　be　perceived；　though　not　its　essences。　　munities　were　seen　by　her　as　from　a　distance；　she　saw　them　as　we　see　the　throngs　which　cover　the　canvases　of　Sallaert；　Van　Alsloot；　and　others　of　that　school—vast　masses　of　beings；　jostling；　zigzagging；　and　processioning　in　definite　directions；　but　whose　features　are　indistinguishable　by　the　very　prehensiveness　of　the　view。　
One　could　see　that；　as　far　as　it　had　gone；　her　life　was　very　plete　on　its　reflective　side。　　The　philosophy　of　her　nature；　and　its　limitation　by　circumstances；　was　almost　written　in　her　movements。　　They　had　a　majestic　foundation；　though　they　were　far　from　being　majestic；　and　they　had　a　ground…work　of　assurance；　but　they　were　not　assured。　　As　her　once　elastic　walk　had　bee　deadened　by　time；　so　had　her　natural　pride　of　life　been　hindered　in　its　blooming　by　her　necessities。　
The　next　slight　touch　in　the　shaping　of　Clym’s　destiny　occurred　a　few　days　after。　　A　barrow　was　opened　on　the　heath；　and　Yeobright　attended　the　operation；　remaining　away　from　his　study　during　several　hours。　　In　the　afternoon　Christian　returned　from　a　journey　in　the　same　direction；　and　Mrs。　Yeobright　questioned　him。　
“They　have　dug　a　hole；　and　they　have　found　things　like　flowerpots　upside　down；　Mis’ess　Yeobright；　and　inside　these　be　real　charnel　bones。　　They　have　carried　‘em　off　to　men’s　houses；　but　I　shouldn’t　like　to　sleep　where　they　will　bide。　　Dead　folks　have　been　known　to　e　and　claim　their　own。　　Mr。　Yeobright　had　got　one　pot　of　the　bones；　and　was　going　to　bring　‘em　home—real　skellington　bones—but　‘twas　ordered　otherwise。　　You’ll　be　relieved　to　hear　that　he　gave　away　his　pot　and　all；　on　second　thoughts；　and　a　blessed　thing　for　ye；　Mis’ess　Yeobright；　considering　the　wind　o’　nights。”
“Gave　it　away？”
“Yes。　To　Miss　Vye。　　She　has　a　cannibal　taste　for　such　churchyard　furniture　seemingly。”
“Miss　Vye　was　there　too？”
“Ay；　‘a　b’lieve　she　was。”
When　Clym　came　home；　which　was　shortly　after；　his　mother　said；　in　a　curious　tone；　“The　urn　you　had　meant　for　me　you　gave　away。”
Yeobright　made　no　reply；　the　current　of　her　feeling　was　too　pronounced　to　admit　it。　
The　early　weeks　of　the　year　passed　on。　　Yeobright　certainly　studied　at　home；　but　he　also　walked　much　abroad；　and　the　direction　of　his　walk　was　always　towards　some　point　of　a　line　between　Mistover　and　Rainbarrow。　
The　month　of　March　arrived；　and　the　heath　showed　its　first　signs　of　awakening　from　winter　trance。　　The　awakening　was　almost　feline　in　its　stealthiness。　　The　pool　outside　the　bank　by　Eustacia’s　dwelling；　which　seemed　as　dead　and　desolate　as　ever　to　an　observer　who　moved　and　made　noises　in　his　observation；　would　gradually　disclose　a　state　of　great　animation　when　silently　watched　awhile。　　A　timid　animal　world　had　e　to　life　for　the　season。　　Little　tadpoles　and　efts　began　to　bubble　up　through　the　water；　and　to　race　along　beneath　it；　toads　made　noises　like　very　young　ducks；　and　advanced　to　the　margin　in　twos　and　threes；　overhead；　bumblebees　flew　hither　and　thither　in　the　thickening　light；　their　drone　ing　and　going　like　the　sound　of　a　gong。
On　an　evening　such　as　this　Yeobright　descended　into　the　Blooms…End　valley　from　beside　that　very　pool；　where　he　had　been　standing　with　another　person　quite　silently　and　quite　long　enough　to　hear　all　this　puny　stir　of　resurrection　in　nature；　yet　he　had　not　heard　it。　　His　walk　was　rapid　as　he　came　down；　and　he　went　with　a　springy　trend。　　Before　entering　upon　his　mother’s　premises　he　stopped　and　breathed。　　The　light　which　shone　forth　on　him　from　the　window　revealed　that　his　face　was　flushed　and　his　eye　bright。　　What　it　did　not　show　was　something　which　lingered　upon　his　lips　like　a　seal　set　there。　　The　abiding　presence　of　this　impress　was　so　real　that　he　hardly　dared　to　enter　the　house；　for　it　seemed　as　if　his　mother　might　say；　“What　red　spot　is　that　glowing　upon　your　mouth　so　vividly？”
But　he　entered　soon　after。　　The　tea　was　ready；　and　he　sat　down　opposite　his　mother。　　She　did　not　speak　many　words；　and　as　for　him；　something　had　been　just　done　and　some　words　had　been　just　said　on　the　hill　which　prevented　him　from　beginning　a　desultory　chat。　　His　mother’s　taciturnity　was　not　without　ominousness；　but　he　appeared　not　to　care。　　He　knew　why　she　said　so　little；　but　he　could　not　remove　the　cause　of　her　bearing　towards　him。　　These　half…silent　sittings　were　far　from　unmon　with　them　now。　　At　last　Yeobright　made　a　beginning　of　what　was　intended　to　strike　at　the　whole　root　of　the　matter。　
“Five　days　have　we　sat　like　this　at　meals　with　scarcely　a　word。　　What’s　the　use　of　it；　Mother？”
“None；”　said　she；　in　a　heart…swollen　tone。　　“But　there　is　only　too　good　a　reason。”
“Not　when　you　know　all。　　I　have　been　wanting　to　speak　about　this；　and　I　am　glad　the　subject　is　begun。　　The　reason；　of　course；　is　Eustacia　Vye。　　Well；　I　confess　I　have　seen　her　lately；　and　have　seen　her　a　good　many　times。”
“Yes；　yes；　and　I　know　what　that　amounts　to。　　It　troubles　me；　Clym。　　You　are　wasting　your　life　here；　and　it　is　solely　on　account　of　her。　　If　it　had　not　been　for　that　woman　you　would　never　have　entertained　this　teaching　scheme　at　all。”
Clym　looked　hard　at　his　mother。　　“You　know　that　is　not　it；”　he　said。　
“Well；　I　know　you　had　decided　to　attempt　it　before　you　saw　her；　but　that　would　have　ended　in　intentions。　　It　was　very　well　to　talk　of；　but　ridiculous　to　put　in　practice。　　I　fully　expected　that　in　the　course　of　a　month　or　two　you　would　have　seen　the　folly　of　such　self…sacrifice；　and　would　have　been　by　this　time　back　again　to　Paris　in　some　business　or　other。　　I　can　understand　objections　to　the　diamond　trade—I　really　was　thinking　that　it　might　be　inadequate　to　the　life　of　a　man　like　you　even　though　it　might　have　made　you　a　millionaire。　　But　now　I　see　how　mistaken　you　are　about　this　girl　I　doubt　if　you　could　be　correct　about　other　things。”
“How　am　I　mistaken　in　her？”
“She　is　lazy　and　dissatisfied。　　But　that　is　not　all　of　it。　　Supposing　her　to　be　as　good　a　woman　as　any　you　can　find；　which　she　certainly　is　not；　why　do　you　wish　to　connect　yourself　with　anybody　at　present？”
“Well；　there　are　practical　reasons；”　Clym　began；　and　then　almost　broke　off　under　an　overpowering　sense　of　the　weight　of　argument　which　could　be　brought　against　his　statement。　
“If　I　take　a　school　an　educated　woman　would　be　invaluable　as　a　help　to　me。”
“What！　you　really　mean　to　marry　her？”
“It　would　be　premature　to　state　that　plainly。　　But　consider
what　obvious　advantages　there　would　be　in　doing　it。　　She“
“Don’t　suppose　she　has　any　money。　　She　hasn’t　a　farthing。”
“She　is　excellently　educated；　and　would　make　a　good　matron　in　a　boarding…school。　I　candidly　own　that　I　have　modified　my　views　a　little；　in　deference　to　you；　and　it　should　satisfy　you。　　I　no　longer　adhere　to　my　intention　of　giving　with　my　own　mouth　rudimentary　education　to　the　lowest　class。　　I　can　do　better。　　I　can　establish　a　good　private　school　for　farmers’　sons；　and　without　stopping　the　school　I　can　manage　to　pass　examinations。　
By　this　means；　and　by　the　assistance　of　a　wife　like　her“
“Oh；　Clym！”
“I　shall　ultimately；　I　hope；　be　at　the　head　of　one　of　the　best　schools　in　the　county。”
Yeobright　had　enunciated　the　word　“her”　with　a　fervour　w